Mountain mans christmas.., p.1
Mountain Man's Christmas Catch, page 1
Mountain Man’s Christmas Catch
Christmas in Candy Cane Creek #1
By Hazel J. North
Copyright
© Mountain Man’s Christmas Catch by Hazel J. North
2023
All Rights Reserved
* * *
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Mountain Man’s Christmas Catch
Hunter
My family’s bait shop always makes a fortune around the holidays when ice fishing season is in full swing. All our customers are rugged, outdoorsy types like me, so imagine my surprise when a gorgeous woman steps into Fresh Catch. She’s clueless and desperate to impress her colleagues with some great ice-fishing skills, so I offer to help her out.
To my surprise, she’s the first woman to melt my grumpy exterior. Something tells me it’s not just fish I’ll be catching this Christmas.
Eloise
Telling my boss I’m an expert in ice fishing wasn’t my best move, but I was desperate. How was I supposed to know my white lie would prompt him to invite me to go fishing with him and his family during the holidays? To make matters worse, he also invited my colleague, who’s not only an expert in ice fishing but also in the running for the promotion I’m after.
Not wanting to risk my career, I turn to the hot owner of Candy Cane Creek’s bait shop for help. If I can learn a thing or two about fishing and thaw his frozen heart in the process, I might have a merry Christmas after all.
Mountain Man’s Christmas Catch is a short and steamy instalove romance full of heat and heart with NO cliffhanger, NO cheating, and a Guaranteed HEA. This book is part of Christmas in Candy Cane Creek, a steamy instalove romance series set in a small mountain town where every rugged mountain man finds a sweet and curvy woman to love during the holidays.
Chapter One
Eloise
I feel invisible. Why am I even here? I could just as well be a prop like the vase with fresh flowers in the middle of the table or the bread basket the waiter brought half an hour ago. When my boss invited me and Slimy Simon—which is obviously not his real name, but the name he deserves—for lunch, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to impress him with my expert coding knowledge and have him consider me for the promotion of lead programmer instead of Mister Slimy Pants.
Instead, I’ve been sitting here listening to an animated conversation between Slimy Simon and Dale, my boss, about ice fishing. I didn’t even know that was a thing until fifteen minutes ago. Or maybe I did know, but I don’t remember anything about it because fishing doesn’t exactly sound exhilarating to me. My boss and colleague, on the other hand, sound like ice fishing pros.
I shift in my seat and take another bite of my steak. I’ve got to do something. They’ll forget I’m even here if I let them go on. And if Dale forgets about me, he won’t offer me the promotion.
“You know, I love ice fishing too,” I blurt out, desperate to say something and be included in the conversation.
Simon’s eyebrow shoots up. “You do?”
I nod furiously. “Uh-huh. I don’t just love it. I’m good at it too.”
“That’s amazing, Cassie. Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Dale asks. “We were just discussing bait options for catching large trout.”
Simon smirks at me. “Do you even know what items you need to go ice fishing?”
Great. Typical Simon to doubt me like this in front of our boss. I realize his doubts are justified this time, but can’t he play along for once?
“Of course,” I scoff.
“Then why don’t you list the items you need for us?” he asks, leaning back in his chair with an amused smile.
I shake my head. “I didn’t know there was going to be an exam. I thought this was a business lunch.”
“Come on, Simon. There’s no need for Cassie to prove her knowledge to us. If she says she’s great at ice fishing, she is,” Dale says to my relief.
“I just think it’s weird that she’s never said a word about this before, that’s all,” Simon says, leveling me with a stare.
Simons’ dark eyes bore into me as if able to see straight into my brain, revealing that I don’t know the first thing about ice fishing.
“Where do you usually go to catch the best fish, Cassie?” my boss asks.
It’s awesome that he’s showing a genuine interest in me. Too bad this conversation isn’t about bug fixing or version management for programmers, though. I know a lot more about those topics than fishing.
“Um, you know, in a mountain range with lots of ice. I’m not that picky, honestly. As long as the fish is there, I’m game.”
Dale’s eyes light up at my words. “You know what you two should do?”
Come up with better conversation topics that don’t involve things I’m clueless about?
“I’m all ears,” Simon says.
“You should both come to Montana and join me and my family for the holidays next week. We’ll go ice fishing together,” Dale says with a dorky smile.
“While that sounds amazing, I’m afraid I’m not available during the holidays,” I say with what I hope is a disappointed expression.
Simon smiles at me. “That’s too bad. I guess Dale and I will have to go alone then. Contrary to you, my December is wide open. But don’t worry. We’ll think of you while we’re in our ice shanties and maybe bring back a souvenir.”
Ugh, give it a rest, Simon!
“I can’t wait to show you my brand-new hard-sided shanty, Simon. It’s even got in-heating options! How cool is that?”
Panic seeps into my veins. I don’t even know what a hard-sided shanty is, but I want to be in it, too. I clear my throat and grab my phone, pretending to check my calendar. “You know what? Turns out I’m free after all. As long as I’m home for Christmas, I have time to go on this trip with you.”
Sure, I’ll have to shuffle some things around, but I’ll manage. Shit. What about Christmas presents? My mother always berates me for leaving it to the last minute, claiming I should start buying them weeks before Christmas so I’ll have them in case I run out of time. I always laugh her advice away, but she might be right this year. I guess I’ll have to shop at Candy Cane Creek then. Let’s pray the small town sells the very specific and exclusive tableware my parents want for Christmas. And if they don’t… well, I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.
“Great, we can make that work,” Dale exclaims. “It’s settled then. I’ll have my assistant email you the details. Our family always spends the holidays in Candy Cane Creek, so I can assure you you’ll love it. It’s a charming mountain town with a famous Christmas Fair and a popular ice fishing spot, but I guess that’s not news to you two. Anyway, consider this trip an end-of-year bonus. You’ve both worked hard enough to deserve this. I’ll ensure you both get a room at the local inn.” He smiles at me. “We’ll time it so you’re home for Christmas, Cassie.”
“Thank you. I can’t wait,” I say before drinking a big gulp of wine.
How am I going to pull this off? I don’t know the first thing about bait or catching fish, let alone when it involves ice and stuff like shanties, whatever the hell that even is.
Dale checks his watch. “Well, this was a great lunch, but we should head back to the office. I’ve got another meeting in twenty minutes.”
I nod. “You’re right. Those lines of code aren’t going to write themselves. And thank you for lunch.”
“Of course. Discussing projects is way more fun when food is involved, right?” He laughs, patting his round stomach.
After he settles the bill, we grab our coats and walk the one block back to our office building. As soon as I’m back at my desk, I’ll look up everything I can about ice fishing. Maybe I can find some video tutorials, buy some second-hand gear, and practice in my bathtub. How hard can it be to catch a fish?
“Did you need something?” I ask Simon as I sit back down.
He’s still staring at me, even though his desk is on the other side of the room—thank goodness.
“Be honest with me, Cassie. Are you really an expert?”
“What, at ice fishing? Of course,” I lie.
He rolls his eyes. “Sure you are. I’ll find out if you’re not, and you’ll embarrass yourself in front of the big boss. Is that what you want for Christmas? Tears?”
“Good grief, Simon, get lost.”
He holds his hands up in the air with a slimy smile. “Don’t come crying to me afterward. I’d hate to be the one to say I told you so.”
“Rest assured, you won’t have to be that person because I know what I’m doing. Now, please let me get back to work.”
He shrugs and walks away, leaving me stewing in my anger. I know I lied, but does he have to be a dick about it? This is all super convenient to him. Simon is out for that promotion and feels he deserves it more than I do because he’s a man. That’s right! He told someone a
Most of my colleagues are male, as there are not a lot of female programmers around, but at least they all support me.
Except for Slimy Simon. I hate him so much it physically hurts sometimes. And not because he wants to be lead programmer, too. Oh, no. I’m a good sport. But Simon is arrogant, sexist, and a suck-up. No one here truly likes him, but he’s too stuck up to notice.
I open my web browser and look for information on ice fishing. Half an hour later, my brain is about to explode. There are so many different types of bait and fishing poles and methods that I don’t know left from right anymore. What the hell am I going to do? I can’t admit to my boss that I lied, but I also can’t face the embarrassment of failing big time once we get to Candy Cane Creek. And what if I fall into the ice and freeze to death? While drowning? I shudder.
I look up the town’s website, and to my relief, they have a local bait shop. The only thing I can hope is that the people working there will be able to help me out, or else I’ll be royally fucked.
Chapter Two
Hunter
“Can you grab another bucket of minnows from the back, son?” Dad calls out from the other side of Fresh Catch, our family’s bait shop.
“Sure thing,” I say, eyeing the long line of customers before heading into the back.
I better grab two buckets. It’s almost Christmas, and ice fishing season is in full swing. We generate a ton of revenue this time of year, but it’s also a lot of work. Dad handles most of the work that involves being social, like operating the register or jotting down orders and explaining how certain gear works. My older brother, Chase, takes care of on-site deliveries and the occasional ice fishing advanced workshop.
I, on the other hand, love working behind the scenes. Bait preparation, inventory management, restocking fishing tackle and gear… Those are the kinds of tasks I prefer. It’s not that I hate people, but socializing makes me worry about the future of the world. Some customers, especially tourists, are so rude that I lose all hope for humanity whenever I interact with them. Since I don’t like my spirit getting crushed by entitled folks, I usually keep to myself. At least that way, I can’t be disappointed by anything or anyone. Sure, it causes some people to think I’m nothing but a big grump, but I don’t give a shit. I’m me, and I live according to my own rules. I don’t need to apologize for who I am to anyone, thank you very much.
I put two buckets of minnows on a transport cart and deliver them to my dad.
“I’m next in line,” Earl shouts.
He’s one of our most loyal customers and is here every few days. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he eats the bait himself, considering how many minnows he orders every week.
“I know, Earl. Give me one minute, please,” my father says, wiping his hands on a towel.
He’s always so patient with everyone. I honestly don’t know how he does it. I silently retreat to the back and busy myself with admin work and pricing the new gear delivered this morning. We’ve got a brand-new line of bobbers that I can’t wait to try. I love the quiet and solitude of ice fishing. My brother keeps nagging me to go with him and his friends, but the whole group fishing thing doesn’t appeal to me. I crave peace and solitude. Ice fishing alone helps me disconnect from the world and enjoy nature.
By lunchtime, my dad hops into the back. “I’m closing the shop for lunch. I’ll be back soon.”
“Great. I’ll keep an eye on the place. Say hi to mom for me.”
It’s admirable and adorable how in love my parents still are. Even after all these years, they still spend their lunch breaks together.
I eat a turkey sandwich and head into the shop to refill some shelves and put the new gear in the window display. Then, I go through the receipts from this morning and prepare them to get filed later.
The bell of the shop chimes even though there’s a closed sign dangling from the door handle. Can’t people read anymore?
“We’re closed,” I call out, not taking my eyes off the receipts.
“I’m sorry,” a female voice says.
I frown and look up. It’s rare that a woman sets foot into Fresh Catch. Not that I think women can’t fish. They just never do.
“Um, hello, and sorry to bother you during lunchtime,” the woman says with an uncertain smile.
I let my eyes trail her body. She’s wearing cute ankle boots lined with fur, black leggings, and a puffed-up jacket. Her long brown hair is tied into a high ponytail, with cute bangs covering her forehead. The curves of her body make my dick tingle, even though that should be the last thing on my mind right now. She’s stunning but completely out of place in a bait shop.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
She takes a step forward, her expression one of relief. “I hope so. I need to learn how to handle a pole. I mean, a rod. I’ve never held a rod in my hands, and I need someone to teach me.”
“You need a rod in your hands?” I do my very best to suppress my laughter.
“Yes. You know what I mean. You have the stuff right here.”
“That I do,” I say with a wink.
“I mean, a fishing rod. I’m not alluding to your male rod,” she says, motioning to my crutch.
I chuckle, unable to hold back my laughter any longer. “My what now?”
She lets out a groan. “I’m so sorry. My words are coming out all wrong. We should start over. It’s just that I’m super nervous. I don’t mean any disrespect to you and your… gear.”
“No offence taken. Now, tell me what you need.”
“Thank you…”
“Hunter.”
She extends her hand to me. “Nice to meet you, Hunter. I’m Eloise. Do you have a place where we can talk?”
I motion to the shop. “Yup. Right here.”
“Oh. Okay.”
She casts an uneasy glance at the buckets of fresh bait and swallows. “Can I be honest with you, Hunter?”
I nod.
“Good.” She tugs on her bottom lip with her teeth. “Here’s the deal. My boss invited me to go ice fishing with him and one of my colleagues. He thinks I’m an expert, but I don’t know the first thing about it. I was hoping you could show me. Maybe give me some useful tips? We go the day after tomorrow.”
I can’t help but snort. “You want me to teach you everything you need to know about ice fishing in a day?”
“Well, one day and a half if you count this afternoon,” she says, hope lacing the edge of her voice.
“I can’t. I’m sorry.” Even if I wanted to help her, I couldn’t leave my father alone at Fresh Catch during the busiest time of the season.
She rocks on her heels. “It was worth a try, right? I’ll stick to my backup plan.”
“Which is?”
“Buying some gear and going out there by myself. Practice makes perfect, and I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it soon enough.”
I let my gaze sweep her outfit again and arch an eyebrow. “In those clothes? You’ll freeze to death. Not to mention the other dangers when venturing out to an area you’re not familiar with. I’m sorry, but I can’t let you go.”
“You can’t?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I forbid it. It’s too dangerous.”
The corner of her mouth twitches. “You forbid it?”
“Do you have any idea how ridiculous your plan sounds? You need someone to accompany you.”
“Hence why I came in here,” she says with a grin.
For fuck’s sake, she’s making it incredibly hard to say no.
“I’ll call my brother and see if he can help out,” I say between gritted teeth.
I punch in my brother’s number and ask him if he could swing by and take Eloise to the lake for some ice fishing 101.
“Sorry, bro. I’m with a group right now, and tomorrow is packed with deliveries. Can’t you do it yourself?”
“And leave Dad alone?”
My brother lets out a hearty laugh. “Dad ran the shop alone for most of his life. I’m sure he can manage. Besides, it’ll do you good to hang around with someone for once. All that time alone is making you grumpy. How are you ever going to find a woman if you keep to yourself like that?”
