Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Dax the Halls (A Bad Boy Dax Christmas Novella): Bad Boys of Willow Valley, #1.5
    Dax the Halls (A Bad Boy Dax Christmas Novella): Bad Boys of Willow Valley, #1.5
    Dax the Halls (A Bad Boy Dax Christmas Novella): Bad Boys of Willow Valley, #1.5
    Ebook98 pages1 hour

    Dax the Halls (A Bad Boy Dax Christmas Novella): Bad Boys of Willow Valley, #1.5

    By Shannyn Leah

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    From romance author, Shannyn Leah, comes the heartwarming continuation of Dax and Ava's story whom readers first fell in love with in "Dax: Bad Boys of Willow Valley."

    Dax Colyn and his father Rowdy haven't celebrated Christmas the same way since his mother died a decade ago. Their Christmas memories have been shoved into boxes and put away forever. Or, at least, Dax thought. When his dad starts reminiscing and wanting to relive Christmas traditions, Dax realizes there can only be one reason: Ava Anderson.

    Ava came into their lives pregnant and alone. Dax is unsure about how she fits into their family, but, soon, both will learn a new meaning of the word "family" while creating new Christmas traditions and memories.

    "Dax the Halls" is an uplifting Christmas-time read for every Shannyn Leah fan. Pick up your copy today to find out more about Dax and Ava's story both before and after their relationship began.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherShannyn Leah
    Release dateDec 15, 2017
    ISBN9781386485421
    Dax the Halls (A Bad Boy Dax Christmas Novella): Bad Boys of Willow Valley, #1.5
    Author

    Shannyn Leah

    USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, Shannyn Leah welcomes you to her small town of bad boys and smart, sassy heroines. Contemporary romance with the perfect blend of humor, heart and heat.  To be notified when new books, exclusive excerpts and contests are released, join her mailing list here: http://www.shannynleah.com/newsletter-and-secret-access-club.php

    Read more from Shannyn Leah

    Related to Dax the Halls (A Bad Boy Dax Christmas Novella)

    Titles in the series (4)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Contemporary Romance For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The ARRANGEMENT

      Aug 26, 2020

      The ARRANGEMENT
      3 min read

    • Article

      A Perfect Wedding

      Apr 6, 2020

      A Perfect Wedding
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Art Of Conversation

      Nov 1, 2023

      The Art Of Conversation
      4 min read

    • Article

      Vagaries

      Mar 1, 2024

      Vagaries
      8 min read

    • Article

      ROLLING Back The YEARS...

      Nov 11, 2019

      Author Debbie Johnson’s children are all grown up now – but that doesn’t mean she’s changing a single thing about Christmas... “When he was little – perhaps four – my son was so convinced of the existence of Santa, in all his magical glory, that he

      4 min read

    • Article

      For Whom The Bells Ding Dong

      Nov 14, 2019

      IT’S Christmas (almost) and this year I plan to deck the halls, well, The Barn, early. Mr D is not a particularly Christmassy human. Last year, his barn’s decorations totalled a few Christmas cards on the dresser and a slug of mulled wine down the gu

      3 min read

    • Article

      Tis The Season To SLOW DOWN

      Oct 22, 2020

      This is my favourite time of year. I love everything about it: the twinkly lights, the sprigs of mistletoe, the smell of satsumas. Last December I was told to nibble a carrot and claim Rudolf had been feeling peckish. Hell, I’d nailed Santa’s brandy,

      2 min read

    • Article

      A winter WEEKEND

      Dec 22, 2020

      A winter WEEKEND
      6 min read

    • Article

      Yuletide Reading

      Sep 24, 2020

      Many classic novels and short stories contains Christmas scenes-merry or otherwise. Can you indentify the works from which these holiday passages are excerpted? 1 “Merry Christmas, little daughters! I’m glad you began at once, and hope you will keep

      3 min read

    • Article

      A WINTER weekend

      Jan 2, 2020

      A WINTER weekend
      6 min read

    • Article

      Holiday Angels

      Oct 27, 2022

      Holiday Angels
      3 min read

    • Article

      Last Christmas

      Oct 6, 2022

      Last Christmas
      6 min read

    • Article

      Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad

      Oct 25, 2018

      Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad
      3 min read

    • Article

      Beauty Is In The Eye

      Jul 7, 2020

      Beauty Is In The Eye
      5 min read

    • Article

      Missing MARY

      Dec 8, 2021

      Missing MARY
      3 min read

    • Article

      Our Christmas House

      Oct 25, 2018

      Our Christmas House
      2 min read

    • Article

      Cowboy Carols

      Nov 1, 2023

      Cowboy Carols
      5 min read

    • Article

      Worst. Christmas. Ever.

      Nov 11, 2019

      As a family, we always managed to avoid festive disasters. When our dog was seen running down the street with a Christmas turkey in his teeth, our turkey was still in the fridge. But a few years ago, in my thirties and newly married, I realised it wa

      3 min read

    • Article

      Shifting Out of NEUTRAL

      Dec 19, 2023

      Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
      2 min read

    • Article

      Follow Your HEART

      Mar 30, 2022

      Follow Your HEART
      9 min read

    • Article

      Doug’s DIARY

      Jan 21, 2022

      It’s the day after Boxing Day, as I sit typing this at the dining room table. We have spent Christmas surrounded by family, united in love, but also by grief. Hannah’s lovely mum was taken from us by covid a couple of weeks before Christmas. There ar

      4 min read

    • Article

      Goodwill TO ALL

      Nov 15, 2022

      Goodwill TO ALL
      5 min read

    • Article

      Just Passing

      Aug 17, 2020

      Zoe cracks the curtain in the bay window and watches as he bounces from one foot to another in the cold. Tap, tap, tap, he goes at the letterbox. But she shouldn’t even let him in. He’s trouble. He throws his arms out and shouts through the glass: “S

      5 min read

    • Article

      A Gentle STIRRING

      Mar 13, 2024

      A Gentle STIRRING
      6 min read

    • Article

      Homemade, with Love

      Oct 25, 2018

      Homemade, with Love
      5 min read

    • Article

      Remains

      Sep 1, 2017

      THIS IS what you think your mother’s remains will look like. The ash will be black, like all that soot in the fireplace. It will be heavy, like wet sand. There will not be too much of it. It will fit in a small urn with intricate designs on the borde

      6 min read

    • Article

      The Hole In The Fence

      Oct 6, 2020

      The Hole In The Fence
      9 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Dax the Halls (A Bad Boy Dax Christmas Novella)

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Dax the Halls (A Bad Boy Dax Christmas Novella) - Shannyn Leah

      This is my Christmas present to all those who needed a little more Rowdy in their lives

      Xoxo Shannyn

      A note from Shannyn

      Thank you for all the incredible emails and messages about your broken hearts when it came to Rowdy. Rowdy was a huge part of this story and stole all your hears. My heart was broken too. There were tears. Lots of tears. The ugly crying tears as I wrote those chapters.

      And, like all of you, I wanted more of Rowdy and I thought what better way than to bring you into the first Christmas Ava spent with Rowdy and Dax.

      Merry Christmas! 

      Xoxo Shannyn

      Don’t miss my exclusive Choose Your Own Romance novel!

      Get a brand new FREE chapter sent directly to your inbox with each of my newsletters and you will have a chance to choose the next direction of the novel!

      Plus, stay up to date with all my new releases, exclusive content and sales when you sign up! CHOOSE YOUR OWN ROMANCE SHANNYN'S NEWSLETTER!

      Chapter One

      7 Xmases ago

      DAX COLYN SKIPPED up the snow-covered stairs of the old Victorian house he’d called home during his childhood years. His dad had recently converted the house into a duplex, residing on one side while renting the other side out to his eccentric, hippie neighbor Wanda. Dax didn’t have a buff with the older lady honing in on half his childhood home. As he passed now and caught her glancing out the window—her long grey hair in a mass of untamed curls that made her look younger than her actual age—he nodded at her and she rewarded him with a kind smile.

      Dax had learned to ignore the painful pings of bitterness toward his dad, Rowdy, for destroying or trying to erase one of the many memories of his mother by converting the house. Or maybe he ignored such thoughts because at least now he had his dad back. After his mom’s death, his old man had gone MIA for a bit, not physically, but mentally. But for a long time now, his dad had been solid, strong...his old self. Dax never wanted to lose him again.

      One thing Dax couldn’t ignore now were the footprints his black boots left in the deep snow. He wondered what had his dad so distracted that his walkway, driveway and sidewalk were all still covered in a half a foot of snow. Rowdy was a hell of an obsessively, strict, follow-the-rules, sort of man. His days not spent working at the local fire station, climbing his way up the ladder to chief, were spent either at the shop he owned with Dax, or maintaining this house—this walkway included. The snow piling up on his walkway and the fact he hadn’t been at the shop for a couple days—which had also been very unlike him—caused a bit of worry to form inside Dax.

      Pulling his hands out of the pockets of his leather jacket, he pushed opened the front door. Maybe his father’s change in attitude and schedule was due to the only thing that had recently changed in his life.

      As Dax stepped inside the warm house and stomped the snow off his boots on the mat, his eyes did a quick scan. Sitting at the dining room table, amidst piles of old cardboard boxes which also spilled out into the open concept living room, sat that very reason: Ava Anderson. She was the quiet, anxious and pregnant woman who’d recently moved into his father’s house.

      Dax nodded at Ava while sliding out of his boots and shrugging off his jacket. He’d never get used to her being in his dad’s house. Wanda living on one side of the house was one thing, but having this unfamiliar woman actually living in his dad’s house was a different situation altogether.

      Good morning. Small talk had never been his strong point, but what choice did he have when she was sitting right in front of him?

      A shy smile lifted the edges of her lips. Soft lips, full lips, lips he needed to stop noticing. Maybe that was why Dax always felt irritable around her. Just the sight of her stirred wonky feelings in him.

      Morning, Dax. Her voice crossed the room in a tame but unsure way as she sat there with her stomach protruding under the snug, navy knit sweater. Are you hungry? Her eyes almost lit up for a moment, as if offering him food would erase the awkwardness that always lingered between them. She blinked the light away, sliding a platter in his direction. Wanda brought over a tray of cranberry muffins.

      He manoeuvred around the boxes to grab one of the warm treats. He certainly couldn’t pass up the quirky and sweet neighbour’s baking. Thanks. What’s all this? His eyes slid to glance over all the boxes.

      Ava shrugged. I’m not sure. Your dad’s looking for a box.

      Chills ran over Dax’s skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps. A box? He tried to act casual by taking a bite of the muffin, but even he heard what sounded a lot like worry in his tone. The moist warm flavor on his tongue momentarily distracted him. Was that a hint of lemon? Damn, the old woman could bake.

      Ava nodded, bringing him back to the present.

      He swallowed his mouthful and cleared his throat. What kind of box?

      She gave another shrug of her delicate shoulders. A Christmas box. I really don’t know, but he sure was super excited this morning to find it.

      Dax’s insides clenched at the thought. The box his father was hunting for wasn’t just any old, meaningless Christmas box—it was the Christmas box. The Christmas box his father hadn’t touched since his mother had died over a decade ago. A box which no amount of searching this house would unveil.

      Once again, Dax’s eyes fell upon the boxes. With one hand he flipped open a cardboard lid and a rush of memories halted all other thoughts. He’d half expected to find their old Christmas decorations, but no amount of expectation could prepare his emotions at seeing the old, hand-blown glass ornaments he’d taken extra care to hang when he’d been younger. Another one of those memories the old man

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1