by Sophie Mays
“Good morning, Rafe.”
“Good morning, Hannah,” Rafferty said happily with a bright smile.
“I was just coming to get y’all for breakfast,” Hannah said. “Did you have a nice ride?”
“It was wonderful. AJ showed me the trail that goes past the river,” Rafferty said.
Hannah giggled. “There are lots of trails that go past the river, Rafe.”
His eyes lit up and it took a second before Hannah realized he was pleased by her use of Carson’s nickname. Not for the first time, Hannah wondered if Rafferty had any close friends to joke around and relax with. It always seemed like if he wasn’t with his parents or his sister, he was working. She knew he met up with people occasionally, uni buddies he called them. It didn’t seem like he had a best friend, though, or a group that he spent time with regularly to blow off steam. No doubt this holiday vacation would do him more good than he even knew.
“I hope I get the chance to pick a favorite trail then,” Rafferty said. They continued walking to the stables and she watched him hang up the tack and groom Jasmine with expert hands.
“It looks like you haven’t forgotten anything from your riding days,” Hannah said.
“Riding days?” AJ asked. “Did you used to compete?”
“No competitions,” Rafferty said. “Rosalind did, but I already had several extracurriculars and couldn’t find the time. Riding has always been a hobby for me though. I love horses.”
“No better place for a horse than on a ranch,” AJ said easily. “You can meet all of our horses. You might make Jasmine a bit jealous if you ride anyone else, though.”
Rafferty laughed and rubbed the mare’s nose affectionately. She lipped at his hand with just as much fondness.
“I’m sure I’ll find the time to meet everyone if we’ll be riding around as much as I hope,” Rafferty said. He looked at Hannah hesitantly. “I was thinking we could go see the parcel you chose. If you wouldn’t mind showing me, that is.”
“No, I wouldn’t mind at all,” Hannah said, surprised. She wasn’t sure why Rafferty thought she would object. Maybe he thought she would be wary of sharing something important to her with him when he’d misled her. He’d been honest with her about his deception and apologized,though, and she’d forgiven him. There was no need for her to continue holding it against him. “In fact, I’d love it if you could tell me whether you think the cabins on the land could be restored to its former glory.”
AJ snorted. Hannah sent her a quelling glance.
“Oh, the cabins aren’t in the best shape, I take it?” Rafferty asked curiously.
They left the stable and moved toward the main house. Hannah thought she might be able to smell bacon frying and wouldn’t have been surprised if she actually could. Mimi liked to crack open the windows while she cooked, even in the winter if it wasn’t too chilly.
“Not the best, but they’re not that bad,” Hannah said.
This time AJ laughed. Hannah lightly swatted her.
“Well, we certainly know AJ’s opinion,” Rafferty said, laughter in his voice. “I would be happy to go with you and take a look. I’m sure between the two of us, we can ascertain how much work it would take to make it the gathering place you envision.”
Hannah was smiling at him with gratefulness clear in her expression while AJ was looking at him with her face scrunched up.
“You can relax, you know,” she said. Rafferty frowned at her, not understanding what the comment meant. Did she think he thought he had to work for acceptance?
“He’s not uncomfortable, AJ. That’s just how he talks,” Hannah said. Rafferty blinked.
“Oh. Apologies,” he said. He shook his head. “Sorry. I…”
AJ held up her hands. “No, if that’s just how you talk, it’s totally fine. I just didn’t want you worried about being formal with us when it wasn’t necessary.”
“If you haven’t noticed,” Hannah said, bumping her shoulder against his, “Us Wyatts like to make people feel welcome.”
Her little joke eased the tension, and they chuckled together as they headed into the main house for breakfast. At the table, the discussion quickly turned to what they would be doing that day.
“It’s D-Day!” Jake exclaimed.
Rafferty cautiously questioned, “D-Day?”
“Decoration Day,” Emma explained kindly.
“Not it for untangling the lights,” Jake quipped.
“Not it!” several other voices chorused. Rafferty joined in from sheer automatic reflex. Carson laughed at him, but held a palm in the air so they could high-five.
“Oh, you kids,” Mimi said, “You know your father is the only one who has the patience for it. The rest of you get too frustrated, or get bored and wander off. If we made you do it, it’d take far too long to get done.”
The Wyatt children shared sheepish shrugs and conspiratorial glances. Rafferty got the distinct impression that there was a coordinated effort on their part to avoid a hated chore. From the amusement on Mimi’s face, it looked as if she knew it as well.
As the Wyatts continued talking, Rafferty realized this wasn’t some haphazard affair. This was an all-day event with teams and a plan of attack. There was, apparently, a lot of ranch to cover. Previous Christmases had taught them that AJ and Jake couldn’t be put together because they ended up running around causing trouble. Carson and Emma couldn’t be put together because she got annoyed about how bossy he was and he got annoyed with her ignoring him to do things her way, which sometimes turned out better. Hannah could be with Emma or AJ, but not both because the three of them just ended up gossiping. Carson could be with Jake but not AJ because while Jake usually laughed off his teasing, AJ teased back most of the time and then they ended up bickering back and forth instead of getting anything done.
It was so… They were a family. They all had their own quirks and their own insular little relationships with each other under the bigger umbrella of love and affection, and it was amazing to see. Rafferty found himself wondering what little things he and Rosalind only did together or because of each other. He wondered if other people could read their shared childhood after meeting them, if they were as obvious about the familial bond between them. He wondered if anyone was ever surprised to find out they were siblings.
Hannah nudged him. He’d taken the seat beside hers again and didn’t realize how lost he’d gotten in his thoughts until she was capturing his attention.
“You okay?” she asked quietly.
Rafferty nodded. “I was just thinking about Rosalind.”
Hannah’s face lit up. “You two usually put up decorations together?”
“No, actually,” Rafferty said slowly, “We don’t really have a permanent residence, I guess. We tend to move according to wherever we’re doing the most business. If we’re spending the holidays together, my parents usually hire someone to do the tree, and that’s it.”
Hannah got that look on her face that meant she was trying not to be sad about his family. Rafferty shook his head, wondering again about her expressiveness versus his attentiveness. He smiled at her.
“This is fun. I’m glad I came,” he said simply.
It was enough to put the happy expression back on her face, which was all he really wanted. Hannah wore happiness well.
The strategy session continued. It was decided that Carson would work on the sign and the fences at the entrance of the ranch. Hannah and Rafferty would spend their time working on the outside of the main house. Emma and Jake would work on hanging everything up around the stables. Mimi and Boone would work inside the house, with AJ helping them and running around making sure everyone had everything they needed outside. They would come together for the tree as soon as everyone was finished with their individual tasks.
For now, all they had to do was finish enjoying their breakfast. Rafferty was determined to revel in this familial sanctum. He wondered aloud if they had any stories of past Christmases that were still being told well
down the line.
“Oh, you have no idea Riff-raff,” Carson said.
Rafferty grinned at the nickname. He would have to tell Rosalind that one. He was a little surprised she’d never come up with it herself, for all she loved to tease him nearly to tears.
Carson began to tell a story about Jake, a runaway piglet, and a pail of bright yellow paint that AJ swore up and down had not appeared on Wyatt land by her hands. The sunlight filtered in through the windows and Rafferty laughed himself breathless at the antics of the twins as they tried to keep their parents from discovering how on earth a trail of daffodil colored hoof prints had managed to track its way through the living room.
When breakfast was finished and all the dishes cleared, and familiar and oft-told holiday epics had been spoken for new ears, they got down to the serious business of decorating.
They started by hauling up boxes and boxes of supplies from the basement. Outside decorations were separated from inside decorations, then separated by outside placement and inside placement, and then things that needed to be untangled separated from things that could be hung up immediately. Emma and Jake helped Carson load his boxes into his truck so he could drive down to the ranch’s entrance. Rafferty and Hannah helped Emma and Jake carry their boxes to the stables. They took their own boxes to the porch, ready to get started.
“Is there a particular order or system that I should be aware of?” Rafferty asked.
Hannah laughed at him. “If you ask anyone but AJ, they would probably say yes. I’m the most like her in that I tend to just go with what I think looks pretty in the moment.”
“Well, that’s one way to do it,” Rafferty said with a chuckle.
“If it doesn’t please your aesthetic sensibilities, I won’t have a problem changing things around,” Hannah said.
“I’m sure whatever you come up with will be beautiful, Hannah.”
The serious tone of his voice made her pause for a moment. She looked at him and was held in place by his gaze. Why on earth was he looking at her with such faith? And because of Christmas decorations, of all things?
Hannah cleared her throat and nodded. “Well, I hope you have just as much trust in the both of us working together.”
“Of course I do,” Rafferty said, “I think we’ve proven that we’re good enough friends to make a fantastic team.”
“That’s not always the case, you know. Good friends aren’t always the best at working together,” Hannah said. Her hand twisted behind her back. She didn’t realize she’d done it until she followed Rafferty’s intent gaze and straightened her arm back by her side.
“It’s not always the case,” Rafferty agreed, “But I think it is the case with us.”
“I think so, too,” Hannah said quietly.
Rafferty’s smile was gentle. He leaned down and opened the first box. Hannah took a moment to compose herself.
They moved around each other with ease. It felt like Rafferty had always been there, every Christmas since the first. He handed her things before she could even ask sometimes. She listened to him when he suggested different placements for certain decorations. Rafferty told her his own Christmas stories, which segued into holidays in general, and then just gatherings of family, friends, or work functions.
For the most part, they stayed on task. Though there were some times when they stopped, too caught up in the conversation to remember what they were supposed to be working on.
When they were almost done, Hannah stood at the top of the steps, looking at the front door. She leaned back, trying to see whether the wreath was completely centered. Misjudging the amount of space behind her, she took a step back, but stumbled and careened backwards when her heel met air. A lightning strike of fear flashed through her body before she was caught in strong, warm arms. Hannah looked up with a shocked gasp, still half-fearful of hitting the ground. Rafferty held her steady, his arms tightening around her as his hazel eyes twinkled.
“Falling for me?” he asked, the corners of his mouth twitching.
“It’s the accent,” Hannah said with a choked laugh, “Couldn’t help myself.”
Rafferty grinned. He lifted her carefully and gently set her on her feet. His hands smoothed down her shoulders. They were cold, and Hannah faintly thought that she should make sure to get him some gloves before the weather really turned.
“Are you alright?” Rafferty asked.
“Fine,” Hannah whispered. She straightened and smiled up at him. “Thanks for the save.”
“Well, we did defeat the garlands together. I couldn’t let my partner fall victim to some steps,” Rafferty replied.
Hannah snorted. “Your partner should know better than to lean back at the top of some steps anyway.”
“Even the best of us need a helping hand sometimes,” Rafferty said. “I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t extended a helping hand to me.”
Hannah hesitantly reached up and brushed some curls back, off his forehead. “I can’t say I’m not glad you’re here,” she said. “Maybe there’s something to this helping hand thing after all.”
“You’re telling me a Wyatt doesn’t already know the benefit of helping others?” Rafferty asked, smirking. He caught her hand and held it. His arm wrapped around her waist.
Hannah thought it was to steady her, then thought she didn’t need to be steadied, then thought she most definitely did. She wondered if he could feel her heart racing in her chest. It took a lot of effort for her to process what he’d asked her.
“A Wyatt would know better than most, but everyone needs reminders sometimes,” Hannah said.
“Something tells me that you don’t need any reminders about kindness to strangers,” Rafferty said.
“Are we strangers now?” Hannah asked, “I thought we were partners. Friends.”
“Is that what you want, Hannah? For us to be friends?”
“We’re already friends.”
“Just friends?”
The front door opened. Hannah and Rafferty looked toward the sound. AJ stood in the doorway with her eyebrows high on her forehead and two thermoses.
“My bad, y’all. Didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said. There was an undercurrent of laughter in her voice.
Hannah stepped away from Rafferty. She told herself she was imagining his reluctance to let her go, and pointedly ignored her own wish to stay in his arms for a few minutes more.
“You weren’t interrupting,” Hannah said, walking to her sister. If her guess was correct, AJ was holding some of their mama’s hot chocolate, which was never a treat to be missed. She made it special, and Hannah knew the recipe, but it never tasted quite the same when she made it for herself. Emma always whispered that the secret ingredient was a mother’s love and it wouldn’t taste right until they were making it for their own kids.
“If you say so,” AJ said. She was looking at Rafferty, who didn’t agree with Hannah, but quietly reached out for a thermos of his own. AJ wished she had checked through the peephole before opening the door. It seemed like they were almost done decorating, so it was unlikely there would be another perfectly romantic moment that she could spy on. Which didn’t necessarily mean that there wouldn’t be another one at some point. It was clear that Rafferty had a huge crush on her sister. For someone who read a lot of romantic novels, Hannah was really bad at spotting someone who wanted to sweep her off her feet. AJ surveyed the porch again. “Wow, y’all made good time. Looks like you two are a great team.”
Rafferty and Hannah glanced at each other and hid smiles behind their cups. AJ didn’t comment on what was clearly an inside joke. She reached back into the house to get the thermos she’d set on the side table next to the door. Taking a sip and humming in pleasure, she asked if they were going to come inside once they were finished or head over to the stables to help Emma and Jake.
“Inside,” Hannah said, while Rafferty said, “Stables.”
They looked at each other in surprise.
“I thought you’d want to
help your siblings,” Rafferty said, at the same time Hannah asked, “Aren’t you cold? You should warm up inside a bit.”
They blinked at each other while AJ laughed at them.
“I swear, y’all are too cute,” she said between giggles.
Rafferty grinned at her. His smile gentled as his gaze settled on Hannah who was blushing and quietly sipping her hot chocolate.
‘Goodness, he has it bad,’ AJ thought. Hannah wasn’t much better if the way she kept fiddling with her hair was any indication.
“This hot chocolate is doing a good enough job of warming me up,” Rafferty said. He turned to AJ. “It’s delicious, by the way.”
“Oh, Mama made it. Wait until you try her mulled cider. You’ll drink your weight in it before you know what’s happened,” AJ said.
“Is there a lot left to do inside?” Hannah asked.
“Daddy’s still untangling the last of the lights,” AJ said with a shrug. “Mama and I got the kitchen and the stairs and started in the living room.”
Hannah nodded. They were almost done with the front of the house, but they still had to do the back. They were usually a little less thorough with the back of the house, though. If they worked with the same efficiency they’d managed for the front porch, it wouldn’t be long before they were finished.
Hannah watched Rafferty and AJ tease each other. He seemed surprised that they were so welcoming, but it honestly wasn’t hard when he fit in with them so well. It was like he was a missing puzzle piece that had just fallen into their laps. Hannah had known from their exchanged messages that he was a good person, but she hadn’t imagined that he would just slide into place alongside her family without even the slightest ripple. It wasn’t always this easy, Hannah knew. She’d brought people home to meet her family before, friends and boyfriends. Generally, friends had an easier time settling in, but no one had ever just belonged the way Rafferty did.
“You alright there, Cumulus?” Rafferty asked.
“Don’t let Carson catch you using his nicknames,” Hannah said, almost absently. “He’ll gloat about corrupting you.”
