One Tough Christmas Cookie (The Reindeer Wrangler Ranch Christmas Romance Book 1)

by Lucy McConnell

  Despite the promise she’d made to her father, she said, “My dad is going in for emergency surgery. I can’t leave.” She couldn’t. No matter what Dad’s priorities were, hers would always be family first. If he made it through, he could yell at her for not running off to take care of a sick reindeer. Which was a moment she suddenly found herself looking forward to.

  Caleb ran his hand through his blond hair, making it stand up on end. She’d never seen an adult with hair that light, and she wondered if it ran in the family. Genetics were her undergrad specialty. “I understand,” he hedged. “If it was my dad, I wouldn’t want to leave either. It’s just, Dunder’s older. He’s not fl—” He cut off quickly and shook his head. “He’s lost strength. We can’t afford to lose him.”

  Her heartstrings played a sad melody at the thought of an animal suffering, even if it was a reindeer. But she needed to be close in case Dr. Calvin came out with an update or questions or—gulp—for permission to pull the plug. Dr. Calvin, she’d just realized, hadn’t made it to the room to talk to her like he’d said he would. Probably because he was scrubbing up for surgery so he could fix Dad’s heart. What if Dad came out of surgery and she wasn’t here? He’d feel alone and lost, confused and maybe even scared. “I’m sorry. Really. But I have to stay.”

  He dropped his chin to his impressive chest and took a breath.

  He’d go now. Which was for the best. At some point in the next couple hours, she was going to get tired and then emotional, and then she’d fall to pieces over what was and what could have been and what might never be. She didn’t need an audience to the crazy show.

  When Caleb lifted his gaze, his eyes blazed blue—like the hottest part of a flame. Their intensity sucked the oxygen right out of the room, and she gasped. Pushing his hat on his head, he strode over to the chair under the window, sat down, and kicked his long legs out in front of him.

  “What are you doing?” she asked in a panic.

  “Like I said, we need Dunder. Which means we need a vet. I’m not leaving here. If you won’t come, I’ll wait for Doc.”

  She sputtered. “Of all the stubborn and ridiculous statements. He’s having heart surgery.” She threw her arm toward the door. “He won’t be going outside for weeks.”

  He laced his fingers together over his stomach and settled in. “Then I guess I’m going to have to settle for you.”

  She walked over and poked him in the chest. He smelled of dried grass and cologne, like he’d just finished feeding the animals and still smelled clean. Mm-mm. Up close, there was a hint of honey in his beard. She clenched her teeth. “Let’s get one thing straight. No one’s ever settled for me. I’m darn good at what I do, and there’s not a vet in the state that can match me for large animal diagnoses.” Not even her dad. While he’d been knee deep in reindeer poop, she’d broadened her practice and had quite the referral list.

  Caleb grabbed her hand to keep her from poking him again. She gasped as an electrical jolt went through her system. Touching him wasn’t the smartest idea. “I’m not leaving without you,” he growled.

  She yanked her hand free. “Get comfortable, then. Because I’m not leaving until I know Dad’s out of the woods.”

  “Fine.” He pulled his hat down over his eyes and went still. As if anyone could fall asleep that fast.

  “Fine.” She huffed, folded her arms, and landed in the seat next to him. A second later, she grabbed the armrests and scooted—putting a good twelve inches between them. Better.

  She glanced over to make sure he couldn’t see her from under his hat and then fell against the seat, letting it hold her up because her strength was gone. She hadn’t thought this night could get any worse, but having to share the room with a grumpy, though easy-on-the-eyes cowboy tipped the scales.

  With a sigh, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through the books on her Kindle app. Nothing grabbed her attention enough to keep her from thinking about the past. What she did remember of her life before the divorce was sparse but good. It wasn’t like her parents had argued a lot. It was more like things had been always quiet and sometimes lonely.

  She used to sit on the couch and stare out the front window, hoping to see Dad’s headlights before Mom would sigh heavily and scoop her into her arms to tuck her in bed. Dad told bedtime stories about magical reindeer, Santa, and elves while Mom would kiss her forehead and then lock herself in her room. One night, Faith heard her crying. She never got out of bed again.

  Restless and needing answers, she finally put her phone down and kicked Caleb’s boots. “What’s so special about these reindeer, anyway?”

  He used one finger to push his hat up. Considering her, he asked, “Doc ever tell you about them?”

  “All the bleeping time.” She huffed. “I probably know more about them than you do.” Dad had been over the moon when she’d gone into veterinary school—probably thinking she would join him in Sleigh Bell Country. He’d even paid the hefty tuition for her and kept her out of student loan debt. She didn’t mind taking his money, though she suspected it was his way of easing his own guilt for not being the father she needed.

  He’d called once a month while she’d been in school to talk about the herd and ask her opinion on their care. He’d always wanted to know what they taught her—the latest findings and studies—bringing the conversation back to the reindeer before their time was up.

  If he was upset that she didn’t join his practice, he’d never said so. Another point in his favor. The possible end-of-life situation started a tally sheet in her head.

  Caleb narrowed his eyes. “If he’d told you the important stuff, then you wouldn’t have to ask that question.”

  “Whatever.” She shoved to her feet, looking for distance. That breakdown was coming on, and she needed to not be here when it happened. “I’m going to get something to help me stay awake. Bye.” She left before he could follow her to the cafeteria.

  After stopping at the nurses’ station to make sure they had her cell number if they needed to call, she headed for the elevator. She pulled up the digital files Dad kept on the reindeer herd. He’d given her access years ago and never cut her off. It could be that he’d just forgotten or that he was holding out hope. She wouldn’t know unless he made it through surgery.

  She walked as she scanned, searching for a file named Dunder. There were thousands of files—each with a name. For duplicate names, the year of birth was listed as well. Rudolph was popular, as were Dancer and Prancer. Jeez, these guys loved their Santa references.

  There. Dunder. Means: Thunder.

  O-kay.

  She scanned the breeding info—this guy was a top bull—and his birth date. Her eyes bugged out. He was old. Especially for a reindeer. Though this particular breed lived longer than others. She did a quick search and found that he was a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. To lose a patriarch of the herd was bad news in so many ways. Animals often mourned the passing of one of their own.

  Guilt tugged at her heartstrings. She wasn’t the type to turn away an animal in need—even a reindeer.

  She dragged herself back to the room and kicked Caleb’s boots again. He grunted as if she’d woken him up. “What?”

  “Is he eating?” she demanded.

  He looked up at her, a small crease between his eyebrows. “What?”

  She barely held back her frustration. Her emotions ran right under the surface after seeing her dad and then having a lifetime of issues thrown in her face. “Dunder. Is he eating?” she ground out.

  Caleb frowned. “No.”

  “Drinking?” Her tone was derogatory at best and completely ticked off in any other circumstances.

  “Yeah. Why?”

  She drew a breath, grateful that she could offer some hope and had bought time before she had to rush out to the ranch. “Animals fast when they’re in pain, but if they drink, it’s a good sign that they aren’t terminal.”

  The crease disappeared, and his chest relaxed. She reall
y needed to stop noticing his chest.

  He nodded. “I’ll send word back to my family.” He pulled out his phone.

  If he was drinking … Her brain ran through a list of possible issues, ticking off some and holding on to others until she could examine the animal. Even if Dunder was drinking, he could be in grave danger.

  She tucked her arms around herself. If she didn’t treat him soon, the non-fatal could become fatal. And she’d promised Dad she would look out for the herd. Blast it all—why did he have to ask her that right before Caleb showed up? “I’ll go with you as soon as Dad’s out of surgery. I don’t know how long it’s going to take.”

  He nodded again. “I’d be much obliged.”

  She held up a finger. “One visit—you got that? I’m not like Dad; I’m busy, and I have a thriving practice in Grafton.” She wouldn’t give the ranch, or Caleb’s warm eyes, a chance to suck her in.

  “I understand.” With that, he lowered his hat and went back typing.

  She shrugged. Cowboys! The most infuriating breed of man she’d ever met.

  Just as she reached the doorway, Caleb called out, “Doc bragged about you—a lot. That’s how I knew you were a vet. He …” He paused and seemed to gather his thoughts. “He loves you.”

  She looked over her shoulder. “That’s news to me.”

  Caleb smirked. “He didn’t mention how pretty you were, though.”

  Her cheeks heated and she turned forward, talking to the hallway instead of allowing him to see the effect he had on her. Liking this cowboy wasn’t an option, which meant that flirting back wasn’t either. “I haven’t seen him in years.”

  “Why are you here now?” His voice was warm and deep, like the best cup of hot chocolate on a cold day.

  “Besides the obvious?” She shrugged, trying to come up with a reason for driving three-plus hours in the dark during December. “It’s Christmas,” she replied. “Dad loves the season.” Her reason fell flat in her ears. What did Christmas have to do with anything?

  “Christmas is magic,” Caleb added.

  “There’s no such thing as Christmas Magic,” she said before walking away. Childhood fantasies and wishes were better left alone. She’d done without them for most of her life, and she didn’t need them now. Besides, she was only here to make sure Dad survived. If he did, then she’d head back to Grafton.

  If he didn’t … She turned and ducked into a bathroom, ready for the tears to fall. She barely had time to lock the door before her cheeks flooded. How could she love a man who’d let her go and hate him at the same time?

  Family was complicated.

  She swallowed against the huge lump in her throat only to have another one build right behind it. Some Christmas. If she could skip the whole thing, she would.

  Chapter 4

  Caleb

  Caleb waited until Faith was in the elevator before pushing his hat up and calling home. She was as prickly as a pear and as Scroogey as, well, Scrooge. Her apartment or house or whatever probably didn’t have a single ornament, garland, or wreath. He gave a sudden shiver at the thought.

  Still, she was upset by what had happened to her dad, shaken deeper than she let on. Her hands trembled, and she swallowed often enough that he could see the internal fight to hold it all together. She didn’t have to, not for his sake.

  He wished he could give her some privacy, but Dunder was counting on him to bring back help.

  Besides, she shouldn’t be alone right now. Doc didn’t have a lot of family. He’d been an only child, and his parents were long gone on to their eternal glory. Caleb’s family had taken him in a long time ago, probably when he’d gotten divorced. The short conversation with Faith yielded puzzle pieces—if he could get her to talk some more, he might be able to put the whole thing together.

  Dad answered on the first ring. “Merry Christmas.”

  Caleb usually responded with a Merry Christmas of his own—even in August—since it was their family’s standard phone greeting. But he didn’t know how long Faith would be gone, and he needed to talk freely. “How’s Dunder?”

  “The kids got him moved into the barn. He’s resting in a stall. Stella won’t leave his side.”

  His lips ticked up into a half-smile. That girl—woman now—was a trickster but had one of the biggest hearts this side of the Mississippi. “I hope she’s stubborn enough to keep Dunder alive until I can get back with help.”

  “Did you find Doc?”

  Caleb set his hat on his knee and ran his free hand through his hair. “Yeah, I found him in the hospital. Dad, he’s in surgery.” He tried to deliver the news as softly as possible. Dad and Doc were longtime friends, compatriots in this Christmas quest they’d taken up like knights. Working the reindeer herd, protecting it, was a lifetime calling, one Caleb and his brothers had eagerly accepted when they each turned 21—except for his youngest brother, Drake, who was only 19. Drake was on the fence about sticking around, but that was normal for a guy his age.

  Caleb had had the same stirrings to get out of their small town and make something of himself without the family legacy shadowing his every accomplishment. It wasn’t until he’d gotten off the ranch and seen what was out there that he understood how much faith, hope, and goodwill were needed in the world. He couldn’t take a higher calling than to be a reindeer wrangler.

  The silence hung heavy between him and Dad. Caleb could picture his father in the home office, running his hand down his face in an effort to retain control over his emotions. He wasn’t a feelings kind of guy, but he was a loyal friend. “What’s the survival rate?”

  Caleb coughed uncomfortably. “I’ve been trying not to think about that—I figure asking for a miracle is always a good idea in these cases.” No matter what the odds were on WebMD, which he’d refused to read, surgery was hard on the body, and Doc wasn’t one to take care of himself. If food didn’t come from the Nichollases’ kitchen, it came in a greasy bag from a drive-thru. What more could they have done for him? Caleb prayed the question wouldn’t haunt him forever and that they’d get the chance to see Doc again—real soon.

  “Good idea. We’ll all do the same out here.” Dad drew in a breath. “What about Dunder?”

  “Doc’s daughter is here, the one he’s always bragging is such a smarty-pants.” Caleb grinned, wishing Faith was here to heart that. She’d probably kick his boots. He shouldn’t like it so much, but as far as he was concerned, her sass was her best quality. “She said she’d come out as soon as Doc was in the clear.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “I told her I’d stay and wait for her.”

  “Oh?” The interest in Dad’s tone implied he thought there was something more to Caleb’s offer.

  “Yeah, I don’t want her to skip town. I get the feeling she doesn’t like reindeer.”

  “That’s strange.”

  “Right?” He warmed up to the topic. “I mean, I can understand people not liking snakes and spiders and such, but reindeer? Besides, she’s a vet. Shouldn’t she like all animals?”

  “She must have her reasons.”

  Caleb ran his thumb down his scruffy jaw, thinking. “Whatever. I don’t care.” Except now he couldn’t stop caring. The mystery was too much for him to let go of, darn it.

  Dad chuckled. “Your mom’s got dinner on. Keep me posted.”

  “I will.” Caleb hung up and brushed the lint off his hat.

  Faith returned, carrying a foam cup full of awful-smelling cheap cocoa. She cradled the Styrofoam as if it held comfort. Maybe it did, though something that smelled that lowly was more of an imitation. “Ah, you woke up.” She took the seat next to him.

  He studied her out of the corner of his eye while maintaining the pretense that he was cleaning his hat. Her eyes were rimmed in pink. His heart clenched at the thought of her crying alone. He longed to wrap an arm around her and tuck her to his side and let her have at the tears. He wouldn’t even care if she ruined his shirt; it wasn’t anything special.
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br />   He stretched theatrically and yawned. “Gotta sleep when you can.” And eat. Now that his stomach smelled food—even the junky hot chocolate—it wanted nourishment. Mom had been working on a beef stew with homemade rolls when he’d torn through the kitchen. His stomach rumbled. He wasn’t doing himself any favors thinking about all the good he was missing out on.

  “I’m sorry about Doc,” he ventured. “I should have said that first thing.”

  She nodded a thank-you.

  “Doc’s a good guy. We enjoy having him around.”

  “Thanks for saying that.” She turned slightly and pulled out her phone.

  Not sure why, Caleb tried to further the conversation. “So how come I haven’t seen you around before? I’m sure I would have remembered your pretty face.”

  Her pale cheeks took on a rosy glow. The way her eyebrows pulled together, he wasn’t sure if she was flattered or ticked off at his compliment. “Can we not do this right now?”

  Do what? Talk? Or did she think he was trying to flirt? Either way, he was dismissed, and he wasn’t dumb enough to stick his hand in the badger hole twice. “Yep.” He shoved to his feet, swiping his hat off his knee in the process and shoving it down on his head. “I’m going to get some grub.”

  She snorted at his use of the word grub.

  Feeling like a hick from Nowhereville, he strode out the door. She wasn’t going anywhere until her dad was out of surgery, and that meant they had hours of waiting—together. Heaven help him, no woman made him feel as awkward as she had with one ladylike snort. He was usually pretty good with women—a charmer, even.

  Which only confused him more. The whole time he ate a leathery slab of roast beef and mashed potatoes in the cafeteria, he worked over ways he could break down Faith’s walls. None of his usual flirting tactics would work on her. She needed more than a compliment and a smile; she needed Christmas.

  Odd that her name was Faith and it didn’t appear that she had any. He wasn’t out to win her heart, but maybe he could open it for Christmas to pour in. It felt like a worthy goal, and when his chest burned, he had the confirmation from on high that he should proceed.