A Cowboy's Christmas Promise

by Maggie McGinnis

  “—but keep your enemies closer?”

  “Yeah.” He sighed, looking out the window again. “I have no idea whether it will eventually backfire, but it’s the best plan I have right now. She’s trying to prove she doesn’t have enough time with the girls, and I’m trying to prove she’s got all the time she wants.” He put his hands out, palms up. “So here she is.”

  “And now she thinks you host random hookups in your kitchen. That’s definitely not going to help your case.” Hayley started pacing.

  Crap, crap, crap. Now look what she’d done. She should have just stayed in her cabin tonight and let Daniel take his girls home to bed. That would have been a much smarter choice.

  “In my defense,” he raised his palms, a sad smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I don’t make a habit of this.”

  “Doesn’t matter. She’ll think you do, won’t she? Or at least she’ll pretend to?” Hayley kept pacing the small space. “Daniel, she saw me sitting on your counter with my legs wrapped around you while you kissed the ever-living stuffing out of me. There’s no way that’s going to play well.”

  He nodded slowly, but didn’t speak.

  “How can you be so calm about this? The woman’s trying to ruin your life!”

  Daniel sighed. “You know what? For two years I’ve tiptoed around Evelyn. I’ve done that two-hour flight from Montana to Denver every month—every freaking month…and for what? Now she’s going to try for custody?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not at all calm about this, but right now I really don’t want to be thinking about Evelyn. I want to be thinking about you. She’s going to do what she’s going to do, and in her mind, she has to. I get that. I get that she’s consumed with pain and rage that I’m the one who lived, and her daughter didn’t. And part of this is her attempt to make me pay. I get that, even if she doesn’t.”

  He stepped toward Hayley, and she backed up in response, but ran into the counter.

  “But I refuse to let her take over my life. I have been waiting for four months to have you back here again, and right now, the only thing I want to think about is kissing you again.”

  “No.” Damn her voice, doing that shaky thing again. “We shouldn’t.”

  “I don’t agree.”

  Neither do I, dammit!

  “I’m sorry, Daniel.” Hayley crossed her arms. “I really didn’t mean to come out here and do…this. There’s too much at stake here for us to fool around and mess it up. I’ll—I’ll keep my distance for the rest of vacation, and maybe Evelyn will forget what she saw—or at least assume it was meaningless.”

  He nodded slowly. “We could do that.”

  “Oh.” Why did it feel like her stomach had just swallowed her esophagus at his simple sentence? “Okay. It’s the right thing to do.”

  “Just one question.” His eyes bored into hers.

  She swallowed hard. “Yeah?”

  “Was it meaningless to you?”

  She wanted to say yes, wanted to nod her head, wanted to swing her ponytail and walk out his door like none of it had mattered—but as his eyes melted her insides once again, she felt herself shaking her head miserably.

  “I didn’t think so.” He stepped back toward her and gathered her in his arms, tucking her against his chest and resting his chin on her head. “You’re all bluster, Scampini.”

  She sighed, thoughts buzzing through her brain. They shouldn’t be hugging, shouldn’t be touching, even—and yet all she wanted right now was for this delicious man to wrap her up in his arms and hold her forever.

  Forever?

  No. That was not a word Hayley Scampini used, and she was way too old and tarnished to start now.

  She drew back so she could look up at him, and when she did, he cradled her jaw in his hands, sending all of her self-preservation instincts to the wind. He took a breath, and when he spoke, his voice was soft, serious.

  “I need to tell you something, and I think it needs to be said now, before you walk out that door, because I know you are practically itching to make your getaway right now.”

  “Okay?”

  He stroked his thumbs along her jaw. “I don’t do casual, Hayls. Even before Katie, I never did, and I never will. It’s just not how I’m put together. I don’t go around kissing practical strangers at a wedding. I don’t haul just anyone onto my kitchen counter and—kiss the stuffing out of her. I certainly, certainly, don’t make love to a woman or invite her to my home to hang with my girls if it doesn’t mean something.”

  “Okay,” she whispered, unable to form other words. Especially since those other words might enlighten him as to just how opposite their paths thus far had been.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Okay? That’s all you’ve got?”

  “You’re lucky you got that. My brain has officially disconnected itself from my mouth.”

  “Good.” He smiled, gathering her even closer. “Then your brain won’t notice that I’m going to kiss you again.”

  —

  The next afternoon, Daniel was sitting on the floor of the living room engaged in a high-spirited game of Sorry with the girls when there was a knock at the door.

  “I’ll get it.” Gracie leaped up, then squeaked. “It’s Hayley!”

  Daniel’s mood lifted instantly, and he actually smiled and shook his head when he realized it. She’d left at the crack of dawn so the girls wouldn’t wake up and discover her there, and now she was back.

  Gracie dragged Hayley through the kitchen into the living room, and Daniel stood up to greet her. Under a bright green down vest, she had on a deep purple sweater that made her hair even more vivid than usual. The almost-shy look she gave him pulled at his heart, but he remembered her blue-green eyes looking anything but shy just hours ago.

  His hands itched to pull her close, drink in the vanilla scent of her neck, let her hair tangle between his fingers, but the girls were watching, so he had to settle for just saying hi.

  “Looks like you’ve escaped the ranch. Is that because they’re trying to make you cook again?”

  She shook her head. “Crafts. Ma’s decorating for the New Year’s Eve party already.” She set two sparkly bags on the floor and sat down on the couch, automatically gathering both girls onto her lap as she talked. “You’d think she’d know better than to hand me scissors and white paper and say make snowflakes, but apparently not.”

  “We know how to make snowflakes!” Bryn piped up.

  Hayley squeezed her. “See? I figured that! And that’s why I brought the paper and scissors here. I hoped maybe you two could teach me how to do it.”

  The girls jumped down and headed for the bags, but Hayley put out a gentle hand to stop them. “Actually, the snowflake stuff is in the car because I wasn’t sure what your daddy had planned for today.” She peered over their shoulders. “And I can see there is a mad game of Sorry going on here.”

  “It’s okay,” Gracie assured her. “We were almost done, and Bryn was winning. She always wins.”

  Daniel smiled as she pronounced it so matter-of-factly. “So let me get this straight.” He raised his eyebrows at Hayley, who tried to look innocent under his gaze. “You’re using my girls to do your craft duties.”

  “No! I’m asking them to teach me. It’s different.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Totally is. And I brought presents!”

  “Bribes?”

  She laughed. “Presents.” She reached for the glittery bags, and handed a pink one to Bryn and a purple one to Gracie. “I was downtown this morning and couldn’t resist. I hope it’s okay.”

  Daniel braced himself as the girls started sifting through the tissue paper. Please let her not have pulled an Evelyn and bought them presents they’d never use. She’d definitely see through them as they struggled to pretend they liked them.

  He needn’t have worried. The squeals that filled the room for the next two minutes were testament to the fact that, clearly, Hayley had a knack for gifts.


  “It’s boots!” Gracie crowed as she pulled colorful rubber boots out of her bag. “With horses on them!”

  “Mine have kitties!” Bryn squealed as she struggled to put them on. “Oh, Hayley! They’re awesome!”

  Daniel laughed as the girls got the boots on and proceeded to dance around the living room, admiring them. They were completely adorable, and completely perfect for his girls and their life. Huh. Imagine that.

  He longed to hug her in thanks, but with the girls right there, he settled for a wink. “You scored, Scampini.”

  She shrugged, but he could tell she was thrilled with the girls’ response.

  “I saw them, and then I pictured them on Bryn and Gracie, and then the boots were in the bags. I couldn’t help it.” She reached into her pocket and handed a sales slip his way. “But here’s a gift receipt if you decide they’re not right.”

  He waved the slip away and pointed at the girls. “They’re perfect. You knew they were.”

  She nodded, smiling widely. “I actually did.”

  Daniel watched her as she watched the girls hopping around, and he could see something in her eyes that made his breath catch in his throat. Obviously she was happy that they liked the boots. But it was more than that, different from that. In her eyes, in her posture, he saw a sort of peace he hadn’t seen there before, and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it—except that he liked it.

  He liked it a lot.

  “So, girls.” Hayley motioned them over to her, and they gladly leaped her way. “Since you now have these gorgeous boots, I was wondering if you might like to come to Whisper Creek tomorrow and go for a trail ride with me.”

  “On horses?” Bryn’s eyes went wide.

  “On horses. Cole and Decker said we could take a ride if we want to. If it’s okay with your daddy, what do you think?”

  “Yes! Yes! Yes!” The girls turned to Daniel and grabbed at his hands, pleading. “Can we go, Daddy? Can we?”

  Suddenly he noticed Hayley putting her hand to her mouth. “Oh, no. I just totally blew—oh, God. I’m sorry. I should have talked to you first.”

  “Before you promise the girls an epic horseback adventure in new sparkly boots? Yeah, that’s one of those times when it’s good to ask first.” He shook his head, smiling.

  She cringed. “I really am sorry. I didn’t think. I was assuming you have a boatload of work to do, and thought I’d take them off your hands for a couple of hours.”

  “Well, see that it doesn’t happen again.” He tried to make his voice sound playfully fierce, but faced with three sets of pleading eyes, he couldn’t even hold it for three straight words. “Fine. They can go, but as punishment, you have to take me with you.”

  Her eyes widened, and the girls paused for a moment, trying to figure out if he was kidding. When they realized he wasn’t, they started squealing again.

  Hayley’s eyebrows furrowed. “Really? You want to come, too?”

  “Yeah, I do.” He smiled, gathering his girls close in a jokingly protective manner. “You forget, Scampini. I’ve heard the tales about you on horseback.”

  “I promise to stay on the trail, take a radio, and not go over walking speed.”

  “Really.”

  “Well, I had to, in order for Cole to agree to let me do this.” She sighed. “And also he was going to come with us.”

  Daniel laughed out loud at the consternation on her face as she admitted this. “Your rep precedes you, babe.”

  At that last word, her head snapped up, and his mouth felt funny.

  Had he just called her…babe?

  Chapter 28

  “I think I like the black headband better.” Jess leaned into the bathroom of their cabin and pointed to the counter, where a messy pile of Hayley’s hair apparel threatened to fall into the sink in front of her.

  “Really? You don’t like the green?” Hayley tipped her head left and right in the mirror, trying to see her current one at different angles.

  “The green’s fine, but the black one says I’m not trying here.”

  “Maybe I’ll just go with a ponytail.” Hayley roped her hair up behind her head, but frowned at the result. “Nope. I’m going with the green. And stop smiling.”

  “I’m just enjoying how much time it’s taking you to get ready for a simple horseback ride.”

  “Y’know, just because you have the whole calm-cool-collected thing down to a science doesn’t mean you can make fun of those of us who don’t.”

  “You usually do.”

  “Shh.” Hayley cocked her head toward the window. “Are they here already?”

  “Well, if they are, I highly suggest pants.”

  She looked down, realizing she was still clad only in her underwear and socks. “Pants!” She ran into the bedroom, flinging the door closed behind her. Which jeans had she decided on? “Stall them!”

  Jess laughed. “They’re not here yet.”

  “Are you sure? I could have sworn I heard them roll in.”

  “He’s not supposed to be here until ten o’clock, right?”

  Hayley looked at the clock, which read 10:08. “It’s already after ten.”

  Jess cleared her throat from the other side of the door. “It, um, actually isn’t.”

  “What do you mean?” Hayley felt her eyes narrow as she picked up her phone from the bureau and checked the time. Then she pulled the door open to find Jess cringing on the other side, a small smile on her lips. “You set my clock ahead a half hour?”

  “Only because I know you, and because if it were ten o’clock right now and Daniel showed up at the door, you’d still have on three headbands, but no pants.”

  Hayley paused, then looked down at her legs. “I wish that wasn’t true.” She slid on her jeans, and checked the fit in the mirror while Jess came in and perched on the edge of her bed.

  “You look perfect. Relax.”

  “I’m perfectly relaxed.” Hayley adjusted her T-shirt.

  “Mm hm.” Jess sipped her tea. “Tell your cheeks that.”

  Hayley looked at her reflection in the mirror, frowning when she saw the bright spots of nervous color on both cheeks. “We’re just going on a little trail ride. Nothing to get nervous or excited about.”

  Jess laughed softly. “Sorry, sweetie. It’s fun to see you this way, all nerved up but not wanting to admit it.”

  Hayley looked at her for a long moment, then sat down on the bed beside her. “I’m so sunk. I was not going to fall for this guy.”

  “I remember. So I’m guessing Kyla was right about the sweetness part?”

  “Yeah.” Hayley nodded and blew out a breath. “It goes really well with the hotness part.”

  “Dangerous?”

  “Absolutely lethal.” She flopped back on the bed. “Oh, Jess. This was not the plan. What am I doing?”

  “You want my expert opinion?”

  “Probably not.”

  “I think for the first time in your life, you might actually be falling in love.”

  “Not that you’ll be blunt.”

  Jess shrugged. “It’s pretty simple, really. And ridiculously obvious. The sparks you two were shooting on Christmas Day were”—she held her hand over her heart—“wow.”

  “Sparks are not the same as love.”

  “But they go together pretty well, don’t they? When you got back here from Daniel’s yesterday morning, your cheeks were a dead giveaway.”

  Hayley sighed, throwing her hand across her eyes, picturing the tiny forehead scar she’d only just noticed. “That man—that man is just way too much perfection in one human.”

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. I really don’t. I’m trying to embrace the Jess method and just go with the flow, but it’s a little terrifying.” Hayley felt her nose wrinkle. “Here I am, about to go out on a trail ride with a ridiculously hot guy—and his kids. This is not my typical M.O.—in so many ways.”

  She looked out the window at the stable.
“This day, this trail ride…it feels like something a family would do together. A mom, a dad, and their kids. It does not feel like something Hayley Scampini would do, because she’d have already extracted herself the moment she found out there were kids in the equation. And yet? Here I am, four months later. We’ve talked on the phone, we’ve Skyped, we’ve emailed. For four months. I think this no longer qualifies as a fling.”

  “Well, that’s terrifying.”

  “I’m not kidding, Jess. I’m really afraid I’m going to like it out there today. I’m going to like feeling like I’m part of a normal family unit. Maybe I’ll even love it—and do you have any idea how scary that is?”

  “I actually think it’s pretty beautiful.”

  “But if I go all-in here, what if it doesn’t work? I’ve already lost my sisters, Jess. I don’t think I could go through something like that again. Back then, I didn’t have any control over the situation, but now I do.”

  Just then Daniel’s truck pulled to a stop next to the cabin, and Hayley heard the girls leap out of the back seat and run for the porch. Gracie apparently got there first. “It’s my turn to knock!”

  “No! You did it last time! It’s my turn!” Hayley heard Bryn’s voice.

  And then Daniel’s. “Actually, girls, it’s my turn this time.”

  Jess turned to Hayley and patted her knee, laughing quietly. “It might be just my read on the situation, but I think you’re well past the point of choosing not to get involved. Just take it day by day. Don’t think beyond tomorrow until you have to.” She put up a finger. “And before you interrupt me, you do not have to think beyond tomorrow. Not while we’re here. Just—”

  “Be?”

  “Exactly. Just be, Hayls. Just dive in, let go, and fall madly, deeply, head-over-heels with this man. This boat is already sailing, and all you can do is hang on and enjoy it.”

  Hayley sighed heavily as she sat up and looked at Jess, desperately wanting everything to be as simple as Jess made it sound. Her stomach commenced somersaults, though, as she realized the danger in doing just that, and she felt her smile falter into a frown.

  “That all sounds good. But—what if I drown?”