A Christmas Bowser: Delta Jane Series, #2.6

By Kayce Lassiter

A Christmas Novella, continuing the escapades of fairy godmother, Delta Jane. 

Kolton Holloway returns to his small home town in Wyoming, after the death of his mother, intending to unload an unprofitable strip mall.  Unfortunately, the sale of the mall will force Harper Weston to close the doors of her wedding dress shop forever.  With these two at odds over the fate of the strip mall, Delta, has her hands full trying to make a love match between them.  Throw in a fairy godfather who thinks he’s a Christmas wedding planner, and Harper’s new puppy who is hell-bent on trashing her dress shop, and you have chaos of the highest magnitude.  Will Delta make this match in time to save the spirit of Harper’s unborn baby?  Or will the glimmer be lost forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kayce Lassiter
• Release date: Oct 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536540130

Kayce Lassiter

Kayce writes snarky contemporary romance in a country setting—what she calls "Chick Lit in Cowgirl Boots" and she likes to throw in some magic now and then just for fun. Now she is adding nonfiction works to her catalogue, which include dysfunctional family stories—something she knows a heck of a lot about.Kayce is a consummate smart-alec, which shows in her humorous, heart-tugging stories about everyday people complete with broken hearts and all the flaws that come with being human. Some of her characters will make you laugh, others will touch your heart, but they will all take you to a world where dreams are possible, hearts can be mended, and people survive through the power of love.A second-generation native Arizonan, Kayce was born to deaf parents and grew up on a dairy farm. Living on a farm as a kid can be fun, but it can be lonely too. So she learned to dream, to imagine, to pretend—something she's never grown out of. She still lives in rural Arizona with her horse and dogs, including a nut-job named Riley whose claim to fame is having eaten an entire rattan chair in one afternoon.So let Kayce introduce you to her world of "Chick Lit in Cowgirl Boots" and seriously dysfunctional families. After all, what would a good story be without a little magic, or a crazy or two? That's what makes the world go round—right?

Book preview

RESOUNDING PRAISE

FOR THE WORKS OF

Kayce Lassiter

I especially enjoyed Kayce Lassiter's interesting twist on the Fairy Godmother…this FGM made me laugh right out loud. I highly recommend this book…

Glenna Copen, Reader

Kayce Lassiter has a snarky quality to her voice that produces quite a few chuckles. Be prepared to laugh and cry as Katie learns to navigate the choppy waters of life.  KATIE’S ROCK is a sparkling diamond that you are sure to fall in love with!

Romance Junkies

Hold on to your hats (or rather your helmets)! Kayce Lassiter has done something no one else has done...in her book, Loons of a Feather, she has gifted us with Delta Jane, the hippest, most color-coordinated, craziest fairy godmother the world has ever known.

D M Warner, Reader

Bust out those red cowboy boots because Delta Jane is at it again! We fell in love with this spunky, Harley-riding and always color coordinated fairy godmother in Midnight on the Double-B, and Kayce Lassiter has answered our begging for more Delta Jane... Kayce Lassiter blew my socks right off with Loons of a Feather and has me wanting more with the sneak peek she included for One Dog Too Many.

Jacqueline Noir/Page Princess, Reviewer

BOOKS BY KAYCE

Katie’s Rock

Delta Jane Series:

Midnight on the Double-B

(short story)

Loons of a Feather

One Dog Too Many

Slingin Bull

(novella)

A Christmas Bowser

(novella)

Mule-Headed

(coming Feb-2017)

Butterscotch Martini Shots

~ Roses & Rodeo ~

Slingin’ Bull

(novella)

~ BodyGuard ~

Witch’s Pass

(novella)

Other Box Sets

~ Romancing Christmas 2 ~

A Christmas Bowser

(novella)

A CHRISTMAS BOWSER

By

Kayce Lassiter

The Booked Worm Publishing

Litchfield Park, Arizona

United States of America

Cover by HayBurner Design

HayBurner Design Logo

This is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual business establishments, events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Copyright © 2016 by Kayce Lassiter

A Christmas Bowser by Kayce Lassiter

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or part, scanned, photocopied, recorded, or distributed in any printed or electronic form, or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without express written permission of the publisher and the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Published by The Booked Worm Publishing.

First Edition:  October, 2016

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my Wyoming friends, Jim and Paulette Moss, who publish The Wrangler Horse and Rodeo News, for inviting me to come visit them in Wyoming.  Thanks to them, I fell in love with Dubois, Wyoming all over again, as well as all of the fabulous people who live in that state!  You two are the best.  Hugs!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A Special Thank You goes out to the residents of Dubois, Wyoming for sharing the charm of your home with me, and for being patient with me as I learned how to pronounce the name of your sweet little town.  I hope you will forgive me for any liberties I might have taken with businesses, locations, or settings in Dubois.  This is a work of fiction and I merely intended to highlight the charm and strength of your community.

To The Cowboy Café…thanks for the fantastic breakfast.  I will be back for another hat!

And to the Wind River Hotel & Casino in Riverton, Wyoming…loved the room!  I’ll be back for my money.  LOL

A CHRISTMAS BOWSER

By

Kayce Lassiter

CHAPTER ONE

Delta pulled into the small parking lot next to the Cowboy Café in Dubois, Wyoming.  She pulled close to the building and brought her motorcycle to a stop in the first spot, closest to the front door of the restaurant.  She turned the motorcycle off and dropped the kickstand, leaning the bike to the side as she swung her leg over and stood next to it.

There was snow on the ground from a recent storm, but the weather had cleared, so it was actually quite nice.  Of course, being a fairy with magical powers had its perks.  You didn’t have to worry about sliding on the snow, and you could stay warm magically without the heavy coats and gloves humans required.  But it did make for some strange looks, so Delta tried to remember to at least wear a light jacket or long sleeve shirt, rather than the camis she so often preferred.

Her younger brother, Bubba Ray, was supposed to meet her here at nine.  She was exactly on time, and as usual, it appeared he would be late.  By now, she should be used to it.  After all, it was Bubba Ray.

I swear, that boy would be late for the last flight outta hell.

She waved her right hand as she sauntered around the back of the motorcycle, and the leopard print motorcycle helmet on her head morphed into a brown cowgirl hat with a leopard print hatband.

Delta grasped the handle to the front door of the café and stopped a moment to look around.  There weren’t many places in the west Delta hadn’t been, and Dubois, Wyoming was one of them.

She couldn’t believe she’d never been here before.  It was so cute, and so western—exactly her style.  The scenery on the way in from the Grand Tetons had been so stunning, she’d found herself contemplating the purchase of a small cabin, somewhere she could escape to, in between assignments.

Who the hell am I kidding?  I don’t have any time in between assignments.

She pulled the door to the restaurant open and started to step through when she heard the high-pitched whine of a motorcycle rounding the corner, about a half-block down from the restaurant.

Delta turned her head in time to see a three-wheel motorcycle that looked like a small pink Christmas sleigh with wheels pull into the parking lot, with Bubba Ray’s fat butt plopped right in the middle of the sleigh, dressed in a pink Santa suit.

Aw, crap, she muttered as she let the door swing shut and she strode toward the parking lot.

As Bubba Ray shut the engine down and climbed out of the sleigh, she stabbed her fists on her hips and glared.  Bubba Ray, I thought you said you were going to get a car.  She pointed at the sleigh.  That ain’t no damn car.

A huge grin split Bubba Ray’s face as he puffed out his chest.  I looked at cars, but then I saw this.  He pointed a chubby finger at the huge pink trike with a fully decorated Christmas tree, complete with twinkling lights, sticking out the top of the sleigh, between the back wheels.

He continued to grin like the village idiot as he added, Now I don’t have to ride behind you when we go down the road together.  He looked up and met her gaze.  Isn’t it wonderful?  It’s so Christmassy. Don’t you just love Christmas?

She stared at the ridiculous wheeled sleigh and clamped down on what she’d been about to say.  Instead, she mumbled, I’m starting to love it less and less.

Bubba Ray was clearly enamored with the damn thing, and she tried to make more of an effort these days not to hurt his feelings.  But she would have to find a way to nip the pink sleigh idea in the bud. If this got back to the fairy dimension, she’d never live it down.  Bad enough her brother always wore pink and carried a stupid pink gun.

She took a closer look at Bubba Ray.

Where is his damn gun?  I thought he slept with it on.

Instead of his usual pink cowboy hat and gun belt strapped around his hips, Bubba Ray wore a pink Santa suit with a pink hat trimmed in white fur.  Of course, the suit was tucked into dark pink cowboy boots.

You decide to lose the gun?

Bubba Ray shook his head and grinned.  Nope.  He reached into a pocket on the side of the Santa suit and pulled out his pink gun.  I made the suit so the gun belt would be hidden inside it.  Didn’t think it would look right for Santa to walk around with a firearm strapped to his hip.

Delta stared at him for a moment before she nodded.  Yeah, I can see where that might be an issue.  She struggled to suppress her next words when something painted on the side of his new ride caught her attention.

Bubba Ray’s Christmas Weddings

~ Call For A Quote ~

Seriously?  She pinned his gaze and pointed one finger at the sign as she stamped her foot.  What the hell is that?  Her gut churned and she could taste acid in the back of her throat, reminding her she was dangerously low on antacids—time to order another case.

He shifted his weight to the other foot as his gaze fell to the ground, and he stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his baggy pink pants.  You said our cover here was to be wedding planners so we could connect with the client.

She glared, her head beginning to pound as her blood pressure shot sky-high.  "I said that was our cover...one client, one wedding…no quotes for random strangers."

Bubba Ray slowly pulled his shoulders back and raised his head.  Sis, this is what I want to do.  I love planning weddings, and you love making matches.  I think it’s a great cover for us, and it’s what I want to do.

The set of his jaw and his stance made it clear he really wanted this, and nothing she said would sway him.

She pulled in a deep breath as her emotions warred inside.  She was proud of him for standing up for what he wanted.  But part of her was sad that her baby brother was finally coming into his own, and part of her wanted to choke him over these stupid hair-brained ideas.  It happened more and more these days, giving her a new appreciation for parents whose children left the nest.

Her gut clenched.  Would Bubba Ray one day leave her?

She reached out with her mind in search of her boss, Call Montgomery.

Hey Boss, please tell me he ain’t goin' anywhere.  He’s my partner.  He needs me.

Call’s baritone reverberated inside her mind.  Delta, he’s becoming his own man, and we’ll have to take whatever comes.  Merlin is working with the Creator on some plan they have for him.  I can’t see his future.  But whatever it is, it will be what’s best for him.  You do want that, right?

She swallowed against the lump in her throat as she resisted screaming, Hell no!  Of course she wanted what was best for her brother.  She just didn’t trust that those in charge loved and understood him the way she did.  I want him safe.

The compassion was clear in Call’s voice in her head.  He will be.

Delta returned her attention to Bubba Ray, who watched her intently.  She was certain he could tell she’d been talking to the boss, but he didn’t interrupt the way he used to, just waited for her focus to return to the subject at hand.

Not trusting her voice to work past the lump still lodged in her throat, she motioned for Bubba Ray to follow, and she moved toward the front door of the restaurant.

As she reached for the handle once more, Delta looked toward the parking lot to see Bubba Ray struggling to hold onto a squirming white ball of fur as he lifted it out of the sleigh.

She pointed.  That the dog for this assignment?

Bubba Ray nodded, his head bobbling on his shoulders.  Yep.  This time we got an adorable little puppy.  He met Delta’s gaze as he held the wiggling Samoyed furball up next to his face.  Isn’t she the cutest thing?

Delta smiled.  Yeah, she’s a doll.  Then she shook her head and pulled open the door to the restaurant.  I sure hope this one’s housebroke.

As soon as they had filed into the restaurant and sat in the first booth inside the door, the waitress came straight to the table.  I’m sorry, folks, but you can’t bring a dog in here.

Delta made a motion with her right hand as black and brown sparks flew from her long, leopard-print fingernails.  It’s okay.  It’s just a puppy, and we can’t very well leave her sitting on our motorcycles out in the cold, can we?

The waitress stared at her for a moment before smiling.  Of course not.  But be sure you keep the sweet little thing in the booth, and don’t let anyone see her.

Delta nodded and returned her gaze to Bubba Ray in time to see him weave a calming spell over everyone in the restaurant.

You’re getting pretty good at that, Bubba Ray.  Perhaps you don’t need the gun anymore. She took every opportunity to try and talk him into getting rid of the stupid thing.

He shook his head.  Nope, I can only do the spells over big crowds.  Without the gun, I can’t focus on anything specific.

She watched him for a moment as he cooed to the little puppy next to him.  There was something bad wrong with Bubba Ray’s magic.  Fairies weren’t meant to be able to spell large groups of people.  Their magic was more specific.  It had taken her years to learn how to cast a magnified spell over a room full of people.  But, for some reason, it seemed her brother’s magic worked backwards.  He could magnify, but couldn’t target.  She’d never heard of that before.

Weird.

Delta picked up the menu as the waitress