Ben has Christmas, cats, and mistletoe on his side…. Jason doesn’t stand a chance
For Ben Slater, moving back to Bristol means being closer to his family, living with his best mate, and volunteering at the local animal shelter. But there’s also Jason, his best mate’s eldest brother. Ben’s had a crush on Jason for as long as he can remember, but the eleven-year age gap has always seemed insurmountable.
Jason Armitage works as a vet at his uncle’s practice. He owns a cute cottage on the outskirts of the city, and a loving dog. The one thing missing is someone to share it all with. His brother’s best friend seems a bad choice, but Jason can’t help taking a second look. Ben’s changed a lot since Jason last saw him; both in appearance and attitude. Gone is the shy young boy, replaced with a confident, twenty-four-year-old man.
In the run up to Christmas, the festive period gives Ben the ideal opportunity to show Jason what he has to offer. But concerns for his brother’s feelings hold Jason back. If they have any chance of making this work, Ben must convince Jason that he’s old enough to know what he wants, and Jason needs to believe that a relationship with his brother’s best friend won’t ruin their friendship.
You are going to have to forgive me for this review being both late and short. How I missed doing a review when I read this story nearly a year ago I have no idea other than it just slipped through the cracks. As for the brevity of my review, well I haven't forgot the story but as I have read over 200 books and dozens of fanfiction stories in the 11-1/2 months since reading Not Just for Christmas, unfortunately some details blur. However, I do remember the enjoyment, the thrills, and the adrenaline rush I got reading Ben and Jason's journey. Whether you read this gem for its romantic elements of holiday, May/December, crushes-become-reality, or just romance in general it won't matter because at the end of the day and the end of book you will have enjoyed a tremendously interesting blend of happiness, love, friendship, with just the right amount of drama to tie it all together.
RATING:
Ben parked out front of the three-storey apartment block and turned off the engine. The building was seventeen years old, still new-looking, and Ben grinned. He’d lived with three other people back up in Nottingham. Sharing with just one was going to be heaven—especially since that one was his best friend, Liam.
He grabbed his phone from the passenger seat, scrolled through to Liam’s number, and clicked on it.
Four rings later and Liam’s breathless voice sounded on the other end. “Hey. Where are you?”
“Parked outside on the road. Why are you so out of breath?” It wasn’t as though he’d any stairs to run down.
Liam laughed. “I was in the loo, had to run and get my phone from the living room.”
“I hope you washed your hands.”
“Yeah, of course. Hey, I can see you.”
Glancing over at the building again, Ben looked from window to window until he spotted Liam waving at him from one of the ground-floor apartments. “Come and let me in, you idiot.” He hung up, got out of the car and locked it.
For the end of November, the weather was mild. Ben left his jacket in the car, and tucked his phone and keys in his jeans pockets.
Liam bounded out of the front door and met him halfway down the path. “Hey.” He pulled Ben in for a hug. “Can’t believe you’re finally moving back down here.”
Ben hugged him back, rolling his eyes. “It’s only been two years since we finished uni.”
“I know, but it seems like ages since I moved back here and it’s not been the same without you. I bet your mum and dad are over the moon?”
“There might have been a squeal and some tears when I told my mum.” He stepped back and took a good look at his friend. The summer seemed ages ago, and in the three months since Ben last saw him, Liam had put on a fair bit of muscle. Ben gripped Liam’s bicep and squeezed. “Been going to the gym?”
Liam’s smile grew. “Yep.” He flexed his muscles. “Not every day or anything, but the local one does this monthly deal, so I thought I’d give it a go since it seemed to be working out so well for you.” He poked Ben in the stomach. “Christ. It’s as hard as a rock!”
Avoiding the obvious comeback for once, Ben shrugged. “I’ve had a lot of spare time with most of my mates moving away after uni.” He was hoping that would change now he was back home. Not that he’d give up going to the gym, but it’d be nice to have things to do other than train.
“Talking of which….” Liam turned to head back inside and beckoned Ben to follow him. “Are you still interested in volunteering at the animal shelter?”
“Yep. I’ve got a month to kill before the new job starts, I’m going to need to do something.” Ben walked down the hallway after Liam, and they stopped outside a door with 1A on the front. According to Liam, the apartment he’d bought needed a bit of work doing to it before they moved in. Ben didn’t care; he’d been a student not so long ago. It couldn’t be any worse than some of the places he’d lived in.
Liam started to open the door, then stopped and turned to face Ben. “Now I know you said you weren’t bothered what state it was in, and I never sent you any pictures, so just keep in mind that this is not what it’ll be like when we move in.”
Ben sighed and motioned for Liam to hurry up. “I’m sure it’s not that bad. Just open the bloody door.”
Liam pushed the door wide and led Ben inside. “This is why I got it so cheap.”
The door opened into a short hall, which apart from some peeling wallpaper, looked fine to Ben. When they reached the living room, Ben let out a low whistle. “Wow. Who the fuck lived here before?” The space itself was empty, making the state of the floor and the walls even more noticeable. The beige carpet had more than one stain on it, and if Ben wasn’t mistaken, a couple of burn marks too. Dark blue paint covered the back wall, and it looked as though someone had been playing with samples on the others. Saying all that though, it was just cosmetic. If there’d been anything majorly wrong with the place, Liam’s dad would never have let him buy it—he was a joiner by trade, working mainly on new builds, and knew what to look for in a building,
Ben stood in the middle of the room and looked out the window. “It might need a lick of paint,” Liam scoffed beside him, “The view’s not half bad, though.” The housing estate was big—Ben had got lost twice trying to find the place—but their building was right on the edge of it. Beyond there were still farmers’ fields. Whether or not they’d remain fields Ben had no idea, but for now it was great.
“Yeah. I’m hoping they won’t build more houses, but I reckon it’s inevitable,” He turned and rubbed his hands together. “Anyway. This is just one room. Let me show you the rest of it.”
Liam took him on a tour of the kitchen, bathroom, and the two bedrooms. The decor was shit in every room—clearly someone had a fixation with paint samplers—but that was easily fixed. The only room that needed some serious work was the bathroom, which was the last room Liam showed him.
Ben eyed the cracked sink and then the toilet missing its seat. “Why didn’t the owners fix this before selling? I mean it worked out okay for you, but surely they’d have got a lot more with a few repairs?”
“The estate agent said the last tenants left it like this. I think they’d been a lot of trouble and the owner wanted to get rid of it quickly.” He poked a toe at the toilet. “Whatever. Not sure Aunt Kate’s money would have stretched far enough if they’d fixed it up. Now though, I can afford to splash out a bit and get it how I want. Especially with you paying me rent.” He nudged Ben’s shoulder. “It’s going to be great.”
“Yeah, it is.” He flashed Liam a grin. This was why he’d driven down today, to see what needed doing before they moved in. He had a week or so before he had to be out of his old place, and he was hoping that was long enough to get the flat ready to move his stuff into. He didn’t want to have to dump it all on his parents if he could help it. “Where do we start?”
“I’m so glad you asked.” Liam waved a hand at the whole bathroom. “Since Dad knows everyone in the trade, he’s organised some guys to come in and tile the floor and walls, and fit a new bathroom suite. “I’ve already prepared the walls.” He pointed to a tub of PVA in the corner, with a mini roller on top. “That was fun. They’re due tomorrow morning, so he said it would be helpful if we could empty it of any clutter and rip up the carpet.” He turned to face Ben. “Who puts carpet in a bathroom?”
“My parents have carpet in theirs.”
“Oh.” Liam frowned. “Yeah, mine do too, come to think of it. Anyway, if you could help me get this room clear, I reckon that’ll do for today. It’s already three o’clock, and Mum’s invited you for dinner if you’re free?”
Clapping his hands together, Ben grinned. “Come on then.” After sitting in a car all morning, he was itching for some exercise. “And food at yours sounds good, I haven’t seen your folks in ages. Mum said she and Dad were going out anyway, so it’s perfect.”
Liam handed Ben a screwdriver and pointed at the cabinet on the wall. “You start with that, and I’ll take the curtain rail down.”
As casually as he could, Ben asked, “Will it just be us and your parents or the whole family?”
Judging by the smirk on Liam’s face, Ben’s attempt at subtlety had failed miserably.
“Oh no, you get the whole Armitage family tonight.”
Arse. Ben didn’t know whether to be happy or not. He’d had a crush on Liam’s eldest brother since about age fourteen. The whole family knew it—he hadn’t been very subtle then either. “That’s great. It’ll be good to see everyone.”
Liam barked out a laugh. “Yeah, I bet you can’t wait to see Pete.”
Pete was Liam’s other brother. Jason had been the object of his schoolboy fantasies. And still starred in most of them now.
Liam pointed at the cabinet that Ben had yet to start on. “Stop daydreaming about my brother and get to work.”
“Fuck off.” Ben grinned, gave him the finger, and got to work.
But for the next hour or so, his mind drifted back to dark hair, green eyes, and a voice that used to make him shiver. Would it still have the same effect?
Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats. An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They're usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.
EMAIL: ajacobsfiction@gmail.com
