Her Cowboy Till Christmas

by Jill Kemerer

  Nan took the tiniest sip of her coffee, a faraway look in her eyes. “Yes, things are fine.”

  Things didn’t seem all that fine. Maybe she was just forgetful since it was so early in the morning. Memory lapses were a normal sign of aging, weren’t they?

  “Mason will be here in a little while,” Nan said. “You two can run off and play the way you used to every summer.”

  “Does Mason come here often?”

  “Oh, yes.” Her shoulders poked through her thin cotton robe. “That reminds me...what day is it?”

  “It’s Saturday.” It didn’t surprise her that Mason would stop by now and then. He’d always been fond of Nan. Brittany took another bite of cookie.

  “Shopping day. I’d better make my list. You can go with him.” Nan padded over to a kitchen drawer. She returned to the table with a pen in one hand and a small notebook in the other. With shaky movements, she wrote milk, eggs and bread on the list. Then she stared into space.

  “Why don’t you and I go to the store together?” Brittany asked. She and Ryder had flown into the nearest major airport, and together they’d driven to Rendezvous in his rental car. He was driving back to the airport tomorrow to catch his flight, and she figured she could borrow Nan’s truck to get around during her stay. “I’ll drive you to town if you don’t mind me borrowing your truck.”

  “You can borrow it anytime. But Mason always does the shopping.”

  Always? When had Nan stopped doing her own shopping? No matter what Nan said, Brittany highly doubted Mason would stop by with her being there.

  “He might not be over today.”

  Nan brightened. “Oh, no. He’ll be here.”

  Nan had been confused about a few things this morning. Brittany hoped she was wrong about this, too.

  But Mason was nothing if not dependable. Something told her she’d be seeing him sooner rather than later.

  * * *

  “Nan’s!” Noah jumped up and down, clapping his hands. His brown eyes sparkled and his blond hair was mussed. His cheekbones were all Mia’s. Mason wished she could see Noah now. “After cookies, we feed the kitties, Daddy.”

  Mason loved the kid’s enthusiasm. His son loved Nan, and every day it was the same request—have a cookie, then feed the cats in Nan’s barn. But after a sleepless night wrestling with the fact he had a twin and a frigid morning feeding and working the cattle, Mason had no plans to visit Nan, even if it was shopping day. Brittany could take care of it.

  But would she? He raised his eyes to the ceiling. Probably not. She knew nothing about Nan’s needs. And if Ryder was leaving tomorrow, Brittany would be heading out with him.

  After the early-morning chores, Mason had called Ryder and invited him out to the ranch. Ryder was dealing with an unexpected work emergency but said he’d be over this afternoon.

  Anticipation wound Mason up tighter than a lassoed calf. He was eager to learn more about his brother, to find out what else they had in common, but what if it poured gasoline on his happy childhood memories? He didn’t want his entire past to go up in flames.

  “We’re not going to Nan’s today.” His shoulders tensed as he waited for the inevitable meltdown. He couldn’t exactly tell his son the truth—that his ex-girlfriend had rattled his nerves and he’d rather jump in the ice-cold waters of Silver Rocks River than run into Brittany again.

  “Yes we are, Daddy. We go to Nan’s every day cuz we love her.”

  No tantrum? That was a first. His conscience whimpered at his own words being repeated back to him. He pulled on his cowboy boots. “That’s right, but her granddaughter is in town visiting. We’ll give them some space.”

  “But, Daddy, what about the kitties? And the food? We have to buy Nan’s food.” Noah tried to step into his own small cowboy boot and almost fell over. “I don’t wanna be on the naughty list.”

  “Why don’t you sit next to me on the bench and pull on your boots, buckaroo?” He patted the bench. “And you won’t be on the naughty list. Remember why we celebrate Christmas?”

  “Jesus’s birthday.” He clutched the boots to his chest and hoisted himself onto the bench as one boot clattered to the ground. Mason picked it up and helped him tug it onto his foot. The other went on quickly. “But Nan’ll miss me, Daddy.”

  “You’ll see her Monday.”

  He screwed up his face, his chubby cheeks puffing out in confusion. “When’s that?”

  Mason held up two fingers. “In two days.”

  “Two days? No! Too long. I want Nan today!” His little face grew red.

  “Noah,” he warned, giving him a stern look. A text came through his phone. He almost groaned when he saw it was from his father-in-law, Bill.

  What’s this I hear about you having a twin? Joanna and I are coming over to discuss it.

  Acid reflux burned his throat. Thanks to Babs, the news of Ryder had likely spread through town like the bubonic plague. Mason had already received several texts from locals. He’d ignored the phone calls. The thought of discussing the situation with Bill and Joanna right now gave him heartburn.

  He didn’t want to talk to anyone about Ryder until he’d had a chance to speak with him more in-depth. Figure out why on earth they were separated and how anyone could justify keeping them apart.

  Without wasting a second, he texted Bill back.

  I just found out myself. Noah and I are out shopping for Nan, and we have plans this afternoon. I’ll fill you in later.

  He slipped the phone into his pocket. If a few minutes in Brittany’s presence was the price to pay for avoiding his in-laws, he’d pay it. He’d dealt with worse punishments in his life.

  “Okay, buckaroo. We’ll pop in to get Nan’s list. But we aren’t having cookies or checking on the cats because we don’t want to interrupt her visit. We can buy a doughnut in town instead.”

  “With sprinkles?”

  “You got it.”

  Five minutes later, Mason’s truck rumbled up Nan’s drive a mile down the road from his. The peace of the white prairie and distant mountains always made him say a silent prayer to thank God for letting this beautiful spot be his home. After parking, he got out of the truck, nudged his cowboy hat into place and unbuckled Noah from his car seat before setting him on the snow-covered ground. The boy took off running toward the front porch yelling, “Nan! I’m here!”

  She opened the door and clapped as she bent to greet Noah. He took her by the hand and went inside. The sight of white-haired Nan in her saggy pants and embroidered sweatshirt holding hands with his little boy always made Mason smile.

  He followed them into the entry, took off his hat and froze. Brittany stood only a few feet away, her blue eyes locked with his. He blinked away the connection. Noah had climbed onto a chair at Nan’s table and was already helping himself to a cookie.

  “We’re here to get your list.” Mason crossed over to give Nan a hug.

  She patted his cheek, but confusion wrinkled her forehead. “List? Oh, right! Now where did I put it?” She began moving around the kitchen, then meandered down the hallway. Mason was used to it. She usually forgot where she put it and would find it a few minutes later.

  “Who are you?” Noah peered up at Brittany.

  “I’m Brittany. Nan is my grandma.”

  “She is?” Noah’s mouth was full of a cookie. “I love Nan.”

  “I do, too.”

  “Can we go see the kitties, Daddy?”

  “Not today. As soon as Nan finds the list, we have to head out.” He held his breath, hoping Noah wouldn’t throw a fit.

  “Can I pwease see the kitties, Daddy? Pwease?”

  “No.” Mason craned his neck down the hallway. Come on, Nan, find your list already!

  “I can take him out there for a minute.” Brittany smiled at Noah.

  “Yay!”

  “I
said no.” It came out more harshly than he intended. But he didn’t want her around his son at all.

  “Mason, I forgot about the water softener,” Nan called from the back of the house. “Do I need more salt?”

  “Really, I don’t mind.” Brittany pushed her hair behind her ear. She wore black leggings and a long heather-gray sweatshirt with the word Sunshine written in cursive across the front. Her lack of makeup gave her a freshly scrubbed air. It reminded him of what she’d looked like as a teen and, unbidden, brought the warm feelings he’d had for her then with it.

  “See, Daddy? She don’t mind.” Noah’s big eyes brimmed with hope.

  He sighed and gave them both a tight smile. “Okay. Just for a minute. But be careful and listen to Miss Brittany.”

  “I will!” His legs were already carrying him to the back door.

  “Wait, Noah.” The kid didn’t even have his winter jacket on. “You have to wear your coat. Zipped.”

  Noah rushed back and let Mason bundle him up before taking off again. Brittany, who’d slipped her feet into boots, put her coat on and followed. The soft click of the door shutting told him they were gone.

  Why would she have offered to take his kid? He’d been really rude to her last night. If it had been anyone else, he’d assume they were being kind. But he didn’t know Brittany. Not anymore. Once upon a time he’d thought he’d known her, and he’d been wrong.

  The door to the basement was through the kitchen, so he flipped on the light before tromping down the stairs. He lifted the lid to the water softener. The salt level was getting low. He’d better pick up a few bags of it. When he emerged from the basement, Nan was sitting at the table, bent over a piece of paper.

  “I’ll pick up some more pellets for your softener.”

  “Oh, good.” She glanced up and smiled. “Thank you, dear. I want to make Brittany’s favorite for dinner...” She stared at the wall.

  “Is it still spaghetti?” He didn’t want to talk about Brittany, but he didn’t have it in him to hurt Nan’s feelings.

  “Yes.” She frowned. “I think so.”

  “I’ll pick up the ingredients. Don’t worry.”

  Her shoulders relaxed and she handed him the list.

  “We’ll be back in a few hours.”

  “Take Brittany with you. It’ll be like old times.”

  Old times were best left in the past. He didn’t say a word, just tipped his hat to her and walked out the back door. The faint sound of Noah’s squeals in the distance made his heart pump faster. Was he all right? But unmistakable laughter assured him his boy was fine. Why it irritated him that his son was enjoying Brittany’s company he didn’t have the energy to analyze.

  He strode through the snow to the barn. When he slid the door open, his gaze zoomed to Brittany’s blond hair rippling down her back. Her smile could have illuminated the entire town. She stood to the side of the old tire swing.

  He’d forgotten about the swing. Tired of its memories, he’d hauled it up to the hayloft years ago.

  Sensations crashed into him.

  It was their meeting place. The spot he’d rush to every day in the summer after his ranch chores were finished. The place he’d first kissed her. Even now, seeing her in front of it was doing something funny to his pulse.

  Enough of that.

  She must have gone up to the loft and let it drop down. Three sturdy ropes connected it to a beam above, and thick layers of straw cushioned the ground below it. The tire hovered horizontal to the ground so more than one person could ride on it at once.

  The bottom of Noah’s cowboy boots peeked through the tire, and his little arms grasped two of the ropes. As the swing went around, his shining, laughing face appeared. Mason couldn’t help but smile, too. His innocence was precious.

  “Can you believe the swing is still here?” Brittany’s voice was laced with cordial undertones. Apparently she’d decided they should be civil. “The ropes are as strong as ever.”

  They were among the few things strong enough to survive these parts. He’d lost so many of his loved ones. First Ma, then Pops, then Mia... The weariness he’d been carrying for three years weighed on him.

  “Noah, we’d better get moving.”

  She reached for the swing and stopped it. Then she helped Noah to his feet. He ran to Mason with his arms open. Mason caught him and hoisted him high in the air.

  “I can fly!” Noah held his arms out.

  Man, he loved this kid. He set Noah back down and turned to leave.

  “Mason?”

  He stopped, looking back.

  “Nan’s really going downhill, isn’t she?”

  Yeah, and if you cared, you’d be here more often. Brittany’s rigid posture and the fear in her eyes kept the thoughts in his head, though.

  “She’s eighty-six.” He wanted to say more but didn’t.

  “And you’ve been getting her groceries every week?”

  He nodded.

  “For how long?” She looked vulnerable standing there.

  “At least a year. Could be two, I guess. Why?” He cast a glance at Noah, who’d stopped in the corner to scoop kibble into the dishes. The barn cats were already stretching and heading over there.

  “I... I didn’t realize.”

  “Maybe if you visited more often, you would have known.” He winced at his gruff tone and the harsh words. The dig, while true, pricked him with shame. He’d been studying the Bible more, thanks to Gabby and Eden and their Tuesday meetings, and one of the concepts they were all working on was choosing not to be bitter.

  It was hard.

  “How bad is she?” Brittany stepped forward, seemingly unmoved by his rudeness.

  “Nothing I can’t handle. If you’ll excuse me.” He pivoted, called to Noah and petted one of the cats before picking the boy up and marching straight outside.

  He’d been taking care of Nan for a long time. Brittany didn’t need to worry about it. He’d take care of the elderly woman until the day she died. She was as close to family as he had. Without her, he and Noah would still have the Pages, but it wasn’t the same. Not for him, anyway.

  Lately he’d been feeling like it was him against the world.

  He thought of Ryder coming out this afternoon. For the first time since finding out he had a twin, Mason started to embrace the idea of having a brother.

  * * *

  “Do you need any clothes?” An hour later, Brittany sat on the living room floor folding the worn pants and shirts she’d taken out of the dryer. From the looks of it, Nan hadn’t been clothes shopping in years. She pulled another sweatshirt out of the basket. In fact, a lot of things Brittany had assumed about Nan were questionable, like her ability to live independently out here on her own.

  Before arriving, she’d assumed her grandmother was fine, still able to drive and shop for herself, and she’d assumed incorrectly. Nan was not fine. And Mason could claim he’d handle it, but Nan was her responsibility. Not his.

  As for Mason’s parting shot at her...

  She sighed. He was right. She’d neglected Nan. Could her grandmother live by herself much longer?

  “Did you say something?” Nan looked up from where she sat in the recliner. A game show blared from the television.

  “Why don’t I take you shopping? I’d like to get you a new outfit.” She pasted on her brightest smile and stacked another shirt on the pile.

  “I’ve got a closet full of clothes, honey.”

  A closet full of outdated clothes that were too big. Maybe she could persuade Nan to go into Rendezvous and do a little shopping during the week. But did the small town even have a clothing store? She could always order a few items online.

  After folding the final item, she rose and checked the time. It had been over an hour since Mason had left. Noah was the definition of adorable. He l
ooked like his daddy. And that was a good thing.

  Mason had grown more handsome since she’d last seen him. Broad shoulders, slim hips, muscular arms—he was all cowboy. His dark blond hair and caramel-brown eyes had always made her look twice at him. And the way her skin prickled with awareness when he’d been in the room earlier proved she wasn’t immune to the man.

  But now he wore an air of resignation, and every word he said had a bite to it.

  He’d changed.

  Grown harder. Gruffer.

  Losing his wife must have been devastating.

  As Nan’s breathing settled to a soft snore, Brittany went to the kitchen to prep the fridge. It was stuffed with leftovers and rotting produce. Gross. She pulled out a trash bag and tossed the moldy and wilting food, then ran a soapy cloth over the fridge’s shelves. Much better. The two cupboards where Nan kept her dry goods were in decent order.

  The sound of a vehicle approaching alerted her Mason was back. She debated her next move. Hide in her bedroom so he couldn’t hurt her with accusations she already felt bad about? Or stay here and take his barbs straight on?

  She deserved them. She’d failed Nan.

  All the summers with her grandmother stood in her memories like happy greeting cards ready to be picked up and opened whenever she needed cheering. She loved Nan, and although she hadn’t been able to spend much time with her in years, she wasn’t going to let her down now. Not with her health declining.

  Brittany opened the front door. Mason held brown paper bags in each hand, and Noah lugged a plastic bag as if it weighed a hundred pounds.

  “How much more is there?” she asked.

  “Another bag and the pellets for the water softener. I’ve got it.”

  “I’ll put these away.” She took one of the paper bags from him, and her hand brushed his. Awareness zipped through her, and a lump formed in her throat. This man—this stranger—had been her best friend most of her life. And now they couldn’t even have a civil conversation.

  His cheeks grew pink and he hustled back outside.

  “Where does this go, Miss Bwittany?” Noah let his bag drop and wiped his forehead as if he was exhausted.