Christmas with the Cowboy

by Tina Radcliffe

  Suddenly, Emma stopped talking and looked up at him. The answer was right in front of her.

  “You?”

  He nodded.

  “You can’t do that. You’re unemployed.” She shook her head.

  “First, I am hardly destitute or without means, and if you recall, Big Heart Ranch is my current employer.”

  “Certainly not the paycheck you normally pull.”

  “It’s a donation. Let it go. I consulted with the ranch attorney and everything is legal.”

  “You spoke with Jack Harris and conveniently failed to check with me?”

  “I did run this by you. I asked if I could do things my way as long as my way didn’t cost the ranch anything.”

  “Implied consent. Oh, that was low.”

  Zach chuckled. “Only from your point of view. Maybe you should consider this part of that spirit of giving you were lecturing me about.”

  She sighed, her head drooping with defeat. He’d beat her at her own game. “This was very generous, albeit uncalled for, Zach. Thank you.”

  “There’s a begrudging thank-you if ever I heard one.”

  “Comes with the territory. All the Maxwells have control issues.”

  “And you’re admitting it?”

  Emma scoffed. “I’m the only Maxwell that does. And that’s just because I have a couple of degrees that say I understand my issues. Plus, I’ve got my own therapist.”

  “No kidding?”

  “All part of the job description. I can’t help others if I’m not willing to help myself.”

  “That’s really great, Emma.”

  “Would you like her number?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Funny.”

  “I wasn’t trying for humor.”

  “Well, FYI, I’ve been there and completed therapy. So no, thank you.”

  “You have?” Emma blinked at the admission.

  When Mick stepped out of the store with two boxes on a hand truck, the conversation ended. “Everything okay out here?” He shot each of them a hesitant glance.

  “Of course it is, Mick,” Emma said.

  Mick looked to Zach for confirmation. “Miss Emma is thrilled about the surprise lights.”

  The boy’s face brightened. “Pretty cool, aren’t they, Miss Emma? And Mr. Zach said I can help put them up.”

  “Yes, Mick, they are.” She couldn’t help but notice the change in the boy. Once sullen, he was now a carefree kid. That was Zach’s doing.

  “You’re working with a navy SEAL? Wow, I’m impressed, Mick,” Emma continued.

  “Former navy SEAL,” Zach said quietly from behind her.

  “You’re much too modest,” Emma returned, her voice equally soft. She turned to him. “Now may I rent the cherry picker? Lights-on is in one week.”

  “Sure. I’m ready.” He offered a self-satisfied grin. “Since I have all new lights.”

  “Don’t push it, pal.” She paused. “Dutch offered to drive the crane if you’ll ride in the basket. He’s afraid of heights.”

  “Works for me.”

  She couldn’t resist a smile. “Does this mean you’re getting into the holiday spirit?”

  He jerked back slightly. “No. Why would you think that?”

  “You were smiling and humming a holiday song a few minutes ago.”

  “Subliminal programming. It’s a week before Thanksgiving and the hardware store is blaring jingle, snowflake and merry nonstop. I can’t be held responsible for that.”

  Emma laughed. “Oh, please, you’re starting to become a Christmas cheer believer and you know it.”

  “Don’t order me a Team Ho-Ho-Ho T-shirt just yet, Emma. I don’t want you to be disappointed.” He tossed his keys into the air and caught them. “Now, why don’t I move my truck for you?”

  Emma’s gaze moved to follow Mick, who had already deposited his box in the pickup bed and returned the hand truck to the store. Now he slipped into the space between the vehicles to claim his shotgun spot in the cab.

  Okay, so he was smaller than her. When her glance returned to Zach, he raised his hands.

  “I didn’t say a thing.”

  “Right. Just move the truck,” she muttered.

  “See you back at the ranch, then, I guess,” Zach said.

  “I have to do a little Christmas shopping in Pawhuska. It will be a while.”

  “More shopping? Seriously?”

  “I’ve already explained that.”

  He narrowed his gaze as though thinking. “Your status as a professional shopper might be to my advantage.”

  “How so?”

  “I don’t suppose you could do me a favor while you’re out hunting and foraging in the wild for Christmas presents?”

  She shot him a weak smile. “What sort of favor?”

  “I need a gift for the parents of a friend of mine.”

  “Could you be a little more specific? What sort of gift?”

  “I don’t know. A holiday present.” He grimaced. “I’ve only met them once before and it was on base.”

  “Could you ask your friend what his parents might like?”

  “My friend died, that’s why I’m stopping in to see them.” His face was set in grim lines as he released the words.

  Emma’s hand shook as she raised her fingers to her lips, but she swallowed the grief clogging her throat. “Oh, Zach, I’m so sorry.”

  He nodded. “You know what? Forget it. No big deal.”

  “But it is a big deal and I want to help.”

  His eyes darkened. “Emma, I’m not one of your kids.”

  “But you are one of my friends, despite your protests to the contrary. Why don’t you and I do a little shopping next week? Maybe after you get the lights up?”

  Zach was silent for a moment as if considering her words.

  “Where do your friend’s parents live?” Emma persisted.

  “Between Timber and Pawhuska.”

  “Wonderful. We can plan to stop in and see them on the way home.”

  He frowned, and his expression said he felt anything but wonderful about her suggestion.

  “Zach, this can’t be an easy visit. Let me go with you for moral support.” She paused, then continued, choosing her words with care. “I’m one of the few people who understands what you’re going through.”

  His jaw clamped down and he stared straight ahead for a moment.

  Emma put a hand on his arm. “Please, I’d like to be there for you.”

  Zach released a shaky breath. “I’ll call you when the lights are up.”

  “Okay, then.” Emma blinked. She could do this. She was a trained counselor. There wasn’t a day that went by that she didn’t help children work through grief issues.

  Why did it seem different because...well, because it was Zach? The brother of her husband. The husband whose death she still grieved.

  Self-talk. That’s what she needed. Of course, she could put aside her own issues to be there for him.

  Oh, Lord, she silently prayed. I’m going to need some help.

  * * *

  “Looks like our time is up,” Zach said.

  “Can I try to rope the dummy steer today, Mr. Zach? Please?” Mick’s eager tone matched the grin on his face as he sat confidently on Grace, the sorrel mare he was once terrified of. “I’ve been practicing.”

  “Sure. Go ahead.”

  Mick eyed the bright green plastic steer in the middle of the pen with determination.

  “On the ground, buddy. That’s how we all start. Once you master that, we’ll work on roping in the saddle.”

  Mick slid from Grace. He grabbed his rope from the saddle, strode to the center of the corral and concentrated on prepping the rope.

  “That’s it,” Zach said. “Take your t
ime. Make your loop. Remember what we talked about.”

  Mick confidently adjusted the rope in his gloved hand and began to practice swinging.

  “Swing out a little farther, like you’re tossing a baseball.”

  The boy nodded. He paused and stared down the steer before he released the loop. The lasso sailed through the air, catching the steer around the neck and left horn.

  For a moment Mick stared at the steer with disbelief. Then his fist shot into the air. “I did it! I did it!”

  “You sure did!” Zach gave a loud whoop and holler. “And the crowd goes wild. Can you hear them cheering for you?”

  The ten-year-old pivoted around on his boots, kicking dust and sand into the air. “I can. I can hear it.” A grin split his face.

  “Take a look at that steer. See how the rope is around the neck and left horn? That’s a half-head catch, and it got you on the leaderboard, buddy!”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I never doubted it for a minute.” Zach glanced at his watch. “Keep practicing and you’ll be ready for the Big Heart Ranch Summer Rodeo.”

  “Yes, sir.” He offered a goofy grin.

  Zach nodded toward the fence where Benjie had appeared to watch. “How’re things with you and your brother?” he asked quietly.

  “Aw, okay. He’s just annoying sometimes, ’cause he’s real smart and I’m not.” Mick pulled his rope from the steer and began to coil it up.

  “You’re real smart, Mick.”

  “Not like Benjie. He’s book smart.”

  “Don’t compare yourself to your brother. You’re Mick, the soon-to-be rodeo champ. God made you to be different from your brother and that’s a good thing.”

  “You have a brother?”

  “Yeah. A little brother. He died.”

  Mick looked up from the rope in his hands. “Do you miss him?”

  “Every single day. I wish I had been a better big brother to him.”

  “How do you be a better big brother?”

  “You have to look out for them, and love and protect them.” Zach took a deep breath as he remembered Steve’s smiling face when he’d pulled another prank. “Most of all, you have to remember that annoying you is a little brother’s job.”

  “Yes, sir.” Mick paused. “Are you coming back to the stable?”

  Zach lifted his face to the cloudless blue sky. “Winter will be dancing into town real soon. Not many more days like this. I do believe I’m going to take a ride.” He turned to Mick. “Tripp is in his office if you need any help with Grace.”

  “Oh, me and Grace are good buddies now.”

  “That’s what I want to hear.” Zach carefully mounted Zeus, guarding his knee. He stroked the chestnut gelding’s mane. “Ready for a ride, boy?”

  The animal snorted softly and offered a contented nicker.

  “Hey, Zach, wait up.”

  He turned at Emma’s voice to see her ride up next to him on Rodeo. Today the cowgirl wore a denim jacket and jeans with a pink plaid Western shirt. Her long hair was in a braid and a dark Stetson was on her head. Did the woman ever look anything but beautiful? Zach glanced away.

  “How did you and Dutch do yesterday with the cherry picker?” she asked.

  “No problems. The lights and the greenery are in place.”

  “I know. I checked.”

  He frowned. “Then why did you ask if you already knew?”

  “I wanted to know if there were any problems I should be aware of.”

  “Not a one. We’re ready for lights-on.”

  “Dutch said you finished in record time.”

  “Had help.”

  “Mick and Benjie and half the boys’ ranch?” A slow smile of amusement warmed her face.

  “Aw, now you’re exaggerating again.”

  “How did you get all those boys to help you?”

  He adjusted his ball cap and put a hand on the pommel. “Emma, I’m not going to tell you all my secrets.”

  “You bribed them.”

  “Hear that, Zeus? Now she’s insulting me.” Zeus stepped back at the words and offered a heavy grunt.

  “Not at all,” Emma said. “I’m curious. The word is that the boys were jockeying for a chance to work with you.”

  He raised a gloved hand in gesture. “I offered a lesson in commerce. Supply and demand.”

  When the chocolate-brown eyes rounded with realization, Zach did his best to bite back a laugh.

  “You paid them!”

  “It was on-the-job training. A life lesson. Hard work deserves a fair wage.”

  Emma slowly shook her head. “I should never have asked a question I really didn’t want the answer to.” She glanced around. “Are you going for a ride?”

  “Thought I might.”

  “Mind if I join you?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Where are you headed?”

  Zach picked up the reins. “I’m letting Zeus decide.”

  “I hope he knows that.” Emma followed, and they rode in companionable silence over the golden autumn pasture grass and then along a well-worn riding trail. The only sound was the dull clop of hooves on the dry red Oklahoma dirt.

  “Bison paddock to your right,” she called out after thirty minutes.

  “Bison.” Zach shook his head. “All females.”

  “How’d you know?”

  “The beards gave it away.”

  Her laughter spilled into the silence. “Spot on, cowboy!”

  With a tongue cluck to Rodeo, the horse and rider spurred ahead of Zach. “Oh, look. There’s a tire swing. I forgot it was here.” She pointed to the fence up ahead and the pond and the shade of a group of conifers. “Let’s stop here.”

  She dismounted and stared across the fence to the neighboring ranch pastures, where cattle dotted the land.

  “Such a shame. I remember when there was no fence this far north.”

  “Progress. It was destined to happen.”

  “Still, it’s too bad. Remember how we used to roam all over the Pawhuska spread without even a cell phone?”

  “I do.”

  Emma reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a foiled wrapped packet. “Cookie?”

  “You have cookies in your pocket?” He took the proffered treat.

  “I like to be prepared.”

  “Do you have coffee, too?”

  “I have a couple bottles of water.” She reached into her saddlebag and tossed him a bottle. “Packed them when I did herd check this morning.”

  Zach unscrewed the lid and took a long pull. “You’re working today?”

  She nodded. “I gave AJ and Travis the day off. It’s their one-month anniversary.”

  “One month? Is that a milestone?”

  “When you’re in love it is.”

  He rolled his eyes and declined comment. Sure, he could remember being goofy in love once. With Emma. That, too, was a long time ago.

  “Where are the twins?” he asked.

  “With a sitter. One of our college students from the girls’ ranch helps me out. Gives her some extra income. A win-win.”

  “Emma, how is it a win-win when you never take a day off?”

  “This is a family-run ranch and when we’re short handed we all pitch in.”

  “That didn’t answer my question.”

  She shrugged. “What can I say? It’s a busy time of year so most of the time I’m only off on Sundays.”

  “Yeah, but it seems you’re here 24/7. When do you get a life?”

  “Zach, this is my life.”

  She sat down on the ground and leaned against the rough bark of a small loblolly pine. “So, what about visiting your friend’s parents? Want to try for tomorrow after church?”

  “Doesn’t seem fair to as
k you on your only day off. What about Rachel and Elizabeth?”

  “It’s only a few hours.”

  “Let’s bring them with us,” Zach said.

  Her eyes lit up. “Are you sure?”

  “Joe and Mary will love seeing children. They’re plain folks. Farmers. I’ll call and let them know we’ll be by.”

  Emma handed him the last cookie. “I have an idea for a gift.”

  “Oh?”

  She met his gaze. “Aren’t you going to sit down?”

  “If I sit down with this knee, I won’t be able to get up.”

  Emma easily stood. “Have you got a picture of you and your friend? Maybe on your phone?”

  Zach pulled out his cell and slid a finger over the screen.

  “I thought we could print it on the ranch copier. We have photo paper.” She glanced at him. “I picked up a silver frame when I was in town.”

  “I like that idea. I like it a lot.” Zach scrolled through the photos.

  Emma peeked over his shoulder. “Is that him?”

  “Yeah. Ian.” Zach swallowed. He had to catch himself before his emotions shot out of control. “We’d been together since SEAL training, you know. Both of us knew catfish, ranches and Oklahoma college football. Hard to find another person in California who appreciated the fact that the world’s largest McDonald’s is in Vinita, Oklahoma. An impenetrable bond of Okie-ness.”

  She smiled. “Yes. I totally get that.”

  Zach lowered his head as an ache circled his heart. “He should be here now. Not me.”

  Emma sucked in a breath. “No. Don’t say that. Don’t even go there.”

  “You don’t know...”

  “I do know. I’ve been through more than my share of what-ifs. They’ll destroy you, if you let them, Zach.” She released a sigh. “I was supposed to go to town the day of the accident, but I was having morning sickness. Steve went instead.” Emma’s voice hitched as she took a breath. “It should have been me.”

  Zach’s head jerked up, and he met her pained gaze. “No, Emma.”

  “It’s not any different than what you’re thinking.”

  “Yeah, but you don’t know Ian. He was smart. Like Steve. So much to give the world.”

  “It’s a tragedy that the world lost Ian and for that matter Steve. Your little brother was brilliant.” A musing smile touched her lips as if she’d wrapped her mind around a memory.