Tennessee Tinsel

By Bethany Strobel

What's not to love about a tender Tennessee Christmas tradition?

Jillian and her twin brother, along with her parents, love to spend the holidays in their favorite little Tennessee town in the mountains. But this year when her mom booked the cabin, she invited some extra guests and Jillian's arch rival.

Jax McKay. The super sexy, wanna-be cowboy is home for the holidays from Montana. When Jillian's mom invites her brothers best friend, Jax, and his family to their cabin, Jillian can't believe her bad luck.

Making matters worse, Jillian and Jax are the only ones who make it to the cabin before the snow storm strikes. With no way of telling how long they'll be stuck together, alone, Jillian fears they may come to blows.

Or will the new and disturbing feelings she finds herself denying for him be enough to squash their rivalry and land the cowboy a place in her heart?

Make a way for this witty and comical story to find a place in your heart this Christmas season!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bethany Strobel
• Release date: Dec 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005964924

Bethany Strobel

Recently, my family and I moved to our happy place, the beach, and we couldn't feel more blessed. In between being a full time mommy to two wonderful children who never cease to amaze me, and being a wife to the bet hubby ever, I try to squeeze time to write into my hectic life everyday. Sometimes, I find myself in full author mode and write into the wee hours of the morning. A special thanks goes out to my hubby for putting up with my artistic spurts. I pour my heart into my writing and fall in love with each and every one of my characters as i hope you will fall in love with them too. As the Destiny Series continues to grow, I will also be branching out into the MG/YA world and starting a project close to my heart. I hope you enjoy the content. Thanks for stopping by, tell a fellow reader, and drop me a line in the contact page.

Book preview

Contents

Mittens .........................................................................................................................................

Copyright..........................................................................................................................

Newsletter........................................................................................................................

Chapter 1..........................................................................................................................

Mittens .........................................................................................................................................

Chapter 2..........................................................................................................................

Mittens .........................................................................................................................................

Chapter 3..........................................................................................................................

Mittens .........................................................................................................................................

Chapter 4..........................................................................................................................

Mittens .........................................................................................................................................

Chapter 5..........................................................................................................................

Mittens .........................................................................................................................................

Chapter 6..........................................................................................................................

Mittens .........................................................................................................................................

Chapter 7..........................................................................................................................

Mittens .............................................................................................................................................

Chapter 8..........................................................................................................................

Mittens .............................................................................................................................................

Chapter 9..........................................................................................................................

Mittens .........................................................................................................................................

Chapter 10.......................................................................................................................

Mittens .............................................................................................................................................

Chasing Mountains........................................................................................................

Chapter One....................................................................................................................

Chapter Two....................................................................................................................

Chapter Three.................................................................................................................

Author Freebie................................................................................................................

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4...........................................................................................................................................

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More about the author.................................................................................................

Copyright

Tennessee Tinsel

Copyright © 2017 by Bethany Strobel

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher or author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used factiously. Any resemblance to actual persons – living or dead – and any events or locals used is entirely coincidental.

Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and punishable by up to five years in prison with a fine of up to $250,000.

Newsletter

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Chapter 1

Mittens

That’s me, just there, the girl in the white jacket and fluffy white snow-cap, posing in the shotgun wedding photo. Yep. Dark-brown, curly hair, post-adolescent freckles that refuse to fade, and all. My name is Jillian Turner.

Who’s that tall, sandy-blonde stud standing next to me in the photo, sliding a ring on my finger? That’s my brother’s best friend, Jax McKay, my archrival. We’ve hated each other since we were five when he tried to steal a kiss, and I punched him in his cute button nose.

I bet you’re wondering how we got to this point, because I assure you, I am too. I guess it all started about a few days ago.

***

Mama, come on. I wanna get there before it starts snowing. You know I don’t like to drive in the mountains with the messy roads.

I tap my foot impatiently as I wait for my mother to check that every last light in the house is off and the note for the animal sitter is clearly visible on the kitchen island, for the tenth time.

Just a minute, Jillian. I just know I’m forgettin’ something.

I fold my arms across my chest and raise my head, looking towards heaven, pleading with Jesus to make my mama hurry. When her cell phone jingles a merry little Christmas tune from the black depths of her pocketbook, I know Jesus isn’t on my side, and neither is luck for that matter. She finally finds the silly thing, and holds it up to her ear, yelling into the phone.

Hello?

Oh, It’s Francis McKay, she says to me.

I roll my eyes when she turns her back on me to continue her conversation.

Oh, goodie, Francis McKay!

The sarcasm in my tone of voice isn’t lost in the twelve feet that separate us, and twenty-two years old or not, mama still turns around to fix me with that southern mama stare. You know, the one that says, ‘I know what you’re doing, young lady, and you had better stop right now, or else...’

I wiggle my eyebrows at her, letting her know I’m just teasin’ and give her the fakest smile I can muster. See, Mrs. Francis McKay is Jax’s mother. And I can’t stand Jax. I turn around, so mama can’t see the annoyed look on my face. I’m pretty frustrated that she invited Francis, because Francis invited her son. Of course, my older brother—by twelve minutes – Gibson, is bound to be ecstatic by the news.

Every year for Christmas, we rent a cabin in the Smoky Mountains in this tiny little tourist town called Gatlinburg. I love the tradition. Especially since Gibson and I went away to two different colleges, and we are half-way across the country from each other for the better part of the year. I guess if I have to, I can put up with Jax McKay for a few days. Besides, this year I invited my friend Aimee. We won’t even have to deal with the boys. They’ll be off terrorizing the town, and Aimee and I will be shopping.

Come on mom, I say, knowing she won’t listen.

Oh, honey, why don’t you go on ahead. It looks like Francis needs a ride, and your father will be home any minute now. We’ll just ride with him. I give her a blank look.

She made me wait for hours just so she could flake out on me and grab a ride with my dad? Seriously?

I’ll need you to unlock the cabin and let Jax in. Francis said he jumped the gun on her and left a few hours ago.

Great. Exactly what I wanted to do, you know, beat the snow by leaving a few hours ago.

I grab the keys off the island, kiss mama on the cheek, and hurry to the door.

Be careful, I say and turn to leave.

Bye, honey, I love you. Give my best to Jax. My mother’s words fade as I let the screen door slam behind me.

Dang-it, mama! I pull my cell from my pocket and dial Aimee and continue off the front porch and down the path to my car. Come on Aimee, answer.

The unanswered ringtone plays in my ear as I wrestle the phone with my shoulder and search my jean’s pockets for my keys. Finally, I give up and stuff the phone into my back pocket and unlock my car. If Aimee isn’t there, by the time I get there, I’ll be forced to entertain Jax on my own, and I cringe at the notation of being alone with him.

The hour and thirty-six-minute drive from the North Georgia Mountains up into Tennessee is uneventful, and I’m glad it hasn’t started snowing yet. The drive has certainly given me plenty of time to prepare my nerves for handling Jax. I take a deep breath, feeling like I’m ready to weather the storm, as mama calls it. About twenty minutes from the cabin, my cell rings, and I very carefully pick it up and answer it.

Yea? I say. Short and sweet.

Hey, Jillian, where are you? The sound of Aimee’s voice is like music to my ears, and I get excited as I wonder if she’s already made it to the cabin.

Aimee, I’m still driving. Where are you? I ask.

I left about thirty minutes ago. I thought you were going to call me first. She sounds hurt.

I called, girl, but mama made me go ahead, because Jax is already at the cabin, and he needs someone to let him in.

Silence.

Aimee?

Jax is gonna be there? she asks.

What? I told you mama invited the McKays. Jax is a McKay, therefore Jax is coming. My tone is kind-of pissy, and I feel bad. It’s not my friend’s fault.

Well, at least you’ll have a cute cowboy to keep you company until we all get there, she teases.

Shut your face, Aimee.

Jax is going to school somewhere in Montana, and he seems to think that living there for a few years qualifies him as a certified cowboy. Giddy-up! I roll my eyes, even though there isn’t anyone here to see the wasted effort.

Oh man! It’s starting to snow! Aimee’s phone-line crackles.

Where are you? I ask, concerned for my friend.

Just outside of Knoxville. Where are you? she asks.

I’m about ten minutes from the cabin. Listen, Aimee, if the snow gets worse stop in Knoxville. Don’t try to cross the gorge.

Why Jillian, it sounds like you’re fishing for time alone with the cowboy, she teases.

God, Aimee, knock it off. I’m serious. Don’t kill yourself to get here and get off your phone. Love ya, bye. I don’t wait for her to answer before I hang up. She needs to focus on the road.

I look back heavenward. You really don’t like me today, do you? I ask and groan aloud at my misfortune.

Chapter 2

Mittens

As I pull around the last curve of the one-lane, dirt road that leads to the cabin, the site of a long torso sprawled over the hood and windshield of and old Charger, complete with plaid shirt, dark blue jeans, and cowboy hat slung low over his face and shielding his eyes from the bright afternoon sun, comes into view. Yep, I have the answer to Aimee's question; Jax McKay still thinks he’s a cowboy. I wonder if he’s asleep and very briefly think about honking the horn to wake him up. That could be fun.

But, I’m not malicious, so, however fun it might have been, I pass on the thought. Instead, I roll down my window and stop right beside his car.

You didn’t have to take up the entire parking pad, I holler at him.

Freckles! he says, taking off his cowboy hat and gracing me with a brilliant smile. I was just saving you a spot. He slides down the hood of his car and jumps in the open window, revving his engine to life.

I bet they taught him that move in cowboy school, I think with a smirk. True to his word he moves his car out of the way. I know it’s a one lane road, though, so it’s going to take him a few minutes to get to the next turn around spot and come back. I decide to park beside the parking pad, so mom and dad can have the best spot, and I grab the cabin key from the empty front seat beside me and open my door. It takes me a few minutes to register the dinging sound my car is making and for me to muster up enough courage to go through with the plan.

He’s already called me freckles, and he knows it’s a soft spot for me. Clearly nothing about Jax McKay had changed in the last year since I’d seen him. What kind of cowboy drives a Charger anyways? I’m certain they all drive Chevys or pickup trucks, or something. I can hear the sound of his muscle car as he nears the cabin, and I jingle the keys in the lock trying to get the door open. That’s odd. The key feels stuck.

What’s a matter, Freckles? Can’t get the door open?

I shoot him a go-to-hell look over my shoulder.

Here, let me try. He's standing so close to me I can feel his breath on my neck as he leans over, trying to see the doorknob.

Really? I elbow him softly in the ribs. Back off.

He grabs the knob, his