Jolly Jingle Bells: Christmas Mountain RomComs, #3

By Abby Everheart

Unrequited love, a forgetful grandmother with a walker and a penchant for wandering off, and a criminal hiding in plain sight. Christmas in Alaska is never uneventful.

 

Jason has longed for Kenzie since elementary school, but a tragic accident has kept them apart for nearly two decades. When a charming man catches Kenzie's attention, Jason realizes that he's about to lose any last chance he'll ever have with her. As the cherry on top of the disastrous holiday season, Jason's grandmother comes to stay with him for Christmas. That's great, he loves her, but she has a penchant for trouble and he's about to get dragged into more of it.

 

Kenzie loves her family, her horse herd, and the small town that gives her the freedom she desires in life. But when a new man comes to town emotions that she's kept off to the side start surging, and she realizes she has to make a decision between her family and love.

 

 

A Christmas Promise is a complete Christmas romantic comedy standalone in the Christmas Mountain RomCom series. This is a clean, sweet romance with a guarenteed happily ever after and a cozy Christmas ambience.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Abby Everheart
• Release date: Oct 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798201284206

Abby Everheart

Abby Everheart is the nom de plum for a woman who believes everyone should be able to go on adventures and experience sweet romance from their favorite reading chair. Her favorite part of the day is at night after work when she can sit down and put pen to paper crafting characters and stories she hopes you will love.   You can find her at abbyeverheart.com or follow her on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/authorabby or Bookbub @abbyeverheartauthor.

Book preview

Chapter 1

In what world does my yelling ‘get out of the way’ mean stay in place and get run over? The words came to Jason muffled through the snow smothering his face as he lay there on his stomach, wondering why he’d chosen this life.

There was also something that was decidedly not snow touching his face. He blew out a hard sigh. This long day could not possibly get worse. Jason rolled onto his side and pushed his aching body up to a sitting position.

Damon stopped in front of him, his boots crunching the snow loudly and sinking into the deep, soft powder.

The sharp, witty retort Jason had intended to dole out to his friend died on his lips in a groan as he got to his feet. Yep, one of those hefty hooves had gotten him in the ribs when the fifteen hundred-pound bison had broken loose and knocked him to the ground. He’d gotten lucky.

You, uh… Damon waved a hand at him and snorted. You have something on your face.

Jason took his glove off and the last of his dignity crumbled off his face in the form of bison crap as he brushed himself off.

Damon was grinning now.

You’re enjoying this too much, Jason grumbled. Shouldn’t you be trying to round up that horned, ill-mannered giant of yours?

In the time it took you to get up and get that crap off you, my guys had already wrangled her.

I will remind you… Jason brushed off his thick winter jacket, that I’m the only vet around here.

So? Damon reached over and pushed a mixture of snow and crap that Jason had missed off his side. He was not doing a good job of hiding his mirth at this turn of events.

If you let your blasted animals kill the only vet around, you’ll be in trouble.

You’re a sturdy guy. I have faith in you.

And that’s your first mistake. Jason leaned backward, hearing a popping sound in his back as he did so.

No, my first mistake was listening to you when you said, ‘we can leave her in the pen when I give her the shot. No need to put her in a chute.’

How was I to know your pen is as flimsy as a parasol?

Damon choked. A parasol?

What? I’ve been looking at beach vacation destinations and they have parasols you can sit under.

"No way, dude. They have umbrellas you can sit under. A parasol is something you’d only hear about if you watched a movie like Pride and Prejudice or something equally frightening. Do you have anything you want to tell me?"

Jason refused to take the bait, instead smirking. How would you know whether they have parasols in those types of movies, my ever so manly friend?

I – well, I am married now. Damon waved his hand. Whoa, whoa, whoa, you’re not turning this back on me.

Before they could spar further, Jason’s phone rang, the chiming sound an unwelcome one. He didn’t have any more appointments today, and the dim light of the Alaskan winter would fade into a dark evening soon, so someone calling him likely meant there was an urgent issue. Jason wasn’t looking forward to a Friday evening emergency. Especially after a long week, traveling far and wide to rural villages and towns along the river by snow machine, since that and dogsled were the only ways to access them in the winter when the river was frozen over.

He fished the irritating electronic from an inside pocket. Reception was less than poor around here, but he had it forwarded from his landline at his office, just in case.

This is Jason.

Hey, Jason. The soft and throaty voice made warmth blossom in his chest, even if he had no right to feel that way.

He turned away from Damon so his childhood friend couldn’t see the feelings that must be plastered on his face; he’d never been very good at keeping his emotions in check. And like it or not, Kenzie Chelsky brought out emotions in him like no one else.

What can I do for you?

One of my horses needs stitches urgently. Can you come?

Of course. I’m just finishing up at Damon’s ranch, so I’ll be there soon. He glanced at the sky. Hopefully, before it got dark.

Thank you.

Bye.

When Jason turned back, Damon was looking over at his guys, who were coaxing the bison into a pen. With any luck it would be more robust than the one the big animal had just destroyed. When Damon looked back to him, his eyes glinted with knowing.

What’s up with Kenzie?

I didn’t say who it was. Jason stiffly walked to his bag, which had been flung several feet away.

Your tone and expression did all the talking.

With an inaudible sigh, Jason picked up his bag, a sharp pain stabbing his side as he straightened back up. Joy.

I’ll see you later, Damon.

Come by for dinner soon. You’ve been hiding since I got married.

Just giving you two space. And while he was thrilled Damon and Valerie had found each other again, maybe seeing their happiness together sharpened the loneliness that sometimes lay like a stone in his chest. Not that he’d admit that to anyone.

See you later. Damon gestured to his ribs, letting Jason know that he’d seen his stiff movements. Let me know if you’re feeling worse tomorrow. I’ll take you to the doctor.

I’ve been kicked before. Nothing a few weeks and some over-the-counter anti-inflammatory meds won’t heal.

Damon clapped him on the shoulder, causing him to wince, and the two men parted. Kenzie had only called him because he was the only vet around this rural part of Alaska, not because she preferred his company. But he was glad for the excuse to see her, anyway.

This winter had been a calm one, with only several feet of snow versus their usual storm after storm, leaving snow drifts of multiple feet every time. It was nice not to have to slog through waist-deep powder to get to some of his patients. It also would be easier on the wildlife. They could find food easier, and prey animals were able to stay away from packs of wolves out hunting more easily than if they were laboring through several feet of snow.

Kenzie’s ranch was only a few miles away, but the slick, wind swept roads kept him from getting there quickly. It wasn’t as if he’d never been to her place, but every time he went, he wished things could be different. Oh well, life was like that. Right? There was no use hoping, not after what he’d done.

Deep in thought, he didn’t notice movement on the side of the road until an animal launched itself up onto the road and he had to slam on his brakes, his truck sliding a few feet as the lone albino caribou stopped and looked at him. An albino was rare. Some said seeing one was a sign of change coming. Jason almost laughed at the thought. Nothing would change in his life, and he was perfectly fine with that.

With a snort and a toss of his head, the caribou continued on. Jason stared after him. A rare sight, indeed. But maybe Jason shouldn’t work on any more big animals today. He seemed to be having bad luck with them.

No antlers. It must be a male. Or a female that didn’t get pregnant.

He snorted. Even if his past actions weren’t keeping Kenzie from dating him, he was hardly the most exciting person. It was possible he’d been a vet too long out here.

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Kenzie was stroking Misha’s side when the familiar brown truck rolled along the drive, parking just outside the barn.

She smiled as long, jean-clad legs stretched out of the vehicle, and then Jason fully appeared, hauling the big, reliable black tote he used for all his calls.

Hi! She waved him over to where she’d tied her sweet bay Fjord pony.

Hey, Kenzie, he greeted, that lopsided smile that was so familiar to her spreading over his strong face. He immediately caught sight of the cut along Misha’s flank and went to check it.

It’s big enough, I didn’t want to try and bandage it myself. She rubbed Misha’s cheek. There was a lot she did for her horses out here in the wilderness, but she fortunately had access to a vet who had the proper tools to do a better job than she ever could. Misha craned her big head around to peer at Jason, receiving a nose rub from him and a little piece of carrot, which she crunched happily.

What did she get into? Jason set his bag down.

I’m not sure. I’m afraid there’s a sharp edge in the pens that I haven’t noticed.

That seems unlikely. None of the other horses have gotten a cut like this, right? I’ll clean and numb the area so I can stitch it.

You’re the best.

He sent her a sideways glance, quickly moving to pull equipment from his bag, but she saw him swallow. They’d been friends since elementary school, and she still considered them friends. But given what had happened, when a foolish decision had cost him one of his most precious relationships, it wasn’t the same.

Kenzie stepped over to take a look as he cleaned out the wound. It’s already December. Did you decorate? Before things between them changed, she and Jason would decorate together in December. It was the most fun part of the month for her. It had been.

No, I’ve been keeping busy. A little smile touched his lips. Do you remember that year we asked Mr. Gologergan if we could take two of his reindeer and hook them up to that sleigh?

"I can still remember that smile on his face as he told us if we could catch them and