Cowboy, It's Cold Outside

by Lori Wilde

  After Cash’s first big hit, they’d had a falling-out over Cash’s rootless lifestyle and partying ways. Freddie feared he would end up like Lorena. Cash’s feelings had been hurt and he’d told him off. Later, Freddie had reached out to him to mend fences, but Cash, busy with his burgeoning career, hadn’t bothered to call him back. When Cash got over his upset and was ready to apologize for lashing out, too much time had slipped by, so he’d just let the relationship go.

  Freddie held his arms wide, and Cash, feeling warmed by the smile of a man who wanted absolutely nothing from him, walked into his embrace.

  “I’ll just go powder my nose,” Maxi said, slipping away from her husband. “Give you two boys a chance to catch up without the old ball and chain horning in.”

  Freddie pulled Maxi in for a long, romantic kiss before letting her go. As she walked away, Freddie’s gaze lit on her. “Forty years,” he said. “And she’s just as beautiful to me as the day I spied her on the city bus in Nashville.”

  An image of Paige in her Santa Baby costume popped into his head, and Cash found himself grinning as wide as Freddie.

  “Damn, I’ve missed you,” Freddie said.

  “I’ve missed you too.” Cash swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry I—”

  “Pah.” Freddie waved a congenial hand. “Water under the bridge. I get it. No worries. I don’t hold grudges. Life’s too short.”

  “Thank you,” Cash said, his heart filling with gratitude for Freddie’s acceptance. “Thank you.”

  “So what’s shaking?” Freddie asked, clasping Cash on the shoulder and guiding him to a sofa in the lobby. “Rumor had it you were in South America.”

  “I was. Peru. Been back almost a month.”

  “You got rid of all the hair,” Freddie noted.

  Cash shrugged. “I needed a radical change.”

  “Sorry about Simone and the band.”

  “Don’t be. It was for the best.”

  “Life generally works out for the best on its own if we can get out of the way and let it happen.”

  He couldn’t believe he’d run into Freddie Frank of all people at the Apex Christmas Eve party. Freddie and Maxi were more homebodies than gala-goers.

  “Why are you here?” Cash asked. “Aren’t you usually with your kids on Christmas Eve?”

  “We are,” Freddie said. “But the kids are here, all six of them. And they aren’t kids anymore. There’s even three grandbabies too. They’re already inside. Maxi and I were running late. We were . . .” A naughty expression crossed his face. “Never mind about that.”

  “What’s the occasion?”

  Freddie waved a dismissive hand. “I’m getting some kind of old fart award. I don’t care about the damn thing, but the kids insisted, so here we are. I’m glad too. Otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten to see you. So tell me, Cash, what’s going on in your world?”

  Looking into the face of his old friend, Cash found himself telling Freddie everything. Opening up completely. About Paige. The ups and downs in his career. The regrets he felt over the way he treated his grandparents as a rebellious teen, and his regret over not returning Freddie’s phone calls.

  When he finished, Freddie chuckled.

  “What’s funny?” Cash asked, slightly miffed that Freddie laughed. Hell, he’d just spilled his guts.

  “Well, for one, rest assured that your grandparents forgave you completely. They loved you, Cash. They understood.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so. Your granddaddy and I had a long talk about it. Why do you think I took you under my wing in the first place? I promised Hank I’d look out for you. Folks from small towns do that for each other. It’s why they call it a community.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything before?”

  “I did try to tell you, but you never listened. Or you couldn’t hear it,” Freddie said sagely. “Your grandparents would have been so proud of you. I hope you know that.”

  “Thanks for telling me.” Cash stroked his chin. “That makes me feel better.”

  “As for the talent thing . . . look at me. Do you think I’m any more talented than you are?”

  “What? You’re Freddie Frank,” Cash said.

  “But I’m no more talented than you. It could be argued I’m even less talented than you are. I only had the one sound, but it was my sound, and people seemed to love it. I was always true to myself.”

  “If I stay true to myself . . .” Cash leaned forward as if by getting closer to Freddie he could soak up his wisdom. “I’m walking away from the deal of a lifetime.”

  “A lucrative deal with the devil is still a deal with the devil.”

  “Are you saying Apex is the devil?”

  “I’m not being literal. I’m asking if a deal involving Simone and Snake will come back to devil you?” Freddie paused, letting that sink in. “Only you can answer that question.”

  “But I’d be walking away from millions.”

  Freddie shrugged as if money was inconsequential. “C’mon, Cash. You’ve done well for yourself. How much money do you need? How many cars can you drive? How big does a house really need to be? Once you have a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food in your belly, all you really need to be successful is gratitude.”

  This was precisely what he needed to hear. “And what about Paige? How can I hold on to her and still have a career?”

  Maxi came over and Freddie drew her onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck. He gazed at his wife with adoring eyes. “The proof is in the pudding. Maxi and I have loved each other for forty years. Do you think that held back my career any?”

  “Hey, I made your career, buddy.” Maxi giggled.

  “You are my muse.” Freddie nuzzled her neck.

  “Okay, okay, enough with the elder love.” Cash held up his palms in surrender.

  “Look at that, sweetie.” Maxi pulled Freddie in for a long, deep kiss. “The poor boy is jealous.”

  He was jealous! Cash wanted this. Wanted what Freddie and Maxi had, a love that would last a lifetime. He hopped up off the couch.

  “Where you going?” Freddie asked. “Aren’t you going to stick around and watch me get that silly old fart award?”

  “Sorry,” Cash said. “There’s a woman in Texas who doesn’t even know she’s waiting on me.”

  Maxi and Freddie gave him simultaneous thumbs-up, and said in unison, “Go get her!”

  Chapter 24

  Finale: Movement or passage that concludes the musical composition.

  Enthusiastic, but off-key, carolers sang at the top of their lungs, clutching songbooks and beaming at the residents gathered in the nursing home cafeteria.

  It was four p.m. on Christmas Day. A week after Paige broke up with Cash.

  The MacGregor clan had spent the day at Flynn and Jesse’s house. A day filled with fun, food, and family. But Grammie had wanted to get back to her home for the Christmas program. And Paige, since she had neither children nor a significant other, had volunteered to take her.

  Paige sat beside Grammie, who was clapping her hands in time to the music, and tried not to think about Cash.

  Failed.

  Even with her eyes open, she kept seeing his handsome face. He was carved deep into her memory, deep into her heart. She missed him more than she ever thought possible. Missed the sound of his voice. Missed the touch of his hands. Missed the heat of his mouth on hers.

  Many times over the course of the past week she’d almost called or texted him. Told him she loved him too. Asked him to come home.

  Home.

  Twilight wasn’t his home. He had no home. He was a rolling stone. And that was part of the problem, wasn’t it? He didn’t know how to be still, settled, satisfied.

  Sending him on his way had been the right thing. The smart thing. The mature thing. The thing that hurt the most.

  She sighed.

  Grammie reached over and patted her hand, whispered, “It’s going to be okay
.”

  “What is?”

  “Love always wins,” she said. “Sometimes it doesn’t look or feel like we think it should, but it always wins.”

  “Thanks, Grammie,” she said, hoping that was true. Maybe one day she would get her happily-ever-after, although right now the odds weren’t looking too good.

  “Shh.” Grammie giggled. “Wanna know the real reason I wanted to come back to the home early?”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Wayne Newton. He’s coming to see me.” Grammie swiveled in her chair, looked toward the door.

  Oh boy, here we go again. “Grammie, are you getting one of your bubbles?”

  “No.” Grammie frowned. “I’m telling you, Wayne called me last night and told me he would be here this afternoon.”

  “Grammie, don’t get your hopes up. Wayne’s pretty busy this time of—”

  “There he is!” Grammie waved.

  Paige turned.

  Cash Colton walked through the door singing, “Danke Schoen.”

  “Wayne! Yoo-hoo, over here!” Grammie stood up.

  The carolers onstage looked confused. They glanced at each other, and then looked back at Cash, who was walking up the middle of the makeshift aisle formed by folding metal chairs and wheelchairs.

  The lead singer gave an if-you-can’t-beat-’em-join-’em shrug, nodded at the other singers, who broke into “Danke Schoen.”

  Paige stood up, feeling both hot and cold at the same time. What was he doing here?

  Cash came toward them, his gaze locked on hers, thanking her in German.

  Her heart was a butterfly, fluttering, flittering. He was ten steps away from where she was standing beside Grammie. Nine. Eight. The closer he got, the higher her heart flew.

  Seven. Six. Five.

  Cash stopped, standing right in front of her, still singing. His eyes glued to hers.

  “Go to him,” Grammie whispered urgently.

  “He came to see you,” Paige muttered from the corner of her mouth.

  Grammie nudged her in the butt with her cane. “No, he didn’t. He’s your Wayne.”

  “Paige,” he said. “I have a Christmas present for you.”

  “You came back to Twilight to give me a Christmas present.”

  “Among other reasons.” He pulled an envelope from his pocket, handed it to her.

  She opened the letter. Read what was inside. It was from the owner of the building on the square that was for sale, accepting Cash’s cash offer and agreeing to put the title in Paige’s name.

  “What’s this?” she asked, her knees bobbling. She grasped the back of a nearby chair to keep from toppling over.

  “I want you to be a dancer. To teach dancing. Do what you love. I’m giving you the building. Whether you take me back or not. The building is yours. I decided to buy it for you last week, before . . . well . . . I want you to have it.”

  “But I can’t accept this, it’s too much.”

  “Paige,” he chided. “Letting people help you is not a sign of weakness.”

  “I—”

  “Have too much pride. It’s okay to accept help. When you let someone help you, you’re actually giving them the gift of showing you love them when they don’t know how else to show it.”

  “I haven’t earned it. I . . .” Her throat was so clotted with emotion she could barely speak.

  “You deserve something good in your life.”

  It was too overwhelming. She couldn’t take it all in.

  Cash knelt in front of her.

  Holy cheetah! Paige’s heart took the express elevator to heaven.

  The carolers stopped singing. The room fell silent. Everyone—the carolers, the elderly residents, and staff members—all leaned in closer.

  “What are you doing?” Paige asked, slightly horrified that he was doing this in front of an audience.

  “Groveling.” He looked up at her, took her trembling hand. “Paige, I’m begging you, please give me another chance.”

  “Please get up,” she said, tugging on his hands.

  Instead of pulling him up, he ended up dragging her to her knees in front of him.

  “I’m embarrassed,” she hissed.

  “I know.”

  “Is that why you’re doing this? To embarrass me?”

  “Not at all. I’m doing it so I have witnesses.”

  “Witnesses?” She gulped.

  “Paige Hyacinth MacGregor, I love you.”

  “You told me this before.”

  “I’m telling you again,” he chided softly.

  “Do we have to go over this a second time?” She didn’t think she had the courage to send him away again.

  “We do, because clearly you did not hear me the first time.” His hands were hot on her skin. “Paige, I love you. I love you more than I love myself. I would give up my very life for you and that includes my creative life. If having you means I could never play music again, so be it. I choose you. All the time. Every time. No exception.”

  “Why would you have to choose?”

  “To prove it’s you I love. It’s not just because I hear music whenever I’m around you. It’s not just for the way I feel when I’m around you. It’s you, Paige. You’re my world. My beloved. My everything.”

  “How do you know?” she whispered, hardly daring to believe this was true. That he really did love her fully, completely, unconditionally, the same way she loved him.

  “I love the way you dance with total abandon when you think no one is watching. I love how you put your heart and soul into everything you do. I love those cinnamon freckles on the bridge of your nose. With you, I’ve found the home I never knew I’d been searching for.”

  Paige was so focused on Cash and his dear sweet face she forgot about the people surrounding them, forgot about everything but the look in his eyes. Love poured from him, vibrated off him.

  “But what about your career?”

  “Apex offered me a huge contract if I’d team up with Simone and Snake and keep playing the same old music that I’ve always played and I turned them down.”

  “Wh-why?”

  “Because I want to move forward with my life. I’ve changed and grown and I want my career to reflect it.”

  “But . . .” She bit her bottom lip. What if he’d done this all for her and his career tanked? She couldn’t be responsible for that. “What if your indie career doesn’t take off?”

  “Then maybe you’d rent out the top part of your building to me and I could teach music. It would be a good combo. Song and dance.”

  “Are you sure this is what you truly want?”

  “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. There is one important thing missing.” He gulped and she noticed for the first time his hands were trembling too.

  “What’s that?”

  “I love you like crazy, Paige. But do you love me?”

  “Oh, Cash.” She breathed. “You silly man. You had me at ‘Santa Baby.’ I love you so hard I ache.”

  “I know that feeling.” He wriggled his eyebrows. “Wanna get out of here and do something about soothing that ache?”

  “You sure took your time getting around to that.”

  He laughed, scooped her into his arms, cradled her against him, and got to his feet as wild applause erupted around them. They went back to her houseboat, where they made love long and slow as they shared the merriest Christmas ever.

  And in the morning when Cash went to walk Fritzi, he found a basket of caramel apple cookies wrapped in big bow sitting beside the front door, with a note that said, Welcome home.

  Epilogue

  Coda: Closing section of a movement.

  December 1, one year later

  “I told you cookies would work.” Emma smiled at Flynn. “As long as you follow the rules, the matchmaker cookies never fail.”

  “You were so right.” Flynn sighed happily as she watched Cash and Paige glide across the floor in their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Colton
. “They are freaking adorable together.”

  “I admit it was touch and go there for a while,” Emma said. “When Paige found out what we’d been up to with the cookies.”

  Flynn nodded. “We almost blew it.”

  “Lesson learned,” Emma said. “Never be forthcoming about matchmaking.”

  “So should we mix up another batch of matchmaker cookies this Christmas?” Emma grinned wickedly.

  “I thought you’d never ask.” Flynn raised her champagne glass. “To love.”

  Emma clinked her glass with Flynn’s. “To love. Who shall we bake the cookies for this time?”

  “My little brother Joel is heartbroken after his girlfriend chose her career over him.” Flynn took a worn copy of The First Love Cookie Club Cookbook from her purse, turned to the dog-eared page. “But the rules state to only serve the cookies after all other methods have been exhausted. Joel might not be ready for matchmaker cookies just yet.”

  “You know who’s been single for years and has been looking mighty lonely lately?” Emma said.

  “Who?”

  Emma leaned over and whispered in Flynn’s ear.

  Flynn’s eyes brightened. “Oh, Emma, you’re so right, and I know who would be absolutely perfect for her. Let’s head to the liquor store for a bottle of cinnamon bourbon and get started right away. With any luck, this time next year there will be another wedding in Twilight.”

  From the Recipe Book of the First Love Cookie Club

  Contributed by Sarah Collier Walker from the reclaimed files of Gramma Mia

  MATCHMAKER COOKIES

  Warning! Matchmaker Cookies are serious business. Baking them is not to be undertaken lightly. They can have a powerful impact on the lives of those who consume them. Matchmaker Cookies may cause people to fall hopelessly in love with the object of their deepest desires.

  Important!

  Rules for the baking, use, and consumption of Matchmaker Cookies should be followed to the letter.

  The Rules