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    Jesse's Christmas
    Jesse's Christmas
    Jesse's Christmas
    Ebook106 pages1 hour

    Jesse's Christmas

    By RJ Scott

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    A real Christmas is more than parties and plastic trees. It’s memories, family, and love.

    For photojournalist Jesse, Winter is the worst of times for more reasons than he can count. Not least that Christmas is a stark reminder of last year’s misery when his banker boyfriend embezzled millions, ran from the law, and left Jesse with unmanageable debt. The ring Jesse had bought to propose was the first item he had to sell, and it wouldn’t be the last.

    With money running low, he wants an assignment somewhere fascinating, far away, and hot. Meanwhile, his agent offers him cold and icy Eden Vale, awarded Christmas Town 2011, and given how much it pays, he can’t say no. Only now he’s trapped in a town of less than a thousand people, cut off by snow, and every single person wants to drag him kicking and screaming into Christmas.

    Gabriel has lived his entire life in the mountains. A teacher at the elementary school, he believes that the season of goodwill unites community, family, and that love resides in everyone’s heart.

    When Jesse arrives in town, lacking any measure of Christmas spirit, Gabriel immediately sees through his defenses and bonds with him. Despite the barriers that Jesse throws up, Gabriel is determined to show the man what a real Christmas can be.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRJ Scott
    Release dateFeb 24, 2014
    ISBN9781311020017
    Jesse's Christmas
    Author

    RJ Scott

    RJ Scott is the author of the best selling Male/Male romances The Christmas Throwaway, The Heart Of Texas and the Sanctuary Series of books.She writes romances between two strong men and always gives them the happy ever after they deserve.

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      Book preview

      Jesse's Christmas - RJ Scott

      Chapter One

      Two Years Ago

      The end when it came was utterly brutal and sudden. One minute Jesse Connor was planning the most romantic way to propose to his boyfriend of three years, the next said boyfriend was gone. And not just gone in a ‘popped out for a coffee’ way. But gone in an ‘emptying closets and trashing the place’ kind of way. Even the original Jesse Connor prints on their bedroom wall were gone, removed from the frame with the frames themselves stacked haphazardly against the wall.

      Everything Jesse felt about the season was wrapped up in this particular Christmas, the day he was going to ask Jonah to marry him. He had the tree and the decorations and all the perfectly chosen and appropriate presents organized. He even had the damn platinum ring burning a hole in his pocket.

      And now everything had gone to hell.

      Sir, you’ll need to come with us. Jesse spun on his heel. There was a cop standing inside his apartment, feet straddling the threshold between bedroom and main living room. This was a joke. Any minute now the cop would strip off and give him a lap dance and everything would be revealed to be one huge joke.

      I think I’ve been burgled, Jesse murmured. He felt icy cold; the window wide open to the outside air was letting in gusts of snow every so often. The snow landed on the widescreen TV, which lay on its side with half of its guts hanging out, and melted immediately.

      Sir, we have some questions. Please come with us.

      Where? was all Jesse could ask. Outside? He was in a daze. Where was Jonah? Why was the TV destroyed? Where had his photos gone? Why was all of Jonah’s stuff not in the closet?

      The FBI are waiting in the hall, sir.

      What? Sorry, what?

      Sir, you’ll need to come with us, another cop said. Where had he come from? Jesse blinked at them both.

      What are you doing here? Where’s Jonah?

      We’re hoping you will tell us that, sir. This time it was a different voice belonging to a man in a cheap suit with frown lines bracketing his eyes who stepped in past the cops.

      I don’t know. Jesse pulled out his cell again, but checking it for the hundredth time wasn’t going to change the fact that there was no new message from Jonah. Maybe he’s delayed at the bank? Jesse offered.

      We both know that is unlikely, the Fed said with a scowl. He’s not going to return to the scene of a crime.

      Cops in his apartment. And now Jonah was being accused of something. And Jonah had gone. The music in the apartment next door started up, signaling the fact that Henrietta who worked in marketing at the same company as Jonah had arrived home. The strains of Christmas music wound their way through the walls and into Jesse’s hearing.

      He’s supposed to be here. We were due to go to the ballet. I had tickets. Jesse looked at the decorated tree that lay on its side, then back at the empty frames, and finally he faced the cops in his and Jonah’s apartment.

      I’ll need your cell phone, sir. The Fed held out his hand.

      Will it help you find Jonah? Jesse asked uncertainly.

      I surely hope so, the Fed answered brusquely.

      What did he do? What’s happened? I don’t…

      The Fed was talking to the cops, telling them not to let anyone in, instructing them that Jonah may well be desperate and try anything at this moment in time.

      Jesse followed the Fed numbly out into the hallway. The door to Henrietta’s apartment was open, and she stood in the doorway with a stunned expression on her face. Her eyes were bright and she was crying.

      Oh my God, Jesse, she said as Jesse came to a stop in front of her.

      Henrietta? Are you okay? What’s happened?

      It’s Jonah. He’s taken down the whole bank. She put a hand to her mouth. He’s wiped millions in trading. It’s all over the news, he’s destroyed us.

      I don’t understand?

      Did you know? she shouted. Jesse stumbled back against the wall as she advanced on him with horror in her eyes.

      The Fed moved between them. Sir, you need to come with me. Jesse saw one of the cops nod, and in a few seconds he was bundled out of the building and into a cop car.

      When he got home, twenty-four hours had passed and Jesse’s world had been destroyed. He tore the tree to small pieces and threw the gifts in the garbage.

      And he promised himself one thing. Never again would he let the Christmas spirit make him do anything as stupid as proposing to a man who never loved him.

      Chapter Two

      This Christmas

      You have deadlines, Jesse.

      The words repeated on an audio loop in his head. Emma meant well. As his agent she had a responsibility to keep him in line. God knows he hadn’t been the best client recently.

      I get why you’re angry, he hedged in the vain hope he would placate her.

      You agreed to this contract, Jesse. The photos for their website are important to them and are central to the towns whole Christmas marketing campaign.

      I know, Emma—

      They’re paying good money for Jesse Connor’s work, and let’s face it, your accounts are running on empty now. Eden Vale may be the only thing that gets you inspired.

      He argued so hard. He used to love Christmas. Now though? In his opinion, Christmas was something he wanted to forget, winter was cold, and in fact every damn thing connected to the season sucked. Emma had been so patient listening to everything he said and then passed him the leaflet that signed his death warrant. That is what it was. A damned document to screw him over in life’s shitty path. So sue him if he was being melodramatic, but his response was a well-thought-out curse word that made Emma narrow her eyes in a flash of temper.

      "Is there a problem, Jesse? You know you are only getting away with this artistic bullshit because the clients are desperate for the work of the Jesse Connor."

      Her words had created a curious mix of gratitude and fear in him. Something as simple as a client still wanting him actually seemed more like a noose around his neck.

      Yes, there’s a goddamn problem with all of it. This is simple. I can’t do it, Emma. I don’t have the passion I need for creating art, let alone have anything to do with Christmas. That isn’t some random statement. I really can’t give them what they want.

      Jesse—

      No, Em, I know you are trying to help, but I don’t feel Christmas. Not in a single cell of my body. He pushed every raw emotion he had into the simple words. She ignored him and instead changed the subject back to the visit to Christmas-ville.

      The first event in Eden Vale is three days away, Jesse. I booked you a room from tomorrow, right through December, up until the third of January.

      What the hell? I thought you were joking. Jesse sat forward. I said no, and I meant it. You have to get me out of this contract, tell them I was drunk when I signed it. Because I sure as hell am not going to freaking Vermont.

      Emma crossed her arms over her chest. "You weren’t drunk Jesse, you were desperate for money. You are going. The newspaper

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