Mistletoe Mistake (River's End Ranch Book 35)

by Cindy Caldwell

  “Now, I can sleep,” he said with a smile.

  She let out her breath when she heard the door to the guest room close behind him.

  She hung the dish towel on the oven handle and turned out the kitchen lights. Her lips still tingled by the time she got to her bedroom, and she rested her head on the door as she shut it. How could she feel this way about someone she’d met so recently? Sure, she’d known his brother and nieces longer, and they were wonderful people. But with Aaron, it was almost as if she’d already known him the moment they’d met.

  She pulled off her boots and threw them in the closet as she looked for her slippers. They were nowhere to be found, and she knelt to see if she’d kicked them under her bed. She stopped short when she saw the shoebox wrapped with satin ribbon and reached for it slowly, pulling it toward her.

  She sat on the carpet and leaned against the wall in the bedroom that she and Fred’s father had shared for many happy years. They’d raised Fred in this house, had many happy memories and had quite literally all grown up together.

  She pulled the box onto her lap and reached for the end of the bow. She started to pull, but something stopped her. The strange sensation in her heart was warm and fuzzy, and she closed her eyes. Without opening the box, she could see all the pictures in her mind, and they flipped past, one happy memory after the other.

  She took in a deep breath and pulled back her hand, resting it fully on the box.

  “Thank you, dear husband, for such a wonderful life, a wonderful family. There’s no way I could ever forget you,” she whispered.

  She stood and entered her closet, placing the unopened box high up on the shelf, pushing it back so it settled in.

  She breathed deeply once more as she changed into her warmest nightgown to ward off the chill, climbed into bed and fell into the soundest sleep she could remember for years and years.

  Chapter 17

  When Aaron had gotten off the cruise in Florida and onto the plane to Idaho, never in a million years had he imagined his life would have changed so dramatically. He hadn’t spent much time thinking about relationships, or women, or—heaven forbid—love. He’d given up on that long ago.

  He had his brother, his nieces, a successful business behind him and all the time in the world to travel. The thought of being in a relationship had seemed like something that would only slow him down.

  But now, with Gillian on his arm as they strolled the boardwalk of Old Town at River’s End Ranch getting ready to go caroling, even the colors looked different to him. Reds were redder, blues were bluer...and Gillian’s eyes were the color of heaven.

  They’d spent almost every day together since they’d met, survived yet another blizzard that shut down the entire ranch and town of Riston, and he couldn’t have been happier. They’d decorated cookies at the ranch, caroled, gawked at the biggest Christmas tree he’d ever seen and watched snowmobile races. A new one for him. And tonight, they were there for Christmas karaoke. He’d even convinced Gillian to sing Baby It’s Cold Outside as a duet with him—there was a prize involved and he thought they might even win it.

  He’d met so many people—Gillian seemed to know everyone. He met the Westons, who’d started the ranch and most of their children—even some of their grandchildren. They were a great group of people, and he could see why people wanted to stay once they came to visit.

  And one of the best parts was that mistletoe seemed to be just about everywhere at the ranch. The original one he’d used had, in fact, disintegrated immediately after he’d employed its powers, its magic doing the trick just in time.

  But since the boardwalk and all the stores in Old Town at the ranch were decorated with mistletoe about every two steps, he’d taken full advantage of it, kissing Gillian every chance he got, his heart soaring at her smiles as he did.

  He’d just stopped under another bunch of mistletoe and wrapped his arms around her once again as she laughed and tried to push him away.

  “We’re acting like teenagers,” she said as she turned her head up for another kiss.

  “I know. I don’t care. I feel like one,” he said as he squeezed her tight.

  “I knew it,” he heard from behind him, and as he stepped back, he turned to look into Jaclyn’s smiling face.

  Gillian blushed and looped her arm through his.

  “I guess I got it wrong the first time,” she said as she remembered kissing Allen under the mistletoe.

  “No, it was exactly right. That way, you were more clear for the right one,” Jaclyn said with a smile as she patted Aaron on the shoulder and rubbed her hands together. She turned to her companion, a graying older man who stood beside her, smiling just as wide.

  “See, Simon? I told you they’re never wrong,” she said as she took his elbow and pulled him into the coffee shop.

  The older man shrugged and smiled as he followed Jaclyn into the warm shop with delicious coffee smells wafting through the door.

  Aaron was just about to ask Gillian if she wanted a coffee when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and his skin prickled. He didn’t have that sensation too often, but when he did he knew it was a bad sign.

  He frowned and looked up and down the boardwalk, then spotted the reason why.

  “Well, well, well,” Ed Thompson said as he approached, his shiny, greased hair slicked black. The collar of his black leather coat was turned up and he rubbed his black gloved hands together in front of him.

  “If it isn’t Miss Goody Two-Shoes,” he said, smiling slowly and baring his over-sized teeth. “How was your visit with the Franklins?” Ed asked, turning to Gillian.

  “What are you talking about, Ed? Just leave us alone. I delivered your offer as I said I would.”

  He chuckled under his breath and Aaron’s skin prickled again.

  “Oh, I know. They contacted me today. We have a deal, all ready to sign. Since it’s Christmas, the papers will be delivered on Tuesday. In seventy-two hours, it’ll be mine.”

  Aaron’s eyes narrowed at Ed. “Full price, I assume, which is what they deserve. You’re still getting a deal. It’s worth more than that.”

  Ed threw his head back and laughed, and the cold air turned his breath into coils.

  “Not a chance. I never, ever pay full price. Do I, Gillian? That’s for idiots.”

  Aaron’s hands clenched at his sides. He’d paid full price more often than not if it was reasonable for the property. And in this case, it wasn’t only reasonable, it was still a bargain.

  Gillian stepped forward, her eyes narrowed as well. “You know that’ll wipe out all of their savings. They won’t be able to buy anything else and will have to start all over. Ed, that’s not fair.”

  “Nothing’s fair in love and war, my dear Gillian. It’s all about the money,” he said before turning to Aaron. “Except for people like him.” He shoved his thumb toward Aaron. “Not my style, you know.”

  Ed took a short bow before he started to walk away. “Thanks for helping me out, you two. The condo development should make me enough money to retire on,” he said over his shoulder as he walked into Sadie’s.

  Aaron and Gillian stood in silence for a moment as they watched him order a coffee, laughing before he turned toward them and laughed even louder.

  “I...I don’t know what to say,” Gillian said. “Those poor kids.” She shook her head slowly and slipped her hand into Aaron’s.

  His heart was still racing as she turned to him. “And a condo development? What does he mean?” he asked.

  Gillian shook her head again. “It’s kind of a new thing around here. Houses that people use during the summer. They want log cabins, but not the isolation. He’d tried to do that before the Franklins bought it, and we were all glad when he was stopped. It’s such a beautiful area...”

  “Much too beautiful for something like that. And too close to the ranch,” Aaron said curtly. He’d grown to love the ranch and the surrounding area, and when he’d visited the Franklins with Gillian, he�
�d almost felt like he belonged there.

  His mind raced with ideas. He’d been in this situation before, where competitors had tried to whisk buyers into bad deals. He’d always been able to think of some way to help the clients, and frequently help himself. A win-win situation was best in every situation. If only he could think of one for the Franklins.

  “Aaron, this is awful. I’ll call them tomorrow and see what I can find out. Maybe there are still some options. I’d buy it myself but the bank’s assets are a little tied up at the moment. The Westons are planning something big at the ranch and they’ve asked about the possibility of a loan for the project, and soon. I promised, or I would do something. Maybe I can work something out with them anyway.”

  Aaron rubbed the back of his neck and pulled Gillian in closer. He scowled at Ed Thompson through the window of the saloon, and vowed to himself that he would come up with something. He had to.

  Chapter 18

  Aaron tossed and turned all night. The vision of the Franklins’ beautiful property turned into scores of log cabins, that beautiful valley a semi-urban tourist area, made his skin crawl. He was all for people having access to nature, but the ranch did a perfect job of it—giving people what they want while minimizing the impact to the environment.

  As the sun peeked over the mountain tops, he got up and dressed, roused Allen and asked him if he could borrow his truck for the day.

  “Sure, but we’re expected at the Whartons’ tonight for Christmas eve. I’m spending the day at the stables. What’s up?”

  Aaron ran his hands through his hair. If he left soon, he could get out to the Franklins’ place and back again by early afternoon, making it to Gillian’s in time to start cooking Christmas Eve dinner.

  “I need to run to town and take care of some business. Thanks, Allen,” he said as he shrugged on his coat and grabbed his laptop, sliding it into its case. If his plan worked, he’d need it.

  Allen tossed him his keys and said, “Good luck,” as Aaron nodded and closed the door.

  He hopped into the truck and sped toward Riston, certain he could find his way to the Franklins’ ranch. As he turned west from Riston, it looked a little different as the snow had melted a bit from the blizzard, but it was even more breathtaking than he’d remembered. Granted, he hadn’t been concentrating on much besides the road on his last trip with Gillian.

  As he rounded the last bend and the Franklin ranch spread out before him, he stopped on the ridge before he headed down into the little valley. He turned off the truck and stepped out, stomping his boots in the snow. He leaned against the front of the truck and took in the view.

  The small log cabin sat in the middle, smoke curling from its chimney, near what he presumed was the pond, with a large barn tucked up against the base of a mountain. The valley stretched forever, and he shielded his eyes and looked up at the sky. A hawk circled high above, and disappeared into a stand of pine trees.

  It was beautiful, and almost completely silent except for what sounded like chickens squawking from the barn. They must have them in heated sections somewhere.

  He nodded, sure of his decision, and steered the truck down into the valley, stopping near the wrap-around porch of the cabin.

  Darrin Franklin stepped out as Aaron approached, his laptop under his arm.

  “Oh, hello, Mr. Hamilton,” Darrin said with a warm handshake. “What brings you all the way out here?”

  Aaron kicked the snow off his boots before he stepped inside after Darrin.

  “I was hoping we could talk a little business. Gillian couldn’t come but is going to call later.”

  Patty Franklin turned around from the sink and smiled a weak smile in Aaron’s direction as she reached for the coffee pot and poured him a cup.

  He took it and warmed his hands, setting his laptop down on the long table.

  “Oh, Mr. Hamilton, it’s just been such a difficult week. Darrin and I had to make a tough decision, and we accepted Mr. Thompson’s offer. We haven’t had the heart to call Mrs. Wharton.”

  Darrin rubbed his forehead. “No. She’s been so good to us and I know she’ll be disappointed, but we figured a bird in the hand, you know.”

  Aaron nodded. “I know. Gillian and I ran into him last night at River’s End Ranch. In fact, that’s why I’m here. You haven’t signed papers yet, have you?”

  “No, we haven’t,” Patty said. “He’s bringing them out on Monday.” She looked up at her husband with sad eyes. “At least we’ll be able to spend Christmas here. Darrin cut the tree down on his own,” she said and gestured toward the big window by the wood stove.

  Aaron smiled at the tree—it was smaller than the one they’d decorated, but quite beautiful and decorated with popcorn strings, too.

  “Oh, I’m glad for that. But I think I have something that might interest you.”

  “Oh?” Darrin said as he sipped his coffee.

  Aaron gave a brief run-down of his feelings about the ranch, and Patty’s eyes misted as he recounted his childhood, and his desire to have chickens and grow tomatoes.

  “You really want all that?” she asked as she dabbed her eyes.

  “Yes, I do. I don’t think I knew it, but I’ve wanted it my whole life.”

  “Mr. Thompson said he was going to build a lot of cabins, Darrin. This would be better, don’t you think? Keep the land the same way?”

  Darrin nodded slowly. “Yes, it would. Even though we’re going to be losing a ton of money, I know we’d rather sell it to you, Mr. Hamilton,” he said as he kissed his wife on the cheek.

  Patty nodded, too.

  “Well, about that. The price...” Aaron said with a smile as he opened his laptop and rubbed his hands together.

  By the time he was finished, the Franklins stared at them, wide-eyed, as he waved and hopped into his truck.

  Gosh, he loved his job. The looks on their faces were priceless, and he added the memory of them to the bank he kept tucked away in his mind.

  He waved as he headed up the ridge and patted the signed papers in his laptop case. He’d figured they would have a printer and they did, so it was all signed, sealed and delivered...nothing Ed Thompson could do about it.

  He alternated between whistling and singing Christmas carols all the way home, anxious for Christmas Eve with Gillian. Once or twice, his stomach flipped as he wondered what she would say.

  He had absolutely no doubt that he loved her, and that she was the one he wanted to grow old with—well, older. That had come to him in the middle of his restless night, clear as a bell when the image of her smiling face took permanent residence as his plan came together.

  He pulled under the River’s End Ranch sign and toward the cabin. He parked the truck in front of the cabin he was sharing with his brother, unable to remove the smile from his face. It had been there since he left the Franklins, and his cheeks were beginning to hurt.

  But in a good way. He’d never thought he’d be so lucky, and he hopped out of the truck and couldn’t wait to tell his brother that they’d have a ranch again, where they could light the wood stove, and feed chickens and herd goats, and let Fred, Olivia and even Opal’s future children fish in the pond that he now knew was underneath all that ice.

  And Gillian. He and Gillian could sit on the porch sipping lemonade as the sun set, holding hands as the kids played.

  He shook his head at the thought and actually laughed out loud. He’d seen himself spending his retirement on cruises, traveling the world just having fun.

  How quickly that had changed. And now he saw himself as a grandpa—granted, with other people’s children, but he loved them as his own—sitting on a porch sipping lemonade and picking tomatoes with Gillian. And only Gillian. Now all he needed to do was convince her, too.

  Chapter 19

  Aaron showered as quickly as he could and took some extra time getting ready. He hadn’t had jitters like this since he was in college and was going to ask the prettiest girl he’d ever seen out to dinner.
/>   Well, the prettiest girl he’d ever seen until he’d met Gillian.

  He combed his hair back, and wondered when his hair had turned gray at the temples. He hadn’t been paying attention, obviously, and today it looked even more strange to him because he felt like he was a teenager again. Just like Gillian had said.

  He picked his tie carefully, a special one for the occasion and pulled on his shoes, adding cufflinks to his crisp, white shirt.

  “Woo-wee,” Allen said as he came out of his room. “You sure are dressed up.”

  Aaron smiled. “Yep. Special occasion,” he said. He was dying to tell his brother about the ranch, but he really wanted to tell Gillian first.

  “Oh? One that might involve a ring?” Allen asked with a wink.

  He turned to his brother, his eyebrows raised. “That obvious, huh?”

  “Don’t give me that look, Aaron. You know as well as I do you’ve fallen in love harder and faster than anyone ever in all the history of the universe.”

  Aaron couldn’t help but laugh. He was probably right. In fact, he’d thought Gillian was the most dazzling creature since he’d first laid eyes on her.

  “I...I guess you’re right. I should thank you for giving me permission to—”

  Allen held his hands up and shook his head. “There was never any permission to give. She was yours from the get-go and you know it. I have no doubt she’d say the same.”

  Aaron hugged his brother gratefully. “Thanks, Allen.”

  “Hey, I’d be the last person to stand in the way of true love.”

  Allen turned to the mirror in the foyer and tightened his own tie. Aaron noticed that Allen was glancing at him in the reflection as if he wanted to say something.

  “What is it?”

  “Well, actually after last night, seeing you two kitchen-dancing like Mary and I used to do and singing together—which we also did, as you know—I got to thinking.”

  Aaron thought for the thousandth time that getting Allen to say anything emotional was like pulling teeth and he wished he’d hurry up. He was anxious to see Gillian and give her the news...and then he could tell Allen and the girls, too. The surprise was threatening to burst.