Just a Little Christmas

by Janet Dailey

  * * *

  “You should sleep.” The nurse held out her hands. “Let me put your baby in the bassinet. Don’t worry, he’ll be right here next to your bed.”

  Ellie shook her head. “Not yet. I don’t want to let him go.”

  “He’s the little guy who was born in a truck tonight, isn’t he? I hear your husband delivered him like a pro.”

  “He’s not my husband,” Ellie said. But he should be, she thought. Jubal would make a wonderful father. She’d seen him with Gracie, and she could tell he already loved her baby. No man she’d ever known would be better suited to raising a boy.

  But what about her?

  Pretty, practical Laura, a farm girl, with her hand-me-down clothes and calloused palms, had been the perfect wife for Jubal. Ellie was everything Laura hadn’t been—pampered, self-indulgent, and ambitious beyond the role of wife and mother. Kylie Taggart had married a rancher and made it work. But Ellie knew she was different. She wasn’t ready to spend her days wiping up muddy footprints and counting her blessings.

  She had never loved anyone the way she loved Jubal. But he’d have to be crazy to take on a woman like her. Even if he proposed—and he seemed on the verge of it—she wouldn’t be doing him any favors by saying yes.

  From the cradle of her arms, her son gazed up at her with wise, innocent eyes. Looking down at him, Ellie felt her heart swell, break, and overflow. “What do you think, little one?” she whispered. “If you could give your foolish mother advice, what would you tell her?”

  * * *

  On Monday morning, Jubal took the money from Nugget’s sale out of the safe, drove into town, and dropped Gracie off for an activity at the library. Pulse racing, he drove to the pretentious-looking brick home where Clive and Donetta Huish lived.

  He’d been braced for something to go wrong. But Clive, who welcomed him with cold politeness, had everything ready. The process of reading the documents, signing them, and turning over the cash took less than thirty minutes. Donetta Huish, who had signed earlier, did not appear.

  Ellie’s absence was excused. Jubal took a copy of the agreement for her to sign and drop in the mail.

  “I hope we can put this little misunderstanding behind us.” Clive offered his hand at the door.

  “I’m getting my ranch back. That’s all I care about.” Jubal forced himself to accept the handshake. The Huishes were cheats and liars. He was glad to be done with them.

  From the house, he went straight to the county recorder’s office and filed the deed. At last the ranch was truly his. Now he could move ahead with his plans—and hopefully with Ellie.

  Before picking up Gracie at the library, he made a call to the phone in Ellie’s room. She answered on the second ring.

  “It’s done,” he said. “The ranch is mine.”

  Her happy little squeal was the way he remembered it from the old days. He could tell she was feeling better. “So when are you and Gracie coming to see us?” she asked.

  “I’m about to pick her up. If she’s hungry, I’ll get her something to eat. Then we’ll be on our way.”

  “Could you do me a favor?” she asked.

  “Name it.”

  “I don’t have my purse. I left it in my room when I went to the Christmas Ball. Could you pick it up and bring it with you?”

  “Sure. No problem.”

  “Thanks. I need my insurance card, and I feel lost without my cell phone, lipstick, and all that good stuff. Oh—my mother said something about her book club luncheon today. If nobody’s home, the back door should be unlocked. You can go on in. Just be careful not to let Beau out.”

  “We’ll be careful. See you in an hour or so.”

  He drove down Main Street to the library. The sky was bright and clear, the sidewalks lined with drifts of shoveled snow. Lights twinkled in shop windows. Holiday music filled the air. Jubal found himself humming along. He had never felt more like celebrating Christmas. Maybe later today he would ask Gracie what she really wanted to find under the tree. After paying off the ranch, he had money to spare for a really nice gift—maybe a bicycle or even some new furniture for her bedroom.

  Gracie was waiting for him at the library. He bought her a kid-sized burger and a soda at Buckaroo’s. Then they drove to the Marsden house to get Ellie’s purse.

  “I know right where it is,” Gracie said. “She left it hanging on the closet doorknob.”

  “Since you know where it is, why don’t you just run inside and get it,” Jubal said, pulling into the driveway. “I’ll wait here. Remember, don’t let Beau out.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be right back.” Gracie jumped down from the truck and climbed the steps to the front door. When it proved to be locked, she hurried off the porch and disappeared around the house.

  A few minutes later she was back, clutching Ellie’s generously sized black leather purse. Holding the bag tightly with one hand, she climbed back into the truck and fastened her seat belt.

  “How about some Christmas music?” Without waiting for an answer, she switched on the radio and turned up the volume.

  “That’s pretty loud,” Jubal said.

  “I like it that way. Sing with me.”

  Jubal sang along as they drove up the highway toward Cottonwood Springs. They were about halfway and had made it through “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” and a half dozen other songs when Jubal noticed that another voice had joined in. Barks and whines were coming from Ellie’s purse.

  “What the—” He found a plowed spot and pulled off onto the shoulder of the road. A fluffy white head was poking out of the purse’s top.

  “Blast it, Gracie—”

  “Please don’t be mad.” Her eyes would have melted granite. “Beau really misses Ellie. And I bet she misses him, too. I wanted to bring him along and surprise her.”

  “You can’t bring a dog into the hospital. It isn’t allowed.”

  “Yes, it is. I saw it on TV. This kid was sick and they let his dog come in.”

  Jubal sighed. Gracie was usually an obedient child, but when she thought she was doing the right thing, she could be even more stubborn than he was.

  “We can’t leave Beau in the truck,” Gracie argued. “He’d get cold. Or somebody might break in and steal him. And”—she added as if knowing she’d won—“it would take too long to drive him back to the house.”

  “All right.” Jubal knew when he was beaten. “But he stays in the purse. When it’s time to leave, I’ll put him under my jacket.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” Gracie grinned as she lifted the little poodle out of Ellie’s purse and cuddled him in her arms.

  * * *

  Ellie freshened her face with a damp washcloth and fluffed her hair with the comb that had come in the hospital bag. Jubal and Gracie wouldn’t be expecting movie star glamour. All the same, she wanted to look nice when they walked in.

  She glanced at the clock. More than an hour had passed since she’d spoken to Jubal. Even with feeding Gracie and stopping by the house to pick up her purse, he ought to be here soon.

  Leaning to one side, she looked down at her son, asleep in his bassinet. The love that flowed through her was almost dizzying in its power. She would do anything for this tiny bit of wonder—anything to protect him, anything to provide for his needs.

  At last she understood what it was like to be her mother.

  She heard a rap on the closed door. That would be Jubal and Gracie. She’d missed them yesterday. Being with them felt almost like family.

  “Come in,” she called.

  The door opened. The tall, blond man who strode into the room was dressed in a tan Burberry coat with a dark blue cashmere sweater. He smiled, showing perfect veneers, as he walked toward her bed.

  “Hello, Ellie,” said Brent.

  Chapter 16

  Ellie stared at the man she’d never wanted to see again. Seconds passed before she found her voice. “How did you—?”

/>   “How did I know? And how did I find you?” His Hollywood smile was as dazzling as it was cold. “It wasn’t that hard. You never filed a change of address with the health insurance company. When the statements came to me, I knew you must be pregnant. Since you’d already registered at the hospital, all I had to do was pull a few strings and ask to be notified when you checked in. I caught a flight as soon as I heard.”

  Cornered in her bed, Ellie glared at him. “What makes you think the baby’s yours?”

  He laughed. “I can count. And I know you, Ellie. You’re too much of a Goody Two-shoes to have cheated while you were still married. He’s mine, all right.” He glanced toward the bassinet on the far side of the bed. “Now, how about introducing me to my son?”

  “He’s sleeping. And as far as I’m concerned, you gave up all rights to him when you went off and married Valerie.”

  His smile fell away like a mask, revealing a face that was as arrogant as it was handsome. “That’s not what the law says. As for Valerie, that didn’t work out. She’s filed for divorce.”

  “How much is she giving you?” Ellie used sarcasm to keep him at bay. Inside, she felt gut-wrenching fear. Brent was a lawyer. He would use every trick in the book to manipulate her. And now he had a weapon—his legal right to her baby.

  “We had a prenuptial. I got what I was entitled to. But that’s not why I’m here.” He cleared his throat. Ellie reached for the call button on the remote, prepared to ring for the nurse if he made a move toward her baby.

  “So why are you here?” she demanded.

  He moved closer to the bed. “This is hard to say, Ellie. I made the biggest mistake of my life, cheating on you and forcing you out of our marriage. I want you back, darling. I want you and I and our son to be a real family.”

  * * *

  Jubal parked, climbed out, and walked around the truck to hold Ellie’s purse while Gracie jumped to the ground. He wanted to make sure the fool dog didn’t wriggle out of the purse and escape into the parking lot.

  “Watch him. You know how he likes to get loose and explore.” Jubal handed the purse back to his daughter, freeing his hands to lock the truck. “I hope you know you’re in big trouble for bringing him.”

  “I know.” Gracie skipped ahead of him, clutching the purse. At least she hadn’t said she was sorry. She knew better than to lie to her father.

  Jubal lengthened his stride to keep up with her. He barely glanced at the shiny black Lincoln Town Car with rental plates that was parked next to the curb in a handicapped spot. His mind was on what he wanted to say to Ellie, and on the little velvet box he’d taken out of the safe that morning and slipped into his pocket.

  Gracie rushed through the automatic double doors and into the hospital lobby. “Hold on.” Jubal caught up with her as she passed the glittering Christmas tree. “You don’t even know where you’re going.”

  “Sorry, I just want to see Ellie and the baby.”

  “They’re right down that hallway—past the arrow sign that says MATERNITY. But you’ll have to stay with me and be quiet. People are resting.”

  The Cottonwood Springs hospital wasn’t large. It was constructed on a single floor, with the lobby front and center and the rooms going out in wings. Jubal kept Gracie next to him as they walked down the corridor toward Ellie’s room.

  “Dad”—Gracie nudged him—“I have to go to the bathroom.”

  “Okay. Let’s find you one before we go in.” Jubal glanced up and down the long hallway. Across the hall from Ellie’s room was a closet-sized door with a unisex symbol on it. “That should do. Let me make sure it’s empty.” Jubal tested the door and looked inside. “All clear. I’ll wait out here for you. Want me to take the dog?”

  “Beau will be fine with me. Don’t go in the room till I come out, okay? I want to surprise Ellie.” She carried the purse into the restroom and closed the door.

  Jubal moved against the wall to wait. Ellie’s room was a few feet down the hall. The door stood ajar. From inside he could hear the sound of a man’s voice. Maybe the doctor had stopped by, or one of the male staff was seeing to her needs.

  As the voice grew more strident, he could make out words. Only then, as he caught their meaning and their arrogant tone, did he remember the luxury rental car parked outside. His heart dropped as he realized who was in the room with Ellie.

  Walk away, a voice in his head shrilled. You don’t want to hear this. But how could he go and leave Gracie? He had little choice except to stay and listen.

  “This is the plan, Ellie,” Brent was saying. “We get remarried, our son gets two parents, and you get it all back—the condo, the clothes, the lifestyle, the whole package. We can hire a live-in nanny, so you’ll be free to travel with me, or anything else you want to do. When the boy’s old enough, he’ll go to the best schools and make the kind of friends who can help him succeed later on. He’ll never want for anything.”

  Ellie’s murmured reply was too low for Jubal to hear. Was she arguing with the bastard, or was she liking the idea? She’d left Branding Iron for the kind of life Brent was describing. Now she had a chance to get it back. All she had to do was remarry the father of her child. She might not do it for herself, but she could be capable of doing it for her son.

  Jubal felt as if a knot had jerked tight in his stomach. Brent could provide all the comfort and security Ellie needed, and a world of advantages for her boy.

  What could a poor man like him offer except the hard work and challenges of ranch life? And love, of course. No man could love Ellie as much as he did. But love hadn’t been enough ten years ago. And it wouldn’t be enough now.

  Right now, all Jubal wanted to do was take Gracie and leave.

  Brent was talking again. “Hell, it wasn’t that bad, was it? We did manage to make a baby together. Think about that baby now. Doesn’t he deserve to grow up with his real father and mother?”

  Again, Ellie’s reply was muffled.

  “I don’t have to play nice, you know,” he said. “I could sue for joint custody. No judge in the world would deny me that. But you’ll be spared that if we’re man and wife . . .”

  From the restroom, Jubal heard the sound of water running. An instant later Gracie came out into the hall. Ellie’s purse dangled from one hand. The other hand cradled Beau against her shoulder. Jubal made a move to stop her, but he wasn’t fast enough. Thrusting the purse at him, she headed through the door into Ellie’s room.

  No way was Jubal letting her go in there alone. Still holding Ellie’s purse, he followed her.

  “Hi, Ellie . . .” Gracie’s voice trailed into silence as she saw the tall, blond stranger standing next to the bed. He turned toward her with a look that was almost chilling. Uncertain, Gracie set Beau on the blanket next to Ellie.

  Suddenly the little dog went crazy.

  Snarling like a miniature hellhound, he lunged at Brent. His teeth clamped onto the man’s hand, catching the web of skin between his thumb and forefinger. Cursing and waving his arm, Brent shook the dog loose. Beau yelped as he flew through the air and landed, stunned, on the tile floor.

  “I’ll kill that damned dog!” Brent swung a foot. Jubal moved to block the blow, shouldering him off balance. Brent stumbled against a bedside table, sending a water glass crashing to the floor.

  Gracie was crying. Before she could reach Beau and pick him up, the little poodle scrambled to his feet, darted out the door, and rocketed down the hall.

  “No! ” Gracie pushed past her father, and raced after him.

  Ellie had pressed the emergency button. The gray-haired nurse who walked into the room looked tough enough to stare down a charging grizzly. “Stay with her,” Jubal said. “Don’t leave her or the baby alone with this man until I get back.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got this,” she said.

  Reassured, Jubal charged after his daughter and the dog.

  * * *

  The bite on Brent’s hand was oozing pinheads of blood. Muttering, he d
abbed at the wound with a damp paper towel.

  “Don’t worry, Beau’s had all his shots,” Ellie said.

  He glared at her. This was the real Brent, the man she’d left and divorced. “That damned dog hates me,” he said.

  “He has every reason to.”

  He turned to the nurse, who stood next to Ellie’s bed. “Don’t you have a Band-Aid or something?”

  “The emergency room’s in the other wing. You’ll see the sign outside.”

  “Never mind,” he growled. “This isn’t over, Ellie. We’ll talk later.”

  “We’ll talk now, and then you’ll go,” Ellie said. “First of all, I wouldn’t remarry you for all the money in the world. I gave you a second chance, and you showed me you hadn’t changed. You never will.

  “Second, if you try to get custody of my baby, I’ll fight you with everything I’ve got. I’ll use everything I know about you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Yeah? Like what?”

  “That you cheated.”

  He shrugged. “And?”

  “That you were an abusive husband who would probably be an abusive father. Something tells me that would carry some weight with the judge.”

  “Abusive? Hell, I slapped you around a little, mostly because you deserved it. But I never hurt you. I never broke any bones or put you in the hospital.”

  “Did you slap Valerie around, too? Is that why she’s divorcing you? Maybe I should call her. We could have a very productive conversation. She’d probably even back me in court if I asked her to.”

  His lip curled. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “I’d do anything to keep you away from my son—even make sure your clients and partners found out what a poor excuse for a human being you are. Don’t mess with me, Brent. Try it and you’ll be sorry. That’s all. You can leave now.”

  His gaze swept the small room, coming to rest on the bassinet. “Will you at least let me see him?”