Covering Christmas

by

Covering Christmas is my last holiday release this year. It was such a fun story to write about a bareback rider trying to win a world championship title, the western lifestyle reporter who catches his eye and his heart, and Ella – the daughter he never knew he had until her mother dies and he suddenly finds himself in the role of single parent.

He wants a gold buckle. She needs a fresh start. But love—and a little girl—have other plans.

When the reigning world champion bareback rider retires, Keller Drake finally has a clear shot at claiming the title he’s chased for years, until an attorney corners him at a rodeo with life-altering news. Keller has a five-year-old daughter he never knew existed, and Ella’s late mother named him guardian in her will. Suddenly, the man who can ride the rankest broncs in the world is terrified of something far more dangerous—fatherhood.

 

 

In the book, Keller is a peanut butter addict. He loves anything made with peanut butter. His daughter, Ella is the same way.

Here’s a little excerpt from the story I thought might make you smile.

 

“My wife said to tell you that Ella is staying with us tonight, and you can pick her up after breakfast tomorrow.”

Keller turned to stare at Cooper as they stood in line at the hotel’s coffee shop. Cobie had knocked on their door and offered to style Ella’s hair, so Keller had volunteered to hustle downstairs to get breakfast. He’d run into Cooper in the elevator, and they’d made their way to the coffee shop. A line snaked out the door, but they weren’t overly concerned because the service on previous mornings had been fast and efficient.

“Is there any reason in particular your wife is kidnapping my daughter?”

Cooper grinned. “She said you and Cobie need some time together without a five-year-old chaperone. Buy tickets to a show and take Cobie out on the town after the rodeo tonight. You both deserve to have a little fun. Ella and Alex get along like two little peas in a pod, and it isn’t any trouble to keep her tonight. Just bring a bag with her jammies and whatever she’ll need to our room before you head over to the rodeo this afternoon.”

“Are you sure, Coop? I already feel like I’ve taken advantage of you and everyone else who has helped with Ella while I’m riding.”

Cooper looked insulted. “You aren’t taking advantage of us. We’re all glad to help, Keller. Paige and I know how hard it is to have a child and rodeo, and there are two of us working at it. You deserve a little time to enjoy life. You’re only what? Twenty-seven?”

“Just turned twenty-six, and I feel like I’m careening toward fifty.”

Cooper chuckled. “Exactly what I mean. Take Cobie somewhere fun and spend the evening being a young, not entirely ugly, single guy out for a great evening with a beautiful woman who clearly does not find him to be totally repulsive.”

“Ugly and repulsive. Guess I’m moving up in the world,” Keller quipped as the line inched forward. “Seriously, man, I appreciate it, and tell Paige I’ll gather Ella’s stuff and drop it off before we head out for the day. How about I reciprocate and keep Alex for you one evening so you and Paige can have some time alone?”

“I’d love that, but let’s make it during the day. We’re both too exhausted to do anything after the rodeo. I’m not as young as I used to be, you know.”

Keller shook his head in disbelief. “You’re going to be perpetually younger than us all, Coop. How about you leave Alex with me tomorrow morning? I can make sure he gets lunch, and you can reclaim him sometime in the afternoon before I need to head over to the rodeo.”

“I like it. It’s a deal,” Cooper said, shaking Keller’s hand.

“Any food allergies I should know about?” Keller asked as they got closer to the counter.

“Nope, and he’s usually a good eater. Takes after his dad.”

“I’m pretty sure a refined palate is more a trait from his mother, but what do I know?” Keller teased, then placed his order for breakfast. He got yogurt and an assortment of whole fruit, and could hardly believe his luck when he spied peanut butter muffins studded with chocolate chips in the pastry case.

“One of those muffins, please,” Keller said as the young woman behind the counter gathered his order.

“You and your peanut butter addiction,” Cooper pointed to the case of pastries. “I heard Ella has been known to eat it straight out of the jar.”

“What?” Keller asked, staring at Cooper. “Where did you hear that?”

“From Alex. He said they were hungry, and Ella got out a jar of peanut butter and ate it with a spoon. He went with a bag of fruit snacks. That was back when we were in Pendleton, or was it Walla Walla? Anyway, the gist of my story is that your daughter also has a predilection for peanut butter and eats it straight from the jar.”

Keller thought of all the peanut butter he’d eaten the last few months and wondered how much of it had five-year-old slobbers living in the jar. He would have been grossed out, but considering some of the things he’d cleaned up when Ella had the twenty-four-hour tummy flu, he decided slobber was the least of his worries.

Here’s an easy recipe for Peanut Butter Candy

Peanut Butter Drops

INGREDIENTS

1 11-ounce bag white chocolate chips

1 11-ounce bag peanut butter chips

1 cup cocktail peanuts

1 cup crushed pretzel pieces

DIRECTIONS

Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, then melt in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the chips are smooth (1-2 minutes).

Stir in peanuts and pretzels, then drop by spoonsful onto the parchment.

Let cool, then store in an airtight container up to a week.

What is your favorite must-have flavor or treat, or holiday indulgence? 

Mine would chocolate in various forms.

41 thoughts on “Covering Christmas”

  2. Hey Shanna! Cute entrance story on peanut butter with a 5 year old slobber! Heh. My favorite is Reese’s. But a running second is Mounds!

    Best Wishes on your new book! And Merry Christmas!

  8. I make a double decker fudge, peanut butter and chocolate. It is a favorite of my friends and family and they always ask for it at Christmas. One of the best parts is cleaning out the bowl after I have poured it into the pan.

  10. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I love sugar cookies and seven layer cookies. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.

  11. A favorite indulgence for the holidays is making my grandma’s Almond Stollen. Brings back so many memories each time I make it. Dark chocolate is another indulgence!
    I really enjoyed all of your “Silver Bell Sweethearts” and “Covering Christmas” was a “can’t put down” addition to the rodeo books.
    Happy Holidays!

  12. Good morning, Shanna! My favorite Christmas, or any time, is divinity. I used to make it all the time, even when it wasn’t Christmas. It is fantastic and oh so delicious. I found one should make when it is not very humid or it is harder to get it the right consistency. Next would be homemade chocolate fudge with walnuts. To be honest, I a sweet-a-Holik!!
    By the way, Covering Christmas” is a beautiful story. You are a great crafter of writing.

    • My dad loves divinity! My mom always made it and said it was important to keep an eye on the weather because, like you said, it made a difference in getting the consistency just right. My grandma made delicious homemade fudge!
      Thank you so much for your kind words about Covering Christmas! Much appreciated!
      Merry Christmas!

  13. The one I really LOVE is chocolate covered peanut butter balls (some call them buckeyes and leave chocolate off a spot, we do NOT leave off ANY chocolate). However, since I have arthritis in my hands, it hurts to make them, and the last few years, it’s also been hard to find the right chocolate.

  14. Oh Shanna, I have just adored this series and cannot wait to read Covering Christmas.
    My favorite flavors at Christmas are chocolate and Christmas sugar cookies. I never eat them until Christmas, so that is a true holiday treat. Merry Christmas to you and all the fillies.

  16. I love anything chocolate and every Christmas I make a chocoflan, but also make classic treat like sugar cookies so the kids can decorate them.

  18. Anything cranberry! Google cranberry Christmas cake. It is so good!!! cranberry cake. If you are making it as BREAKFAST, do not add a glaze. If you’re making it for dessert, I add a glaze!

    It’s tart, it’s delicious, and it’s easy.

    Ingredients:

    3 eggs
    2 cups sugar
    3/4 cup butter, softened
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    2 cups all-purpose flour **See note for GF alternative!
    12 oz fresh cranberries
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. You’ll wind up with almost twice as much volume. The eggs are all that makes this rise, so you have to do that part. I’ve forgotten before, and it’s still okay, but not quite as good.
    The sugar and eggs should make a ribbon when you check.
    Add butter and vanilla and mix at medium for two more minutes. Stir in the flour until it’s barely mixed in.
    Add the cranberries and use a spatula to stir them in (If you use the mixer, they’ll shred.)
    Spread in a buttered 9×13 pan. OR you can do two smaller pans.
    Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until very lightly browned and a knife in the middle comes out clean. (I bake mine for 42 minutes, but everyone’s oven will be different.) Let it cool completely before cutting into small slices or it’ll be gooey and make a mess.

  19. Hi, your book sounds like such a sweet story! Thank you for sharing about it. Your Peanut Butter Drops sound delicious also Thank you for sharing your recipe. I like to make the Peanut Clusters, they are really good also. I also like to bake the Thumbprint cookies which everyone in my family loves also. Have a Great day and rest of the week.

  20. Whitman Samplers or Russell Stover are always part of our Christmas, chocolate covered cherries, too. Our oldest daughter has been making the chocolate covered cherries in recent years. Our youngest daughter makes chocolate dipped pretzels. You get the picture, lots of chocolate:)

  21. Must have chocolate! My favorite cookies are my mom’s date-filled pinwheels. My mom only makes them during the holidays!

  22. This is gonna sound weird, Shanna, but I like cookies with any kind of fruit and white chocolate chips. I once made fruit cake cookies because I love fruit cake. My mom used to make the best. Merry Christmas!

  26. There are several things I make only at Christmas even though they are not specifically Christmas treats. My family likes the Bourbon Balls. I also make English Toffee Bars, Gingerbread Cookies, Fruitcake Cookies (a recipe I found this year and is a keeper), Avalanches (a meringue treat), and mincemeat pie.

    Thank you for the recipe. My husband is a big peanut butter fan. It sounds easy and quick. Just right to make for both Christmas and New Year’s Eve and Day. I might try it with chocolate chips instead of white chips.

    I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

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