A Gift for Her Best Friend Veteran

What good is mistletoe with no one to meet beneath it? That’s what Jace Hoffman would like to know. After giving up his military career to care for family in crisis, he chose to find his joy in supporting those closest to him, neglecting his own personal life in the process. Now he’s thirty and single.

All he wants for Christmas this year is to play Santa in the town circle for the families of Sweet Bloom and forget about his empty house for a little while. But when his childhood best friend walks back into his life, he can’t stop thinking about a secret pact they once made. The song on repeat in his head changes from Blue Christmas to a Holly Jolly one—especially the line about someone waiting beneath the mistletoe.

Sadie Harmon finally decided to take a vacation from her law office and come home for Christmas. Reconnecting with her small-town roots makes her career-driven lifestyle feel even more unappealing than it was at the end of her last fourteen-hour workday. After years of climbing the proverbial ladder of success, she’s only gotten ten years older and ten times lonelier.

When she runs into Jace, she can’t escape the memory of the pact they made before either of them left home—a promise to marry each other if they were still single by the age of thirty. As her milestone birthday looms on Christmas Eve, she can’t help but wonder if he remembers their pact, too.

With Christmas festivities in full swing, they pick up their friendship where they left off, only now, they’re doing the turtledove two step around the topic of their marriage pact. Who will bring it up first? Could following through with it put the jingle back in their bells, or would it be the worst mistake since the invention of fruit cake?


A Gift for Her Best Friend Veteran, from award-winning author Kristen Iten, is a small town, best friends to lovers, Christmas romance that blends everything you love about the season into one heartwarming story of hope, romance, and dreams reborn. Perfect for fans of wholesome, Hallmark-style romance who love all things Christmas.

SNEAK PEEK of Chapter One

There was only one thing Jace Hoffman wanted for Christmas this year, but unfortunately for him, it wasn’t something he could purchase at the corner store and tuck away under his tree. Of all the goals he’d had to put on the back burner and the dreams he’d set aside for the sake of others, there was one thing that bothered him more than anything else.


He wasn’t supposed to be thirty and single.


Thirty wasn’t exactly elderly, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was falling behind in life as yet another holiday season rolled around—and again, he had no one special to share it with. Was it too much to ask for Miss Right to come walking along with a great big red Christmas bow on top of her head and a tag that read “To Jace, with love…”?


Yeah, it probably was. 


Loneliness and Christmas weren’t supposed to go together, but he’d been living that reality for so long, it was starting to feel normal. He’d never regret resigning from the United States Army to look after grieving loved ones when tragedy had struck the family. But as time marched on and their hearts had begun to heal, it was getting more difficult to ignore the gaping hole in his own.


The scent of fresh pine on the breeze captured his attention as he took a deep breath of the crisp December air. He chose to push his melancholy thoughts out of his mind as he glanced down the circular main street of Sweet Bloom, Texas, strolling down the sidewalk on his way to visit Becker’s Bakery. 


The soft glow of light from inside each cozy storefront was becoming more pronounced as the sun continued its slow progression toward the western horizon. Festive displays were in full array in the windows of each shop along the way. Miniature Christmas villages with model trains, flocked pine garlands covered in glitter, and every sort of shiny Christmas bauble imaginable filled the windowpanes from top to bottom. Storekeepers all around the town circle hoped to win the annual decoration contest and the bragging rights that went along with it for the next year. It was a tradition he’d enjoyed since he was a boy. 


He pasted on a smile like he always did and waved at a team of volunteers hard at work in the park situated in the center of the town circle. “How’s it going?” he called out, crossing the street to get a better look at the action. The sign welcoming the children of Sweet Bloom to Santa’s village was flat on the ground, and several people appeared to be deep in conversation as they worked on various oversized candy canes standing in the park.


A short, middle-aged woman with a tidy bob and round, rosy cheeks was adjusting the garland wrapped around one of the wrought-iron light posts lining the perimeter of the park. She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder toward where the volunteers were working. “Half of the candy canes in Santa’s candy cane maze decided not to light up last night. I’ve got a group of volunteers on the job now. They’re testing each light on every strand. Lord, bless ’em.”


“I know exactly what the problem is, Sharon,” Jace said, walking up to her.


Her eyes lit up. “Are you serious? I’ve always said you’re the handiest handyman in town. What’s the issue?”


Jace shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded, putting on his best straight face. “It’s all about your Santa.” He heaved a heavy sigh, dripping with enough put-on-drama to choke a reindeer. “The Santa vibes you’ve got going on in this park are all wrong. That’s what blew out your lights. Charlie’s a nice guy, but he’s no Santa Claus. I on the other hand—” 


Sharon threw her head back and laughed, swatting the air in Jace’s direction. “You, on the other hand, would make a fantastic Santa and wouldn’t have any technical difficulties during your reign in the big red sleigh. Am I right?”


“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all along. If you want a top-notch Santa Claus, I’m your man.”


“You are hilarious,” she said with a smile as she struggled to reach one of the red velvet bows high on the pole. Jace reached up to adjust it for her. Sharon patted his flat stomach with the back of her hand as he fiddled with the ribbon. “I don’t know. You’re a little slim. I’m not sure what kind of Santa vibes you’d send out. Charlie comes complete with his own padding and beard. He makes a pretty cute Mr. Claus.”


“You’re only saying that because you’re married to the guy,” Jace teased.


“True. I’ll admit, I am a tad biased.”


He finished with the bow and tugged his coat back into place. “At least tell me I’m at the top of the list of volunteer replacements in case Charlie decides he’d rather spend his evenings snug at home instead of out here in the elements.” 


“You made the top ten of my list of Santa stand-ins.”


“Top ten? That’s all? Not the top three—or even five?”


“What can I say? Everybody wants to be Santa.”


Jace leaned in toward Sharon and lowered his voice, speaking in a conspiratorial tone. “So, what do I have to do to get my name moved to the top of that list? Shovel snow off the sidewalk in front of the senior center for the rest of the season?”


“Nice try, Jace, but it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting much snow this year.” Her gaze fell to Becker’s Bakery across the street. “But if you can snag me one of Joanna’s cookies, you just might make it to the top five.”


“I’ll get you a half-dozen right now if you’ll put me in the number one slot,” he said, wagging his brows.


Sharon’s robust laughter filled the air. “Deal.” They shook on it.


Jace took a few jogging steps toward the road, his insides hopping with excitement. He was always the best version of himself when surrounded by people, but being in the middle of a group of neighbors celebrating his favorite time of the year was even more invigorating than usual. It would be fun to pretend, even if only for an evening, that his home wasn’t empty, and his dreams weren’t unfulfilled. If he could put a smile on the face of a child in the process and help families make happy memories, that would be the cherry on top. 


“I’m not making any promises,” Sharon called out. “Charlie loves playing Santa. I don’t see him hanging up his cap and coat anytime soon.”


“Maybe I’ll get lucky, and he’ll sprain his beard,” he called over his shoulder as he crossed the street. “Christmas miracles happen all the time.”


“You’re so bad.” Sharon’s cackling laughter followed him to the door of Becker’s Bakery. “Iced molasses are my favorite.”


Jace saluted in acknowledgement and then tugged the door open. A bell chimed as a wall of heavenly aromas rushed to meet him.


“Uncle Jace!” An exuberant seven-year-old girl bounded out of the kitchen and raced up to greet him with a bear hug.


“And how is my favorite niece doing today?” Jace asked.


She let go and stepped back, placing her index finger over her lips and shooshing him. “Don’t let my sister hear you say that. We both have to be your favorite nieces now.”


Joanna stepped out of the kitchen to slip a fresh pan of maple glazed cinnamon rolls into a display case. “Remember, Emmie, you might get a sister or a brother,” she said, patting her stomach.


“I remember,” she said. She tugged on Jace’s arm to bring his ear closer to her lips. “But I’m pretty positive our new baby is a sister,” she whispered.


Jace knelt down beside Emmie and draped an arm around her shoulder. “Okay, from now on—just to be on the safe side—I’ll call you my most favorite niece named Emmie. And I’ll call your new baby brother or sister my most favorite baby. Will that work?”


“It works,” she said, skipping back to the kitchen completely satisfied with Jace’s linguistic acrobatics.


“What am I going to do if this baby turns out to be a boy?” Joanna said with a crooked grin, looking down at her pregnant belly, which hadn’t begun to show yet. 


“Emmie will be cool with it. Brothers grow up to be awesome people.”


“And even more awesome uncles. What do you have going on tonight?” Joanna asked as she closed up the fully stocked display case and then swiped the back of her arm across her forehead.


“Nothing much. I just wanted to stop by and see how you and Emmie were getting along while Sam is out of town.”


“I love that you’re checking up on us, but Sam’s only been gone since nine o’clock this morning. He should be back by suppertime.” 


“Well, since my services aren’t needed here, I’ll take six iced molasses cookies to go, please.”


“I never said we don’t need you, but I’ll get your cookies just the same. Only six?” she asked, taking a small, empty box out from under the counter.


“Yeah, that’s the price.”


Joanna lined the box with parchment paper. “The price for what?”


“For the chance to play the role of a lifetime.”


“I saw you out there chatting with Sharon just now. Let me guess. Does this role involve you putting on a big red coat and hat and listening to present requests from all the kids in town?” Joanna chuckled, looking out the window past Jace to the park beyond where Santa’s village was set up every year. 


“Yes! But there’s more to it than that. A good Santa has to chuckle warmly, hand out candy canes, and make sure the kids are actually smiling in their photos. It’s a big responsibility.” 


Jace may have delivered his words like a joke, but there was an underlying truth to what he said that he felt to his core. All he’d ever wanted to do was make a difference in the world; it was why he’d enlisted in the Army straight out of high school. But when life had taken a terrible and unexpected turn a few years ago, all his big plans were put on hold.


In the years since, he’d discovered one of his greatest talents. He could put a smile on just about anyone’s face. He’d helped to dry tears and replace them with laughter more times than he could count. Coming to terms with the fact that his dreams of changing the world might never become a reality hadn’t been easy, but he took comfort in knowing he could still reach people and make them smile. Playing Santa for the night might have sounded silly to anyone else, but it meant more to him than he could explain.


“I’ve never seen a man as set on playing Santa as you are.” Joanna handed the small box of cookies to Jace.


“You obviously haven’t talked to Charlie this year. The guy is hogging every time slot.”


“Hogging? That’s a bit strong, don’t you think?” Joanna said with a grin. “Just think of how traumatized all those plastic reindeer in the park would be if a different Santa showed up every night.”


Jace shrugged and opened the box to inspect the cookies. “They’d get over it.”


Emmie came out of the kitchen, holding an empty rectangular tissue box. “Can I have this, Mama?”


“You sure can, baby girl,” Joanna said. Emmie headed toward the kitchen with a little cheer, her blonde curls bouncing with each step she took.


A small lump formed in Jace’s throat when he saw the love in Joanna’s eyes as she watched her stepdaughter—his niece—disappear through the kitchen door. Joanna had stepped up in a big way to fill the shoes his sister’s loss had left behind. Emmie had been without the influence of a mother since she was two. But now that Joanna had joined the family, their broken hearts were knitting back together a bit more each day. 


Sam was lucky to have found the woman he was meant to be with. Jace’s heart twinged as he wondered if he’d ever be so lucky. There was a time when he’d been sure he’d be married by the age of thirty; it had been practically guaranteed. But just like most things in his life, those plans had fallen through.


Joanna turned her attention back to Jace. “Supposing you get a shot at playing Santa for a night, who’s going to be your Mrs. Claus?” She shot him an overly exaggerated wink.


If only Joanna knew how much he wished he had a real Mrs. Claus waiting in the wings. He cleared his throat, trying to relieve some of the tension building in it. “I’m pretty sure this is a solo gig.”


“I don’t know about that. Sharon shows up every night dressed like Mrs. Claus and sits next to Santa. They look like a holly jolly team to me. Oh, I’ve got it!” Joanna clapped her hands, a wide smile spreading across her face. “You could ask Zoe. You two would look so cute out there together.”


Jace fumbled with the lid on the box. “Uh, no. We only went out once. She might get the wrong idea if I ask her to be my Mrs. Claus for the night.”


“What about Maria? She’d volunteer to sit beside you in the sleigh in a heartbeat. I’m convinced she clogs her sink on purpose just so she can call you over to fix it. Didn’t you two date for a while?”


Jace coughed. “We went out once. And she does clog her sinks on purpose. I don’t think I want to encourage anything where she’s concerned.”


“What about Katie? She’s sweet, and she’s an amazing cook.”


“What? No. I mean, yes, she’s sweet. But, no, I’m not asking her.”


“Let me guess. You only went out with her once, too?”


“Twice. But that’s beside the point. I want to volunteer to help out in the community. I’m not looking for a date.”


“I think the real point is that you never go out with the same woman more than once or twice. Why do you think that is?”


“I guess it’s that I haven’t met the right woman yet.”


“Or that you already met her a long time ago.”


Jace didn’t have to ask Joanna who she was talking about. He and Sadie Harmon had been practically inseparable growing up. Everyone in town had assumed they’d end up married one day, but that wasn’t the kind of relationship they had. They were buddies. Pals. Best friends.


Best friends who had made a secret agreement after their senior prom. One that would have had the whole town buzzing with gossip if anyone had ever gotten wind of it. 


“I know where you’re going with this,” Jace said, “but—” 


“Don’t bother trying to deny it. Nobody will ever measure up to Sadie in your eyes. So, you date all these wonderful women, but they’re never enough.”


“It’s not that they’re not enough. It’s that…” Jace was at a loss for words.


Joanna came around the counter and rested a hand on his forearm. “It’s that none of them are Sadie.” Her voice had a tenderness to it that sucked every ounce of denial out of him. How could he argue with a woman who was right? 


Of course, none of them measured up to Sadie. She was driven, spunky, and hilarious, and she had the biggest obsession with Christmas he’d ever seen. He’d never thought of her in a romantic light, but honestly, no other woman could ever hope to be as much fun as she was. Until he found someone as special as her, it was pointless to date anyone seriously. 


“I’m not trying to push you into anything. I just want you to be happy, and…” Joanna’s voice trailed off, and all the color suddenly drained from her face. She squeezed his arm and took a deep breath.


“Joanna? Are you all right?” Jace put an arm around her shoulders. “You look like you need to sit down.

”
She threw a hand over her mouth and shook her head. “No, I can’t.” Her chest rose and fell with several deep breaths. “I’ve got to get out of here.”


“What’s going on?”


“The smells. I have to get away from all these smells—all this food. The baby doesn’t like it.” She puffed her cheeks out and pointed toward the cash register. “Can you cover for me?”


“Yeah, absolutely.”


She rushed toward the front door, her hand clamped over her mouth. “And Emmie?” Her words were muffled, but Jace made out what she said.


“Yes, I’ve got her. Are you sure we shouldn’t come with you?”


Joanna pulled the door open and fanned her face with her hand. “I’m fine. Just need fresh air. Air that doesn’t smell like… anything.” A moment later Joanna was out the door and visibly sucking in the chilly late-afternoon air. 


“Where’d Mama go?” Emmie’s blue eyes were wide with curiosity as she came out of the kitchen carrying a couple of small boxes decorated with glitter glue.


“She’ll be right back, little E. She didn’t feel so good and needed to get some fresh air.”


“Babies do that to moms sometimes,” she said so matter-of-factly that Jace had to stifle a chuckle. “Wanna play reindeer with me?”


“I thought you didn’t believe in Santa Claus.”


“I don’t, but we can still pretend.” She walked up and stuck the empty tissue box from before on his hand.


“What’s this?” he asked.


“It’s your hoof. Give me your other hand.” Jace did as he was told, and Emmie slid another box onto his other hand. “And now this.” She held up a headband with brown felt antlers that she’d had tucked under her arm. One stood upright while the other flopped about as badly as a wet noodle. He tried to grasp it with his tissue-box clad hands, but he couldn’t manage.


“Come down, and I’ll put it on you,” Emmie said.


He stooped over and she slid it onto his head. A moment later, he struck a pose, tilting his head to force the floppy antler to fall into his face. “How do I look? Good?” Emmie’s high-pitched giggles filled the room and put a wide grin on Jace’s face. 


“You look perfect.”


“What now?”


“Now I ride you.”


“I hate to break it to you kid, but I’m not actually a flying reindeer.”


“It’s okay. We’re just pretending.”


Jace chuckled and got down on his box-clad hands and his knees. “Climb aboard.”


Emmie scrambled onto his back with squeals of happiness and clung to the collar of his shirt as he gave her a bumpy ride across the bakery and around the counter. They were coming round for another lap when the bell on the front door rang.


“That’ll be your mom,” he said, clomping along behind the cash register.


“No, it’s not,” Emmie said. “It’s a different lady.”


Jace reached around behind himself to help Emmie slide safely from his back as he straightened up. He stood on his knees and rested his forearms on the counter, still wearing his tissue box hooves. His floppy antler blocked his view of the customer he was supposed to be taking care of. “Can I help you?” he asked, trying to pull his hands out of the tiny slits in the tops of the boxes.


“Well, aren’t you just the cutest reindeer I’ve ever seen.”


Jace sucked in a sharp breath at the perky voice that met his ears. He hadn’t heard it in years, and the sudden shock of its perfect lilt was enough to make his heart stutter. Using the back of his wrist, he lifted his floppy antler out of his face and found himself gazing into the dazzling pair of green eyes that he’d missed for so long.


“Sadie!” His cheeks flushed with heat when he said her name.


“I love your bow,” Emmie said, pointing to the headband keeping Sadie’s chestnut-brown waves out of her eyes. 


His breath froze in his lungs and his Adam’s apple bobbed with a gulp when his eyes landed on the bright-red bow on her headband. So, some women did show up with a big red bow on top of their heads.


Did he dare look for a tag?