October 2022 saw the release of my short Christmas story, All I Want for Christmas Is You, featuring Burke Montgomery and Camille Prescott from the Jackson Creek Series. Burke is the bartender at Landries and has had a soft spot for Camille ever since he arrived in Jackson Creek. Trouble is she wants someone else, someone he deems isn’t the right man for her. Our interviewer caught up with Burke at Landries to afford you the opportunity to get to know him better. As usual, Burke is presiding over the saloon from behind the bar, a soiled cloth in his hand as he rubs at an imaginary spot on the polished wood.
Thanks for meeting with me, Burke. What can you tell me about Camille Prescott? What did you think the 1st time you saw her? Landry—he’s the owner of Landries—and me had just come to town. Houston didn’t hold our interest anymore, even with Landry owning a saloon there, so he sold the place and we headed west. We only stopped in Jackson Creek for food and a night’s sleep in a real bed. But Landry couldn’t sleep after we ate. He went for a drink and a game of stud. Next morning I found him where I’m standing now, learned he won this here watering hole over the last hand, same as he did the saloon in Houston, and was laying down the rules to the girlies that came with the place… rather, they was laying down the rules to him. There was three of ‘em. Patsy and Myrna are still here. Tawny married Landry’s brother and they moved to a ranch outside of town. Anyway, Landry and me been friends since our days on the riverboat. I ran the saloon for him in Houston and figured I'd do the same with this one, only the kitchen was filthy. I went to the mercantile for supplies and that’s when I saw Camille. She was standing outside the mercantile’s door batting her eyelashes at some boy. Prettiest little thing I ever did see… and bold. (Burke pauses from rubbing at the wood to crack a fond grin.) Females like her… young, innocent… usually don’t flirt with a boy in broad daylight for the whole town to see for fear their ma will learn of their doings and take a paddle to their backside. (Burke’s grin widens.) But not Camille. She just kept on flirting with the boy.
What was your 2nd thought? That she should forget the boy and flirt with me. Her soft curves would fit perfect against me, but I knew she wouldn’t do as I wanted. I’m older than her… not much to look at… rough around the edges… I have a reputation, not quite as bad as Landry’s, but one that a proper girl such as her wouldn’t welcome.
Do you think you fell in love with her at first sight? (Burke shrugs.) Don’t know. Maybe. (He rubs at the imaginary spot on the bar again.) She did set my heart to thumping. Then again, other females have done the same. (He stills his hand, stares at the wall across from him, his eyes clouding over.) Camille’s the only one who’s made my gut shake. I’ve laid awake a lot of nights staring up at the ceiling thinking about her. So yeah, maybe it was love at first sight.
What do you like most about Camille? Her smugness. Most would be quick to say that’s a bad thing, but Camille’s smart. She knows what she wants in life and isn’t afraid to go after it, including pampering herself. That’s not to say she lounges in bed and demands others to wait on her. She doesn’t. She cooks, cleans, launders clothes, and affords a lot of care to her features and hands; something I appreciate and others consider arrogant or spoiled.
How would Camille
describe you?
(Redness creeps into his neck and he rubs at the wood again.) She says she
thinks I’m handsome and strong. I think she needs to have her eyes examined; I
ain’t nothing special to look at. (He rubs harder at the spot.) She also says
I’m a good man, sincere, and caring. And, she likes my smile. (He meets my
gaze.) She’s the one who’s good and caring… and naïve to the things I’ve
done, the men I’ve had to kill to stop them from hurting someone else.
What is your biggest fear? That the Lord will banish me to Hell instead of letting me spend eternity with her.
How do you relax? Before Camille, I’d grab a bottle of whiskey and seek solitude in my room. Now, I join her on the sofa and watch the flames flicker in the fireplace. Ain’t nothing on this earth better than her curling against me and caressing my chest.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Landry signed over ownership of the saloon to me just after the new year. Camille and I are planning to serve the noon meal 6 days a week. A lot of places in Dodge and Cheyenne do. She’s a good cook. I am, too, and five years from now, with the money we’ve earned, I see us having help at the saloon’s kitchen and two kids sleeping upstairs while she and I continue to relax on the sofa before the fire.
Thank you for talking
with me, Burke. You and Camille are a beautiful couple and your readers and I
wish both of you a lifetime of happiness. Appreciate that.
To get the full scoop on how Burke turned Camille’s attention from the boy at the mercantile to himself, curl up in your chair with their story, All I Want for Christmas Is You. Available only at Amazon.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0BDGFKF7N
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