How the Bigfoot Won Christmas, page 1
How the Bigfoot Won Christmas
CATHERINE LIEVENS
Contents
About the Book
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
About Catherine
Also By Catherine Lievens
About the Book
What happens when a Christmas hater falls for a Christmas lover?
Riordan hates Christmas. He hates the lights, the decorations, and how happy everyone is—which means he should move because he lives in Fallcrest, Christmas heaven for anyone who celebrates. He keeps to himself all year long, but at Christmas, he only leaves his cabin when he absolutely has to. Grocery shopping is a must, even with the annoying Christmas music and too-wide smiles.
Emanuel loves Christmas. He loves Fallcrest’s Christmas village, the North Pole Express, and he’s never moving. Even having to chase one of his brother’s reindeer in a snowstorm isn’t enough to make him change his mind.
Until he gets caught in the storm.
Luckily for Emanuel, Riordan finds Dasher, then him, and he offers both of them to stay in his cabin for the night, albeit reluctantly. When Emanuel sees the lack of decorations and Christmas in Riordan’s life, he takes it upon himself to change that, ignoring all of Riordan’s protests.
But can Riordan open his heart enough to let Emanuel in? And what about his furry, Bigfoot shifter shaped secret? As much as Emanuel loves Christmas, that might just be too much for him.
Or maybe not.
How the Bigfoot Won Christmas is a grumpy-sunshine, stuck in a snowstorm, there's only one bed (and a couch), shifter Christmas romance that will warm your heart and make you smile. Expect a lost puppy, a naughty reindeer, plenty of Christmas lights and love.
One
Emanuel smiled at Mrs. Robinson and reached for the last can of pumpkin pie filling on the shelf. He grabbed it and offered it to Mrs. Robinson, who’d been reaching for it.
She smiled back at him. Her cheeks were red and her white hair fluffy, no doubt because of the snow. “Thank you, dear,” she said, taking the can and putting it in her cart.
“It was my pleasure. Do you need anything else?” Emanuel asked.
She shook her head. “I’m all set.”
“Will you be coming to Johnny’s Christmas pageant?” Johnny was Mrs. Robinson’s grandson. He wasn’t in Emanuel’s fourth-grade class anymore.
Emanuel taught the nine and ten years old. He’d had Johnny in his class last year, but he always tried to keep an eye on his kids until they were out of elementary school. Once they were, there was nothing he could do for them.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Mrs. Robinson said. “Although Stacy told me things aren’t the same without you teaching him.”
“Well, I miss him too.”
Mrs. Robinson chuckled. “Are you sure?”
Emanuel grinned at her. Johnny had been a troublemaker, but he was still a child. Emanuel loved all children. He had to because otherwise, he wouldn’t be a good teacher.
“I’ll leave you to your shopping,” he said.
“You’re buying a lot of food,” Mrs. Robinson commented, peeking into Emanuel’s cart. “Are you having Christmas at your house this year?”
“Oh, no. You know how my mother would react if I even suggested that. No, I’m shopping for Richard.”
“He still hasn’t found anyone?”
“He’s too busy, especially this time of year.”
Mrs. Robinson’s eyes narrowed, and since Emanuel knew what was coming, he quickly took a step back. “But I really should bring all of this to him. I’ll see you soon.”
He grabbed his cart and pushed it away, relieved when he was able to turn the corner. He wasn’t up for having yet another conversation about why he and his brother weren’t yet married with children.
That was what living in a small town was like. Everyone knew everyone, and if they didn’t, they knew someone who was related. But the entire town was aware that both Emanuel and his brother Richard were single, and they’d been trying to fix them up for the past few years. It became especially bad around Christmas, then again for Valentine’s Day. It was as if Emanuel and Richard needed to be dating during the holidays. On his part, Emanuel couldn’t think of anything worse. He was so busy in December that he barely had time to sleep, let alone time to dedicate to a guy. The same went for his brother, who raised reindeer.
Emanuel hummed along with the Christmas music blasting over the radio as he finished his shopping. If it weren’t for him, Richard would probably forget to eat. He regularly forgot to go grocery shopping, which meant that most of the things in his fridge weren’t fit to feed a pig—or anything, really.
But it didn’t matter. Emanuel took care of his family the same way he took care of the children he taught, and once the cart was full, he headed toward the checkout. He waved at Janine, one of the girls in his class, and her mother, then at his neighbor, Mr. Bramwell.
He could tell it was snowing again by the faces of the people who were heading out of the store. It wouldn’t be fun to get all of these groceries to his car, but he still couldn’t help but beam at the sky once he stepped out. He loved snow. He loved December and Christmas, when everything around him made his heart smile.
That wasn’t actually a thing, but it felt like it was.
He continued humming Christmas songs as he unloaded his cart into his car, then brought it back by the entrance of the store. The town was bustling, but that was always the case in December. Everything was covered in decorations and lights and would stay that way until after Christmas. Emanuel still had almost a month to enjoy the sights and this time of the year.
He wasn’t sure when he’d started liking Christmas so much. Was it because of Christmas itself, or because of where he lived? The town made a spectacle of Christmas, starting at the beginning of December. They were known in the area for being a Christmas town, which meant they had to deal with a lot of tourists during the winter. They weren’t Emanuel’s favorite people, but it meant the town thrived, and that was all that mattered. Still, his smile lost a bit of its shine as he had to walk around a big group of tourists making their way toward the grocery store. Why were they walking next to one another rather than in a line? Even Emanuel’s children at school knew better.
Emanuel finally got back to his car and drove out of the grocery store parking lot. It was getting dark, but the Christmas lights illuminated the town. Emanuel drove down Main Street, smiling at the sight of the trees covered in them. The park on his right looked like a fairytale, and the houses and buildings to his left weren’t far behind. People crowded the sidewalks, most of them tourists pushing and trying to get to the shop windows. The Christmas market wasn’t open yet, and it would be the main attraction for tourists when it would be. In the meantime, they had to make do with what was already available, and the shops were full, which meant they were doing well.
He turned on the radio, smiling when more Christmas music invaded his car. He tapped his fingertips on the steering wheel as he drove, relieved when he finally left Main Street behind. He couldn’t relax because of the snow, but he knew this road by heart. He and his brother saw each other at least once a week, usually more often.
Sometimes, Emanuel helped him with the reindeer and the sleighs. Richard was busiest at Christmas, like the rest of town. He made most of his money from tourists who took sleigh rides through the forest and around town. Richard needed Christmas to go well, and Emanuel did what he could to help him.
That was what family was for.
Thinking of Richard reminded Emanuel that he had forgotten to grab the milk Richard had asked for. He swore, then quickly turned his car back toward the grocery store. If he was too slow, Richard would worry and call him, and he didn’t want to distract his brother from his work. The sooner he grabbed the milk, the sooner he’d be with Richard to help him finish up today’s work.
Riordan trudged toward the checkout queue, stepping around an older lady, then grimacing when a child slammed against his legs. The kid grabbed him so he wouldn’t fall, and Riordan looked down at him. The kid looked back, clinging until his mother finally reached them.
“I’m sorry!” she said.
Riordan grunted, relieved when she dragged her child away from him. He turned around and continued pushing his cart, once again wishing he didn’t have to come to town for his groceries. Maybe next year, he’d build a greenhouse. That way, he’d have fresh produce all year instead of just in the summer and wouldn’t have to come to town as often.
“Good evening!” the girl behind the til said when he reached her. She started scanning his stuff, and he quickly moved to start bagging them. He didn’t need anyone else to do it for him.
“Have you seen it’s snowing again?” the girl said. She kept peeking at Riordan as if she expected him to answer.
Now that he thought about it, she probably did.
He wasn’t one of those people who were happy to see snow. If anything, he was unhappy about driving around in the white stuff. If it were up to him, he’d hibernate for the winter, although he supposed that his feelings had more to do with the town than with the snow itself.
The town in Decembe r was terrifying. Christmas lights and decorations were everywhere, and everything seemed to be red, green, white, or a mix of the three. The entire town smelled of cinnamon and spices, and everyone was so happy that it made Riordan’s teeth ache. He’d have stayed home if he’d been able to, but unfortunately, he needed to eat, hence the trip to the grocery store.
He didn’t understand why people were so happy that it was almost Christmas, like that guy who’d been humming along with the music when they’d crossed paths in the toilet paper aisle. Christmas music was boring. It was always the same from year to year, and hearing it caused Riordan to want to scream.
“That’ll be sixty-five eighty,” the girl said, still smiling as if Riordan’s rudeness hadn’t impacted her. Maybe it hadn’t. She was as cheery as the guy from before.
Riordan paid, ignored the girl who waved at him to say goodbye, grabbed his cart, and headed toward the entrance. He stepped through the doors only to collide with a hard body coming from his right. He stumbled and tightened his hold on the cart, then turned to glare at whoever had almost mowed him down.
It was the guy from before.
It made sense that Riordan had noticed him earlier. The guy was gorgeous, even with the cold reddening his cheeks, or maybe especially because of it. Bright red curls poked from under the Santa hat he was wearing, and his brown eyes glittered behind his glasses. He was younger than Riordan by at least a decade, and just the sight of him made Riordan feel like a grumpy old man.
Which he supposed he was. Thirty-nine might not be old, but he definitely was grumpy.
“I’m really sorry about that!” the guy said.
Riordan grunted in answer and tried to walk around the guy. The guy didn’t let go of the cart, though, and Riordan had to stop again. He glared, but it didn’t seem to affect the man.
“Did I hurt you?” the man asked.
“No,” Riordan said gruffly.
“All right, that’s good. And again, I’m sorry.” The guy let go of the cart, and Riordan quickly pushed it away. He wasn’t sure why the man was so upbeat, and he didn’t care. He just wanted to get back home and finally be alone.
He stopped the cart by his SUV, opened the trunk, and started moving bags from the cart to it. He was down to the last bag when he heard something rip, and a bunch of potatoes dropped. He groaned, wondering if he wanted to waste time picking them up since he’d paid for them or if he’d rather abandon them in the parking lot and never think about them again.
The second option was tempting.
Someone crouched next to the SUV and started picking up the potatoes. Riordan frowned and quickly put the bag he was still holding into the trunk before doing the same. If someone was going to steal his potatoes, they’d better think twice about it.
The person picking up the potatoes tilted their head to look at Riordan, and he was struck stupid by the wide smile on the guy’s lips.
It was the guy from before.
“Those bags always rip,” he commented as he picked up more potatoes.
“You don’t have to do that,” Riordan said with a grunt. He crouched and quickly picked up as many potatoes as he could.
Had all of them fallen out of the bag?
“Why wouldn’t I? You need help, and I’m here to provide it.”
“I don’t need help.”
“Oh, I’m sure you could have picked up everything on your own. It doesn’t mean I won’t stop to help since I’m parked right next to you.”
The man was wearing a bright orange jacket that clashed a bit with his hair but made him highly visible in the darkness of the parking lot. Riordan couldn’t help but sneak glances at him. Was this guy like this with everyone?
He was probably one of those people who were always happy to have a chat, even with strangers, the kind of guy who helped little old ladies cross the road and saved stray cats. He was too cheerful for Riordan, so Riordan was grateful when they finally managed to grab all the potatoes.
The man rose, his arms full, and stepped toward Riordan’s SUV. Riordan moved to do the same, only to stumble on something on the ground. He looked down, expecting another potato, but instead, it was a jug of milk.
The guy chuckled. “Sorry, that’s mine. I put it down when I saw you needed help.” He leaned down and grabbed the bottle, juggling the potatoes as he did so. “My brother drinks a lot of milk.”
What was Riordan supposed to say to that?
He turned to get into his vehicle, but the guy wasn’t done. “I’m Emanuel,” he said as he dumped the potatoes into the trunk.
It would be rude not to tell Emanuel his name, even though Riordan had never wanted anything else. “Riordan,” he said with a grunt. He dropped the potatoes he’d picked up in the trunk, too, then closed it.
“Well, Riordan, it was a pleasure to meet you.”
Riordan almost laughed because he was pretty sure that was a lie. It was never a pleasure to do anything with him. Several people had made sure he knew that over the years, and he hadn’t been offended.
He knew he was a grumpy asshole. Most people tried to stay as far away from him as possible, especially during the holidays.
Not that there were many people in his life.
Riordan pushed the cart out of the way and climbed into his car because he needed to get out of town. He turned on the engine after putting on his seatbelt, but his gaze was caught by the car next to his, where he could see Emanuel inside. Riordan was pretty sure he was humming some Christmas song. He could see him tap his fingertips on the steering wheel and his lips moving.
How could anyone be so happy? Was Emanuel like this all the time?
Riordan would never find out because he doubted he’d ever see Emanuel again after tonight. Something in his chest tightened at the thought, but he firmly pushed it away.
He was fine on his own. He was better on his own. He didn’t need anyone in his life, especially not a peppy Christmas-loving, adorable-looking man with red hair and warm eyes.
Emanuel was still smiling by the time he reached his brother’s house. For some reason, he couldn’t get the man from the parking lot out of his mind. He didn’t think he knew him and couldn’t remember seeing him before. The town was small, but not so small that Emanuel knew everyone who lived there. If Riordan lived just a bit out of town, it would make sense for Emanuel to have never met him. He probably didn’t have children, either, because if he did, he and Emanuel would have met at school.
So, who was Riordan?
It was a question Emanuel would have to find an answer to later, unfortunately. The clouds were closing in, and it was already snowing. It would only get worse, and Emanuel hoped he’d have the time to get to his house before the snow on the roads got too bad. He didn’t fancy sleeping at his brother’s house, even though Richard would offer him a bed without thinking twice about it.
He parked the car in front of Richard’s house and hopped out. He’d barely walked back to open the trunk and get the groceries when the front door swung open. Richard rushed out, almost falling in his haste. Emanuel frowned because there was no way his brother was that excited to see him.
“Please tell me you saw a reindeer on your way here,” Richard said when he reached Emanuel.
“No. Should I have?”
Richard groaned. “I was hoping you had. Dasher is gone.”
Now Emanuel understood why Richard was so frantic. Dasher was his most famous reindeer, and people came from all over the county to see him in December. Dasher was important to Richard’s job and livelihood, and without him, Richard might be in trouble. Plus, there was the fact that Richard cared about his reindeer almost as if they were children. He loved them and would be destroyed if anything happened to any of them, but he had a special relationship with Dasher.
It looked like Emanuel wasn’t going to head back home anytime soon.
“Did you put him in the barn?”
