The Cowboy's Christmas Family

by Donna Alward

  Her smile lit up the room. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” Maddy ran the plastic card through the scanner once more and activated it. “And now you have your very own library card. Keep this safe, okay?” She scanned the books’ bar codes and handed them over. “When you finish them, come back and tell me what you think.”

  The girl nodded vigorously. Her mom leaned over and quietly said, “Thank you, Ms. Wallace. She’s had a rough time with reading, and I’m trying to make it fun and find stuff she likes.”

  “Keep an eye on events, then,” Maddy suggested. “In the new year we’ll be starting up a new children’s reading club, and there are always special activities over spring break and the summer.”

  “We will. And merry Christmas.”

  When they were gone, Maddy sneaked away to the break room and treated herself to one of the cherry strudels. The pastry melted in her mouth and she closed her eyes in appreciation. The tires had been practical and expensive; the tree was for the family. But this...this present was just for her, and a wonderful treat that she would never have splurged on for herself. After her crazy morning, it turned the day completely around.

  With a quick glance at her phone, she realized she had about two minutes to make a call. She dialed the number quickly and her mom answered right away.

  “I got the delivery,” Maddy said. “It’s wonderful.”

  “What delivery?”

  “Come on, Mom, I know you and Dad are my secret Santa. The basket from the Grind is exactly what I would have wanted. Right down to my favorite kinds of tea. Only you could have known that.”

  “Honey, I’m glad you like it, but we’re not your secret Santa.”

  She grinned. “You keep saying that. Anyway, fine, I won’t bug you about it again. Just know that I love it and I love you both.”

  There was a light laugh at the other end. “We love you, too.”

  “I’ve gotta get back to work. Talk soon.”

  “Of course. ’Bye, sweetie.”

  When Maddy hung up, she knew there was nothing that could ruin her good mood.

  * * *

  SHE WAS WRONG.

  Maddy finished work at six and rushed straight to the day care, where the boys were the last children to be picked up. Luke was crying and his nose was running, a sure sign of full-on teething, and Liam didn’t look that happy, either—probably because his brother was miserable. Maddy got them home as quickly as possible and sat them in their high chairs while she heated some supper for them.

  They’d just been fed and Maddy had taken a bite of the last leftover piece of cold fried chicken when Luke began to fuss and threw up. She hurried to clean up the mess—thank God it was in the kitchen and not on any carpet—and tried to soothe him, all the while herding Liam along to the tub. They both loved bath time and needed to be cleaned up, and once she got them in the warm water with some rubber ducks and frogs, she let out a big breath. Poor Luke’s cheeks were bright red, and he grabbed the washcloth and shoved it in his mouth, sucking on it to ease the pain of his gums.

  She couldn’t keep them in the tub forever, though, and she got them into pajamas, put a fresh bib around Luke’s neck to absorb the drool, and put a little more numbing gel on his gums. She could feel the hard bump of the tooth trying to poke through and felt terribly sorry for him, but it seemed his fussiness put everything off-kilter. Liam fell and hit his head, and his crying set off Luke again, and by the time she got them both settled in bed she was ready to sit down and have a right good cry herself.

  When the phone rang, she grabbed it after the first ring so it wouldn’t disturb the hard-won peace.

  It was Cole.

  “You sound tired. Busy night?”

  “You might say that.”

  “I wondered how Luke was feeling. Still fussy?”

  She sighed, leaning her head back against the sofa. “Yeah. He’s got a tooth that’s almost through.”

  “That doesn’t sound like fun.”

  “For either of us. He threw up his supper, was clingy, Liam fell and bumped his head...”

  “Sounds like you could use a break.”

  “Yeah. I think I’m going to go run myself a bath and go to bed. I have an eight-hour day tomorrow.”

  “The day care is okay with Luke being so out of sorts?”

  “For the most part. I’ll send stuff with him.” While Cole’s money was helpful, she didn’t want to say that a day off work meant the loss of a whole day’s pay. Even if most of it went to child care, it was a necessity.

  “Well, sorry you had a rough day. If you need to miss your next morning here, don’t worry about it.”

  She let out a relieved breath. She wouldn’t take him up on it, but it was very understanding of him to offer. “Thank you, Cole.”

  “No problem. I hope you and the boys all feel better. Maybe you should make a cup of tea and just relax for a few hours.”

  She thought of the new tea in the basket in the kitchen and smiled. “I just got some new tea. Maybe I’ll do that.”

  “I’ll let you go, then. Oh, before I do, I had an idea today.”

  “What sort of idea?”

  “Well, it’ll depend on how the boys are feeling, of course. But I heard what you said about going on a date here in town and I think I found a compromise.”

  “You did?”

  “The theater in Great Falls is showing It’s a Wonderful Life on the weekend. I’ll arrange for a sitter if you’ll go with me Friday night.”

  She loved that movie. And a movie was fun but not overly intimate, and chances were they’d never see anyone they knew. But a sitter? Maddy was used to leaving the boys with the day care or her parents. She wasn’t sure she trusted Cole to work out that detail. “Who did you have in mind to babysit?”

  “A kid at a nearby ranch. Oldest of five and with tons of experience. If they’re free, of course. I haven’t asked. I wanted to see if you’d say yes first.”

  She hesitated.

  “Maddy, come to a movie with me. I’ll buy you popcorn. Don’t you deserve a night out?”

  She was so tempted. She hadn’t had a night out like that in so long. When she did have a chance to go out alone, she took it to run errands without having to drag car seats and diapers along. But a movie...and popcorn...and fun...

  “If your babysitter is available. And you’ll have to come early so I can make sure I’m comfortable leaving the boys.”

  “Of course.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “So you’re in? It’s a date?”

  Her heart gave a little flutter. “Yes, it’s a date.”

  “Perfect. And now I’ll let you get to your peace and quiet. Good night, Maddy.”

  “Good night, Cole.”

  She hung up the phone and sat in the silence for a few minutes, and then a smile spread across her face. Maybe she shouldn’t be so excited, but she was. Between today’s surprise gift and her Friday plans, she was starting to feel like a human being again.

  As the week wore on, so did the glow. Luke’s tooth came through, to everyone’s relief, Maddy made it to Cole’s as previously arranged, and she even managed to sneak a few hours of shopping and bought some adorable things for the boys for Christmas, as well as a lovely sweater and scarf for her mom and a DVD box set for her dad. On Thursday, during her afternoon shift, another delivery arrived at the library for her, and this time it was a present for the boys. She tore off the wrapping to discover a plush snowman and penguin, each about twelve inches high. Delighted, she pressed a button on the penguin’s wing and he sang a song to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot.” She quickly turned it off again—it was abnormally loud in the quiet library—but she was enchanted just the same.

  The card simply said, “To Luke and Liam, from Santa.”
<
br />   This really had to stop. But surely, with Christmas only a week away, the gifts would quit arriving.

  She tucked the parcel under the desk, but there was no denying it. The Christmas spirit was definitely starting to catch hold.

  Chapter Eleven

  Cole tried not to be nervous as he arrived at Maddy’s with sixteen-year-old Will Fletcher in the passenger seat. Fletch, as his friends called him, was tonight’s babysitter. Cole had promised Maddy he’d look after the arrangements, and he had. And then they were going to Great Falls to a movie. Not just any movie, but a showing of It’s a Wonderful Life. Cole figured if anything could give a boost of Christmas spirit, that was it.

  “So, Maddy will give you the lowdown on the boys. They’re great kids. Busy, but good.”

  Fletch looked over at Cole. “Dude, relax. I’ve been looking after my brothers and sisters for a long time. I got this.”

  “Right. I know that.”

  “You got some nerves, bro?”

  Cole gave a short chuckle. Was he going to get dating advice from a kid now? This was what his life had come to—picking up babysitters and getting love life advice. Maybe Tanner was right. If he’d been seeing anyone else, he would have bailed by now. But he hadn’t. He was still trying. And that was both encouraging and scary as hell.

  “Maybe a few,” he admitted.

  “Just keep it chill. She’s a mom, right? Just having a night out without kids is a big deal. Believe me, I’ve heard my mom say it enough.” Fletch rolled his eyes. “Which is why I started babysitting as soon as I was old enough. Happy Mom equals more good stuff for me.”

  Cole chuckled. “Sounds like you have it all figured out.”

  “Not hardly. Right now moms are easier to figure out than sixteen-year-old girls, know what I mean?”

  “Amen, brother.” Cole turned off the car and took the keys out of the ignition. “All right, let’s go.”

  The walkway was lit up with the twinkly lights he’d installed, and he could see the tree through the front window. When he got to the front door, he knocked and stepped back.

  When she opened the door, he caught his breath.

  It wasn’t that she’d dressed up in her finest. She was wearing black trousers and a red top that seemed to gather beneath her breasts before flowing down over her waist and hips. He’d seen lots of women wear the same sort of outfit to work around town, but on Maddy it looked different. Special. A delicate necklace lay at her throat, and she’d pulled her hair back from the sides and curled the rest in big, tumbling curls.

  She’d made an effort. As if tonight was an occasion. And it was. Their first real, official date where they went somewhere and he paid and...yeah. This was the real thing.

  “Hi,” she said simply, and smiled, and his world turned upside down.

  “Hi,” Fletch said, holding out his hand. “I’m Fletch, your babysitter for tonight.”

  “You are?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Cole finally found his tongue. “Sorry. Right. This is Will Fletcher. He’s got lots of babysitting experience, don’t worry. Plus the boys might like playing with another guy, right?”

  “My brother always liked to get all his cars together and play smash-up derby,” Fletch joked.

  “Well, come in. I’ll introduce you to the twins, show you where everything is.”

  She stood aside to let them in, showed Fletch where to hang his coat and watched as he went straight to the living room, where the boys were playing. “Are you sure about this?” she asked, her eyes worried.

  “You mean because he’s a guy? Positive. His family lives close to the ranch, and he’s the oldest of five. He’s looked after his siblings lots and gave me references for other babysitting jobs. The boys are going to be fine, Maddy.”

  “And I’ll have my cell.”

  “That’s right. And we’re not that far away, either. He seems to be making himself at home.”

  They looked over. Sure enough, they were playing farm with the animals and the boys had taken right to him. He sat on the floor, legs crossed, and Luke ran over and shoved a horse into his hands.

  “I should give him the rundown so we won’t be late.”

  “That’d be good.” Cole smiled down at her. “But before you do that...”

  He reached for her hand and made sure she was looking at him. “You look really pretty tonight, Maddy.”

  A blush colored her cheeks. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”

  He took a seat in a chair as she went over contact numbers and routines with Fletch, showed him the boys’ room and where everything was. “If there’s any trouble, just text me. We’re going to a movie, but I’ll keep my phone on vibrate.”

  “We’ll be fine. We’re going to have fun, right, guys?” He looked at her and grinned. “Though I’ll admit, I might have trouble telling them apart.”

  She laughed. “A lot of people do at first. Liam’s a little shyer than Luke, and Luke’s a tad bigger.”

  “Got it.”

  “And you’ve got all my numbers?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “In bed by eight, okay?”

  Fletch nodded and Cole admired his patience. “Eight sharp. Go have fun.”

  Cole held her coat as she shrugged it on and then put on heeled knee-high boots that made his mouth water, they were so sexy. “Ready?”

  She let out a deep breath. “Ready.”

  They escaped outside into the cold air and Cole held her elbow as they went down the walk, just in case there was any ice. At the truck he opened her door and shut it again after she hopped up. When he was inside he started the engine and cranked on the heater. “I think winter is definitely here to stay,” he remarked.

  “Me, too.”

  As she fastened her seat belt, he casually observed, “New lights on the hedges. Nice.”

  “Mom and Dad strike again,” she said lightly, smiling. “They really went crazy this week. I got a basket at work and then the cutest plush animals for the boys, and I came home from work yesterday to this. I could get used to having a secret Santa.”

  “I bet.” He smiled back. She was enjoying being spoiled a little bit, and she deserved it. And if she never knew it was him, it didn’t matter. He loved Christmas, and knowing he’d made hers a little more fun was all the thanks he needed.

  “I do feel a little guilty, though,” she said with a sigh. “It seems pretty one-sided.”

  “But that’s probably why it’s a secret. Knowing would take the fun out of it, wouldn’t it?”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged as they backed out of the driveway and started down the street. “But at this point it’s just a technicality. They keep saying they aren’t doing it, but I know it’s them.”

  Once they hit the highway it was just the two of them and the songs on the radio. It felt strange, going somewhere alone. They hadn’t, not since the day he’d run into her and they’d gone for coffee. He’d gotten used to the boys being around, and now he felt a gap of silence with their absence.

  “It feels funny without the kids,” he commented.

  She smiled. “I know. Sometimes I think I’m going to have to have them surgically removed.” A light laugh followed. “This is really nice, Cole. Thanks for asking me.”

  “It seemed a fair compromise.” He grinned. “Besides, you, me, in a dark movie theater? Hard to complain about that.”

  “Cole!” She looked over at him. “I haven’t made out in a movie theater in over ten years, and I’m not about to revisit that activity.”

  He laughed and put a hand over his heart. “Don’t worry. I’ll be the soul of gentlemanly behavior.”

  As much as it killed him, he would.

  They spent the rest of the drive into Great Falls talking ab
out the holidays, what was going on around town and his parents’ vacation, which was rapidly coming to a close. “Are you still coming over on Sunday to decorate the tree?”

  “Of course, if you still want me to.”

  “You know I do.”

  He pulled into the parking lot, which was already filling up. “Well, here we are. Let’s go get our tickets and a big tub of popcorn.”

  He held her hand as they crossed the lot to the doors. The theater was a popular spot on a Friday night, and after they bought their tickets and concessions, they discovered the seats were filling up fast. The top rows were completely packed, and the best seats left were about a third of the way up. Closer to the screen than Cole liked, but it would have to do. They made their way down the row and took turns holding food while they hung their coats over the seats.

  “I don’t remember the last time I went to a movie,” Maddy said, settling into her seat and reaching for her soda. “Over a year for sure. Probably over two.”

  “Me, either,” Cole admitted. When he did go, black-and-white holiday films were last on his list of must-watches.

  But this year he was Santa Claus. And he’d known it was something she’d like.

  The lights dimmed and he saw Maddy smiling at him as the screen came to life with current previews.

  “Do you know I’ve never actually seen It’s a Wonderful Life?” he whispered, leaning over.

  “What? Really?” She took a drink of her soda and looked so very young. “But it’s a classic.”

  He shrugged. “That every-time-a-bell-rings stuff never made me want to.”

  “So why now?”

  He didn’t answer. Just looked into her eyes and held her gaze. Watched her expression soften as she understood. For her. He was doing it for her.

  “You’re going to love it,” she whispered and turned to face the front fully before reaching into the tub for a handful of hot, buttery popcorn.

  She was right, he did enjoy it. It wasn’t anything like he expected, and Jimmy Stewart’s lovable comedy was perfect. Near the end, when everyone was parading through the house giving back to the man who’d always sacrificed for Bedford Falls, he looked over and saw Maddy sniffling and wiping her eyes. He smiled, feeling an unexpected tenderness in the moment, and handed her a napkin. She gave him a rueful smile, then dabbed at her tears. The popcorn bucket had been put on the floor long ago, and Cole reached over and took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb over hers.