Western Christmas Wishes

by Brenda Minton

  Leann sensed the but.

  “I hope she isn’t being unrealistic about suddenly becoming a stay-at-home mom. Oh, no!” Patty smacked her forehead. “I forgot the cinnamon candies. Hannah, remind me to tell Frank to pick them up later.”

  “What’s this I need to pick up?” Frank entered the room. His face was ruddy from the cold, and he wore a flannel shirt with jeans. Michael padded in behind him, looking rugged and very attractive. Too attractive. Leann averted her gaze as her heartbeat pounded.

  “The Red Hots candies. I can’t believe I forgot them.”

  “Hi there, Sunni.” Frank scrunched his nose, grinned and waved. She bounced in excitement on Leann’s lap and held up a cookie smeared with frosting that had about a pound of sprinkles jammed on top. He pretended to take a bite. “You always forget them.”

  “I do not!” Patty planted both hands on her hips.

  “You do, and you know it. Every year it’s the same thing. Those Red Hots cinnamon candies. And a few days later it’s the chocolate Kisses.” He shook his head, clearly enjoying himself. “Am I right, Hannah, or am I right?”

  “Don’t drag me into this.” Hannah thrust her palms out in front of her. Then she cupped her hand and whispered to Leann, “He’s right.”

  Leann tucked her lips under to keep from laughing. Their teasing came so naturally. What would it be like to banter with a husband like Patty did with Frank? She sneaked a peek at Michael and instantly regretted it.

  He was off-limits.

  As if reading her mind, Michael came over and sat on the stool next to her.

  “Myco!” Sunni shoved the cookie toward him.

  “Ooh, that looks good. Can I decorate one, too?” He pointed to the plain cookies on the plate in front of her. She nodded.

  “How about a—” he poked his chin around to look at them all “—wreath?”

  “See doggies?” She pointed to the door.

  “You liked them, didn’t you? Let’s decorate the cookies first. We’ll see the dogs later, okay?”

  “’Kay!”

  Leann’s heart grew mushy. Michael was so good with Sunni. If he lived in Sunrise Bend...

  But he didn’t, and she had to stop fantasizing that he would.

  Patty lined up pastry bags with different colors of frosting. “There. If you’ll all help, we should be able to knock out these cookies by this afternoon. Michael, you can help me take them to David’s later. They’re for the party Sunday.”

  Leann sneaked a peek at him. His jaw tightened, and he didn’t say a word.

  Her cell phone rang.

  “I’ll take Sunni so you can answer it.” Michael hauled her daughter onto his lap.

  “Thanks.” Leann excused herself and padded down the hallway to the staircase leading up to the guest rooms. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Leann.” Kelli sounded chipper through the line. “Sorry I haven’t gotten back to you. Things have been crazy here.”

  “I understand.”

  “David told me about your wrist. How awful! Are you doing okay?”

  “Yes, I’m actually staying with his parents at the ranch.”

  “Oh.” The line was silent for two beats. “That’s...thoughtful of them. Can you come into town later? I’d like to show you around the store.”

  “Sure. I’ll ask Michael to take me.”

  “Michael?” She sounded confused. “Don’t you have a car?”

  “It’s in the shop. It got pretty banged up in the accident.”

  “I see.” Silence stretched. “Well, this is my cell phone, so text me when you’re on your way.”

  “I will. I’m looking forward to seeing you.”

  Kelli hung up.

  Was she imagining it or had there been a lot of strange undercurrents in the conversation?

  She returned to the kitchen and sat next to Michael with Sunni on his lap.

  “That was Kelli. She wants me to come to the store this afternoon. Would you mind dropping me off?”

  “Not at all.” The words were tighter than a ball of rubber bands.

  Was she imagining the tension? She’d have to be blind not to notice every time David was mentioned Michael clammed up. But did the problem extend to Kelli, as well?

  Exactly what was going on between them?

  * * *

  “When are you picking up Leann?” Michael’s dad asked. Hannah had volunteered to watch Sunni while Leann spent a few hours at The Sassy Lasso with Kelli. Michael had dropped Leann off twenty minutes ago, driven back to the ranch and joined his dad to do chores. He certainly wasn’t sticking around the store to see his ex-girlfriend.

  “I have to leave in an hour and a half.”

  “Plenty of time. Let’s load the hay for tomorrow.”

  Michael followed his dad to the barn and began tossing bales onto the hay sleigh. Whenever the snow was thick, his dad hitched a team of horses and dragged the hay out to the cattle each day. Michael had always loved joining him. There was something majestic about a rolling, snow-covered prairie, blue skies and the silence of winter.

  “You’re still strong.” Dad wiped his forehead with the back of his glove. “I wasn’t sure how much physical labor you were doing up there in Canada.”

  “Yeah, the research part doesn’t build muscle.” He missed these easy conversations with Dad. “Chopping wood and hauling supplies does, though.”

  His dad chuckled. “When you taking off again?”

  “I don’t know.” He grew serious. “Jan is going to Alaska to study Arctic grayling fish. She wants me to join her and her crew.”

  “But you haven’t said yes? I’m surprised.”

  “Honestly, I am, too. I’m not sure why I’ve been on the fence about it.”

  “Take your time deciding.” Dad nodded. “Stay here as long as you’d like.”

  Michael tossed several more hay bales onto the sleigh. His forearms and biceps began to burn from the exertion. He liked ranching. Enjoyed hard, physical labor. But ever since he’d left Sunrise Bend to pursue a career studying wildlife, he hadn’t looked back. Well, not seriously, at least.

  “You know, David’s changed some.” Dad pulled bales of hay off the stacks and dragged them over. “Kelli has, too. They’re both more grounded.”

  He wasn’t having this conversation. If Dad thought Michael was going to make things right with David when his brother was the one in the wrong, he was going to be disappointed. With more force than necessary, Michael threw a bale on top of the pile. It bounced and fell off the other side. He jogged over and set it on top, then returned.

  “It’s been six years, son.”

  “I know.” Like he didn’t know how long it had been. When Michael had met Kelli, he’d been dazzled by her bright, energetic personality. He’d had no clue why she’d been willing to date him when she could have been with any other guy—a more interesting, exciting one. And he hadn’t cared, because she’d liked him. For a while, at least.

  “Are you over her?” Dad asked.

  He opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. Was he over Kelli? It wasn’t something he’d really considered. In fact, whenever she or David invaded his thoughts, he pushed them away and refused to dwell on them.

  “I don’t know,” he answered truthfully. But as soon as he said it, he wondered if he’d been lying to himself all along. He didn’t miss Kelli. He missed his brother. “Coming home and finding out she and David were a couple... I mean, I asked him to watch out for her. I didn’t expect him to poach my girlfriend.”

  “Don’t you think Kelli had some part in it, too?”

  He hadn’t spoken about this with anyone. Ever. It was too humiliating. Dad might want to discuss it at length, but Michael would rather pretend it had never happened.

  And how’s that been working out for you?

&n
bsp; “I reckon Kelli was at fault, too.” Michael propped a boot onto a hay bale and looked his father in the eye. It didn’t take a genius to figure out she had completely forgotten about him in the three short months he’d been in Montana.

  “Maybe your brother did you a favor.”

  “What?” Michael set his boot back on the ground and widened his stance.

  “Now that I’ve gotten to know Kelli, I don’t think she would have been a good match for you, son. She’s go-go-go. And you’re quieter, more inclined to think long and hard before you make decisions.”

  Great. Even his dad thought he was boring.

  “I like Kelli. Respect her. I’m glad she’s part of our family, but she and David are compatible.” Dad resumed hauling the hay bales off the stack. “Take Leann in there. She strikes me as the kind of woman who’d appreciate a man like you.”

  His heart pounded like galloping hooves on the prairie. It shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did. He had no business getting all nerved up for a woman he’d known less than two days.

  But he couldn’t help wondering if Dad was right. Could a woman like Leann be interested in a guy like him?

  “It wouldn’t work. When I leave for six months on a research trip? I don’t see a nice woman like her waiting around. She’s got a kid to raise.”

  “Maybe you’re not giving her enough credit. People in the military leave spouses behind all the time. I guess you’ll have to ask yourself what you want. If you want to get married and start a family, you might have to put the research jobs on hold for a while.”

  “For a while? Try forever.”

  His dad let out a throaty laugh. “Forever? You’re as dramatic as your sister. Twenty years flies by in a blink of an eye. Take me. I feel like it was yesterday when I carried your mother over the threshold. Then I blinked and found out I was going to be a dad. And didn’t we just buy you kids those puppies for Christmas?”

  “I loved those border collies.” Michael chuckled. “Boots was my best friend when I was eight.”

  “I know. And now look at you all—grown up with lives of your own. Life goes quick. Just think about what I said.”

  His dad had been awfully talkative today. Maybe he was right. Maybe avoiding the subject for six years hadn’t helped him move on. His relationship with David was still nonexistent, and he hadn’t taken a chance with a woman since he’d dated Kelli.

  Michael tossed the final bale of hay on the sleigh. Was he really willing to live alone and isolated indefinitely?

  Chapter Five

  “Wow, Kelli, you’ve outdone yourself. The cowboy-boot selection is to die for.” Leann trailed her fingers along the tips of the women’s cowboy boots lovingly spotlighted along a wall.

  “Thanks.” Kelli’s wavy blond hair bounced as she strode to a rack of shirts. Thin but curvy, she had a take-charge personality and an infectious smile. She looked too impossibly put-together to have three small children and a thriving business. “Every year I try to shake things up a little. I change the color palette of the accessories and try new purse styles. We’re always rotating in new jewelry and clothing. You don’t think the chandeliers are too much, do you?”

  “No, not at all.” Leann craned her neck back to take in the sparkling light fixtures. “They give it an upscale but friendly air. I’m surprised you can get anyone to leave. I’d want to shop in here all day.”

  “The way the baby is carrying on, I want to shop in here all day.” Kelli shot her a look of long-suffering before striding to the back room.

  “I’m sorry he’s fussy.” Leann followed her. Rows of shelves, all tagged with pretty handmade signs, held the store’s inventory. The door to an office was open. She peeked inside. A gleaming white desk, pale pink walls, a laptop and a fluffy pink rug filled the small space.

  Leann could see herself working here. The store was everything she’d imagined and more. She wanted to hug herself. The only concern she had was adjusting to working full-time after only working part-time for so long.

  “Fussy doesn’t describe it. The pediatrician said most babies get over colic around three months, but Owen’s almost five months old, and he isn’t letting up. We’ve tried switching his formula, giving him soothing massages, using essential oils, you name it. The baby is miserable. And so am I. It’s brutal, Leann.”

  She murmured her sympathy. Thank You, Lord, for sparing Sunni from having colic. Leann didn’t think she could have handled that on top of the divorce so soon after her daughter’s birth.

  “This is the one time being married to a doctor isn’t helping. David is out of ideas. I wish there were a cure-all. I’d try anything.” Kelli stopped and pressed her hand against a rack of shoe boxes.

  “Are you okay?” Leann asked, lightly touching Kelli’s shoulder.

  “I’m fine.” She straightened, giving her a tight smile. “As you can see, there’s a lot of inventory to deal with. It might take some time for you to get the hang of it here.”

  “You’re very organized, and I’m a fast learner.”

  “I’m sure you are, but it might be smart for me to stay on as manager through the spring.”

  Wait. What? Why would Kelli want to keep working after the holidays?

  Leann held her chin high. “I worked as a retail manager for three years before having Sunni, and I’ve been an assistant manager for the past two. I’m up to the challenge.”

  “I know. But this is a big undertaking.” A shadow crossed over her face. For the first time, Leann noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

  “You don’t have to worry about me managing the store, Kelli.”

  Kelli continued forward. “So you’re getting to know Michael?”

  What a strange question. “He’s been helping me get my car fixed and basic stuff like carrying Sunni since my wrist is sprained.”

  “Why him?” The words sounded nonchalant, but the hair on Leann’s arms rose.

  “Well, he’s the one who found us. My car slid off the road right into the Welcome to Sunrise Bend sign on our way into town. Sunni and I were trapped there for hours in the cold.”

  “David told me something to that effect. Michael to the rescue,” Kelli muttered, waving her into the office. “I suppose you know all about it, then.”

  “About what?” What in the world was going on between the brothers?

  “Oh, spare me the feigned innocence. I’m sure you think I’m a terrible person. But, honestly, the years of silence are not my fault. That’s on David and Michael. The family can’t pin everything on me.”

  “What are you talking about?” Anxiety started building in Leann’s gut. She needed this job, and she needed to get along well with Kelli. If there was a problem between the Carrs and her boss, it wouldn’t look good for Leann to be staying with them. This conversation wasn’t reassuring her.

  “Michael and I dated years ago. I’d just moved here and leased this building. I liked him, but he left after a couple of months to go study minnows or something. And David came back to town to work at the clinic.”

  Leann tried not to cringe as she began to piece it together.

  “What can I say?” Kelli shrugged. “David has a dynamic personality. And Michael was...gone.”

  It was on the tip of Leann’s tongue to say Michael had a great personality, too. But she couldn’t argue with gone.

  Her ex-husband, Luke, hadn’t stuck around, either.

  “I didn’t mean to fall in love with David. It just happened. And I made the right choice. Michael is always away on research projects. We never would have worked. You can’t exactly build a relationship with someone who lives in the wilderness for years.” Kelli spun away and picked up a pen. “So now you know. Let me walk you through my vision for the next quarter...”

  Leann thought back on what Michael had told her. He’d said he wasn’t sure where he’d b
e going next. There was the possibility he’d move to Alaska, or anywhere in the world, for that matter. She hadn’t fully realized what a nomadic life he lived.

  The niggling worry from earlier grew stronger. Kelli wasn’t making her feel secure about her new job in her new town. And it didn’t help to know the man Leann was attracted to had not only dated her boss but moved constantly.

  She thought of the tension she’d picked up on over the past few days.

  Was Michael still in love with Kelli?

  She’d have to think about it later. For now, she needed to soak in everything Kelli told her about the store.

  * * *

  “How did it go?” Michael ambled next to Leann on the sidewalks of Main Street later that afternoon. He’d waited outside The Sassy Lasso while she’d finished up.

  “Good... I think.” She seemed bothered by something.

  “Want to grab a cup of coffee before we head back?”

  “Sure.” She shoved her hands into the pockets of her wool coat. “Oh, but Hannah’s already been watching Sunni for so long.”

  “When I left, Sunni had fallen asleep on the couch. Want me to text Hannah and see if she’s still sleeping?”

  “Yes, please.” Her grateful smile sent a burst of warmth through his chest.

  He texted Hannah, and her reply came instantly.

  Still sleeping. He pointed down the street. “Morning Brew has a good selection of coffee.”

  “Sounds great.”

  As they strolled along, Leann stopped to view the festive shop windows and raved about the decorative details. He enjoyed seeing the town through her eyes. It had been years since he’d taken an unrushed stroll through town. He was glad to do it on a winter’s day with Leann.

  “Whoever did this one should be proud of themselves,” she said. “Making gingerbread houses so perfectly takes talent. See the delicate latticework on the porch? Amazing.”

  “You notice things other people skim over.”

  “You think so?” She slipped on an icy patch. He held out his hand to steady her, and she grabbed his arm. Her simple touch sent heat through his body. “Thank you.”