The Rancher’s Christmas Miracle

by Maya Stirling

  "Jeb usually did something special. If he could get the time," Josh explained. "And Ryan was always the center of attention. But, criminals don't take Christmas off, Grace," he explained. He lifted a brow and she knew he was trying to tease her.

  "Well, you won't be working on Christmas day, this year," she stated.

  He grunted. "Unless you include looking after a demanding, but wonderful, young boy." Josh smiled proudly. "Now that's what I call real work," he added smiling brightly at Grace.

  "Family is never work," Grace declared.

  Josh looked thoughtfully at Grace. His gaze softened. "You're right. Family is the best thing there is."

  They rode for a while in silence. Grace reflected on Josh's words. He was clearly thinking of the future, now. Christmas. Family. Days to come. The wounds of the past didn't have a hold on him any longer.

  Reaching the Buchanan spread, the trail became more difficult to navigate. Once or twice, the carriage wheels got stuck and spun in the snow. But, each time, Josh got down and heaved his powerful shoulder against the carriage, pushing it out of trouble.

  Cresting a ridge, the carriage lurched just as Grace saw the ranch house off in the distance. There was a creaking of wood and metal and then the carriage ground to a halt. Josh sighed. This time, instead of jumping down, he waited. He seemed thoughtful, his gaze soft. She was sure he was getting ready to say something to her.

  Josh turned in the seat and faced her. "Thank you for today, Grace," he said quietly. "It means a lot to me." His gaze was steady. She could see emotion in his eyes. The kind she'd seen before. Her heart quickened.

  Grace forced herself to smile. "I'm glad for you, Josh," she said. "I really am."

  Then Josh leaned forward and she knew he wanted to kiss her. A quiet joy welled up in her heart and she lifted her chin. His lips claimed hers with a tender kiss. Grace closed her eyes and sank into the moment, savoring every part of it. It felt so good to be with Josh. His lips were moist and soft. There was need in his kiss, the kind of desire that made her think that she was glad he had come back into her life.

  Then, he lifted his head away and gazed deeply into her eyes. She felt more alive than ever. Kissing him like this, on a ridge overlooking the place where they'd once spent so many happy days, made her heart fill with joy. There was no regret in her heart. She was happy they had kissed.

  As if sensing her contentment, Josh took up the reins and moved the carriage on. When the carriage halted in the yard in front of the ranch house, Grace's mother, Matilda came out onto the porch. Her mother's brows lifted with obvious delight at seeing Grace with Josh. Could Matilda tell what had just happened? Was it obvious to any onlooker that Grace and Josh had just shared a beautiful moment together?

  Josh helped Grace down from the carriage. Matilda came over to them. Her mother's gaze was steady and careful as she looked from Josh to Grace. "Are either of you two hungry?" she asked.

  Grace shook her head. "We had lunch over at the Munro place, ma," she explained.

  Josh shifted awkwardly on his heels. Then, he touched the front of his Stetson and smiled hesitantly. Grace figured he couldn't have done a better job of looking like he'd done something he was trying to hide. "I'll be getting back home," he said. He dipped his head. "Mrs Buchanan. Nice to see you, today." He glanced at Grace. "I'll be in town tomorrow. Buying wood for that Christmas surprise I told you about," he said to Grace. Had he just made some kind of secret invitation to her? It had certainly sounded like it.

  Then, Josh leaped up onto the carriage, flicked the reins and drove away from the ranch house.

  "What was all that about?" Matilda asked as she and Grace watched the carriage head up the trail.

  Grace frowned at her mother. "What do you mean?" Grace tried her best to seem confused. But, from the look on Matilda's face, she could tell it wasn't working.

  Matilda smiled and shook her head. "Never mind." She nodded in the direction of the house. "Let's get back inside. It's cold out here."

  As she walked alongside her mother, Grace told herself that it might well be cold outside. But in her own heart there was a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  The next morning, Monday, Josh was in the town mercantile when he heard a voice behind him. A very sweet and melodious voice.

  "I thought I'd find you here," Grace said.

  Josh turned and placed the long piece of wood he was holding back on the table in the middle of the mercantile. He smiled at Grace, glad to see her. He took a moment to savor her beauty. She wore a blue gown and matching bonnet. The color suited her perfectly, he told himself. "So, you decided to come help me choose the wood for making Ryan his toboggan."

  She shrugged. "Emma and I were in town, buying some things for our dressmaking, and I thought I'd take a chance and see if you were here." She smiled. "Looks like my instincts were good." She ran her gaze around the mercantile. "Is Ryan here?"

  Josh frowned. "No. He's back at the ranch. The last thing I'd want is for him to guess what he's getting for Christmas."

  "That's probably wise," she agreed.

  Mr Murchison, the owner of the mercantile called out to Josh. "Is that wood going to be what you need?"

  "I think it'll be fine," he replied. Josh surveyed the various pieces he'd assembled on the table. It had been a while since he'd made anything like a toboggan. Wyatt had offered to help him if he got stuck at any point. Maybe it would be good for him and his half-brother to work on a project for Ryan. It would give Josh a chance to discuss some important matters with Wyatt. Like the ranch. And Wyatt coming back to God.

  Josh paid for the wood and carried it out to his buckboard. He refused even the slightest help from Grace. She watched him, amused at the trouble he had securing the wood on the buckboard. Eventually, Josh swept a tarpaulin over the wood and tied it down. Stepping up onto the boardwalk, Josh glanced down the length of the boardwalk. It was late morning, cold and sunny. A thin layer of snow lay on Main Street. It covered the roof of the boardwalk and the wooden buildings on both sides of the street. There were plenty of townsfolk going about their business. Christmas was coming and everyone had plenty to do.

  "You doing anything, now?" he asked Grace who was standing, looking expectantly at him.

  She shook her head. "No. I arranged to meet Emma later. We left our carriage over by the dressmaker."

  Josh shifted on his heels for a moment, his head lowered. Then he lifted his head and gazed at Grace from beneath lowered brows. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

  Grace smiled and tilted her head. "I thought you'd never ask."

  Josh groaned with relief. He should have known Grace was teasing him by making him work so hard for something as precious as some time with her in town. They started to make their way south along the boardwalk. For a while, they just strolled slowly, not saying much. Josh was just happy to be in Grace's company again. All morning, he'd been thinking about the events of yesterday. Not just the visit to pay respects to his father. But also the kiss he and Grace had shared on the Buchanan ranch.

  Everything seemed to be moving so fast. He felt like he was being swept headlong down the rapids of a river. First he'd been thrust into the role of father to Ryan. Then Grace had stepped back into his life. And now, he'd come to terms with the wounds of his past. Being at peace with his father felt good, Josh reflected. But, nothing could compare to being with Grace. Every moment he spent in her company was a sheer delight. It wasn't just a reminder of their past happiness. It was so much more than that. He felt like he'd been reborn, and that Grace was fast becoming an irreplaceable part of his life.

  There was only one problem. Grace looked like she was holding back from being fully committed to Josh, again. An awful thought occurred to him. Perhaps, by leaving like he'd done three years ago, he'd created a wound that would never completely heal. Maybe a second chance was out of the question.

  After a while, they crossed Main Street and started back nor
thward along the boardwalk.

  "How long do you think it'll take you to make the toboggan?" Grace asked.

  "A few days," Josh replied and shrugged. "Wyatt is going to help me."

  "Is he?" she asked. "I didn't know he could make things with wood."

  Josh smiled. "Wyatt's a man of many talents," he said. "He just likes to hide them. He's always been a private kind of person. Even when we were growing up together, I always felt I never really knew him."

  "It must have been difficult. You two having different mothers must have made for some difficult times," Grace suggested.

  "Pa always tried to play down the differences," Josh said. "Although, that didn't stop him trying to keep a friendly rivalry between Wyatt and I." Josh sighed. "I think Wyatt's still holding on to some of that pain from the past."

  Grace was quiet for a few moments. They continued walking along the boardwalk. Finally, she spoke: "I think Wyatt needs to come back to the Lord."

  Josh lifted a brow and looked at Grace. "You do?"

  Grace nodded. "When he came to the church to ask me to come help you when Ryan was sick, I saw a look in Wyatt's eyes. There was something about the way he was gazing up at the church door. Like he wanted to come inside, but just couldn't bring himself to do it."

  "He used to be real devout," Josh stated. "When we were young, we always went to church together. But, I think after pa died, Wyatt felt like God hadn't been there when he needed Him."

  "A lot of folks feel like that," Grace said. "Especially after something tragic happens. But, sometimes those are the times when God draws people closer to Him."

  Josh nodded. "I know exactly what you mean," he said. There had been times in Wyoming when the Lord had seemed a long way from him. Dark times when he'd encountered bad men. As he'd done so many times since coming back to Inspiration, Josh pushed the memory of those days to the back of his mind. That was over and done with. He and Ryan had left the darkness behind.

  Josh realized that resisting the call of the Lord couldn't go on forever. Not if He was calling you. Not if He had a plan for you. Something good. Walking next to Grace, Josh told himself that life with her would be truly a good life. And, if they had a family together, then that would be complete perfection.

  Up ahead, Josh could hear the noises coming out of the saloon. Even when he'd been younger, he hadn't spent time in the saloon. Now, it was the last place he wanted to be near. With every step closer, Josh was sure he could smell the aroma of drink drifting in the air.

  Josh reached across to Grace and cupped her elbow in his hand. Sensation flared in him when he touched her, but he masked his reaction behind an impassive expression. "Maybe we should cross over to the other side."

  Josh saw Grace's glance flicker in the direction of the saloon. It was almost as if she had read his mind. She nodded. "I think that's a good idea."

  Stepping off the boardwalk, Josh still held onto her arm, grateful for the simple pleasure of guiding her across the road. They dodged a couple of riders and one wagon. Finally they reached the other side and stepped up onto the boardwalk. Just as they did so, Josh heard a crashing sound from the other side of the street. He and Grace both turned to look.

  The batwings of the saloon flew open and a figure tumbled out onto the boardwalk, landing heavily on his back. Josh heard raucous sounds coming from inside the saloon. People halted on both sides of the boardwalk, curious about the happenings. The man who'd landed on his back, stood up, brushed himself off and made for the entrance to the saloon. Clearly he was intent on challenging his unseemly dismissal. But, before he had a chance to re-enter the saloon, a tall figure appeared at the batwings, blocking his way.

  Josh narrowed his eyes and squinted at the man, trying to make out his features. The stranger, dressed in dark gray waistcoat, suit and Stetson glared at the man who was trying to push past him. The tall man's attention was fixed on the smaller man trying to get back into the saloon.

  A chill feeling swept up Josh's spine. He felt something hard twist in his middle. A voice murmured in his head. It couldn't be him. Josh felt the color drain from his face as he whirled around, determined that the man at the saloon not see his face.

  Josh saw Grace glance at up at him. "Is everything okay?" she asked, her brows furrowing.

  Josh nodded abruptly. "Yes," he hissed and took Grace by the arm. "Let's go, Grace. We don't need to watch those troublemakers."

  Grace frowned as Josh led her along the boardwalk. She was clearly perplexed by the sudden change in him. But, she allowed herself to be guided northward back toward the mercantile. After a few moments that seemed to last forever, Josh slowed and, turning, gazed back toward the saloon. There was no sign of the men at the entrance. Josh breathed a sigh of relief. Grace peered at Josh and then back toward the saloon. Had she guessed the source of his distress? Grace didn't ask Josh anything although, by her expression, he could tell she was eager to do so.

  Before Josh had a chance to take another step, he saw Emma heading toward him and Grace. Josh greeted Emma, who was carrying bundles of packages wrapped in brown paper and string.

  "Are you both going back to the ranch, now?" Josh asked, trying to control the urgency in his voice.

  Still looking perturbed, Grace nodded. "I think we will go back," she said. "Looks like Emma bought enough for us to make a start with our new things for Christmas."

  Emma laughed. "I couldn't stop myself," she said glancing at the packages. "I always buy too much."

  Josh touched the brim of his Stetson. "I'll be saying goodbye to you both." Grace gave Josh a look that combined confusion and disbelief. But Josh couldn't think of anything to say to her. He just needed to be on his way. He couldn't allow himself to be seen in Grace or Emma's company. Not if what he'd seen was true.

  He strode off quickly in the direction of his buckboard. His heart was racing and thoughts were tumbling through his mind. Maybe he'd been mistaken, he told himself as he lifted himself up onto the seat of his buckboard. Perhaps it had been a trick of the light. Mistaken identity. But, even as he told himself that, he knew it wasn't true.

  Josh flicked the reins and drove the buckboard northward up Main Street. Once out of town, his mind seemed to settle. Driving the buckboard eastward to the Munro spread, Josh admitted to himself that he had a problem.

  Because the man he'd seen at the saloon door was one of the reasons why Josh had left Wyoming in a hurry, taking Ryan with him.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  The next morning, Tuesday, Josh was in the barn when he heard someone pulling at the locked door. Josh wiped his brow and put the wood carving tool down onto the table. He lifted a tarpaulin and covered the table, concealing the pieces of wood he was working with. If the person at the door was Ryan, the last thing Josh wanted was for the boy to see his Christmas gift in the process of being made.

  Josh went to the door. "Who is it?"

  "It's me," Wyatt said from outside. The door was tugged again. "Why is the door locked?" Wyatt asked, sounding irritated.

  Josh lifted the wooden block and opened the barn door. He stepped back allowing Wyatt to enter. Wyatt's gaze swept around the inside of the barn. "What are you up to?" he asked abruptly.

  Josh closed and barred the door and walked to the table in the corner of the barn. He swept the tarpaulin aside, revealing the pieces of wood. "I'm working on Ryan's Christmas gift."

  Wyatt's brows lifted and he advanced to the table. He picked up a long piece of wood, the one Josh had been carving when Wyatt had tried to enter the barn. "A toboggan?" he asked.

  Josh nodded. "That's right. Do you know how to make one?"

  Wyatt frowned. "Sure I do," he replied. "Don't you remember when we were young? I was always the one who made things." He examined the piece of wood and nodded appreciatively. "Although, I can see you've done something like this before."