Book excerpt: ‘Twas the month before Christmas and the baker was bakin’, when in struts a cowboy her heart to be takin’. But because they’ve been enemies since they were five, Noelle fails to see the luvin’ glint in Casey’s eyes. It will take some fake dating, cute rescue pups, and a shocking virgin’s request before these two will hook-up. The townsfolk will exclaim as Noelle and Casey finally unite, “Happily-ever-afters to all and to all a big ol’ Texas goodnight!” Noelle Holiday is aptly named. She loves everything about Christmas—baking, decorating, and handing out cheer to everyone she meets. Spending the holidays in her hometown of Wilder, Texas, is going to make this Christmas even better . . . as long as she can avoid Casey Remington, the arrogant cowboy who bullied her all through school. But avoiding Casey becomes impossible when he shows up at the town bakery where she’s working and video booms her live post for her social media baking page, Holiday Kitchen. The post goes viral and soon #thebakerandthecowboyhero is all people can talk about. If Noelle wants to keep her social media success and realize her dream of owning her own bakery, she has no choice but to convince Casey to be her fake boyfriend. What harm could come from a few kisses beneath the mistletoe? Casey Remington enjoys the simple pleasures in life—ranching, sugary desserts, and warm, welcoming women with no expectations. After his daddy’s failed attempt at marriage, Casey has no desire to get in a serious relationship. But when his carefree, bachelor lifestyle is threatened, he’s forced to take drastic measures. And drastic is the only way to describe fake dating the last woman in the world he’d ever want to date. Noelle Holiday is not warm or welcoming. And talk about expectations, she makes him feel like the worst sort of loser. She’s been the bane of his existence since kindergarten. If she wasn’t throwing pencils at him and scarring him for life, she was tattling on him and getting him in trouble. And as it turns out, she’s still good at getting him in trouble. After only one kiss from her candy-cane red lips, there’s just one thing Casey wants for Christmas . . . to meet a cute little baker’s expectations and become her real-life cowboy hero.