Kenzie seemed like the type of girl to go all out for the holidays. He knew she was a Christian and observed the real reason for the seasonal celebration, not just the commercial trappings.
“Let’s get you out to the car and see what the doctor has to say.” Kenzie avoided his question as she waited for him to shuffle out the door. Expertly backing the car out of her parking space, she asked Tate about past injuries and how long he’d known Dr. Renwick as they drove to the doctor’s office.
She sat in the waiting room with him until a nurse called him back to an examination room. After giving Kenzie a curious look, the nurse asked if she wanted to come along and Tate answered with an emphatic “no.”
“I’ll wait here.” Kenzie hid her grin. “Thanks.”
Eventually, the nurse returned and asked Kenzie to follow her to the doctor’s office. He stood behind a large desk as she walked into the room and offered her his hand. Kenzie took it, immediately liking the man’s firm handshake and friendly smile.
“Tate tells me you’ve been taking care of him the past few days.” Dr. Renwick sat down and leaned back in his chair, studying Kenzie. The woman sitting across from him was beautiful and confident, but he also sensed a gentleness in her.
“Yes, sir,” Kenzie answered, wondering why she was in the doctor’s office.
“He said you practically kidnapped him and refuse to let him leave unless I give the go-ahead,” Dr. Renwick said, watching the surprise register on Kenzie’s face.
“Well, I… um… It isn’t exactly…” Kenzie fumbled, trying to find the best words to explain the situation. Everything happened so fast since Tate’s accident, she still felt a little out of balance. “He needed some help getting back from Las Vegas and I just didn’t think it was a good idea for him to go home alone. He can’t even put his socks on by himself.”
The doctor laughed and wagged his finger at Kenzie. “I like you, Miss Beckett. You’re good for Tate. That boy is entirely too independent and full of himself. I can say that because I’ve been treating him since he was eight.”
Kenzie smiled at the doctor.
“That was a good call on your part, not letting him go home alone. He does need a few more days of care and then, if he feels like it, he can go back to the ranch. In the meantime, keep doing what you’ve been doing. Rest is the best thing for him right now, along with nourishing food. Ice his knee, arm and ribs periodically for the next few days. I’d like him to get in a couple of therapy sessions for his leg. As soon as the swelling goes down, we’ll get that splint off and put a cast on his arm for a month or so, then do some therapy on it as well. The nurse is setting up his appointments right now so when you leave you’ll have the dates and times,” Dr. Renwick said, jotting down some notes.
The doctor looked back up at her. “His concussion is taking care of itself. All things considered, his ribs look good. He’ll be able to use the hand of his broken arm once we cast it and the pain lessens. Let’s cut back the pain meds and have him take them at night before he goes to bed. If you can get him to take it easy another day or so, then I’d say he could go back to the ranch by the weekend.”
“Okay.” Kenzie refused to think about how quiet and lonely her apartment would seem when Tate left. Maybe she’d surrender to her mother’s pleading and travel to Portland to spend the holiday with her family.
“Tell me, Miss Beckett, why are you taking care of Tate?”
“We’re friends. He needed some help and I was available,” Kenzie said, matter-of-factly, not wanting to delve any deeper into her reasons than that of friendship.
“I see,” the doctor said, seeing much more than Kenzie realized. Already questioning Tate, he knew the young people were involved in a relationship for several months. “Have you ever nursed anyone before?”
“Not for a while.” Many times, she’d bandaged her dad when he got hurt. Her mother fainted at the sight of blood, but it hadn’t bothered Kenzie.
Her dad used to walk inside the house with a wound and yell, “I need help, Nurse Kenzie!” She’d gather up supplies and treat him. They both enjoyed the routine. Only the last wound her father received, the one he inflicted himself, was beyond anyone repairing.
“You do an admirable job,” Dr. Renwick said, giving her another smile. “If Tate seems a little grumpy, just ignore it. As he starts to heal, he’ll be more like himself.”
The doctor stood and walked her to the nurse’s station where she received a list of Tate’s appointments. She’d barely sat down in the waiting room when the doctor escorted Tate out and told them to have a great day.
Kenzie decided to forgo any outings and instead drove straight home. Tate shuffled inside and sank down on the soft cushions of the couch in the living room, reclining his head against the overstuffed back.
“Mind if I hang out here for a while?” he asked as Kenzie hung up her coat then helped him out of his jacket.
“You can hang out here as long as you like.” Kenzie went to the kitchen to warm up leftover soup for lunch. She returned carrying the now familiar tray and set it on the coffee table in front of Tate.
She placed pillows behind him so he could easily sit upright, then they enjoyed the simple meal. Tate’s energy began a rapid decline. He couldn’t bring himself to think about trekking back to the guest room.
Aware of Tate’s exhaustion, Kenzie pulled off his boots and rearranged the pillows as he swung his legs onto the couch, letting himself relax.
When she draped a throw over him, he caught her hand and kissed her palm. “Thanks, Dewdrop.”
“You’re welcome, cowboy.”
><><
Silently watching Tate sleep from her seat in the rocking chair across the room, Kenzie nursed a cup of tea.
The man stirred myriad emotions in her, but she wasn’t sure what to do about those feelings.
She knew she loved Tate, admitted she was in love with him. It was the fact that she wasn’t completely sure she could trust him that held her back.
Did he share her soul-deep feelings or was she just another diversion? From things his dad and Cort hinted at, they seemed to think Tate’s feelings for her were something new and incredible, absolutely genuine.
Still uncertain, Kenzie rose from her chair and went to the bedroom she used as an office. After turning on the computer, she checked her emails and responded to a few questions from consultants, replied to an email from her sisters, and sent a message to Megan with an update on Tate’s doctor visit.
As soon as Tate had settled in the previous morning and fell asleep, she called to give her friend the latest scoop. Megan’s gushed in response to the news.
“Kenz, having Tate dropped in your lap is a sign you’re meant to be together.”
“Just don’t go planning anything,” Kenzie cautioned her exuberant friend. “He’s only here for a few days.”
“I know, but anything can happen.” Megan sounded entirely too gleeful for Kenzie’s liking. “It’s Christmas, the season of miracles.”
Kenzie shook her head thinking about Megan’s opinions.
Finally ready to get some answers to her questions about Tate, Kenzie searched online for his name and soon found details in a newspaper article about the restraining order he took out on some woman who attacked him at a rodeo.
Apparently, the woman had ripped his shirt, clawed his arm, and tried to yank out some of his hair before Cort and Huck pulled her away. Kenzie had noticed a newer-looking scar on Tate’s upper arm and wondered if that was it. More searching brought up a photo of the woman, the one she’d seen kissing Tate in Pendleton.
Remorse and regret washed over her in a sickening wave, making her slump in her chair. Because of her stubbornness, her willingness to jump to conclusions that weren’t true, she’d hurt Tate and denied herself the pleasure of spending the last few months with him.
Kenzie thought back to the week they spent together in Pendleton.
She was deeply in love with Tate. Even when she thought he’d been t
wo-timing her, her heart still belonged to him.
Sighing, she rubbed her temples. She owed Tate an apology.
No wonder he acted so bewildered and upset when she refused to see or talk to him. He’d done nothing wrong. Nothing at all.
The betrayal she experienced from her father and Sonny had altered her perception. Kenzie wondered if she could allow herself to trust a man, get over her petty jealousy, and have a real relationship.
Was she willing to give it a try? Would Tate even be willing to give her a second chance?
If so, she had a lot of groveling to do.
Chapter Fourteen
The apartment was quiet when Tate awoke from a nap. He took as deep a breath as he could with his injured ribs and recalled falling asleep on Kenzie’s couch.
As he opened his eyes, he took in a fire crackling in the gas fireplace across the room. Slowly sitting up, he looked around but didn’t see Kenzie anywhere. No noise came from the kitchen so he got to his feet and used the cane to work his way down the hall.
Not paying attention earlier, he now took time to look in open doors as he passed them. The first door opened to a small office with a big desk, filing cabinet, and storage cupboards. The room sat beside a bathroom quite similar in design to the one in his room. He assumed this was a guest bath but Kenzie’s summery scent floated in the air and he knew it must be her bathroom.
Continuing his self-guided tour, the next door revealed a lovely bedroom, complete with a deep burgundy satin comforter on a king-sized bed and dark walnut furniture that looked like it belonged in an antique display. The bedroom was smaller than the guest room and it was obvious there was no private bath.
Some photos on the dresser showed Kenzie with an older woman who closely resembled her, along with twin girls. The photo that really got his attention was one of Kenzie with an attractive man. She looked to be about thirteen or so, smiling so brightly the camera captured the sparkle in her warm molasses eyes. Horses were visible in the background and Tate assumed the man must have been her dad. He grinned at the hot pink boots on Kenzie’s feet. Evidently, that was her favorite color even then.
Tate left the bedroom and worked his way down the hall. He briefly wondered if Kenzie had given him her room, but the smaller bedroom was obviously the room she used.
As he hobbled back into the living room, the front door opened and Kenzie hurried in with her hands full of grocery bags.
“Hey, you’re up,” she said, breezing past him into the kitchen. He followed, wondering what he could do to help.
She motioned him to the table, where he sat and watched her. He liked that she worked with efficient movements as she put things away. In no time at all, she sat beside him with a cup of tea, scooting a plate of cookies his direction.
He took a drink of the hot tea and liked the blend of spices. “This is good. Tastes like Christmas.” He took another swallow, savoring the rich flavors.
“It’s Christmas tea.” Kenzie sipped her own drink. “I only make it this time of year.”
From her earlier avoidance of his question about Christmas, he was under the impression she didn’t celebrate it at all.
He looked up from the cookie he’d just bitten into when Kenzie cleared her throat.
“Tate, I… um…” She stared at her hands before looking at him with tears filling her eyes. She inhaled a ragged breath, let it out, and licked her suddenly dry lips. “This is harder than I thought it would be.”
She stopped and swiped at the tears starting to roll down her cheeks. Tate wondered if she was ready for him to leave. As much as he’d fought being there, he didn’t like the idea of her wanting him gone.
“What is it?” he asked, placing his warm hand on her cool one. He turned her hand over and meshed their fingers together. It felt so right to intertwine them and he’d missed that simple touch so much since September. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m so sorry, Tate,” Kenzie said in a rush, still wiping at her tears with one hand while the other clung to his. “I jumped to conclusions, judged you unfairly, and I’m sorry. When I saw that woman kissing you, I assumed the worst then refused to listen when anyone tried to explain what really happened. I don’t know how you can ever forgive me, but I hope someday you will.”
It would have been easy for Tate to hold onto the anger and sense of injustice plaguing him since the moment Kenzie pushed him away. However, he was ready to move on and leave the past mistakes and hurts behind them. He had a feeling they wouldn’t be repeated.
“Kenzie, all is forgiven. Okay?” Tate wanted to hold her, kiss her, and let her know how glad he was she finally acknowledged he’d done nothing wrong. Instead, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it, giving her a smoldering look as his eyes turned from a brilliant clear blue to a darker, stormier shade.
“But, Tate, I…”
Tate let go of her hand and placed his fingers on her lips, silencing her. Electric currents danced between them at his intimate touch. “You don’t need to say any more. The fact that you’re sorry is good enough for me.”
“But I’ve been so awful to you.” Kenzie worked to curtail her tears before she turned into a sobbing heap of hysterical female. Convinced Tate was in no shape to deal with that, she took a calming breath. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness, Tate. I’m just so very sorry.”
“I know you are, Dewdrop.” Soothingly, Tate cupped her cheek and gazed into her eyes. “If I wasn’t so thoroughly incapacitated, I’d show you exactly how glad I am to hear it.”
His comment made her smile, as he knew it would. She sniffled, wiping away the last of her tears.
“You’re pretty terrific, you know that?” Kenzie rose from the table and refilled their mugs with more hot tea.
“So I’ve been told,” Tate said, doing his best to look arrogant and conceited.
“And you’re so modest, too.” She grinned as she sat back down, scooting the mug of hot tea across the table to him.
“You know it.” He winked, taking a drink of the spicy tea.
Later that evening, after eating the chicken casserole Kenzie made for dinner, they sat on the couch with the fire blazing merrily, drinking hot chocolate laced with a liberal dollop of peppermint whipped cream.
Tate sighed in contentment with his head resting against the soft cushions of the couch and his knee supported by a pile of pillows on the coffee table.
“Now this is what I call domestic bliss.” He turned his head to stare into Kenzie’s eyes. Firelight flickered in the warm brown orbs, drawing Tate into a place he didn’t ever want to leave.
Kenzie sat close enough to him her arm brushed his right side. The only thing that would make the evening better would be the ability to wrap both arms around her and hold her close. Instead, he leaned over and kissed her lips, savoring the taste of chocolate with a hint of peppermint and Kenzie’s unique, sweet flavor.
She blinked and looked at him with questioning eyes. “What was that for?”
“For this chocolate,” Tate said with a broad grin. “I won’t admit it if asked, but I love hot chocolate and the peppermint makes it even better.”
“Good to know.” Mentally filing that detail for later use, she took another sip of her drink.
“Are you really not going to decorate for Christmas?” Tate tried to grasp the idea that people could go through the holiday season without adding some festive cheer to their home. Even he and his dad had decorations they got out and put up every year.
“I usually don’t.” Kenzie stared into the fire. How could she tell Tate that Christmas held too many reminiscences of her father and was one of the hardest seasons to get through? She didn’t know how to make him understand the painful memories the season always dredged up. It was long past time to let go and move on, but it was so difficult.
“What do you usually do, then?” Curious what spoiled the holiday season for Kenzie, he hoped there was a way to help her enjoy it this year.
“Keep b
usy with work. Sometimes I volunteer at the senior center. If she begs long and hard enough, I sometimes spend it in Portland with Mom. My step-dad’s family goes all out for the holidays but I don’t feel right intruding on their family celebration,” Kenzie admitted, staring at the flames dancing in her gas fireplace.
“I’m sure they love having you. Steve’s been married to your mom quite a while, not to mention your sisters sort of tie you all together.” Tate was surprised Kenzie didn’t see herself as part of the family.
“I know, but despite their best efforts to make me feel welcome, I still think of myself as an outsider. I always spend Thanksgiving and New Year’s with them, so my Mom doesn’t think I’m ditching her entirely.” The faraway look on her face made her seem almost lost. “Most of the time I spend Christmas at home and have a quiet day.”
“That sounds pitiful and no fun at all.” Sadly shaking his head, he stared at her. When she gave him a narrowed look, he grinned. “You aren’t staying home alone this year.”
“I’m not?” Kenzie asked, wondering what Tate had in mind.
“If you aren’t going to Portland, then you’ll come out to the ranch or we’ll bring the party to you.” Already making plans, Tate liked the idea of celebrating the very special holiday with Kenzie.
“You do realize Christmas is next week, don’t you?”
“Yep, which is the reason we need to start making plans.” He sounded more eager and interested in something than he had since his accident. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Fine.” Kenzie released a long-suffering sigh, although pleased Tate wanted to spend Christmas together.
“Don’t act like you’ll enjoy it or anything.” His sarcastic tone revealed his wounded feelings by her lack of enthusiasm. He hoped she’d be excited at the thought of spending Christmas with him.
“Sorry,” Kenzie said with a small smile. She set down her now empty mug and leaned back against the couch cushions. “It’s just… Christmas has been hard since my dad died.”
“What makes it hard?” Tate wanted Kenzie to talk about what really bothered her.
The Christmas Cowboy: (Sweet Western Holiday Romance) (Rodeo Romance Book 1) Page 17
