Chrismoose Kisses (Finding Love in Alaska #10)

Chapter 1

Haylee

When Haylee Evans spotted the Army soldier she’d been avoiding for the better part of two days enter Evan’s Outfitters, the rational part of her brain deactivated.

She bolted out the back door without forethought.

Which was why she was currently outside in the subzero temperatures without a coat, with a massive creature breathing down her neck.

Hugged up against the frosty brick corner of her family’s store, she stiffened. Chills ran from the point of impact down to her soon-to-be frozen toes. The only creatures in Alaska capable of such a forceful blast of air at neck-height were abominable snowmen . . . or moose.

And she didn’t believe in abominable snowmen outside of her six-year-old daughter’s favorite Christmas movie.

Haylee dared a slow, careful look over her shoulder. Just enough tilt to determine exactly how close she was to being trampled into a snowbank.

A mass of brown fur and a backdrop of enormous antlers filled her vision.

Definitely a moose.

Okay, then. Now what?

Haylee peeked around the corner of the building toward the parking lot, but aside from half a dozen snow-dusted vehicles, not a soul was in sight.

No one was coming to save her. Just as well.

She’d gotten used to saving herself these past few years.

Becoming a single mom at nineteen could do that to a person, she supposed.

A shiver ran down her spine, dismissing options as quickly as they formed.

The cold was starting to burn. Just her luck she was caught in the frosty temperatures in nothing more than a T-shirt—one that coincidentally advertised the very moose holding her hostage.

If she survived this run-in with all her ribs intact, she’d give Captain Logan Riley a piece of her mind.

When she was done avoiding him, that was.

The moment she’d recognized the too-handsome-for-his-own-good soldier entering the store—the same unexpected messenger who showed up at her apartment two days ago—she’d bolted out the nearest exit. In hindsight, she should’ve ducked into the storeroom where there was heat.

And no chance of a moose encounter.

The very sight of the man had her running for cover as though she were under attack.

She blamed the letter.

How many times had she stared at her name, handwritten on that ivory-tinted envelope, since Captain Riley delivered it to her? Dozens? Hundreds? The handwriting was unmistakable. Even after all these years, she recognized the distinct scrawl, all in capital letters.

It belonged to her daughter Melly’s late father.

Dylan had never known he had a daughter. And now, he never would.

A low grinding sound followed by a second snort of air against her neck instantly redirected Haylee’s attention. Right. Moose. Priorities. Another inch and the giant nose would brush up against her chilled skin.

Was he trying to eat her ponytail? Or did he just like her perfume?

“Ed, is that you?” she dared to ask the massive beast, hoping the sound of her voice soothed rather than alarmed the bull. It was the same gentle tone she used to encourage her six-year-old daughter that bedtime was a good thing.

Though the aging bull moose was still occasionally spotted around town, it’d been years since he sought out anyone in the Evans family. Probably because all the other Evans siblings were happily married, if one believed in the legend anyway.

“Or maybe you’re the elusive Ed Junior?”

Another snort, as if in objection. But no ears laying low. No whites visible in his eyes. No signs of aggression. Haylee let out the breath she’d been holding. She might just live to see this Christmas after all.

“Ed Senior, it is.”

Its giant muzzle nudged her shoulder, nearly rocking her away from the wall.

“I don’t have any snacks,” she said softly. More firmly, she added, “And I absolutely do not have any intention of falling in love this Christmas. So, if that’s why you’re here, you can just forget that idea right now.”

She had to be insane. It was the only explanation she had for talking to a moose that carried something of a matchmaker reputation in their town.

Ed snorted again, the warm puff of air thawing her chilled skin.

It was nothing. It had to be. This was the first time she’d ever encountered him at such close range. One meeting—which many residents had without wedding bells quickly following—didn’t mean anything.

It couldn’t mean anything.

Ed was not only known to pop up all over town, he was basically their local mascot. There were social media channels dedicated to him, the local gift shop was filled with #TeamEd merchandise—to include the T-shirt Haylee was ironically wearing now—and locals loved to talk about him.

Spotting the famous moose was typically harmless.

He was only aggressive if provoked. Besides, everyone had more or less decided the moose was retired from his side hobby.

It’d been almost four years since her oldest brother, Marc, was stalked by the bull until he confessed his feelings for his now-wife.

“Who would I fall in love with anyway?” she asked him, still hugged up against the frozen bricks. If it weren’t for Ed’s warm breath, she might be a human popsicle by now. “There’s not exactly a ton of prospects in Sunset Ridge, you know.”

She had tried dating for a short while this past fall, thanks to the not-so-subtle encouragement of her best friend, Jamie.

The number of single men her age in this remote part of Alaska was scarce, and the dates she did go on hadn’t wowed her. They certainly didn’t stir any of those hypothetical butterflies in her tummy. Most of her dates were less than thrilled to learn she was a twenty-five-year-old single mom.

Dating could wait.

“I’m focused on my new start,” she explained to Ed.

After years of living with her parents, she and Melly finally had a place to call their own—even if their apartment was the size of a glorified shoebox. That, along with her Alaskan Husky, Allie, was enough. It was theirs.

“I want this first Christmas in our new place to be special for Melly.”

She yearned for it to be magical and intimate.

“Sure, we’ll all meet up at Mom and Dad’s for Christmas Eve dinner,” she continued, hoping her voice kept Ed appeased.

“Aside from that hustle and bustle, I want it to be just the three of us creating our own traditions.” Baking cookies, decorating the obnoxiously large tree together, and watching all their favorite Christmas movies under the cover of fuzzy, holiday-themed blankets with Allie passed out next to them.

Except this year, Melly was a little fixated on one particular movie Haylee could now recite entirely from memory—in her sleep.

Love, if it ever truly found her, could take a number and wait.

“Really, Ed. I don’t want to fall in love. The timing is totally off. I’m sure there’s someone else in Sunset Ridge who could use your services, so go play Santa Cupid with them. Please.”

Sharp barking erupted from inside the store.

“Oh, no! Allie,” Haylee groaned, suddenly remembering the pup who’d been sleeping under the desk, and the slightly ajar office door she hadn’t thought to close before darting outside to hide from unwanted visitors.

Had Allie recognized Logan? Not likely since they only met once, very briefly, outside her apartment door.

Then Haylee remembered the German Shepherd Captain Riley had with him that day.

Evan’s Outfitters was a dog-friendly store.

They kept treats at the front counter and a water bowl near the entrance.

They had half an aisle dedicated to dog toys, training tools, food, beds, and treats.

Haylee had rushed out the back door before she had a chance to notice whether or not he brought his dog.

But there were clearly two dogs having a passionate exchange.

Ed’s head tossed up, ears flicking back to decipher the sounds, as irritation grunted up his throat.

Despite all the moments when the moose acted like a dog himself, he didn’t care for them one bit.

His ears dropped flat. His muscled shoulders swung away from Haylee as he broke into a trot, heading toward the tree line.

“And we’re done here,” Haylee muttered under her breath as he hurried toward the woods. When his backside vanished into the shadows, she regained her courage and cupped a hand around her mouth. “I meant what I said,” she hollered. “I’m not changing my mind, Ed.”

Without Ed’s heat, her entire body shivered as she pushed off the brick wall and rubbed both hands along her reddening arms. She really should get back inside before she lost feeling in her limbs.

Also, to make sure Allie hadn’t knocked over any displays again in her excitement.

She did not have time to reorganize them today.

She had to pick Melly up from school in less than an hour.

But before she took more than a step, something caused her to pause.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

No more barking.

She couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or cause for concern. With Allie, it could go either way.

Haylee only made it a single step closer to the back door when a male voice startled her.

“Who’s Ed?”

She let out a surprised squeak, tripping over her own two feet. Her foot slipped and she scrambled for purchase, ending up bottom first in a pile of fluffy drifted snow.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” Captain Riley knelt, concern etched into his delightfully chiseled features as he offered her a hand.

He didn’t look so much like a soldier in his worn brown leather jacket and jeans.

With those kind eyes the color of milk chocolate swirled with caramel, it was altogether easy to forget who he was. It was easy to forget who she was.

Of course the messenger of her impending doom would be ridiculously attractive.

“Are you hurt?” he asked when she didn’t respond.

“I’m fine.”