Chasing Christmas Read online

  Jessie texted a reply, surprised by the link and happy he’d included it because she loved the old cartoons. She placed a heart emoji at the end of her message.

  Chase felt smug with the success of his simple efforts and couldn’t wait to see how she reacted when the gifts he sent arrived.

  He was eating lunch with friends on the famous San Antonio River Walk when his phone buzzed. A wide grin broke out on his face as he read the message from Jessie.

  Chase, you’ve made this the best Valentine’s Day ever. Thank you for the roses and candy. I’ve never seen such beautiful blooms! Hugs and kisses to you, too. XOXOX

  “Must be from his wife,” one of his friends said, elbowing Chase in the side. “How come you didn’t bring her with you?”

  “She runs her own business and couldn’t be gone that long,” Chase said, hoping that would quell any discussion about Jessie.

  It didn’t.

  “She’s sure a sweet thing, Chase. How’d a cranky, homely ol’ cuss like you find such a pretty, adorable wife?” his friend Shaun teased.

  “Just luck I guess,” Chase said, glancing down at his phone, wondering what the multiple heart emojis and one with a kissy face meant.

  Shaun grabbed the phone from his hands and looked at the message. “Aw, big, bad Chase has a soft side, guys. He sent Jessie roses and candy. What’d you send her, man?”

  “Roses and candy,” Chase jerked the phone back and shoved it in his pocket.

  “We got that, but what kind? I might need some ideas to butter up my girlfriend,” his friend Gage said.

  “I sent her Hershey’s Hugs and Kisses and the flowers were just something different, the roses were cream with dark pink edges. And a vase shaped like a heart.” Chase shrugged. “No big deal.”

  “A big enough deal to get a happy text from your wife.” Shaun grinned at him. “You know, you better pace yourself or you’ll set the bar too high and you’ll never be able to live up to her expectations.”

  Chase had thought of that himself, but since he and Jessie would only have one year together, he decided to do his best to make each holiday memorable. From what she’d said, and didn’t say, he got the idea her family had made every holiday miserable. When she left at the end of the year, he hoped she’d have some good memories to carry with her.

  He took a long drink from his soda then smirked at Shaun. “Who’s going to take advice from you? You’ve dumped so many girlfriends over the years, they’ve started their own support group.”

  The rest of the guys laughed and moved on to other topics.

  Pleased he’d made Jessie happy, he couldn’t wait until her birthday surprise arrived. He’d just left his hotel room to head to the rodeo when his cell phone rang.

  Without bothering to look at the caller ID, he answered the phone. “This is Chase.”

  “Chase, oh my goodness. This is so sweet and way too much, and the nicest thing anyone has ever given me and you are absolutely the best and I don’t deserve this and…”

  He chuckled, assuming the woman rambling at rapid speed in his ear was his wife. “Jessie?”

  “Oh, sorry, it’s me. I should have said that. I just assumed you probably looked to see who was calling. Oh, my gosh, Chase! The flowers and candy were far more than I expected today. In fact, I didn’t expect anything. The text this morning with the cartoon would have been more than I usually get for Valentine’s Day. But then you sent the gorgeous roses. They even smell like roses, not those sad hothouse things that smell like chemicals. So gross. Anyway, the flowers are unbelievably pretty and the vase. Good grief! Did you know they sent a Waterford vase? It’s far too expensive for someone like me, but thank you. And the candy. It was perfect. Just a few minutes ago, two boxes arrived at the door. Oh, Chase! The cake looks so good. I’m going to share it with Lucas and Lori. Chocolate is my favorite, but I think you know that. But the camera. It’s too much! Too much! You really shouldn’t have but I’m so glad you did. I’ve always wanted something like that but I… anyway, thank you for making this the best Valentine’s Day, birthday, and holiday I’ve ever had.”

  He stepped back inside his room and pumped his fist victoriously in the air. He’d hoped she’d like what he’d sent her, especially the digital camera. He knew she had a rinky-dink camera she took photos with sometimes, but she had a creative eye and he imagined she’d take impressive shots with a good camera. He’d reached out to Cort McGraw’s sister, Celia, who was a professional photographer and asked her for some recommendations. She helped him select one she thought would be easy for Jessie to use, yet also take great images.

  A smile creased his face as he spoke. “Jessie, you are so welcome for the gifts. I’m glad you like everything, but I don’t want you to say you don’t deserve them or they’re too nice for you. You deserve good things, nice things, things that make you happy.”

  She laughed and the sound of it made his heart drum in his chest. “You’ve certainly made me happy today, Chase. The wonderful gifts you sent were so unexpected, and that made them so special. Thank you for thinking of me today. I feel awful because I didn’t send you anything.”

  “This call is gift enough, Jessie. It’s really good to hear your voice. You know I don’t mind if you want to call sometimes instead of text.” In truth, he’d started to call her dozens of times in the last month, but never quite worked up the nerve. Not when he’d been the one to walk out on her.

  “I don’t want to bother you, Chase.”

  He shook his head, as though she could see him. “You’d never be a bother, darlin’. Call me anytime.”

  “I’ll take that suggestion into consideration,” she said.

  The teasing sound of her voice brought his smile out again. “Do more than consider it, Jess. Promise you’ll call me at least once a week?”

  “Sunday evenings?” she asked.

  “Perfect.” He glanced at the clock and knew he needed to leave. “Listen, Jess, I’m on my way out the door to go to the rodeo. Why don’t I…”

  She interrupted him. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Chase. I totally forgot you’re riding tonight. Even if I can’t watch, I’ll be cheering you on. What time do you ride?”

  He told her what time he thought he’d be riding. “Can I get more than you cheering me on?”

  The phone remained silent. Finally, she spoke. “A wish for good luck?”

  He pictured her questioning what he wanted, with a hundred thoughts running through her mind. “I’d ask for a kiss if you were here, but I’ll take whatever I can get.”

  Her smile carried through the connection. “I really do hope you’ll win tonight, cowboy. You have to place in the top four, right?”

  “Yep. That’s right.” He hadn’t discussed the rodeo with Jessie and wondered if she’d done research online. The fact she might be marginally interested in him, in what he did, warmed his heart and lightened his step as he left his room and made his way to the elevator.

  “You’ve got this, Chase. Let me know your score after you ride.”

  “I will, Jess. I really hope you had a happy birthday and Valentine’s Day.”

  “I really did, thanks to you. Bye.”

  An hour later, Chase was hanging out behind the chutes, watching the steer wrestling when his phone beeped.

  The image of a frog kissing a princess made him raise an eyebrow. Jessie’s message, explaining she sent him a kiss for luck, drew out his chuckle.

  Shaun happened to be standing next to Chase and glanced at the message then slapped him on the shoulder. “You’ve got it bad for that girl, Chase. Good thing you already married her.”

  “Yeah. Good thing.” Chase sure wasn’t going to tell anyone, especially his rodeo friends, about his unconventional marriage. As far as they all knew, he was a happy newlywed.

  For the most part, he was happy. At least he was happy when he wasn’t chastising himself for having feelings for his wife.

  Every time he thought about Jessie, her kisses, or the way she ti
ed him up in knots, all he wanted to do was hop on a plane and get back to her as quickly as possible. To confess he couldn’t get her out of his mind and was afraid she’d be impossible to remove from his heart.

  But he didn’t.

  Women were a distraction he couldn’t afford, especially one like Jessie.

  Chase forced himself to focus on his upcoming ride. When he lowered himself onto the back of a big speckled bull, nothing else existed except the ride. As the last rider of the evening, he’d watched four others score. All he had to do was earn a seventy-three point ride and he was in.

  The bull he’d drawn had tossed off the last thirty-some riders without letting them score. Chase might have been intimidated, except determination overrode fear. He wiggled his fingers one last time, tightening his grip on the rope he held then drew in a deep breath and nodded his head.

  The bull leaped out of the chute and did his best to toss Chase around like a limp rag doll, but he held on. When the buzzer signaled he’d made the eight second ride the crowd went wild, cheering and clapping.

  Chase used his free hand to tug on the rope then dived off the bull, landing on his feet. The bull snorted and charged at him, but Chase hustled over to the fence and pulled himself out of reach.

  “Give that cowboy another hand folks. How does an eighty-three point ride sound?” the announcer boomed over the speakers.

  The crowd’s cheers grew louder.

  The announcer chuckled. “We’ll see this cowboy ride again in the semi-finals. Good job, Chase.”

  Chase made his way behind the chutes where his friends congratulated him on a great ride.

  Pumped up on adrenalin, Chase called Jessie.

  She answered on the third ring, sounding out of breath. “Hi, Chase. How did your ride go?”

  “Hey, darlin’, I placed! I get to ride in the semi-finals.”

  “Oh, that’s awesome! Congratulations. I’m so happy for you,” she said, sounding pleased.

  Chase heard the squeak of door hinges and wondered where she was. According to Lucas, she didn’t stick her nose outside once the sun set. “Are you outside?”

  “No. I was standing out on the porch, watching it snow. Again.”

  He laughed. “I warned you winter would get old about a week into the New Year.”

  “That you did,” she agreed. “However, Lucas has promised that it will warm up soon and be spring. When are you planning to come home?”

  “It’ll be a few more weeks, probably the second week of March. The reporter and photographer are planning to come on the fourteenth. I’ll be home before then.”

  “Okay,” she said, disappointment thick in her voice.

  Chase hoped it was because he wouldn’t be home for almost a month, not because he was eventually returning to the ranch. “I better go, Jess. Thanks for the kiss. I’m sure it helped me have a good ride.”

  “I’m sure,” she said with a hint of sarcasm. “Thank you, again, Chase, for making today wonderful. It really has been the best birthday and Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll talk to you on Sunday. About six?”

  “It’s a date,” she said then disconnected the call.

  Chase refused to consider why the thought of having a phone date with his wife made him even happier than earning a place at the semi-finals round of the rodeo. All he knew was that he couldn’t wait to hear her voice again.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Friendship bread. That’s a misleading name if I’ve ever heard one,” Jessie muttered as she took another loaf of sweet bread from the oven. An elderly neighbor woman had come to visit one frosty January morning with a resealable bag full of something she called friendship bread starter and a handwritten note card with instructions how to make the bread.

  Jessie thought the woman was being kind, welcoming her to the neighborhood with the bread. In the weeks since then, she decided the woman hated her and had invented some yeasty torture device meant to drive her mad. At least that was the conclusion she’d arrived at after baking yet another loaf of the cinnamon-laced bread.

  The first loaf she’d made, following the woman’s directions, had been delicious. The second one had been good. The third she gave to Lucas and Lori then palmed off the fourth and fifth on the hired hands.

  She’d tried to give loaves of bread and starter to Kenzie and Kaley, but they refused to accept it, saying they’d already gone down the friendship bread rabbit hole and had no plans to return.

  Jessie had searched for other recipes that used the starter and ended up with muffins, cakes, and more bread.

  If she never smelled, tasted, or saw another loaf of friendship bread, it would be too soon. She had no idea what to do with it all. She’d put it in the freezer until it was full. Her glare traveled over the three loaves cooling on the counter along with a batch of muffins.

  She’d just brushed the back of her hand across her cheek to get a stray wisp of hair out of her face when the back door opened and she heard the sound of boots crossing the mudroom floor. Assuming it was Lori, Jessie grabbed a piece of foil and wrapped up a loaf of bread, hoping she could foist it off on the woman. She turned around with the bread in her hands as the mudroom door opened and watched Chase step inside.

  Shocked by his unexpected arrival, she gawked at him. More handsome than she remembered, his intense hazel gaze connected with hers as sparks snapped between them. He must have spent some time in the sun because his skin appeared tan while his blond hair looked streaked and lighter than when he’d left in January. Apparently, they didn’t have a barber on the rodeo circuit, because his hair was far longer than she remembered. In fact, the longer length only made her battle the desire to run her fingers through the thick blond strands.

  He must have forgotten to pack his razor because he sported a bushy blond beard that obscured her view of his square jaw and the little brackets that formed around the left side of his mouth when he smiled.

  Broad shoulders, a sculpted chest, and long legs captured her interest as she continued gaping at him. Mindful of her ogling, she set the bread on the counter and gathered her wits.

  “Hi,” she said in a quiet voice.

  “Hi,” he replied, smiling as he crossed the kitchen floor. He appeared a little uncertain as he stopped in front of her, but leaned over and kissed her cheek. When he stepped back, heat flickered in his eyes. “You smell like roses and cinnamon. What are you baking?”

  “Hate you bread.” Jessie spun around and washed her hands at the sink.

  Chase chuckled. “Hate you bread? What in the world is that?”

  Jessie glanced at him over her shoulder as she scrubbed dough from beneath her fingernails. “The proper name is supposed to be friendship bread, but I have arrived at the conclusion that you only give the bread starter to people you hate. The bread making begins innocently enough, but then it multiplies faster than a barn full of rabbits. The next thing you know, it’s taken over your life.” She waved a hand around the kitchen. “Even if, by some miracle, the person who gave me the starter doesn’t hate me, I well and truly hate this bread.”

  “Do you think I could get a taste of hate you bread?” Chase sidled up beside Jessie and she had to fight down the urge to lean closer and inhale his delicious scent.

  Instead, she cut him a thick slice of bread and set it on a plate then poured a glass of milk. She set his snack on the table and quickly made herself a cup of tea before taking a seat across from him.

  She didn’t realize she was staring at him again until he raised his eyebrow and grinned. “Do I have food on my face or something?” He took a napkin from the basket she kept on the table and wiped at his face.

  “No, nothing like that. It’s just nice to see you.” Embarrassed, she ducked her head and sipped from her tea.

  “It’s nice to see you, too,” he said, finishing the bread in a few bites.

  Jessie hopped up and cut him another slice, and refilled his milk glass. “I, um�
� didn’t expect you for a few more days.”

  “I know. I decided rather than drive home, I’d fly. My pickup and gear are in Austin, Texas. I’ve got a rodeo there at the end of next week.”

  “Did you rent a car?” she asked, trying to see out the window, but wasn’t able to crane her neck far enough to see what he’d driven.

  “Mike picked me up,” he said, taking another drink of his milk.

  Jessie experienced a little prick of jealousy, but she hid it behind another sip of tea. “I would have been happy to give you a ride from the airport.”

  Chase reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “I know you would have, but then I couldn’t have surprised you. It’s not every day I walk into my house to discover a beautiful woman coated in flour grousing about hate you bread in my newly redecorated kitchen.”

  Purposefully ignoring the jolt of electricity shooting up her arm at Chase’s touch, she looked around the kitchen. With the help of her friends, she’d finished decorating it the previous week. Kaley McGraw had helped her hang the new light fixtures and offered ideas on the decor. Her husband, Cort, and Tate Morgan installed the new pantry doors.

  Jessie was pleased with the way the kitchen had turned out, but she hoped Chase would like it. “What do you think?” she asked, wary of his reaction.

  “I think it looks like a real farmhouse kitchen,” he said, getting up from the table and walking around the spacious room. “I like the paint color,” he said, pointing to the soft green walls. The color looked inviting, especially contrasted against the white cupboards and gray granite counters.

  Jessie smiled. “It’s called Farm Fresh.”

  A chuckle rolled out of him. “That’s appropriate.” He looked upward to one of three hanging pendant lights made from the top half of old milk cans hanging on heavy chain links. “Those are cool.”