Christmas with the Rancher

by Mary Leo

  “Okay, definitely not the bed. So where do you want them?”

  She could feel the blush on her face. “The chair. Just put them on the chair.”

  He followed orders then turned and headed her way, smirking as if he knew exactly what she’d been thinking.

  “Did you want to get some dinner? It’s been a long day. You must be hungry.” He stood no more than five inches from her and she wanted nothing more than to be wrapped in his strong arms.

  She took a step closer to him, his hand brushing against hers, her pulse quickening.

  “I’ll grab something from my dad’s fridge, but thanks for the offer.”

  He took a step in even closer. She could feel his warm breath on her face.

  “Bella, look, I know we got off on the wrong foot. Maybe we can start all over again.”

  “It was a nice day, Travis. Thank you for that.”

  She waited for his kiss.

  They were almost touching now. Her heart raced, and her warm clothes only enhanced the heat she felt prick her skin. She wanted out of her coat, and more importantly, she wanted out of her clothes.

  “Anytime.”

  They stood staring at each other for a moment. A surge of emotion raced through her and she needed to tell him how she felt, how much she wanted him in her bed.

  “Travis, I...”

  But before she could finish her thought, he gently kissed her on the cheek, tickling her skin with his beard then he brushed past her and proceeded down the deserted hallway.

  “See you in the morning,” he called back to her, leaving her standing there wondering what the heck had just happened.

  * * *

  IT HAD TAKEN every ounce of self-control that Travis could muster to walk away from Bella. Their day together had stirred up emotions, emotions that now took on a deeper meaning. She had grown into a stunning beauty with a smile that could light a spark under him on the darkest of days. Despite her orneriness, and her sometimes brash behavior, he now knew there was a completely wonderful side to Bella, a caring, loving side that he wanted to get to know all over again.

  He was falling hard and fast for this grown-up Bella and he didn’t know if he could stop his emotions now that he’d gotten a peek of the real woman she tried to keep hidden.

  He’d always had a soft spot in his heart for her, but that was more of a child’s crush. It was different now. The passions ran deeper. Maybe he couldn’t call it love exactly; instead it felt like a longing in his soul. He knew if he was around her much longer he might end up on the wrong end of the branding iron, but he was willing to take the chance.

  The thought scared him more than being caught up a tree with a grizzly on his tail.

  This wasn’t supposed to happen. The task Nick had set out for him was to reintroduce her to Briggs and everything she once loved, not to stir up his own intense feelings for her.

  His saddle was slipping and there was only one person who could help him set it right again.

  “Come right in, little brother. I’ve been expecting you,” Colt said as he escorted Travis into his living room. “The kids are thankfully down for the night and Helen’s catching up on her email in her office. Brandy? It’s cold out there.”

  That was the thing about Colt. He seemed to have a sixth sense going on when it came to matters of the heart. He always knew exactly when his two brothers needed guidance and offered it willingly.

  “The good stuff. Maybe it’ll help ’cause right now I feel I ain’t got nothin’ under this ole hat but hair.”

  Travis plopped himself down on the cream-colored sofa in the living room. Colt took his coat while Travis slipped off his hat and set it down on the wooden coffee table, the table he’d crafted out of reclaimed wood from the family barn floor. An eight-foot spruce with colored lights and an assortment of ornaments anchored the room with Christmas cheer while garland, wooden nutcrackers and six empty stockings lined the mantel. A fire burned in the hearth warming Travis from the bitter cold night, giving him a shiver as he tried to settle his nerves, anticipating not only the brandy, but knowing Colt would provide the guidance he needed.

  “That girl always was a fire under your skin,” Colt said as he handed Travis a cocktail glass containing three fingers of brandy then took a seat in his favorite leather chair across from Travis. He moved the doll with the cowgirl hat and long braids and carefully sat her on top of a large toy box in the corner.

  Even though curly-haired Loran was almost three years old, Travis still had a difficult time wrapping his head around the fact that Colt was daddy to a bubbly daughter. For the longest time it had been Colt and his three boys until his friend Helen, now his fetching wife, came up with a miracle baby and changed everything. And it was a good thing mama-fate had stepped in because Travis was sure his brother would have worked himself to death on the Granger family ranch to assuage his guilt over losing his first wife in childbirth.

  Colt was now a contented dad and husband who had learned how to temper his workload with family and friends.

  “Daddy, I don’t feel so good,” Joey said when he walked into the living room, rubbing his eyes. “I think I’m going to throw up.”

  “Hold on there, little man,” Colt said as he whisked Joey up in his arms and dashed down the hallway to the bathroom.

  Not a minute later, Colt’s middle son, Gavin, appeared. “My throat hurts, Uncle Travis, and I can’t sleep.”

  And before Travis could react, little Loran staggered into the room. “I want my mommy. Where’s my mommy?”

  At once the entire house seemed to erupt with sick children, bright lights and adults trying their best to accommodate them. Helen, with her long red hair and can-do disposition simply appeared and whisked Loran up in her arms, trying to sooth her with sweet talk, gently moving her strawberry-colored curls off of her face.

  Travis went into action along with Colt, trying his best to help Joey after he vomited all over himself, the floor and apparently his favorite robot.

  “It’s okay,” Travis told him as he helped clean him up and slip on some clean pajamas.

  “I didn’t mean...to...throw up. Honest, I didn’t,” Joey said in between tears and hiccups.

  “No worries. Even cowboys get sick every now and then.”

  “Do you...get sick, Uncle Travis?”

  “All the time.” But Travis had an iron stomach. It took a lot for him to feel any nausea. He figured he took after his dad. He couldn’t remember Dodge ever getting sick.

  Buddy, Colt’s oldest, walked out of his room, joining the ruckus and looking about as tired as Travis felt. His baby face seemed to be changing by the minute, and along with his deep baritone voice, he was growing up faster than Travis could keep up with. “What’s all the commotion?”

  “Your siblings are sick,” Travis told him, noticing Buddy’s height. Except for maybe an inch or two, he was already almost as tall as Travis.

  Buddy nodded, then yawned, pulling in a double dose of air.

  “How do you feel?” Helen asked, her hand on his forehead feeling for a temperature.

  Buddy answered, “Sleepy, but I’m okay.”

  “Go back to bed, sweetheart. You have a test tomorrow. You need your rest. We’ll be fine.” She gave him a hug and a reassuring kiss on the cheek. Helen was a good mother to Colt’s boys and they loved her more than she probably knew because of it. Helen had come into the family when the boys were completely out of control, and within a few months she’d added discipline and structure to their lives, something Colt had been too busy with the ranch to see that they needed.

  Buddy nodded and padded back to his room, his blue pajama legs dragging on the wooden floor.

  For the next half hour the adults cuddled, comforted, administered various forms of children’s meds, took temperatures, helpe
d change pajamas and eventually tucked everyone back into their beds.

  Helen climbed into bed next to Loran, who had demanded her mom sing her a lullaby, which Helen gladly delivered. Colt changed into his dark blue pajama bottoms, a loose-fitting black tee and a terry-cloth robe that he didn’t bother to fasten. He plopped himself down in the recliner across from Travis as if nothing out of the usual had just transpired.

  It was right then that moment when Travis began to realize what he really wanted: a family of his own. Problem was, there was only one woman he wanted and no way was that woman ready for a family of any kind.

  Travis let out a sigh after he drank a good amount of the amber-colored elixir. It went down smooth and easy-like, warming his thoughts. He blew out the tension, sank into the wide sofa and rested his weary head against the inviting textured cloth.

  “Sorry about all of that. They can be a real handful. But you have my full attention now. That beard of yours is growing fast. It must be driving you crazy.”

  Travis scratched his chin. Just mentioning his beard caused it to itch.

  “It is. It’s all Bella’s fault.”

  “Ah, yes, the fire under your skin. How’s that going so far?”

  “She’s turned into a blaze. I almost did something about it tonight.”

  “What stopped you?” Colt sipped on his brandy, looking as though he really enjoyed the taste, taking the time to swirl it in his mouth.

  “She would have torn my heart out in the morning. It’s her dang business deal with some company named TransGlobal.”

  “I take it that’s the company buying Nick’s inn.”

  “The very same.”

  “And you’re against it because...?” He held his glass in his lap, as if he didn’t want the brandy to get too far away from him.

  “You know exactly why I’m against it. That inn means everything to Nick.” Travis slipped his legs out in front of him and crossed his ankles feeling much more comfortable. He’d removed his boots when he’d first sat down, and now he slipped off his belt. The fire crackled from the fresh logs he’d placed in the hearth, releasing the scent of burning hardwood, reminding him of winters past.

  “Apparently not as much as it does to you.”

  The statement took Travis by surprise. “What are you getting at?”

  “You’re not here to talk about Dream Weaver Inn. It’s Bella that’s your problem. I think you need to keep those two heart pulls separate, little brother, or you’ll drive yourself crazy.”

  “But they’re tied together. If Nick agrees to the sale, Bella will pack up her emotions, slip on her city boots and drive right on out of this valley for good this time. As long as her father lives here there’s always a chance she’ll return. Without him, there’s no draw. No reason for her to stop by.”

  Colt rubbed his day-old stubble, and sat forward as he finished off his brandy. He put the empty glass down on the small table next to him. “Then you’ll have to convince her to stay, and if I know anything about women, it’ll take more than sharing her bed...although I’m sure you’re a stellar lover.”

  Travis smirked, lifting an eyebrow.

  Colt snorted. “Don’t get too full of yourself, little brother. I threw that out there to accommodate your monster ego.”

  “No bigger than yours.”

  “Believe me, after being married to two different women, trying to raise three boys on my own, and becoming father to a strong-willed girl, my ego has taken some strong hits. Every now and then I get a glimpse of what it used to be like when Helen and I have a date night. But between the riding school, the kids, the students and working around Helen’s busy schedule I have little use for a bloated ego. Still, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m a lucky man.”

  “Is that your advice? Kill my ego?”

  “That may be impossible. However, I’m thinking you might be getting in your own way. Think more about what Bella needs rather than what you want.”

  Colt picked up his glass and realized it was empty, so he twirled it between his fingers. He smiled over at Travis, giving him some time to think about what he’d said. As if what he’d said was some kind of pearl of wisdom.

  How the heck was he supposed to know what Bella “needed”? He knew exactly what she wanted—to sell the inn. Wasn’t that also what she needed? Wasn’t this deal all about money and power? Bella seemed to want both of those things. Correction...Bella seemed to “need” both of those things.

  Travis sunk deeper into the sofa.

  “Okay, you want to explain exactly what you mean? I seem to be dim-witted when it comes to Bella. Local women, I get, but Bella is a woman of a different breed.”

  Colt stood. “This is something you have to work out for yourself, little brother. ’Sides, it’s late and I have an early day tomorrow. Feel free to spend the night right there on that sofa. If you had worked on this here house like you promised, instead of the inn, we’d have a guest bedroom for you to crash in. But until you figure out what you want, all I can offer you is this couch. There are blankets and pillows in the usual place in the hall closet.”

  “Thanks. The sofa’s fine. Don’t want to go back out there tonight.”

  “Good, ’cause I got enough to worry about right here inside this house. I don’t need to be worrying about my baby brother driving on slippery roads.”

  “Glad I could give you some peace, but I’m still reeling ’round like a pup trying to find a soft spot to lie down in.”

  “That’s ’cause you’re thinking with your usual stubborn head rather than that big heart of yours.”

  Travis stood and the two men hugged. Colt said, “The tree lights are on a timer, so you don’t have to worry about turning them off. Get some sleep. My kids get up by five, and as it is now, that’s only six hours away. And don’t stress. It’ll all come together. Everything always looks better in the morning.”

  “If you say so.”

  “I do, and I’m your older brother so you need to listen up.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  And as he said it the lights on the tree went out and within the next moment Colt had disappeared into his bedroom, leaving Travis alone to watch the now dying fire and consider if he had even the slightest inkling of what high-tech, high-energy city girl Bella actually needed.

  He scratched his chin thinking that the concept of knowing what she needed was like trying to lasso a mountain lion.

  * * *

  I NEED A CUP of hot milk with cinnamon, Bella thought as she rolled over for the umpteenth time in her big old, empty bed. The sweet drink used to put her right to sleep when she was a kid. Something she had thought of at Holy Rollers earlier that night and longed for it now. Normally, she stayed away from dairy, especially twice in one day, but these were desperate times and required desperate measures.

  When she was a kid and couldn’t sleep she’d sneak into her parents’ room and nudge her dad awake. Her mom would only scold her and send her back to bed, but Daddy never seemed to mind her middle-of-the-night visits. They’d tiptoe out of the bedroom and into the kitchen where Bella would sit on one of the chairs, swinging her feet while Daddy would heat the milk.

  What she loved the best about it was sometimes he’d tell her a story that would captivate her imagination.

  What she needed now was some straight advice on her growing feelings for Travis Granger. She couldn’t afford to be falling for him. Besides, he obviously wasn’t feeling the same or he already had a girlfriend. What other reasons could there possibly be for his odd behavior that left her standing in front of her room, alone, when she’d purposely given off all the right signals?

  The man couldn’t possibly be that oblivious.

  Bella grabbed the thick terry robe, slid her feet into the matching slippers and went downstairs to the privat
e kitchen wishing with all her might that her dad wasn’t off in another town. She didn’t know who would be cooking while her dad was away, but she knew he or she probably wouldn’t know anything about her special cinnamon milk.

  As soon as she swung open the kitchen door she realized her wish had come true...her dad was busy with food prep. He wore a white bibbed apron, jeans, sneakers, a deep red flannel shirt and a warm smile. Christmas music softly played on the radio in the background.

  She couldn’t seem to get away from the darn stuff. Fortunately, it was growing on her.

  “I thought you’d never come home.”

  “I just went for the day but got stuck there. Had a date with someone.” He held up two eggs. “Hungry?”

  She gazed up at the large black-rimmed clock that still hung over the six burner industrial type gas stove. It registered five-thirty-five. Hardly time for breakfast unless she was going out to milk some cows.

  “What kind of date?” He had peaked her curiosity.

  “A friend,” he said quickly, as if he didn’t want to talk about it. “Now what can I get you?”

  She decided to let it go. “I really would love some of your hot cinnamon milk, and maybe a little advice.”

  His smile broadened. “The milk’s simple, the advice might not be what you want to hear.”

  “I didn’t ask the question yet.”

  “I’m your dad. I think I know what brought you down to this here kitchen so early in the morning.”

  “I couldn’t sleep is all, and I thought some hot milk might help,” Bella said, reverting to her childhood accent.

  Nick poured whole organic milk from a bottle into a small pot.

  If she ever drank milk, which was rare, she never drank whole milk. Didn’t everyone drink nonfat like she did?

  He finished pouring the milk then shoved the bottle back into the refrigerator.

  “It’s Travis that brought you down this morning. He’s a force to be reckoned with.”

  She stiffened, not sure she wanted to tell her dad how she was feeling about Travis.