Patricia Thayer - Mistletoe & Marriage - Snowbound Cowboy

Christmas has always been my favourite time of year. I grew up in the Midwest, and as a child one of my first wishes for the holidays was to have snow. Another was for a giant tree that smelled of evergreen and reached all the way to the ceiling in our big old house.

I have a large family—four sisters and three brothers—and though my parents never had a lot, they managed to fill up the bottom of the tree with gifts from Santa. It was years until I realised how truly blessed I was because I had family around to share it with.

As I got older my hopes and dreams changed. Now that I have grandkids, I’ve discovered that the best presents aren’t always wrapped up with a pretty bow. The best are part of everyday life. Like seeing my grandsons’ smiles as they run through the waves at the beach, or point up at the moon in wonder. How they grip your hand with complete confidence that you’ll keep them safe. How our oldest grandson, who has autism, smiles so brightly when you read his favourite story or sing his favourite song. And how every word he speaks is like a precious gift. No, you can’t buy that in any store.

This is my first Christmas story, and I was lucky enough to share it with talented writer Donna Alward. Together we came up with a ranch in Montana, the Rocking H, with two sisters, Kelley and Amelia Hughes.

In my story I created characters who needed to find some holiday joy. When this idea came to me, I kept seeing a five-year-old boy making a Christmas wish. All Jesse Hughes wants is a dad. He even writes it down on a list, and every day he believes that his dad will arrive by Christmas morning. It takes a Montana snow blizzard and my hero and heroine getting stranded together just two weeks before Christmas.

Amelia, a single mother, is afraid to trust another man again. Boone Gifford carries a burden with him that makes him think he doesn’t deserve a family. Somehow these two began to believe in a Montana Christmas miracle and never have to unwrap one gift.

In Donna’s story, Kelley enlists the help of chef Mack Dennison to help her create the perfect Hughes family Christmas. Somehow they both start to realise that the most perfect gift could very well be each other…if they’re willing to open their hearts.

My hope for all of you is to receive the kind of gift that isn’t always found under the tree. Just look around and count your blessings.

Happy Holidays

Patricia Thayer

BY

And

BY

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Cover Page

Author’s Note Patricia Thayer welcomes you to Rocking H Ranch Christmas has always been my favourite time of year. I grew up in the Midwest, and as a child one of my first wishes for the holidays was to have snow. Another was for a giant tree that smelled of evergreen and reached all the way to the ceiling in our big old house. I have a large family—four sisters and three brothers—and though my parents never had a lot, they managed to fill up the bottom of the tree with gifts from Santa. It was years until I realised how truly blessed I was because I had family around to share it with. As I got older my hopes and dreams changed. Now that I have grandkids, I’ve discovered that the best presents aren’t always wrapped up with a pretty bow. The best are part of everyday life. Like seeing my grandsons’ smiles as they run through the waves at the beach, or point up at the moon in wonder. How they grip your hand with complete confidence that you’ll keep them safe. How our oldest grandson, who has autism, smiles so brightly when you read his favourite story or sing his favourite song. And how every word he speaks is like a precious gift. No, you can’t buy that in any store. This is my first Christmas story, and I was lucky enough to share it with talented writer Donna Alward. Together we came up with a ranch in Montana, the Rocking H, with two sisters, Kelley and Amelia Hughes. In my story I created characters who needed to find some holiday joy. When this idea came to me, I kept seeing a five-year-old boy making a Christmas wish. All Jesse Hughes wants is a dad. He even writes it down on a list, and every day he believes that his dad will arrive by Christmas morning. It takes a Montana snow blizzard and my hero and heroine getting stranded together just two weeks before Christmas. Amelia, a single mother, is afraid to trust another man again. Boone Gifford carries a burden with him that makes him think he doesn’t deserve a family. Somehow these two began to believe in a Montana Christmas miracle and never have to unwrap one gift. In Donna’s story, Kelley enlists the help of chef Mack Dennison to help her create the perfect Hughes family Christmas. Somehow they both start to realise that the most perfect gift could very well be each other…if they’re willing to open their hearts. My hope for all of you is to receive the kind of gift that isn’t always found under the tree. Just look around and count your blessings. Happy Holidays Patricia Thayer

Title Page Mistletoe& Marriage Snowbound Cowboy BY

Snowbound Cowboy Snowbound Cowboy BY

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Preview

A Bride for Rocking H Ranch

Dear Reader

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Epilogue

Preview

Copyright

BY

SHE’D DONE IT NOW.

Amelia Hughes stared out the windshield at the blowing snow and thought about her rash decision to drive into town in spite of blizzard warnings. She had thought she could outrun the storm. In her haste to get back to the ranch, she had hit a slick spot, and the truck had slid off the snow-packed road onto the soft shoulder.

“Mom, we got stuck!”

“We don’t know that for sure,” she said, wondering what her penance should be for lying to a five-year-old boy. In an attempt to right her wrong, she eased her foot onto the gas peddle causing the tires to spin and the back of the truck to slide further off the road.

Great. With a sigh, Amelia stopped her attempt to regain traction, and turned to meet her child’s wide brown-eyed gaze. His stocking cap covered a head full of whiskey-colored curls, and light freckles dusted his small nose and rosy cheeks. Jesse Thomas Hughes was her everything.

Somehow she had to get them out of this. After all, she’d lived in rural western Montana all her life. She came from sturdy, frontier stock. Her great-grandparents mined this land, finally turning to ranching. They never gave up, nor would she.

She gripped the wheel and went back to work. Yet, no matter what direction she turned the wheel, or how gently she worked the gas peddle, she couldn’t get the old truck to move forward. She finally stopped to save fuel. They might need heat if they had to spend the night here. No, she refused to think about that. They had hours of daylight left.

“Boy, Aunt Kelley is going to be mad.”

“No, Aunt Kelley won’t be mad.” Another lie just rolled off her tongue. “But maybe we shouldn’t tell her. She has a lot to worry about with taking Grandma Ruby to the hospital.”