The Cowboy's Christmas Plan

by Shanna Hatfield

  The men finally left the table, all offering multiple words of gratitude for the good dinner and treat of apple cider and fresh doughnuts.

  Although she didn’t say anything further about Cass, Cadence decided to talk to Aunt Viv and see if there was anything that could be done to better the little girl’s situation.

  ><><

  With all the guys gone for the afternoon and nothing in the house that needed her attention, Cadence wanted to see if she could find Denni’s old sewing machine out in the barn.

  The first week of November had arrived with cold temperatures, just like Trent had predicted. Cadence was glad for her warm coat as she walked across the yard toward the barn. Although the sun was shining, it was still nippy outside.

  Bob and Bonnie, the two dogs, ran around her legs and barked as if to say, “come play with us a while.” Cadence laughed and gave them both a good rub on their heads.

  After pushing open the barn door, she stepped inside then waited a moment for her eyes to adjust to the muted light. The dogs nosed in behind her, sniffing their way across the barn.

  Leaving the door open a crack, the smells of horses and hay filled the air. Another somewhat unpleasant scent, one she was coming to recognize as manure, was also present. She supposed that was natural considering she was in a barn.

  When she first started doing laundry for the Thompson men, she wondered how Trey and Trent managed to get manure on their jeans so frequently. It hadn’t taken long to figure out it was all part of ranching.

  She had to research some ideas online for getting manure out of fabric after the first load of jeans she washed came out nearly as dirty as they did when she tossed them in. Cadence felt a twinge of pride that she was learning and adjusting to this new and completely different way of life.

  As a young girl, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to be when she grew up. There were so many fascinating possibilities like a chef, a fashion designer, a successful business executive. They all seemed like wonderful careers.

  Once she decided the restaurant business wasn’t for her, she excelled at her college business classes and graduated with honors. She took a few jobs that were resume builders, then soon found herself employed at the exclusive law-firm in downtown Seattle working for one of the city’s most respected attorneys as his personal assistant.

  Neil had encouraged her to pursue law school, saying she would make a fine attorney. She was considering it when Bill proposed.

  Marrying one of the lawyers who would one day be a partner in the firm seemed like a great next step. Too bad Cadence hadn’t stopped to think about the kind of person he was or if she really liked him, let alone loved him.

  Now, she was about as far away from the shiny, sterile offices she was accustomed to as a girl could get, thinking about how clever she was for getting cow poop out of jeans worn by two ridiculously handsome cowboys she met just a little more than a month ago.

  As she wandered down the length of stalls, she admired the cleanliness of the barn. Like everything else, the Thompsons seemed to take pride in even the condition of the horse stalls.

  One of the stalls on the far end of the barn had a bed for the barn cat and her recent litter of kittens. Quietly stepping inside the stall, Cadence shut the door to keep the dogs out and watched the momma cat.

  She kneeled in the straw and waited for the cat to settle down. As bad as she wanted to pet one of the kittens, Cadence kept her hands in her pockets.

  The sound of the barn door closing drew her attention, but by the time she stood up in the stall, she didn’t see anything and decided it must have been the dogs.

  She left the stall and strolled back toward the front of the barn. Timidly opening a door, she found a room full of saddles, bridles, and assorted tack. Another door across from it offered a small bathroom, which, to her surprise, appeared to be clean. Next to the bathroom door, a wooden ladder went up to a loft. Cadence wasn’t all that fond of heights, but decided to climb up and see if the storage room was up there.

  As she climbed up the ladder, her foot slipped. She reached for the top and flung herself onto the landing. When she did, the ladder tipped backward and fell over.

  “Just perfect,” Cadence muttered, wondering how she would get down from her current predicament. Stuck in the loft until someone came to her rescue, she decided she might as well look around.

  She found bags of feed, small pieces of farm equipment, and other things she didn’t recognize stored neatly around the open area. A door in the far wall drew her interest. When Cadence opened it, a string dangled in her face. When she gave it a tug, a light clicked on and she could see she’d finally found the storage area Denni mentioned.

  It didn’t take long to locate Denni’s sewing machine. Although she wasn’t a fabulous seamstress, Cadence could sew a quilt top and follow simple patterns. She thought about making a warm blanket or a pretty dress for Cass and wondered if Micki would accept the gifts. Perhaps Aunt Viv could offer some advice on how to proceed without insulting the young mother.

  Cadence carried the sewing machine over to where the ladder should have been, she set it down, and returned to the storage area. She found several boxes of Christmas decorations and made a mental note to have the guys bring those in right after Thanksgiving. A few fall decorations joined the sewing machine, waiting to go into the house.

  Sitting down on a rickety stool that had seen better days, she studied scrapbooks for Trey, Trent and Travis that highlighted their school days. Despite their outer resemblance to each other, Trey seemed to shoulder more responsibility than the other two. Trent was the most laid-back while Travis looked like a natural-born troublemaker. While she flipped through the pages, she wondered just how long she’d be stuck in the loft until someone missed her.

  The barn was warmer than it was outside, but it still held a chill in the air. With her gloves and scarf in the mudroom at the house, Cadence soon found herself with cold fingers and even colder toes.

  Without a watch, she had no idea how much time had passed. She could tell by glancing out the window in the loft that the sun was starting its descent. Not for the first time that afternoon, she wished she had left well enough alone and asked Trent or Trey to find the sewing machine.

  Impatiently waiting to be rescued, Cadence sat down on the edge of the loft. Cold and in desperate need of using the bathroom, she stood and paced the length of the loft, swinging her arms and talking to herself. She sang silly songs she made up in her head then segued into singing Christmas carols. She planned the menu for the next week in her head and vowed stay away from ladders in the future.

  After walking every inch of the loft, she again looked to see if there was another way to get down. Other than the possibility of jumping to the floor and hoping both legs didn’t break, no alternative options, except to wait, presented themselves.

  She sat down on the edge of the loft and watched the barn door edge open as one of the dogs trotted in. Cadence decided if dogs could smile, the one staring up at her wore a huge grin.

  “What are you smiling at? Are you Bob?” Cadence asked. When the dog didn’t respond, she tried again. “Is it Bonnie?”

  The dog barked in reply, continuing to grin and wag her tail.

  “Good girl, Bonnie,” Cadence said with a laugh. “I don’t suppose you sent Bob to bring home the troops did you?” Bonnie’s answer was to bark again and pace by the door.

  Bob charged inside followed by Trey.

  Quickly noticing the ladder on the ground, Trey flipped on a light, looked up and saw Cadence sitting on the edge of the loft.

  “Cady! You had me worried half to death,” Trey blurted out as he set the ladder back in place and held it while Cadence climbed down.

  As soon as her feet hit the bottom rung, Trey pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight.

  “Dang it all, woman! I’ve been looking for you the whole blasted afternoon. What in blazes are you doing out here?” Trey continued to hold her close to him.


  An hour or so after lunch he went to the house to see if she wanted to run into town with him but he couldn’t find her. Her car was in the garage, so he knew she hadn’t left the place. He checked the barn but the only thing he found inside were the dogs and briefly wondered how they got the door open. Trey made the rounds of the machine sheds and other outbuildings and couldn’t find Cadence anywhere.

  He thought maybe she’d gone for a walk and went back to the house to wait for her. After more than an hour had passed without her return, he began to panic. He was getting ready to round up the men so they could all look for her when Bob and Bonnie started barking at the barn door. Bonnie managed to nose the door open and there sat Cadence in the loft.

  If something happened to her, he’d be a certified basket case.

  Roughly pushing back from him, she ran into the bathroom and slammed the door.

  Confounded, Trey stood rooted to the spot until she opened the door and walked out looking somewhat embarrassed. She stopped in front of him, cocked her head and smiled. Understanding swept over him and he grinned.

  “What did you call me?” Cadence asked, warmed as much by Trey’s hug as the name he’d called her. No one had ever called her Cady before. Coming from Trey, the name made her heart beat at an accelerated tempo and her palms feel sweaty.

  “Cady.” Clearly flustered, he stared at the toes of his boots. He hadn’t planned to let the nickname he’d been calling her in his head make its way out his lips, but there it was hanging out in the open. Finally, he brought his gaze up to meet hers. “I’m tired of calling you Miss Greer and Cadence is just too formal. Would you mind if I call you Cady?”

  “I wouldn’t mind.” Cadence’s voice was barely above a whisper. She loved the sound of the name on his lips. “I wouldn’t mind if you want to hug me again, either. My feet feel frozen.”

  Trey chuckled and his eyes twinkled. Unsnapping his coat, he pulled her to his chest then wrapped his coat around her, sharing his warmth. He was unprepared for the overwhelming urge to kiss her, to hold her this close forever.

  Heat wasn’t the only thing he shared with Cadence. Trey could feel something else, something unsettling, unfamiliar, and unmistakably powerful snapping between the two of them.

  His gaze lifted to the loft where he could see the tip of something jutting over the edge. “What was so important up there that you got yourself trapped for the afternoon?”

  “Your mom’s sewing machine. She said I could use it if I could find it,” Cadence said, staring into Trey’s eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get stuck out here and waste the afternoon.”

  “I’m just glad you’re okay.” Trey rubbed her back with a comforting, gentle hand. “Let’s get you into the house and warmed up.”

  Cadence would have been happy to stay inside the circle of his arms where warmth unlike anything she’d ever felt before seeped into the very center of her. As she breathed in Trey’s unique, manly scent, she felt languid and weak.

  Trey kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked back to the house. Once they were inside, he built a fire in the gathering room and made Cadence a cup of hot tea. He insisted she sit on a cushion on the hearth. He watched her sip the sweet, hot brew and close her eyes, warming herself by the crackling fire.

  “Will you promise to not climb anywhere again unless one of us is around to rescue you?” Trey sank down on the floor in front of her.

  Cadence nodded her head, although she wanted to say no. She thought she’d climb every ladder on the ranch if it meant Trey would pull her into his arms and hold her close like he had in the barn. She had never, in her entire life, felt so secure and cherished as she had when he opened his coat and shared his warmth with her.

  When Trey placed his hand on her knee, her nerve endings danced to attention.

  Her gaze settled on his and she melted into Trey’s aquamarine eyes. Barely able to concentrate enough to hold onto her mug, she struggled to answer him when we asked her a question.

  “What was that?” she asked, pulling herself back to reality instead of swimming leisurely laps in the heated depths of those wonderful blue eyes.

  “I said not to worry about dinner tonight. We’ll make do with leftovers,” Trey said, getting to his feet.

  Cadence looked at him like he’d grown a second head.

  “What leftovers? You guys eat every last crumb at every meal. There isn’t ever anything left over.” Cadence started to rise, but Trey pushed her back down.

  He grinned and patted his well-defined abdomen. “That must be why I’m putting on a little weight.”

  Cadence didn’t think he could possibly be serious. Before moving onto a ranch full of hard-working men, she thought physiques like his existed only on gym trainers or in the movies.

  Not that she’d seen much of his anatomy since she’d been on the ranch, but when Trey wore a T-shirt, it was pretty easy to let her imagination run wild. When he held her close today, she didn’t think her imagination was too far from removed from the muscle-filled truth.

  Cadence cleared her throat, trying to free her mind from any lingering images of Trey’s impressive form.

  “I don’t think you’ve put on any weight. If anything, you’ll be losing it fussing over me like you have this afternoon. Honestly, Trey, I’m fine. I’ll get dinner started, although it might be a little late.”

  Trey reached out and cupped her chin, turning her to look at him. “If you’re going to be a pill and insist on cooking, I’ll help you.”

  Resigned to meeting him halfway, she again nodded her head. She stood and pointed toward the kitchen. “Lead the way, boss man.”

  ><><

  Trey helped Cadence fry a big pan of hamburger seasoned with onions, salt, peppers and a hint of chili powder. She warmed tortilla shells, shredded cheese, then chopped tomatoes and lettuce.

  Dinner was ready and on the table right on time when the six other cowboys strolled through the kitchen door. While Trey set the table, Cadence whipped up a double batch of flan and had it baking in the oven before the men settled into their seats. Served warm, it would finish off their taco night in fine style.

  After they ate and the hands left for the evening, Cadence sat at one end of the kitchen table making a shopping list while Trent sat at the opposite end with piles of newspaper on the floor around him as he applied a coat of waterproof sealant to his and Trey’s boots.

  “You have any boots that need sealed?” Trent asked as he rubbed the gel into a boot.

  “Just my hiking boots. Do you know if you can put sealant on them?” Cadence continued to work on her list without glancing up at him.

  “Sure. I’ll do them next. Do you own a pair of snow boots?” Trent questioned, stopping to look at Cadence.

  “Actually, I don’t. It wasn’t something I needed in Seattle. I lived three blocks from the office where I worked and if the weather was bad enough to need snow boots, it was a good bet the office would be closed anyway.”

  “Well, you might want to think of getting a pair if you’re going to be here through the winter,” Trent advised, continuing to rub sealant into the boot, then setting it down to dry on a newspaper along the row of boots he had already finished.

  “Thanks, I’ll think about it.”

  “Think about what?” Trey asked as he walked into the kitchen toting the sewing machine and the fall decorations Cadence left in the barn. Placing everything on the table, he went back out to the mudroom to remove his coat before closing the door.

  “Getting some winter boots. Cadence doesn’t have any,” Trent said, continuing his work as he winked at Cadence.

  She glared at him as if he’d spilled her deepest, darkest secrets. “I’ll get some if you think it is completely necessary.” Cadence stood and bent over to examine the sewing machine.

  “Oh, it will be necessary.” Trey poured a cup of hot water and stirred in a packet of chocolate mix. He motioned to Trent, asking if he wanted some without saying a word
. His brother shook his head.

  Cadence didn’t notice their silent exchange as she started moving dials and turning knobs on the sewing machine.

  “Cady, did you hear me?” Trey asked sitting down at the table and watching her. “You need to get some boots.”

  “Yes, I heard you. Boots,” she muttered, distracted by all the features on the sewing machine.

  Trent leaned over and flicked Trey on the leg with his fingers, then mouthed, “Cady?”

  Trey shot him a steely glare and shook his head, hoping his brother would keep his big mouth shut.

  “So, I’m going to run into Madras tomorrow to get some supplies since I didn’t make it into town today,” Trey said, watching Cadence. “I seemed to be too busy rescuing damsels in distress.”

  Cadence finally glanced at Trey and blushed, chagrined. She sat down and continued adding items to her shopping list.

  “Would you like to go with me, Cady?” Trey asked, hoping she would say yes. It was probably not the smartest thing in the world to want her to go with him, but after hugging her that afternoon, he couldn’t keep his thoughts on anything except her. “You could get your groceries and see some new country on the way there.”

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind me tagging along?” she asked, looking up from her growing list.

  “I’d enjoy the company.” Trey heard Trent snort and chose not to acknowledge the sound. “Let’s plan to leave in the morning after I get the chores done and you get everything set to rights after breakfast. How does that sound?”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Cadence said, wondering how far it was to Madras. She wasn’t sure she could spend too much time trapped in a car with Trey and still manage to maintain her composure. He seemed to have that effect on her. She turned to glance at Trent. “Will you be going along, too?”

  Trent looked up with a devilish grin. “I don’t think so. That is one trip my big brother can manage all on his own.”