Linda Goodnight - Cowboy Under the Mistletoe

Second-Chance Christmas

It’s been nine years since Jake Hamilton broke Allison Buchanon’s heart and left town. But she’s never been able to forget the high school boy she secretly loved. Now Jake’s come home to care for his ailing grandmother, and Allison’s family will do anything to prevent a rekindled romance. Unfortunately, the connection between Allison and the green-eyed cowboy is undeniable. She believes that forgiveness is possible, especially at Christmas. But Jake cares too deeply about Allison to take her away from the close-knit Buchanon clan. Will Allison have to choose between a loving family and the love of her life?

The Buchanons: Steeped in loyalty, bound by family.

Jake saw a range of emotions flicker across Allison’s face.

Disappointment, worry, relief. He latched on to the last one. She wanted him gone.

Then why was she here? Why did she insist on pushing past his caution when absolutely nothing good could come of it?

Jake wished for the thousandth time he could erase one terrible day from their lives. He was comfortable with Allison, liked her, a dangerous thing, then and now. She made him smile. She even made him believe in himself. Or she once had. With everything in him he wanted to know this grown-up Allison, a dangerous, troubling proposition.

“You’ve grown up.” Stupid thing to say, but better than yanking her into his arms.

She tilted her head, smile quizzical. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

For him? Very bad.

Allison had definitely grown up.

And Jake Hamilton was in major trouble.

LINDA GOODNIGHT

New York Times bestselling author and winner of a RITA® Award for excellence in inspirational fiction, Linda Goodnight has also won a1 Booksellers’ Best Award, an ACFW Book of the Year Award and a Reviewers’ Choice Award from RT Book Reviews. Linda has appeared on the Christian bestseller list, and her romance novels have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Active in orphan ministry, this former nurse and teacher enjoys writing fiction that carries a message of hope and light in a sometimes dark world. She and her husband live in Oklahoma. Visit her website, www.lindagoodnight.com. To browse a current listing of Linda Goodnight’s titles, please visit www.millsandboon.co.uk.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement.

—2 Corinthians 2:7

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Second-Chance Christmas It’s been nine years since Jake Hamilton broke Allison Buchanon’s heart and left town. But she’s never been able to forget the high school boy she secretly loved. Now Jake’s come home to care for his ailing grandmother, and Allison’s family will do anything to prevent a rekindled romance. Unfortunately, the connection between Allison and the green-eyed cowboy is undeniable. She believes that forgiveness is possible, especially at Christmas. But Jake cares too deeply about Allison to take her away from the close-knit Buchanon clan. Will Allison have to choose between a loving family and the love of her life? The Buchanons: Steeped in loyalty, bound by family.

Introduction Jake saw a range of emotions flicker across Allison’s face. Disappointment, worry, relief. He latched on to the last one. She wanted him gone. Then why was she here? Why did she insist on pushing past his caution when absolutely nothing good could come of it? Jake wished for the thousandth time he could erase one terrible day from their lives. He was comfortable with Allison, liked her, a dangerous thing, then and now. She made him smile. She even made him believe in himself. Or she once had. With everything in him he wanted to know this grown-up Allison, a dangerous, troubling proposition. “You’ve grown up.” Stupid thing to say, but better than yanking her into his arms. She tilted her head, smile quizzical. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” For him? Very bad. Allison had definitely grown up. And Jake Hamilton was in major trouble.

About the Author LINDA GOODNIGHT New York Times bestselling author and winner of a RITA® Award for excellence in inspirational fiction, Linda Goodnight has also won a1 Booksellers’ Best Award, an ACFW Book of the Year Award and a Reviewers’ Choice Award from RT Book Reviews. Linda has appeared on the Christian bestseller list, and her romance novels have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Active in orphan ministry, this former nurse and teacher enjoys writing fiction that carries a message of hope and light in a sometimes dark world. She and her husband live in Oklahoma. Visit her website, www.lindagoodnight.com . To browse a current listing of Linda Goodnight’s titles, please visit www.millsandboon.co.uk .

Title Page Cowboy Under the Mistletoe New York Times Bestselling Author Linda Goodnight www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement. —2 Corinthians 2:7

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Someone was at the Hamilton house. Someone in a black pickup truck bearing a bull rider silhouette on the back window.

Curious, with a tremor in her memory, Allison Buchanon pulled her Camaro sports car to the stop sign in a quiet neighborhood of Gabriel’s Crossing, Texas, and sat for a moment pondering the anomaly. She drove past this corner at least once a week on her way to her best friend’s home. She hadn’t seen any sign of life in the rambling old house for a long while. Not since before Grandmother Hamilton fell and broke her hip several months ago. And Jake had been gone so long no one even cursed his name anymore.

If Allison had a funny quiver in her stomach, she played it off as anticipation of Faith’s bridal shower this afternoon. As hostess, she wanted to arrive early and make sure everything—including her dearest friend—was perfect.

She glanced at the dash clock. Three hours early might be overkill.

On the opposite corner, Dakota Weeks and a half-dozen fat puppies rolled around in the fading grass while the mama dog wagged her tail and smiled proudly, occasionally poking her nose into the ten-year-old boy’s hand for a head rub. Allison grinned and waved.

A boy and his dogs on Saturday afternoon put her in mind of her older brothers. Even now as adults, rolling in the grass with a dog—or each other if a football game broke out—was a common occurrence. And today was a perfect day to be outside. The weather was that cusp season when cool breezes crowded out the scent of mowed grass, Dads cleaned out chimneys and Moms stored away the shorts and swimsuits. Or as townsfolk would say, “football weather.”

Like many small Texas towns, Gabriel’s Crossing lived and breathed high school football year round, but especially in the fall. Teenage boys in pads and helmets became heroes, not only on Friday night but every day. Golden boys. Boys of the gridiron.

Exactly the reason Jake Hamilton was no longer welcome at her mother’s table or a lot of other places in Gabriel’s Crossing.

Oh, but they didn’t know the Jake Allison had known. The Jake who carried her darkest, most humiliating secret, the one she’d never shared with another living soul.