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

by Lucy McConnell

  Doc smiled fondly at her and held the bag close. “Thank you.”

  She nodded and then got busy with the clothes, as if his gratitude made her uncomfortable. “If you guys are done arguing with a man who just had heart surgery—” She looked pointedly back and forth between them. “—I’d like to help him get washed up. The nurse should be here any minute.”

  Drake held up a hand. “For the record, miss, I was not arguing.”

  She chuckled, and Caleb shot Drake a look that would have scared off a hungry wolf. But not his little brother. Oh no. Baby brother was immune to older-brother threats.

  He stood up and held out his hand. “I’m Drake, by the way.”

  She shook it. “It’s nice to meet you. Are you—” She waved her hand, circling Drake and Caleb, asking how they were related.

  He nodded. “I’m the youngest.”

  She took him in. “You’re so much darker than your brother. It’s interesting to see how the genetics play in your family.”

  Something nudged Caleb to talk to her about the issues on the ranch, but Doc cleared his throat and shook his head slightly. Fine. He’d keep his mouth shut, for now. He nudged Drake. “Come on, we need to get going if you want to see your girl at the diner before her shift is over.”

  Drake kicked the side of the bed and ducked his head. “She’s not my girl.”

  “But you want her to be.” Caleb ducked as Drake took an easy swing at him. “We’ll see you later, Doc. Get better!” he called as they made their way out of the room.

  Drake told Doc to hang in there and that Mom was going out to stock his fridge for when he got home.

  “Good to see you,” Caleb said to Faith. She gave him a half-smile and a nod in return. He’d be kicking himself for days for fighting with Doc. It didn’t matter what Caleb thought about Faith’s holiday potential; he shouldn’t have pushed. Now he’d upset the old man and his daughter.

  Once in the hallway, Caleb looked around, realizing that it was dimmer out here than it was Doc’s room, where Faith had unpacked his belongings. She had a way of making the world seem lighter and better just by showing up.

  Drake texted as they walked. Caleb’s pocket buzzed, and he pulled it out to see Drake had sent a text out to the family.

  Caleb calls dibs on the new vet.

  Caleb reached for Drake, ready to pummel him. “What the heck?”

  “I just thought I should make it known—you know, so Jack doesn’t go after her or something.”

  Caleb rubbed his chest. A burning knife struck right through it at the thought of his twin brother making a move on Faith. “He wouldn’t.”

  “No—he won’t now.” Drake waved his phone. “You’re welcome.”

  Caleb didn’t know if he should throw his brother into a snowbank or hug him. He shook his head. “I don’t think it will matter. She can hardly stand me, and she’s not in town for long.”

  Drake’s mouth fell open. “Hardly stand you? She couldn’t stop looking at you. It was like no one else was in the room—and I’m the handsome brother.”

  Caleb laughed as the automatic doors opened and the frigid temperatures smacked him in the face. “You just keep thinking that.”

  “I will. And you keep telling yourself you don’t want that girl—even though you are totally into her.” He marched to the truck.

  Caleb remote started it and then unlocked it so Drake could get in. He walked slower, needing a moment with his thoughts. Trouble was, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find a way for the two of them to work out anything long-term. Faith had a practice to get back to, and he wasn’t leaving the ranch.

  There was no use chasing rainbows. He’d keep his head down and get the work done. And maybe one day he’d find a lady to love. The older he got, the more settling down sounded like living the best life.

  He climbed behind the wheel. Too bad he and Faith were on different paths and she hated his guts. Otherwise, he’d figure out a way to add some romance to her holiday—and his. It was mistletoe season, after all. The only one waiting for him was a sick reindeer, and he had no intention of kissing Dunder.

  Chapter 7

  Faith

  Drake was a cutie. His dark hair and Nichollas family good looks probably had all the local teenage girls swooning.

  But he didn’t hold a candle to his older brother and those blue eyes of his.

  Faith stared after the two of them as they made their way down the hall, chatting and playing. They were the all-American cowboy breed. Came by it naturally, as she’d witnessed when she’d met their father. Abner Nichollas was all wrinkles and leather skin with an easy smile that belied the long hours of ranch life. Along with all that was a sense of peace that came with knowing what you’d been put on this earth to do.

  She’d sensed some of that in Caleb as well.

  Dad chuckled from his hospital bed. “If ya keep staring, you’re gonna go cross-eyed.”

  Faith spun on her heel and smirked. “They’re quite the family, aren’t they?”

  Dad’s whole face seemed to soften. “They’ve been more than kind to me.”

  “Sounds like it. Their mom …” She held out a hand to get a name.

  “Anna,” Dad filled in.

  “Anna doesn’t need to stock the fridge. I can get groceries.”

  He lifted a hand and let it drop, as if that took too much effort to make small gestures. The nurse said they’d had him walk a little this morning and that he was due for another lap this afternoon. His face was pale, and his normally restless spirit was calm. “Anna’s the type that has to be doing something for someone or she’s bored out of her mind. She’ll cook a few meals and put them in the freezer and bake some goodies. It’ll be the best food you’ve ever had, so don’t tell her to stop.”

  Faith grinned. “How can I say no after that endorsement?” She walked over and sat on the end of the bed, patting Dad’s leg. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like my well’s gone dry.” He had new wrinkles on his face, lines around his mouth that she didn’t remember.

  “I expect that’s normal, but it doesn’t make it any less bothersome.”

  He nodded. “Caleb said you went out to the ranch.”

  She nodded, not sure how much she wanted to reveal about her resentment over the reindeer or the way they’d communicated with her. It was uncanny and more than unsettling. She finally settled on not following that path of conversation. She turned to tuck an extra pair of pajamas in the nightstand drawer.

  “Dunder’s an amazing animal,” Dad said.

  She sighed. So much for not talking about it. “He’s big for a reindeer.”

  Dad’s nod was barely there. He was sinking into the pillows, wearing out quickly. “He’s different than most.”

  “I recommended cutting off his antlers.” She smiled, thinking of how Dunder had looked like he’d wanted to bite her for saying that.

  Dad chuckled, and a grin spread across his tired face. “I’ll bet that went over well.”

  She laughed. “Not so much. I used your lab to start the blood tests. We should have some answers in the next 24 to 48 hours.” The monitors beeped at a steady rate, and a nurse passed by the door. It didn’t matter what was going on inside this room; life continued out there.

  “Are you headed back to Grafton after that?”

  Faith balked. “Why would I?”

  “You have a life there.”

  She stared at him, dumbfounded. “And where will you go?” Who will watch out for him? Keep his house from freezing over? Run the clinic? She’d glanced through his calendar—he had appointments scheduled. Someone would either have to call and cancel or substitute for him. “You can’t run a business from a hospital bed, Dad.”

  “The doc says there’s a rehab facility. I can live there for a month or two until I’m back on my feet.”

  Hot indignation rose up inside of Faith. “I dropped everything to come here, and you think I’m just going to leave yo
u to face all this alone?” Did he think she was a coldhearted witch? Not that she’d ever put much into their relationship before, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t do the right thing.

  He perked up. “I’m not asking you to stay and care for me—I got no right.” The beeps grew closer together.

  Faith glanced at the machine. “Dad, families look out for one another.” She pushed off the bed and started to pace. “What if we attempted to be a normal family for once?”

  “There’s no such thing as normal families,” Dad groused.

  Faith threw her arms in the air. “Oh, you’ll let the Nichollases feed you but you won’t ask me for help?” A low growl escaped her lips. He was so stubborn.

  “If you’re so in love with the Nichollases, then why don’t you join their family and I’ll do whatever I darn well please?” He folded his arms and huffed.

  Faith marched over to the bed and barely refrained from poking the old man. “I didn’t ask to be your daughter, but God gave me to you.” Her hands balled into fists. “Remind me to thank Him for that one, because you’ve been a real peach to work with.”

  Dad’s arms slowly lowered to his sides. He took a deep, shuddering breath. “I’ve been a horrible father. Part of me wants to run away from all that forever and pretend that I didn’t fail.” He dropped his chin. “I don’t think that’s an option. God knows, and He doesn’t forget. I wish I was different—for you and for Him.”

  Faith slowly sank to the bed. “A part of me might always be angry at you for what you missed. But another part doesn’t want you to miss anything else.”

  He lifted his eyes to meet hers. “We’re a mess, baby girl. And it’s my fault.”

  “Then be the one to fix it.”

  He brushed her hand. “I can try, but I’m not good at this stuff.”

  “That’s okay. I’m good at telling people what to do. You just have to listen. I’ll stay through Christmas and help with the clinic—your patients shouldn’t go without care.”

  He hummed in agreement. “I hope you don’t regret this.”

  Her heart squeezed. Letting her dad back in after all these years wasn’t going to be easy. “Me too.”

  She patted his hand and smiled. Committing to stay for a month. It also meant that she’d see Caleb and his family more. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that—or about any of this, really. If someone had asked her two weeks ago if she wanted her life to change, she would have said no way. She had it good right where she was. Maybe that was why God decided to shake things up. It seemed like He never wanted her to be too comfortable.

  Maybe that was the whole point of introducing her to Caleb. He certainly took her out of her comfort zone so fast it made her stomach swoop and her heart flutter.

  She liked that he’d stuck up for her to her dad. What had he said—“you underestimate her Christmas spirit”? Something like that. A strange thing to value, but in the reindeer business, Christmas was a big deal.

  She wanted to ask Dad about the strange happenings at the ranch, but his eyes were half-shut and his breathing steady; give him another couple minutes and he’d be fast asleep.

  She’d have to wait for another time. Hopefully, she’d get everything sorted before Christmas and have her life on track before January 1st. Then she could leave the reindeer and the handsome wrangler behind.

  Chapter 8

  Caleb

  Caleb hopped off the back of the flatbed truck where he’d stood to count heads and watch for sick animals to join Pax in the cab. He put his hands in front of the heater vents and allowed the warm air to thaw out his fingers. The afternoon herd check had gone well, thank goodness. With Dunder sick, an air of desperation to make sure the other animals were safe made him anxious.

  Pax didn’t have to come out with him since it wasn’t his turn, but he was the workaholic of the bunch, never going to sleep until every drop of daylight was used up and every task crossed off his list. He thrived on getting a job done and making sure this place ran like a machine.

  His phone rang. “Hey, Princess.” He used Stella’s least-preferred nickname as he answered the phone.

  “Your crazy reindeer just flew off into the wilds of Yellowstone National Park.” She threw the information at him with as much of an accusation as a plea for help.

  He ripped off his hat and threw it on the dash, startling Pax. “How’d that happen?”

  She sighed. “I think the girls had something to do with it. But if Snowflake had any sense, she would have stuck close to a food source.”

  “That’s the problem with being able to fly: the whole world is a food source. Jeez, Stella, she could be anywhere.” He shoved his hand through his hair.

  Pax glanced at him and pressed on the gas. “Family meeting,” he muttered just loud enough for Caleb to hear.

  “Sound the alarm,” Caleb responded.

  Pax got on his phone and typed out a quick text while he drove through the field. If they’d been on the road, he never would have texted, but bouncing through a wide-open plane with the herd behind them was different. Caleb’s phone beeped, and Pax tucked his phone back into his coat’s chest pocket.

  “Listen, I got a lot going on this year …” Stella said. “Any chance you all could send a rescue sleigh?”

  “I get it, princess. But we’re out of reindeer. Can someone from the North Pole come down?”

  “They’re swamped with pre-Christmas tasks.”

  His gut clenched. Of course they were. It was December, after all. “I hate leaving you stranded. We’ll have to send someone up there to find Snowflake if you need a ride. We can be there in a couple of days.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’ve got skills. Just take care of Snowflake.”

  “Will do. Be safe.” They said goodbye and hung up. Caleb snatched his hat off the dash and shoved it down on his head. “I can’t believe she lost our reindeer.”

  Pax grunted and laughed at the same time—it came out as a strangled sound. He couldn’t be happy about Snowflake loose in the wilds any more than Caleb was, but he handled it better. “That’s Stella.”

  His assessment had Caleb shaking his head, bemused. “That girl gets herself into a fix on a monthly basis.”

  “That’s part of her charm.” Pax stopped at the gate, and Caleb rushed out to open it for him and then close it after the truck drove through. He climbed back in and found Pax on the phone saying, “Don’t snap at me; I’m just asking.” He rolled his eyes at Caleb.

  Caleb furrowed his brow in question, and Pax whispered, “North Pole.”

  Caleb settled back to listen in. Whatever was going on had Pax’s face scrunching together.

  “Listen, Frost—”

  Caleb balked at his tone. Frost was the quiet Kringle, the bookworm, the one who never got cross with anyone or anything, and yet Pax was cutting into the conversation like he’d done that time he’d been accused of stealing a candy bar at the grocery store. He hadn’t taken any candy—they’d searched his pockets and came up empty-handed. The clerk had been new to town and had a chip on her shoulder. She’d moved away not long after that.

  “—we didn’t make Dunder sick; he came that way.” Pax pinched the bridge of his nose. “I just need you to let us know if any of the reindeer up there have symptoms. Thank you.” He clicked off and tossed the phone on the seat. “What flew up her chimney this year?”

  Caleb shook his head. “They all seemed off. Robyn wasn’t her normal cheery self when they brought Dunder in. I thought it was because she was worried, but maybe there’s more to it.”

  “They’ve all nuts for the last four years, if you ask me,” Pax mumbled.

  Caleb silently agreed with him. The Kringle women were all over the place. They’d been pretty tight-lipped about it, but Dad said that Harvey Kringle had told him Christmas Magic was behaving strangely and they were trying to get it to even out. Apparently, that was stressful for everyone—even mild-mannered Frost.

  They drove over to the h
ouse, where trucks were packed into the parking area. “Looks like everyone’s here,” Pax noted.

  “Great. This should be fun.” Caleb shoved out of the vehicle and hunched his shoulders against the cold. Walking into the house was like walking into an oven compared to the temperature outside. He shed his coat and gloves and made his way to the family room, where everyone waited for the family meeting to begin.

  Mom and Dad sat in their chairs by the fireplace. Neither was a rocker, thank goodness, Caleb wasn’t sure he was ready for his parents to be that old. Next to Mom’s recliner was a bag of knitting things and a half-finished project. Next to Dad’s was a magazine rack with the latest hunting and fishing periodicals.

  Jack, Forest, and Drake sat on the couch in order of lightest hair color to darkest. Faith had commented on how different he and Drake were in coloring, but the contrast didn’t seem so stark if you looked at the brothers between them.

  Caleb, the oldest, was white blond. Jack, his twin, was honey blond. Then there was Forest with sandy brown hair and beard, followed by Pax, who had medium brown with a lot of red mixed in. He didn’t particularly like being called a ginger, but his beard came in all red, so there was no denying it. Dad said it was from their Viking heritage, which made them all better suited for living in the northernmost parts of North Dakota than on some tropical island. Finally, Drake was as dark of a brown as you could get.

  Pax came in behind him and took a seat on the smaller sofa. Caleb should have sat down, but he was too anxious to settle. A flying reindeer loose in Yellowstone park was bad.

  So very bad.

  Great-Grandpa’s whole purpose in getting the herd in one place was to keep the general populace from finding out that flying reindeer were a real thing. If people knew, they’d want to study the animals. Which didn’t sound so bad, until they started talking about caging, testing flying limits, and other such measures that would stress the reindeer’s gentle nature. These weren’t just animals that could fly; they were individuals with personalities and pet peeves. By keeping them on the ranch, the Nichollas family protected them.