Hi there and welcome back to my blog! In case you're interested in reading Evie's Christmas Cowboy, this week's teaser gives some important background on the characters! Hope you enjoy!!
I’d never stayed in a fancy hotel before, and I didn’t eat out often enough to judge the menu selections. My ex-boyfriend was an investment manager who rarely used his hard-earned money to go on a vacation or eat out. And as his girlfriend and secretary, I was also encouraged to live a frugal life. Sitting in the crowded restaurant the next morning, my eyes stared into space instead of reading the breakfast menu. That is, until I heard my name uttered in a familiar sexy cadence. “Good mornin’, young lady. I hope you’re findin’ everything satisfactory.”
My heart began beating like a snare drum. It wasn’t only his distinctive low tone, but the way he called me young ladywhich managed to raise the hair on both of my arms. Lifting my face to glance up at his large presence, I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was something so dominant and delicious about the tall, burly man. “Everything looks wonderful, but with all the confusion last night, I forgot to give you my credit card to pay for the room.” As my voice trailed off, I reached for the wallet in my tote, but his deep resonance stopped me in my tracks.
“I certainly can’t charge you for a room which is saved for my friends and family.”
“But we’re not friends or family.”
“True,” he said, tipping his head. “We’re not family, but we can become friends, right?”
“Does it seem like I need a friend? Can’t anyone be alone on this damn holiday?”
His lips straightened at my use of profanity. “It’s not my business why you’re here, but I certainly hope you’ve ordered more than a cup of coffee. Our food in this restaurant is delicious and…”
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” I said sarcastically, reaching for the pitcher of cream. “Don’t worry about me, I’m not hungry and I don’t need any more friends.”
“I think everyone could use a new friend.” Pulling out a chair, he sat across from me and spoke in a hushed tone. “If it’s money you lack, I can arrange for breakfast to be on the house. And to prove I’m your friend, I’m going to insist that you eat three healthy meals a day.”
“My new friend is going to insist I eat three healthy meals a day,” I parroted, along with a dramatic roll of my eyes. “Are you always this bossy with your new friends?”
“Too bad my son isn’t here right now. He would advise you to stop the eye roll before it gets you into trouble, little miss.”
Though we were sitting in the middle of Manhattan, this man who spoke like a cowboy reminded me of a character straight out of a 1950’s Western—and I was loving every minute of his undivided attention. “Okay, I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll eat a full breakfast if you tell me your story.”
Palming his cheek, his smile grew wide. “My story?”
“Mmm hmm,” I managed, sipping my coffee. “For someone living in Soho, you have a distinct Western drawl. I’m just wondering where you’re originally from and why you’d settled here.”
“Okay, first we’ll place your order and then I’ll give you the abridged version. I don’t think there’s time for the long tale.” He placed a finger in the air, and it only took a quick minute for a member of the wait staff to walk toward our table.
“Yes, sir. Is there something you need?” she asked politely.
“Eve would like to order breakfast, and I’d appreciate it if you’d put it on the house tab.”
Picking up the menu, I cleared my throat. No one had ever been so nice to me, and honestly, it made me a bit uncomfortable. On one hand, I didn’t want this man to think of me as a charity case, but on the other, I didn’t want to appear ungrateful. So, rather than ruin a lovely moment, I decided to bite my lower lip and made a quick choice. “I’ll have two eggs over easy and a side of country ham.”
The waitress smiled. “Toast and hashbrown potatoes?”
“Potatoes well done, but I’ll skip the toast.”
“Sounds good to me,” Cole chimed in. “I’ll have the same, and thanks for comin’ over so quickly, Bree.”
I crossed my legs and watched the young woman walk away from the table before twisting my neck to face him. “Okay, my order was placed, and we made a deal.”
“You should’ve added a please and thank you.” Cole’s voice dropped a notch as he spoke through tight lips.
My head tipped in surprise. Was this man correcting me?
“Potatoes well done, please, but I’ll skip the toast, thank you.”
Yep. He was correcting me. “Hey, I know what you’re doing, but …”
“When we first met yesterday, did I mention something about manners, young lady?”
I lowered my eyes. “Yes, you did, but…”
“There are no buts when it comes to basic manners. Please and thank you are important words to remember. They’re a good way to show gratitude, display respect and demonstrate kindness.”
Okay, I should’ve stopped the massive eyeroll response. But this man was treating me like a child, and I’d obviously egged him on to see what he’d do next.
Leaning over the table, he gently lifted my chin. “I was raised by an old-fashioned man who believed in proper behavior. Do you want to hear what his response would’ve been to your blatant eyeroll?”
Oh dear. Did I just take this handsome cowboy over the edge?
“My daddy would pull you across his knees for a proper hidin’. He didn’t tolerate disrespect on any level.”
Did his threat of a spanking really turn me on? Yes, indeed it did. A surge of adrenaline bolted through me, and thousands of tiny nerve endings under the hood of my tender clit were the main target. But miracle of miracles, I managed to keep a straight face. “Sounds like he was a strict father.”
“He was a strict but lovin’, daddy,” Cole said, his glacier blue eyes softening. “He ran a sizable business, but his family came first. He always gave us his undivided attention.”
As Bree approached with a large tray, Cole nodded to her in satisfaction. “Our thanks to you and Chef Thomas. I know this holiday brings a larger crowd than usual, and you’re all risin’ to the occasion.”
Our waitress nodded and smiled as she served us. “Thank you, sir. Let me know if there’s anything else you need.”
My eyebrows raised in surprise as she walked away. “Does everyone here call you sir?”
Dropping a napkin in his lap, his lips formed a crooked smile. “They do. I guess the staff took their cue from my wife. She liked to call me sir in public, but in private…”
I could feel my lower jaw drop. Dear God, this could be good.
“Well, that’s another story for another time, young lady. But right now, I’m going to give you a little background of my family and where we’re from.”
I picked up my fork and knife and watched his eyebrow arch. What the fuck? What now?
“Napkin in your lap, please.”
Stopping a major explicative from rolling off my tongue, I did what he said and managed a half-hearted smile. “Now can I hear about you?”
“Yes, you may,” he gently corrected, taking a sip of ice water. “My grandparents were the owners of a ranch resort which was located 90 miles north of New York City built in 1950 called the Rockin’ Chair Ranch. Dude ranches were different in the 1950’s, without the frills an all-inclusive resort has to offer these days. It was primarily just horses; accommodations were rustic, and the facilities weren’t family friendly. My parents believed families would love a ranch which would cater to their needs, so they began searching for a property to convert into the first family-friendly dude ranch and built their dream ranch in 1972.
“Sounds like a fun place to vacation. Does it still exist?”
Leaning back in his chair, Cole let out a heavy sigh. “Dad passed away in 2000 and then Mom two years later. My wife wanted us to live our own dream, so we decided to build a boutique hotel here in Soho, and in the blink of an eye, Hunter was born.”
Instead of interrupting with a question, I nodded. Though I was dying to know more about his wife, it wasn’t the time to ask. Mr. Manner’s eyebrows were probably exhausted from their recent workout, so I decided to give them a break.
“My dad was the head of our house, and he always claimed the longevity of our family’s relationships was due to a strict code of ethics and values.” His dark pupils dilated when he said head of our house.
Yep. This was one interesting dude.
“I’m sure you have your own story to tell, but I don’t want to pry. Everyone is entitled to their privacy,” he said, taking a large bite of his hash brown potatoes.
“I’d share, but my life isn’t as interesting as yours.”
His wink was subtle as he chewed and swallowed. “Hmm. I’m sure something enticed you to spend the Christmas holiday alone in a big city like New York. Did you say you were from Syracuse?”
“I lived with my boyfriend there. Well, I didn’t just live with him, I was also his secretary. About a week ago, he broke off our engagement, so I decided to go somewhere where no one knows me. My first visit to your lobby was so embarrassing,” I said, peering at the ceiling. “Honestly, I thought I’d made a reservation here…”
He held up one hand to stop my incessant rambling. “It’s okay, darlin’. Sometimes we get caught in a tailspin when life throws us a curve. But you’re here now, and that’s all that matters. Hunter will be headin’ out tomorrow to spend Christmas and New Year’s with his girlfriend’s family. Of course, they invited me to join them—but I have a business to run. So, it seems I’ll be celebrating the holiday alone, too. Unless…”
My head tilted. Dear God, was this gorgeous older man asking me to spend Christmas with him? And did he just call me darlin’? “Unless?” I repeated, giving him a sideways stare.
“Unless you’re available to join me for dinner tomorrow tonight.”
It certainly would’ve been bad manners to refuse this handsome old-fashioned cowboy. “I’d love to.”
And now here's the blurb:
Without warning, twenty-five-year-old Evie Rose Ellerson's fiancée abruptly ends their relationship one week before Christmas. Deep down she always knew her boyfriend wasn't a lifelong soulmate, but after an exhausting stream of short-term relationships, Evie decided it was better to marry than to be lonely. In a spur of the moment decision, she journeys to the Big Apple with the hope of getting lost in the hustle and bustle of the holiday crowd.
At the end of a four-hour bus trip from Syracuse to Lower Manhattan on Christmas Eve, Evie discovers her hotel reservations in Soho were canceled which left her stranded in a big unfamiliar city. Coming to her rescue is the handsome owner of the boutique hotel who makes her a generous offer.
Sparks fly like shooting stars as she finally finds the man of her dreams, but was she the perfect match for a man almost twice her age?
Please note that an earlier version of this short story was previously published as Her Urban Cowboy Christmas which was part of an anthology titled 12 Naughty Days of Christmas 2022. This new edition has been retitled and updated with several new chapters. And what makes this edition even better, is that our heroine now has an all new background!
Happy reading! - Shelly
