Jake's Christmas Decision (Holiday Hunks Book 1)

by Natalie Ann

  “The minute you left him at the apartment he sent me a message he was interested and wanted to firm up the details. We’ll let HR and the lawyers work out the rest.”

  “He was going to sign all along, wasn’t he?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “I believe so. But men like him need their egos stroked. He got the VIP tour with you and it worked.”

  “Anything for the job, right?” she asked, grinning.

  “You know better than that,” Mitch said. “Have a good night.”

  “You too.” She went to her office, got her purse, and then locked up. All she wanted to do was go home and have a large glass of wine and try to figure out where the heck she was going to find a pilot. First thing she’d have to do would be to brush up on the job itself. She couldn’t sell it if she didn’t know what it entailed.

  Power of Persuasion

  Rachel let herself into her house, unzipped her olive green jacket and hung it up, then bent over and removed her black ankle boots.

  Yeah, she said years of practice and though she loved dressing up and wearing heels, her feet almost always wept in joy when she took them off.

  She did her normal toe wiggle, foot arch, and ankle roll on the floor, felt almost normal and then made her way out of the mudroom toward the laundry room to peek her head in and see if Frank was lying down. He wasn’t. He never was.

  The little shit was probably on the couch where he wasn’t supposed to be, but she’d long since given up disciplining the English bulldog that ruled her house.

  As she made her way through the kitchen, past the living room, she heard the loud thump, then nails on the wood floor. Yep, he was on the furniture and just flopped down.

  But when his half waddle half jog came into view, it was all forgotten. There really was such a thing as ugly cute and Frank had it in spades with his underbite and tongue hanging out to the side. She should have named him Tank rather than Frank when he bumped into her legs and almost knocked her down.

  “Did you have a productive day, Frank?”

  The snort and lick of her hand were enough. He followed her up the stairs to her room, his breath laboring a bit, but he wouldn’t leave her side until he knew he was going to be fed.

  She changed quickly, donning yoga pants, a comfy sweatshirt, and fluffy socks. Thoughts of working out after having eaten out for lunch rather than fruit and yogurt she liked to have flew out of her brain since she didn’t have the energy. All she wanted was a glass of wine and maybe some cheese. Grapes too. Good enough in her eyes. She’d get up early tomorrow and work out to make up for it.

  Frank was on her heels as she jogged down the stairs and into the kitchen. His food bowl was already empty, the water still half full. “Do you want to go out first?”

  The dog looked up at her as if she was nuts and dove into his bowl of kibble she’d just set down. He let himself in and out all day long through the dog door and fenced-in yard. He was by far the best dog she could have asked for when it came to that. Not once had she come home to any messes on the floor. At least of the bodily fluid kinds.

  While Frank plowed his way through his food, she assembled her fruit and cheese plate, and poured herself an extra large glass of wine.

  With her wine in her hand, she moved into the living room, picked up the remote and turned on the news, then went back to the kitchen to sit at the island and see what was happening in the world.

  She was halfway through her wine and feeling almost normal when her phone rang. She picked it up to see her mother calling. “Hey, Mom.”

  “Rachel. How was your day?”

  “Typical,” she said, not wanting to say much more. Her mother knew she got hit on a lot at work and was always concerned about her, but she could take care of herself and had been for years.

  “I worry about you.”

  She laughed. “There isn’t anything to worry about. I love my job. Most of it. You know that.”

  “You are really good at it,” her mother said. “Heaven knows you love to talk and socialize. More than the rest of us.”

  “You socialize plenty and you know it. We just do it in different ways.”

  Her mother was forever doing charity events and chairing some committee or another. That was how she ended up with her job, she was sure. Part of her was annoyed that she felt her parents had a hand in it, but she knew she proved her worth more than enough over the years.

  “That’s true. Was there a reason for your call, or did you just want to talk?”

  “I was hoping we could get together this weekend and talk about Taylor’s bridal shower. It’s just a few weeks away, the wedding not much further after that.”

  She didn’t need the reminder. Her brother Reed got engaged last Christmas and was getting married the second week of January. She had to talk them out of a Christmas wedding and was glad she was able to do that.

  The power of persuasion worked when she kept saying how it would take away the thrill of Santa for Angie who was just five years old. She hadn’t thought Reed would fall for that when he suggested the Christmas wedding, but he did and decided that maybe they should wait a few weeks.

  She later found out that Taylor hadn’t been so keen on a Christmas wedding either.

  Either way it was one more thing she had in her busy schedule. “Sure, we can get together with everyone and go over it one more time. Have you heard from Taylor’s mother or sisters at all?”

  Taylor’s family lived in Florida and last she knew none of them were coming up for the shower but would all be here for the wedding.

  “I try not to talk to her mother often, you know that. That woman is something else. But her sisters have been in contact and have been very helpful. Both of them wanted to fly up for the shower, though I assured them it wasn’t necessary.”

  “Reed offered to pay for their flights,” Rachel said. “Taylor told him no. That she was afraid her family would take advantage of it. He’s paying for all their hotel rooms for the wedding which are a lot more than the flights that they got a good deal on.”

  “Always so practical,” her mother said. “You and Reed. So anything exciting happening at work? Any new positions you need to try to fill?”

  Her mother did often like to hear the stories that Rachel would tell her. Not that she’d share the fact that Ty Rice wanted her to be some escort service for him. No, she’d never share that.

  “I found out today I need to fill a Medevac pilot position. Not sure how I’m going to find that. A part-time one to boot.”

  “Hmm. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Actually...”

  “What?” she asked. Her mother knew so many people that word of mouth seemed to help her out too.

  “Remember the Baxters? One of the boys, Colt, I believe went to school with Reed.”

  “Yeah. There’s another brother, Grey, he’s a doctor at Albany Med.” She didn’t know him personally, but knew of him. She’d been a few years behind Colt and Reed in school, but Grey was out of high school by the time she got there.

  “Well, his younger brother was in the service. He’s out now. He’s a pilot. I want to say a helicopter pilot, but I’m not sure. He’s back home.”

  “Jake?” she asked in a whisper.

  “Yeah. That’s his name.”

  She’d never forget it. Or forget the guy she’d had a massive crush on for years. He was one year ahead of her in school and didn’t know her name, she was sure. But she knew him. Everyone knew him.

  Star athlete. He’d lettered in everything he played. Tall, muscular, smart, cocky. The all star that every girl wanted a piece of and many bragged they’d gotten it. She’d watched from a distance, rainbows in her eyes as he pitched at baseball games, threw touchdowns under the Friday night lights, and sunk three pointers with the ease of Michael Jordan.

  “He left the service?” she asked. “How do you know?” She remembered hearing on the news earlier in the year that he was back for the funeral of his best friend. It was big news,
national news that hit their small area.

  “I think Reed was talking about it. I don’t have all the facts. You could ask him. Jake is back home now.”

  “Is he working?” she asked.

  “I don’t know anything other than what I told you. It’s probably nothing.”

  “Or it’s a start. Thanks, Mom.”

  “No problem. I’ll let you go. Tell Frank I said hi.”

  She laughed. Her mother always wanted her to talk to the dog for her. “I will.”

  Once the phone was set down, she picked up her wine glass and drained it. Holy shit, Jake was back and she had a reason to seek him out.

  Would she have the courage to talk to him now when she never did in school?

  A Big Risk

  Jake was hitting delete with the same force that he shot an assault rifle during target practice. Why the hell couldn’t he just pick a storyline and stick with it? Why was he so frazzled when it had never been a word used to describe him a day in his life.

  Nerves of steel. Determination compounded like no one else. Indecisive—never!

  When he heard a car door shut, he blocked out the neighborhood noises like he always did. He was good at blocking things out. Too bad he wasn’t so good at focusing on the task at hand. Maybe if he got more sleep it wouldn’t be a problem, but sleep and nightmares were wrestling with each other lately.

  The nightmares were winning.

  A few minutes went by and he heard a knock at the door. He got up and looked out the window to see a Mercedes in the driveway behind his SUV. Who the hell could that be and how would they know to come to his door?

  He walked the few steps and pulled it open to see an attractive woman standing there in a green coat, her brown hair blowing around her face as she tried to tame it back, and a smile on her face. “Jake Baxter?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said. “Whatever you’re selling, I’m not interested.”

  She smiled and it was a familiar face. He couldn’t pinpoint where he’d seen it before though. “I’m not selling anything. At least not like you think. My name is Rachel Chapman and I’m a headhunter for Albany Medical Center.”

  He frowned, not knowing how she knew he was here or what he could possibly offer to her. “I think there has been some mistake.”

  “I don’t think so. Do you mind if I come in for a minute? It’s a bit chilly out here, but I won’t take much of your time.”

  He stepped back and held the door open for her. What would it hurt? “So what do you think you can offer me?”

  She stopped and looked at him. Her eyes taking in more than he felt comfortable with and he wasn’t sure why. It’d been a long time since he was comfortable with a woman’s gaze.

  “I’m looking for a Medevac pilot for Albany Med. Just a part time position.”

  “Not interested,” he said quickly. He didn’t have any intention of going back up in a helicopter any time soon. He was trying to wipe that failure from his mind like a model dropping the candy bar wrapper in the trash when no one was looking.

  Would he have wanted to not climb back in after Rob’s body showed up with the other three from his squad? Yeah, he would have, but he’d had no choice. The minute he had a choice though, he left and hadn’t climbed back into one again.

  Did he want to someday? Maybe. But that someday wasn’t today.

  “You don’t even want to know more about it?”

  “Nope. I’m not sure what you heard about me.”

  She tilted her head at him, the patience clear. “I know you were in the Army. 160th SOAR or better known as a Night Stalker. I know you’re a hero.” He snorted, but she continued on. “Easy things to find on the internet I’m sure. But I was a year behind you in school, so I know a bit more about you too.”

  “Chapman Construction?” he asked. Everyone in this area knew of them.

  “That would be my father and my brother, Reed.”

  “Reed was a few years ahead of me. Graduated with my brother,” Jake said, piecing things together. It was a big area, but not so big that names like the Chapman’s didn’t stick out. Though he didn’t remember the lovely lady standing in front of him. Since her face was familiar it must be he’d seen her in school at some point.

  “Yes. Colt. Your other brother also works at Albany Med. He’s an orthopedic surgeon.”

  Damn Grey. He wouldn’t put it past Grey to approach Rachel if he’d heard there was a position. He loved his brother, but Grey was the one on his case the most about making sure he was healthy. Of mind and body. Probably thought he was doing Jake a favor.

  “So Grey sent you here?” he asked.

  “No. I haven’t spoken to your brother. Nor do I have any reason to.”

  “Then how did you know I was here?” he asked.

  “Believe it or not, your name just came up in passing when I mentioned I was trying to find a part-time helicopter pilot and how hard it was going to be.”

  “I’m sure you’ll find someone, but that someone won’t be me.”

  “Can I ask why?” She looked around the apartment, her eyes landing on his laptop and the sheets of paper he had notes jotted down on everywhere.

  “I don’t have any desire to get behind the controls again.”

  ***

  Rachel knew she was taking a big risk coming here unannounced like this. Not only that, she’d read up more on how Jake’s best friend who was also from this area, but didn’t attend the same school as them, had died earlier in the year. That Jake was on the same mission and though he’d saved a lot of lives that day, it seemed his best friend wasn’t one of them.

  Had she wanted to reach out to Grey Baxter first and get his opinion? She had, but then told herself not to. That Grey could easily tell her to stay away and then she’d have to decide to listen or not to that advice. It was best to just make the decision on her own, which she did.

  And here she was standing in front of the boy that turned into a man who was hotter than anything she’d ever imagined he’d be.

  Tall like she remembered, but there was a lot more muscle on him than when he was in school. He was lean and mean in physique back then. He wasn’t so lean now, but built like a brick shithouse.

  What the hell was a brick shithouse? Didn’t matter, but Jake...he was built.

  Biceps bulging at his arms, and when he crossed them just now in impatience, they flexed some more and she felt her body fill with enough heat to make her want to fan herself.

  “Never again?” she asked when he made his statement about not wanting to get behind the controls of a chopper again.

  He frowned at her, like he couldn’t believe she was arguing with him. Or calling his bluff maybe. “For the foreseeable future,” he amended.

  That was better in her mind. “We need you. We need people like you,” she said, trying to appeal to his desire to help. To serve. To protect. Someone like him didn’t just wipe it away regardless of what turmoil was going on in his life.

  “What kind of person is that?”

  He wasn’t kicking her out, so she’d continue on with her sales pitch. “Someone who can make a difference. Save lives. Be calm under a crisis. Be in control. Do what is right. Do you want me to go on?”

  He laughed at her. A genuine laugh. “So this is how you sell something? Try to feed my ego?”

  She grinned. “Is it working?”

  “It’s feeding my ego but not making me want to get in a chopper anytime soon.”

  Her smile wanted to plunge, but she wouldn’t let it. “What would get you in one?”

  “Ever been in one?” he asked her.

  She felt a little shiver. She wasn’t a fan of flying. She did it once she had a few drinks in her. Getting in a helicopter wasn’t something she had any intention of doing. “I can’t say that I have.”

  “And you don’t want to, do you?” he asked her.

  Damn, he was good enough to see that on her even though she was doing her damnedest to not show any fear. “Not parti
cularly.”

  He laughed at her. “If you want me in one, then you’ll have to go up with me.”

  Thrill of The Hunt

  Jake picked up the business card that Rachel had handed him a few days ago. That is after he’d rattled her on going up in the chopper with him.

  He was a good judge of character and something told him to call her bluff and get her reaction. He’d gotten what he was looking for. She didn’t want to climb in that machine any more than him. Different reason of course, but the results were the same.

  Speaking of results. He’d been home almost two weeks now and was bored out of his mind. Which was funny because he’d traveled for almost six months by himself and never was bored.

  Maybe it was the excitement of being in a new city. His lips twitched at that thought. No excitement there other than finding places to get food and drink. He’d told his parents he was doing research, but he could have done that anywhere. It’s not like he was researching cities he was visiting. Not really.

  Did he jot down notes on cities that he might use in the future? Possibly. But the truth was, he was trying to find some solace. Trying to find any peace he could.

  It wasn’t coming and he was starting to think it wouldn’t.

  He came home praying something familiar would help. Not the room he grew up in where he had memories of Rob and him hanging out. But the one place he was never allowed to be in.

  The apartment that his parents told him that he and his brothers weren’t responsible enough to live in on their own.

  Yet here he was at thirty-one living in it. Sort of.

  He looked around at the simple big room that held the couch that reclined on two ends, a small table with high back chairs, and a TV mounted on the wall.

  He spent most of his time on the couch with his feet up and his laptop on his lap writing, then deleting. More deleting than writing it seemed.

  Flipping the business card between his fingers some more, he realized that bantering with Rachel had been the most alive he’d felt in way too long. After she’d left he’d even managed to get five thousand words written and kept them all.