Chasing Christmas: (Sweet Holiday Western Romance) (Rodeo Romance Book 5) Read online

  “I understand your reluctance to share your private information, Miss Pierce, but would you at least confirm that you are twenty-five and your birthday is in February?”

  Jessie stiffened, wondering where the caller had acquired that information. Then again, with social media as it was, it didn’t take much digging to find basic personal information. “May I please inquire as to the reason for this conversation? Are you calling to have me design something for you?”

  The woman laughed. “No, Miss Pierce. I’m calling to let you know you are the winner of the Chase Jarrett Contest.”

  Baffled, Jessie wracked her brain for any remembrance of a contest. She had no idea who Chase Jarrett was and didn’t really care. “I think you must have the wrong number. I didn’t enter a contest.”

  “Oh, you didn’t,” the woman hurried to reassure her. “Your friend Stacey Johnson sent in an entry for you.”

  A groan escaped Jessie before she could swallow it. Although well meaning, her best friend was constantly attempting to set her up on blind dates and interfering with the quiet, unassuming existence Jessie preferred. She’d deal with Stacey later.

  Right now, she just wanted to get the woman off the phone and return to the book cover she was designing for a favorite client. “What sort of contest is it?”

  “It’s really an amazing prize,” the woman gushed. “You won an all-expense paid trip for you and a friend to Las Vegas for three nights.”

  “Really?” Jessie couldn’t quite believe she’d won anything, let alone a trip for two with someone else footing the bill. “We’d be able to go whenever we wanted?”

  “No,” the woman hastened to clarify. “The date is set for next weekend. Oh, and you’d need to agree to marry Chase Jarrett.”

  “What!” Jessie jumped up from her desk and paced across the floor in her home office. “Who in the world is Chase Jarrett?”

  “A very handsome rodeo cowboy.” The woman on the other end of the line laughed again. “I assure you the contest is legal and above board. In truth, it is a mock wedding ceremony during the finals rodeo in Las Vegas. As the winner of the contest, you would spend three nights in a luxury hotel, dine at great restaurants, attend three performances of the rodeo, and marry a good-looking cowboy in a ceremony that is, for all intents and purposes, just for fun. Please let me emphasize it is a mock wedding ceremony. Nearly four thousand women entered the contest, but you were selected as the winner. Each entry included an essay about why you should be the lucky bride. I have to say, your friend Stacey wrote an impressive entry.”

  “This is all so…” Jessie struggled to find the right words to express her combined surprise, dismay, and excitement.

  “Sudden, I’m sure,” the woman supplied, finishing Jessie’s sentence. “My name is Ashley Jarrett. I’m the publicist for Chase, the faux groom-to-be. I emailed you all the details along with my contact information a few moments ago. If you need some time to think about this, I can give you one hour. With the rodeo beginning later this week, I have to let everyone know who the winner is first thing tomorrow.”

  “Oh, I… well, it’s not…” Jessie stumbled over her jumbled thoughts, grateful they refused to spill out her mouth. Finally, she released a tight breath. “Thank you.”

  “Talk to you soon,” Ashley said, then disconnected the call.

  Jessie plopped down at her computer, opened her email, and read all the details three times before calling Stacey.

  “Hey, girl! What’s up?” Stacey asked in her usual cheerful tone.

  “What’s up? I’ll tell you what’s up, you sneaky, underhanded so-called friend. You entered me in some marry-a-cowboy contest, that’s what is up!” Jessie didn’t recognize her voice as it escalated in volume. She was usually the one who remained calm and unruffled, at least outwardly.

  Stacey possessed the audacity to laugh at her. “Guilty as charged. How did you find out about it?”

  Jessie realized it was a good thing she wasn’t standing next to her friend because she may have been unable to resist the urge to smack her. “I won. The publicity person just called to tell me.”

  The excited squeals transmitting through the connection forced Jessie to hold the phone away from her ear until Stacey stopped to drag in a breath. “Before you start screaming again, you should know I have an hour to call Miss Jarrett back and let her know if I accept the prize or not.”

  “Of course you’ll accept it, you ninny. This is the biggest thing to ever happen to you.” Stacey sounded thoroughly disgusted.

  “Be that as it may, I have no intention of getting married in public, even if it is a pretend ceremony. Who does that anyway? And who is this Chase person? Why is he such a catch that thousands of women want to marry him?”

  Stacey whistled. “That’s more than I imagined would enter. That is so awesome you won! So what are the deets? Come on, girl! Spill!”

  Jessie sighed. “Look, Stace, you know I can’t do this. Why don’t you take the prize? I could…”

  “No can do, Jess. The prize is non-transferrable. That was perfectly clear in the long list of rules. Now, you just call that nice lady and tell her you’ll be there with bells on.”

  “But, Stace, I can’t do this. You know how I hate being in public and this will…”

  “Be a great growing experience for you,” Stacey interjected. “Besides, only a lunatic would turn down a chance to spend the day with Chase Jarrett. I mean, have you checked out the photos of him? He’s a cutie and then some. If you don’t call that lady back right now, I’ll drive over there and do it for you.”

  Aware the girl would do exactly that, Jessie battled with her decision. If she didn’t accept the prize, Stacey would never give her a moment of peace. In addition, Jessie would always wonder what it would have been like to marry a cowboy, even if it was for a sham wedding. Resigned, she surrendered to the inevitable. “Fine. I’ll call her, but since you got me into this, you are most definitely coming with me.”

  Stacey squealed a few more times. “I’ll come over after work and we can start picking out what we’ll take with us. We may need to do a little shopping before we leave. Oh, this is so exciting! I’ll see you around six and I’ll bring dinner. Bye!”

  Jessie took a deep, calming breath, and then made a call to the publicist. “Miss Jarrett?”

  “Yes. Is this Miss Pierce?” Ashley asked, sounding pleasantly surprised by the call.

  “It is. I’ll accept the prize and be there on Thursday of next week. Thank you for the opportunity for this trip,” Jessie said. She had no doubt going to Las Vegas to marry a stranger in a pretend ceremony was the single most stupid thing she’d ever agreed to do. “What information do you need from me?”

  Forty-five minutes later, Jessie disconnected the call, thoroughly exhausted. Ashley, as the woman insisted on being called, asked Jessie so many questions it left her thoughts swimming in her head. She wanted to know everything from Jessie’s favorite color and flower to her preferred style of shoes and ring size.

  Uncertain why the woman needed to know all those personal details, Jessie contemplated what it all might mean. She tried to resume her work but found it impossible to concentrate. She wandered outside to where a fluffy cat lounged in a pool of sunshine on the small balcony outside her second-floor apartment. Potted plants made it appear like an oasis of greenery from the street below.

  The cat had shown up out of nowhere on Christmas Eve two years ago, yowling from her balcony for her to let him in. She’d asked all around the neighborhood, but no one claimed him, so she named him Tinsel and adopted him as her own. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to state he’d adopted her.

  At any rate, she loved the lazy feline and the companionship he provided since she spent the majority of her time alone.

  She turned her face to the sunshine and closed her eyes. It was a warm, lovely day in San Diego. While Jessie occasionally missed the farm she’d grown up on a little more than an hour away, she liked the indepen
dence of living in the city. Since she owned her own graphic design business and worked from home, she could live anywhere, but she’d needed to make a break from her family. It had been one of the best things she’d ever done. The distance from her relatives had helped her gain a sense of peace she’d never known, even if she often dreamed of living in the country again.

  Ruefully, she realized Stacey had pushed her into making that life-changing decision four years ago. Perhaps her friend really did have her best interests at heart.

  She sat on a patio chair and stroked her fingers over the cat’s silvery-gray back. “Well, Tinsel, what do you suppose a bogus bride-to-be should do to prepare for a fake wedding to a man she’s never met? Did I mention he’s a cowboy?”

  The cat glanced up at her, blue eyes glowing, and meowed.

  “Do you think he’ll wear his spurs to the wedding?”

  Tinsel swished his tail.

  “I suppose a cowboy might just do that sort of thing.” Jessie sat back and picked up the cat, settling him on her lap. The loud rumble of his purr drew out her smile. “So you think this is a good idea, do you?”

  The cat purred louder.

  “You and Stacey must be in cahoots, kitty. Evidently, I’m the only one who thinks this is a horrid, terrible, totally bizarre idea.”

  After a few more moments in the sunshine, curiosity got the best of her and she returned inside to search Chase Jarrett’s name online.

  As soon as she typed it in, her screen filled with images of a cowboy riding bulls. She scrolled through dozens of images, but her eyes widened at one publicity shot of Chase. The man was incredibly handsome with sun-streaked blond hair, intriguing hazel eyes, and the kind of masculine jaw line she thought only existed in the movies.

  Another image revealed a killer smile with luminescent white teeth. Suddenly, she wondered why in the world a man like him needed to hold a contest for a wife. She knew it was a publicity stunt. Ashley mentioned something about helping promote the rodeo and the venue where the wedding would take place.

  Nevertheless, men who looked like Chase Jarrett definitely didn’t need help finding a bride. He probably had women lined up for a mile outside his door.

  Her attention lingered on a photo of him wearing a western-cut shearling coat, leaning against a fence with snow in the background. Although she assumed all bull riders were short, he looked tall in the photo. The thought of standing a few inches taller, or several, than him at their mock ceremony made her giggle. At almost five eight, she had to be careful about wearing heels on dates because the height-challenged men she’d gone out with didn’t appreciate being shorter than her.

  Perhaps it was the way he was posed that made him appear tall. Her gaze traveled from the top of his dark Stetson down his long legs to where the snow covered his boots. He certainly appeared to keep in good shape.

  She scrolled through several more images. Tinsel jumped on the desk next to the computer screen and meowed. Jessie stopped and looked from the cat to the screen. Moisture filled her mouth as she stared at a head shot of Chase, hair tousled and rugged masculinity oozing from the full-color image. He looked at the camera with heat evident in his eyes and his enticing full bottom lip beckoning to love-starved women like a beaming beacon.

  “Oh, my word,” Jessie whispered, wondering what she’d just gotten herself into. How could she possibly marry this gorgeous hunk of man in front of who knew how many people, even if it was all in fun? “I can’t do this.”

  The cat meowed again and swished his tail in her face, as though he admonished her.

  “Is that so, Tinsel? What do you think I should do?” she asked, picking up the cat and setting him down on the floor.

  He gave her a long, shrewd glare then jumped back up on the desk, fixated on her computer screen.

  Jessie rubbed a hand along the cat’s back. “It looks like I’m going to marry a cowboy.”

  Chapter Three

  “If you don’t stop wiggling, I swear I’m going to pinch you just like I used to when we were kids,” Ashley admonished as she tried to straighten Chase’s black crossover tie.

  “I don’t understand why I have to wear a tux and the whole works,” Chase griped as he lifted his chin so she could adjust the tie.

  “I’ve told you a hundred times, it’s all part of the promotion. If it wasn’t for Lasso Eight’s clothing line debut, you’d be the only thing people are talking about right now. Even with your friend Cooper’s backside plastered all over town, women have been lined up for hours, waiting to see this wedding. We have to make it look good.”

  “But, Ash, this is so… it’s just…” Chase released a huff. “All this to get a few new sponsors?”

  She laughed and pinned a burgundy rose boutonniere to his lapel. “I’d say the three new sponsors we are about to sign are well worth the bother, Chase. Besides, this wedding isn’t costing you a penny. Everything from the shiny new boots on your feet to the bouquet your bride will carry was donated by businesses eager to have their names tied to this event.”

  “Speaking of the bride, what’s her name again?” Chase had largely ignored everything Ashley had tried to share with him about the mock ceremony and his pretend bride. He’d been too busy getting ready for the finals rodeo and then competing. He had a good shot at coming out in one of the top three spots if he rode well tonight. He didn’t have the time or inclination to play along with Ashley’s crazy plans, but he’d promised to see this publicity stunt through and he would, no matter how much he hated it.

  Despite what people might think, particularly with the public persona Ashley had skillfully cultivated, he hated being the center of attention. It was one thing to climb on the back of a bull and ride it into the arena. In those eight seconds, the crowd didn’t exist. It was just him and a twirling, twisting ton of bucking bovine.

  In spite of how much he disliked it, he’d even gotten used to having people shove a microphone in his face for an interview or stop him for a photo. He could offer a comment or two and a charming smile and then be on his way.

  Ashley had boosted his career since the day he’d accepted her offer to be his publicity agent and she had yet to steer him wrong. However, Chase was a private person and having to stand in front of a room full of adoring fans and pretend to marry one of them seemed like cruel and unusual punishment. A niggling feeling in his gut that something monumental was about to happen had him plenty worried.

  He might not be into this whole fake wedding thing, but his instincts were never wrong. Right now, warning flags were waving, making his stomach churn and sending his senses into a “fight or flight” reaction. He had to tamp down the urge to race out the door and hide in his hotel room until the rodeo that night.

  “Whatever you’re thinking, knock it off,” Ashley said. She stepped back and brushed a hand across Chase’s shoulder, flicking away a spot of lint. With a tilt of her head to the left, she studied him. “I reckon you’ll do.” Her exaggerated drawl made him smile.

  “I reckon you will too, Ash.” He glanced at her fancy lace dress in a subdued shade of blue. “You look nice.”

  “Thanks for noticing.” She batted her eyelashes at him before she pinned a tiny mic to the lace collar of her dress then settled what looked like a wireless headset around her ear.

  “What’s that for?” Chase asked, pointing to the tiny communication device.

  “I can’t pull this thing off all by myself. I’ve hired a few helpers. The mic and earpiece allow me to communicate with them the whole time without having to be in four places at once.” Ashley straightened and gave him another long look. “I really do care about you, Chase. You’ve always been the brother I never had. Your happiness is my top priority.”

  He wrapped her in a hug then turned her loose with a grin. “I know, honey. If you didn’t love me, you wouldn’t do your best to make me suffer so much.”

  She laughed and smoothed a wrinkle from the black brocade vest he wore beneath his tuxedo jacket. “It s
eems weddings are in the air with Cooper’s surprise ceremony yesterday.”

  Chase nodded. “If I hadn’t been there myself, I might not have believed it. I guess he and Paige just finally arrived at the conclusion they couldn’t live without each other. It really was a great wedding.”

  “I wish I’d had time to attend, but I’ll take your word for it. I plan to check out some of the many photos I know are floating around on social media once I get home after this weekend.” She tugged on the hem of his jacket then moved back. “Do you have any last minute questions?”

  He shook his head. “Just give me a quick outline of how you envision things playing out the remainder of the day.”

  “When that scowling man over there gives you the signal…” Ashley pointed to a large man dressed all in black who looked like a bouncer from a nightclub. “You’ll need to step through those doors. The minister will be waiting for you straight ahead. Take your place to his left. His left, not your left. The wedding music will start right after that. Did you study the photos I gave you of Jessie?”

  Ashley had emailed him two photos that were probably pilfered from someone’s social media accounts. In the first one, most of the girl’s face was hidden behind a fuzzy gray cat she held in front of her. Chase thought her big blue eyes were pretty, but it was hard to see much else around the cat. The second photo showed two girls sitting on what appeared to be a Ferris wheel. The image was dark and he had no idea which one of the females was his mock bride.

  “I gave the photos a glance. I still have no idea what she looks like.”

  Ashley rolled her eyes. “Did you click on the link to her website? Google her?”