Christmas in Romance, Book 1
by
USA Today Bestselling Author
SHANNA HATFIELD
Sleigh Bells Ring in Romance
(Christmas in Romance, Book 1)
Copyright © 2018 by Shanna Hatfield
All rights reserved. By purchasing this publication through an authorized outlet, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this ebook in a digital format. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, transmitted, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, now known or hereafter invented, without the written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Please purchase only authorized editions.
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Shanna Hatfield
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Cover Design by Shanna Hatfield
To Mom and Dad…
thank you for your wonderful example
of long-lasting and true love.
Prologue
“Did he see you sneak out here?” Blayne Grundy asked, peering around the edge of the barn door as he lingered in the shadows.
Janet Moore shook her head and tugged her sweater more closely around her in the nippy November air. “No. Dad is zonked out taking a nap. He’s been exhausted since he came home from the hospital. Who would have thought the mighty Jess Milne would sleep more than a toddler after having knee replacement surgery? At least the doctor said he’s doing well and should have a normal recovery.” She stepped out of view of anyone passing by, moving closer to Blayne. “I never thought we’d resort to holding a clandestine meeting in the barn to discuss the love life, or lack thereof, of my dad and your grandmother.”
Blayne chuckled and leaned against the wall behind him, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Honestly, it’s never something I envisioned, either. It’s nice of you to use your vacation time to come take care of your dad while he heals. How long are you planning to stay before you fly back to Salt Lake City?”
“Until the first of December, but then I have to get back home. By that time, Steve and the kids will either have learned how to take care of themselves or be living off pizza and take-out food while dressed in filthy clothes. I’m not convinced any of them know how to turn on the washing machine.”
He smirked then tossed her a cocky smile. “You know I had a huge crush on you when you used to babysit me.”
Janet nodded. “Since you followed me around like a besotted puppy, I was aware of that fact.”
“I did no such thing,” Blayne said, scowling at the woman who had been his neighbor, babysitter, and was now a good friend.
“You did and you know it,” Janet pinned him with a perceptive glare. “But let’s figure out what to do about Dad and your grandmother. Do you have any idea why Doris refuses to speak to him?”
“Not a clue. She isn’t the least bit helpful when I’ve asked her why she turns all lemon-faced at the very mention of Jess.” Blayne sighed, removed his dusty cowboy hat, and forked a hand through his hair. “I’ve done everything I can think of to get those two together. It’s obvious to everyone but Jess and Grams that they should fall in love.”
“The problem is that they are both too stubborn and opinionated to admit they like each other. We’ll just have to get creative.” Janet plopped down on a bale of straw. When one of the ranch dogs wandered inside, she absently reached down and rubbed behind his ears. She glanced up at Blayne. “What does your wife think about all this?”
“Brooke is all for whatever makes Grams happy, and Jess, too. She and your dad get along like old friends.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Brooke is fantastic, Blayne. You couldn’t have found a better girl to marry.”
Blayne’s face softened at the mention of his wife. “She is pretty special.”
Janet remained silent for several moments, lost in thought, before she looked up at Blayne with a confident smile. “What if I suddenly had to return home and no one else could stay with Dad? Could you persuade Doris to take care of him until he’s back on his feet? If they had to see each other every day for two or three weeks, maybe they’d get past whatever it is that’s keeping them apart.”
A slow, pleased grin spread across Blayne’s face. “I think, with enough guilt, it might work. I can remind Grams of the number of times she’d lectured me about it being not just a duty, but an honor and privilege to help take care of our friends and neighbors in times of need.”
“Perfect! I’ll see if I can get on a flight tomorrow. If not, the next day at the latest. Steve is going to be thrilled at this bit of news.” Janet hopped up and tugged her cell phone from her pocket. “I just hope our plan works. Doris and Dad have too many good years left for them to spend the time alone.”
“Especially when they clearly would like to be together.” Blayne pushed away from the wall. “With a little holiday magic, anything is possible.”
Janet nodded in agreement. “It certainly is…”
Chapter One
“Consider yourself officially disowned, effective immediately.”
The shocked expression Doris Grundy expected from her grandson never materialized. He didn’t even bother to appear disturbed by her announcement. Instead, the cheeky rascal had the audacity to laugh at her.
With a harsh scowl, she reached for the plate holding a large wedge of warm apple pie she’d placed in front of him only moments earlier, before he stirred her anger.
Blayne grabbed the dish before she could snatch it away and held it beyond her grasp. “You aren’t gonna disown me, Grams. You should find a new threat since you haven’t followed through on that one the past fifty times you’ve used it.”
“I haven’t threatened you fifty times, Blayne, and you know it. But I should follow through this time. How dare you?” Doris fisted her hands on her hips and glared at him as he held the plate close to his face and hurriedly shoveled pie into his mouth.
Although he currently acted like a misbehaving child, it was hard for her to believe Blayne was a full-grown man with a beautiful wife. He and Brooke had married not quite a year ago. He’d been running the family ranch near the town of Romance, Oregon, since he graduated from college, proving himself as a responsible, capable adult.
Yet, part of her longed for him to be the little boy who used to curl up beside her and beg for a bedtime story. In place of that adorable imp she’d loved from the first moment she’d held him in her arms, her grandson was now a strapping man.
Without a thought to the bushels of trouble it would cause her, Blayne had volunteered her to help their neighbor while he recuperated from knee-replacement surgery. Jess Milne had been a widower for six years and had expressed his yearning for her to become his next wife. Doris had no interest in remarrying, especially not that man.
“How could you do this to me?” she asked, wanting to knock the smirk off Blayne’s handsome face.
Blayne quickly shoved the last bite of pie in his mouth and carried the di
sh to the sink before he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Why are you acting as cross as a cat with its tail shut in the door? I think the lady doth protest too much because she really likes Jess.”
Her scowl shifted into a glower. “I’m not acting like an out-of-sorts cat,” she snapped. “And I’m not protesting too much, you smart-alecky upstart. I just have better things to do with my time than kowtowing to that old coot. Why can’t his daughter take care of him?”
Blayne continued smiling in that infuriating, knowing way he inherited directly from her, which made it all the more annoying. “Because Janet has to return to Salt Lake City, Grams. She already took a week and a half off work and needs to get back. Besides, her kids are involved in sports and one of them is in the state playoffs.”
“I don’t see why that senile old goat couldn’t schedule his surgery at a better time. Next week is Thanksgiving, after all.” Doris glanced at the calendar, thinking of all the preparations she needed to see to before the holiday. “Janet should have at least stayed through Thanksgiving.”
“Grams, are you even listening to a word I say?” Blayne rolled his eyes and took a step toward her. “Janet stayed as long as she could. What’s she supposed to do about work and her family?”
Doris had no answer because Blayne was right. However, it didn’t change the fact he’d volunteered her help without even asking her first.
“Come on, Grams. It’s not like you have to do it forever, just a few weeks. Brooke said she’d help when she’s not at Blown Away. You know she can’t be gone from her shop too much this time of year. She gets a lot of orders for custom blown glass pieces for the holidays.” Blayne settled his hands on her shoulders and looked at her with an intense sapphire blue gaze so like her own. “It’s not like you to be this way. Usually you’re the first one to offer a hand when someone needs it. Jess will be all alone over there when Janet leaves. From what I saw, he’s having quite a time getting around. If it was anyone but him, you’d be over there doing everything you could to help.”
Assailed with guilt, Doris tried to ignore it but found she couldn’t. Not when it pricked so uncomfortably at her conscience. “Fine, but as soon as December arrives, that hairy-eared baboon is on his own.”
Blayne looked like he worked to subdue a grin, but he nodded once then pulled her to him, giving her a warm hug. “That’s my girl.”
Doris snuggled against him, inhaling the scent of leather and horses clinging to his flannel shirt. “I thought I’d been relegated to second best girl status and was no longer up for cuddles like this.”
A chuckle rolled out of her grandson and he kissed the top of her head. “You wouldn’t expect anyone to hold the number one spot other than my wife, would you?”
“Of course not, sweetie,” Doris said.
“You’ll always be near the top of my list, though, Grams.”
“I’m glad for that.” She patted his cheek, seeing so much of his father and grandfather in his face. For a moment, the resemblance caused an aching pain to pierce her heart. “Now get out of here and back to work. If I have to begin my sentence over at Happy Hearts Ranch tomorrow, I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Blayne stepped back with a look of concern. “I didn’t mean to make more work for you. It wasn’t my intention.”
She pinched his cheek, aware of how much he pretended to hate it. “I know, honey. You men are clueless when it comes to what is involved with giving care, especially to a lunkheaded dolt like Jess Milne.”
Blayne’s grin returned. “I’m glad to hear you still hold him in such high regard. Someday, you’re gonna have to tell me what he did to get on your bad side.”
“That’s none of your business. Now scoot or I’ll put you to work plucking a chicken.”
He snagged his hat and coat from the hooks set in the wall and yanked open the door. “See you at dinner, Grams.”
She smiled as she watched him settle the hat on his head and jog down the back porch steps. His long legs quickly carried him across the yard as he headed toward the barn, with the ranch dogs racing around him.
Despite how much Blayne had irked her, she was proud of the good, strong, kindhearted man he’d grown into. It was his thoughtful, giving nature that had put her in the terrible position of helping out their neighbor.
“I’ll get that boy back, but good,” Doris muttered as she took out her mixing bowl and set to work making a batch of cookies.
Chapter Two
“You did what?” Jess Milne bellowed as his daughter picked up the tray she’d set across his lap with his lunch.
“You heard me, Dad,” Janet said, turning away and marching into the kitchen with the empty dishes.
Jess managed to grab his walker and move it in front of his chair then carefully pull himself upright. Unsteady but unwilling to ask for help, he followed Janet into the kitchen.
“Why can’t you stay?” Jess asked, mindful not to raise his voice as he spoke.
Janet looked at him as he took a seat at the kitchen table with a painful grunt. She placed the plate she held into the dishwasher, rinsed her hands, and then walked over to the table.
“I’ve told you, Dad, I’m out of vacation time and I have to get home. Marc is competing in the state playoffs this weekend, and I’d hate to miss that. Mallory needs help with a big school project. Besides, Steve has probably left a pile of laundry sky-high for me to take care of. I swear that man pretends to be stupid when it comes to turning on the washing machine. If I don’t tackle the dirty clothes soon, they’ll overtake the house. I’ll have to dress my husband and kids in bed sheets, because I know they won’t have bothered to change their beds while I’m gone. The spare sheets in the linen closet will be the only clean things in the house.”
Jess studied his daughter with pain pinching his heart. She looked so much like his beloved wife. Julia had passed away more than six years ago due to respiratory failure, but sometimes his heart ached like he’d lost her just yesterday. When he and Julia had wed right out of high school, they planned to have half a dozen kids. Years went by with no children, then Janet had arrived quite unexpectedly the year he’d turned forty.
Determined she not become spoiled as an only child, they’d taught her to work hard, be self-reliant and independent, yet tempered her drive to succeed with lessons in generosity, love, and tenderness.
Janet had grown into a lovely, caring, successful woman of whom he was generally quite proud. However, she’d gone a step too far today.
“But why did you arrange for her to come help me? Why can’t Blayne do it?” Jess asked, ignoring the fact he sounded like a whiny boy instead of a man nearing octogenarian status.
An exasperated sigh rolled out of his daughter. “If you’re referring to Doris Grundy, she seemed the most sensible candidate for the job. Blayne’s far too busy with the ranch to run over here several times a day to check on you. And before you ask about his wife, you know she’s got her hands full with the blown glass shop in town.”
“I still don’t know why an artist like Brooke would decide to move to a town like Romance.” Jess flicked away a crumb from the tablecloth, one he’d probably left there when Janet insisted he eat breakfast at the table.
“Romance is a wonderful town, friendly and welcoming. Why wouldn’t she want to stay here? Besides, from what I heard, it didn’t take long for Blayne to turn her head.” Janet grinned at him. “Or maybe it was the fact he liked her pigs that won her heart.”
Jess chuckled. “Brooke is crazy about her pigs. You ought to see the way the three of them follow her around at the ranch.”
“And what about you?” Janet lifted an eyebrow and pointed out the window toward the barn. “What in the world are you going to do with that little piglet out in the barn? Paint pink flowers on the stall door or maybe tie a little satin bow on her tail?”
Jess growled at her. “I plan to enjoy many pieces of crispy, perfectly cooked homegrown bacon.”
“Oh, what do you know?” Jess asked, annoyed his daughter knew him so well. He sat back and glowered at her. “So when is the wicked witch scheduled to fly over on her broom?”
“Dad!” Janet chided. “Doris Grundy is a kind, wonderful, sweet woman. What is it about her that rubs you the wrong way? I thought you liked her. You and Mom used to be such good friends with the Grundy family.”
Jess shrugged, feigning indifference. He’d never admit it to anyone, least of all his bossy, albeit well-meaning daughter, but that sharp-tongued woman had hurt him.
He and Julia had lived just down the road from Glen and Doris Grundy for almost fifty years. They’d been close friends, shared many meals together, and attended church together. When Glen and Doris lost their only son and daughter-in-law in a plane crash, he and Julia had been the first to go over to offer comfort and help. Doris and Glen had already been raising Blayne since his folks were caught up in the world of corporate travel, but the boy was only eight when his parents died.
Jess had been there ten years ago when Glen died so unexpectedly of a heart attack. Julia had spent hours with Doris, supporting her through her grief while Jess did what he could to assist on the ranch until Blayne finished his last few months of college and graduated. The young man came home every chance he could to help and would have dropped out of school, but Jess and Julia, along with Doris, had insisted he graduate since he was so close to earning his bachelor’s degree in agribusiness.
Then, when Julia passed away, Doris had been there with enough casseroles to fill his freezer for a month and comforting words of sympathy and understanding. She assured him the gaping hole in his heart and life wouldn’t always hurt so badly, and he’d eventually come out on the other side of his grief.
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