The Rancher’s Christmas Miracle

by Maya Stirling

  Grace shook her head. "No need for that, Wyatt. My visit is intended to be a brief one. I don't want to interrupt your morning routine." When she said those words, Josh saw Grace raise a brow at him. As if she was waiting for his instant response. The way he would have done years before. Was she expecting them both to pick up where they'd left off? Was she hoping for some clever comeback from Josh? If that was the case, she was in for a disappointment, he told himself. Things were different now.

  When Grace's dark-brown gaze met his, Josh felt a sudden warmth settle in his middle. His face flushed with heat. He sensed familiar desire rise up inside him. The impulse to take a step forward and embrace Grace. It seemed like some things hadn't changed. He forced his attention back to the moment.

  Grace looked at Josh. "I came with an invitation."

  "Really," Josh replied.

  Grace nodded. "I'd like to invite you and Wyatt over to the ranch for lunch."

  Josh glanced at Wyatt, seeing instant hesitation in the man's eyes. "What do you think, Wyatt?" Josh asked.

  Wyatt peered at Grace. "That's mighty kind of you, Grace. But I've got a whole lot of work to do on the ranch." He looked at Josh. "Although I'm sure Josh would like to pay a visit." Wyatt smiled nervously at Josh. "Isn't that right, Josh?"

  Josh glanced hesitantly at Grace. Did he really want to put himself through that? There would be questions. Lots of them. And he still hadn't figured out how he would explain everything that had happened since the day he'd left. He didn't even know where he would start with all of that. Grace was watching him steadily. Waiting.

  Josh was about to speak when he heard footsteps thundering in the hallway. Then, Ryan came running out and slid to a halt when he saw Grace. Josh felt his entire body stiffen. He reached out and curled his fingers around the wooden porch support. Ryan strode across and grabbed hold of Josh's other hand. Grace's eyes widened as she stared at Ryan.

  "Who's this, pa?" Ryan asked Josh.

  Grace's mouth opened and her eyes widened with obvious surprise. She stared at Josh. All of a sudden, Josh's throat felt tight. He coughed quietly and glanced down at Ryan. The boy's eyes were wide with curiosity. Josh saw Wyatt peering at him steadily, grim-faced and expectant. Josh looked back at Grace. She looked stunned.

  "This is a good friend of mine, Ryan," Josh explained. He guided Ryan toward Grace. "Ryan. Meet Miss Grace Buchanan."

  Grace's brows shot up in a line. Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. Ryan stuck out a little hand. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am," he stated brightly.

  Josh heard Grace gasp quietly as she took Ryan's hand. She glanced at Josh, puzzlement filling her gaze, as she shook Ryan's hand. Releasing it, she peered at Josh for a long moment. "Ryan is your son?" she asked. Her voice quivered slightly.

  Josh nodded, curling his fingers around Ryan's small shoulder. "He sure is." Josh smiled down at Ryan. "Ain't he something?"

  Ryan smiled broadly and glanced from Josh to Grace, his eyes wide with eagerness, waiting for her reply.

  Josh knew one thing about Grace. In situations like this, where she had to maintain an appearance of decorum, she'd behave impeccably. He wasn't disappointed. "He's such a fine looking boy," Grace exclaimed, smiling down at Ryan.

  The little boy grinned from ear to ear. Wyatt reached out and tapped Ryan on the shoulder. "What say you and I go inside," he suggested. He glanced from Josh to Grace. "Leave your pa and Miss Buchanan to do some catching up."

  For a brief moment, Ryan's bottom lip pouted. He clearly wanted to be with the adults. But, after a moment, he nodded and let Wyatt lead him back into the house.

  As Wyatt began to close the door behind him, he gave Josh one final, puzzled glance. Josh drew in a deep breath and straightened, gazing at Grace. He saw the consternation on her features and knew he had some explaining to do.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  "You have a son?" Grace asked abruptly, the moment the door closed behind Wyatt and Ryan. Her heart was hammering and her knees felt weak. Looking at Josh, she could see that it wasn't only herself who was trying to come to terms with this. Josh's face was slightly paler than it had been when she'd arrived. She could see that it hadn't been easy for him to tell her about the boy.

  Josh nodded. "I can explain," he stated.

  Grace wrapped her arms around herself and stared at Josh. "I'm sure you can."

  Josh gestured to the bench. "You want to sit down?"

  Grace shook her head. "No. In case you hadn't noticed, it's cold out here."

  "You want to talk about this inside?" he asked.

  Once again, Grace shook her head. "I don't think that would be fair on that little boy. He might overhear things he shouldn't."

  Josh nodded. "You're right." He sighed heavily. Grace could still feel the shock of Josh's announcement rippling through her body. How could Ryan be his son? The boy was probably five years old. Josh had only been away from Inspiration for three years. It didn't make sense.

  Josh tilted his head in the direction of the snow-covered corral. "Maybe we can talk over there."

  Grace nodded and stepped out onto the yard. Her boots sank into the snow as she walked carefully in the direction of the empty corral. Josh walked alongside her. She studiously avoided looking at him as she made her way toward the fence. Finally, they reached the corral and halted. Josh was quiet for a few long moments. Clearly, he was trying figure out how to tell her his story.

  Grace glanced up at the blue sky. The air was crisp and sharp, the chill lending sudden clarity to her thinking. There had to be an explanation that made sense, she told herself. He'd been gone so long, she was certain his life must have been eventful. That went without saying. Life was never dull whenever Josh was around. But, that still didn't explain the existence of a child in his life.

  Josh turned to Grace. "I owe you an explanation, Grace."

  Grace shook her head. "You don't owe me anything, Josh." She tried to smile, but found she couldn't. "It's been a long time."

  "And a lot has happened," he admitted. His features darkened. He leaned heavily against the corral fence. "Too much, really."

  Grace saw sudden pain on his features. For a moment, she felt the impulse to reach out to him. To wrap her fingers around his arm. To feel the heat of his body through the plaid shirt. But she knew that if she touched him like that, all sorts of memories of the past would come flooding back. And, right now, that was the last thing she needed. What she needed was a clear head. That thought almost made her laugh out loud. When had she ever been able to think clearly whenever she had been close to Josh Munro?

  Josh sighed and gazed at Grace. There was a deep sincerity in his eyes. Something new. Josh had changed, she told herself. Or rather, life had changed Josh.

  "Ryan's real father is dead," he announced abruptly. "And I've adopted Ryan. I made a promise to his father, Jeb. I gave him my word that, if anything happened to him, I'd look after Ryan." Josh drew in a deep breath and sighed. "And that's exactly what I intend to do."

  Grace was silent for a few moments. So that was it. She'd always known that, deep down, Josh was a man of his word. But this? He'd probably given his word, never believing for a moment that he'd ever have to honor it.

  "How did Ryan's father die?" she asked tentatively. At the merest mention of that, Josh's brows furrowed. There was real pain there, Grace told herself.

  "He died in a gunfight," Josh replied. "He was the sheriff of the town I lived in. I was one of his deputies."

  She gazed at him, incredulously. "You were a lawman?"

  He shrugged. "I know. Hard to believe, isn't it? Considering how I was before I left Inspiration." He smiled weakly. "Irresponsible and all that. I guess you'd say I was the last person you'd think would become a lawman."

  "You were just young, Josh," she suggested, trying to console him.

  He lifted a brow. "You trying to say I was immature?" He laughed quietly. "I was. And I didn't know it. But, when I left, I sure grew up fast," he explained. Grace t
urned her head away from him. She didn't want to talk about the time he'd left. The pain of his leaving Inspiration still burned inside her.

  "How old is Ryan?" she asked.

  "Five."

  "And you've brought him back to live on the ranch?"

  Josh nodded. "He needs stability and security," he explained. His eyes narrowed. "And he needs a family," he added softly.

  Grace felt her breath hitch in her chest. She dragged her gaze away from Josh. She knew what he meant by that. A family meant that Josh had come back to find a wife. Right now, she couldn't even begin to think what that could mean.

  "Have you taken care of all the paperwork?" she asked, changing the subject immediately.

  Josh nodded. "A lawyer did it all back where I lived. It's all official. I'm Ryan's father, now. I'm all he's got in the world. His mother died giving birth to him. And there are no living relatives. As far as I know."

  Josh's voice had a finality about it now. It was as if he'd rehearsed these words a thousand times. As if he'd already carefully considered what it all meant, until he'd eventually come to terms with it. The biggest change in his life. And the life of that little boy, Grace told herself.

  Grace felt a sudden, profound sympathy for the little boy. She couldn't imagine what it could feel like to lose a father. Let alone in violent circumstances. "When did Ryan's father die?"

  "A few months back," Josh explained. He shook his head and sighed. "Now that I think about it, everything has been crazy since it happened. But, when I realized what it meant for Ryan, I didn't waste any time. Jeb had left a will, stating his wishes. That made things a little easier."

  "Ryan must have been devastated," Grace declared, her voice cracking with emotion.

  Josh nodded. "He sure was. Cried for weeks."

  Grace caught the moan which leaped to her throat. "And you? Losing a friend can't have been easy to deal with."

  "Jeb and I had known each other for two years. He was a good man. We'd been through so much together. Faced down every kind of bad man you can think of." Josh peered at Grace. "Being a lawman is dangerous, though. Jeb knew that. Right from the start." Grace saw Josh swallow back his emotion. "But, I never believed he'd be gunned down like that." Tears moistened Josh's eyes. "Although he was dedicated to that life, he did plan on stepping away from it. Just so Ryan would be looked after." Josh sighed. "But he never got the chance. I guess that responsibility has fallen to me, now."

  Grace felt shaken by Josh's revelations. She leaned on the cold fence and gazed out across the snow-covered rangeland. The brightness of the expanse of snow made her eyes narrow. She thought about times past. Before he'd left Inspiration, Josh had been restless. She'd known that from the moment when she'd met him the first month she and her family had moved to Inspiration after her father had died. Her relatives, Buchanans too, owned a larger ranch north of Ranch Munro. They'd helped Grace and her family to settle in Inspiration.

  A new life had begun. And then Grace had found Josh Munro. He'd proven irresistible in almost every imaginable way. The few months he'd spent courting Grace had been the most memorable of her life. A never-to-be-forgotten summer, she told herself. Memories of his charming ways, his playfulness, his warm heart, flooded her mind. Romantic walks, hand in hand, by the river near Inspiration; kisses under the tree at the Buchanan ranch back garden; warm, summer nights at the town socials. All of it was indelibly fixed in her memory. She'd fallen for Josh Munro as completely as any woman could have.

  And then he'd left. With a suddenness which had been shocking. An abruptness which had prompted her brother Jake to promise there would be a reckoning. The emptiness Grace had felt had been almost unbearable. And, right then and there, she had vowed that she would resist attempts by any man in Inspiration to court her. She'd put all her energies into ensuring that her sister Abigail had wed Noah when he'd turned up from out east. And she'd done as much as she could to help Jake marry Emma when she had stepped into his life, accompanied by two wonderful young orphan girls.

  Josh turned to Grace. "Sorry you had to find out like this. So sudden like."

  Grace shook her head. "I can't imagine what you've been through," she said. "But, you're doing such a good thing. Becoming a father to Ryan."

  Josh's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I searched my conscience. Long and hard. I listened to God. And He told me in no uncertain terms what I should do." Josh gazed into Grace's eyes. "Even if it meant making a sacrifice. God wanted me to do this, Grace. He's asked me to look after Ryan. And to settle down. Make a family, too." His gaze softened. "And that's what I aim to do."

  Emotion caught in Grace's throat as Josh mentioned the need for him to find a wife. Although he hadn't said it out loud, it was obvious that was why he'd come back to Inspiration. An unspoken understanding passed briefly between herself and Josh.

  The sudden need to get back home seized Grace. She stepped away from the fence and cleared her throat. "What does Wyatt think of all this?"

  Josh frowned. "He understands what I need to do. He'll get used to the idea." There was a surprising hardness in Josh's voice which hinted that he and Wyatt still had to work things out.

  Grace tilted her head and squinted at him. " Does that mean he's happy that you're back? And that you've got a son to look after?"

  "Sure, it was the last thing he expected," Josh replied. "But, we own the ranch together. We'll work it out." Josh forced a laugh. "Wyatt has a few extra hands around the ranch."

  Grace thought Josh sounded unsure about something. As if he was being evasive. Or perhaps he was just being careful not to reveal too much about his private life. Maybe he'd been surprised to find Wyatt a changed man. Embittered by the death of his father. Someone who'd stepped away from the faith. Whereas Josh's faith had brought him closer to God, it seemed. That was something about which Grace felt glad.

  Grace started back toward her horse. Josh followed alongside her. As she took the reins in her hands and prepared to mount up, she looked at Josh. "You will come to the ranch, won't you? And bring Ryan, too?"

  Josh smiled warmly. "I think we'll both like that very much," he replied. For a moment, she assumed he was talking about her and himself. But then she realized he was, in fact, referring to Ryan. The idea that Josh was no longer interested in her triggered the stirrings of disappointment in her. She masked her feelings and stretched out a hand. "One o'clock?" she asked.

  Josh glanced down at her hand and paused. His gaze flickered back up to her face. Then he surprised her by stepping quickly forward and gently taking hold of her shoulders. Before she had a chance to react, he'd planted a kiss on her cold cheek. She gasped as she felt the warmth of his lips against her skin. His scent, a mixture of soap and leather, triggered unstoppable memories. When he leaned back and looked into her eyes, she could see the visible mischief in his gaze. He smiled at her as if he'd just claimed a precious prize. She thought, briefly, about expressing some kind of fake outrage. But, as she gazed into his playfully bright eyes, the impulse faded.

  She lifted herself up onto the horse and gazed down at him. "I'll take that as a yes," she announced.

  Josh nodded. "I'm looking forward to seeing your mother again."

  "And Jake?" Grace teased.

  Josh tilted his head. "We'll see how Jake feels about me being back."

  Tugging on the reins, Grace nodded. "You certainly will," she stated. She saw him lift an inquiring brow.

  With one last smile at Josh, Grace turned her mount in the direction of the trail, rode across the yard and away from the Munro ranch house.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Josh stood on the porch and watched Grace ride away on her pinto. His heart was beating fast and he felt a dangerous longing. Being that close to Grace again had awakened old feelings. Emotions he'd worked hard to bury. She was even more beautiful than he'd remembered. Pretty features; clear skin; eyes that shone with a generosity and kindness he'd never seen in any other woman.