“I have a recipe for a cinnamon loaf Melba has been asking me to give her for years, but I keep telling her it’s a family secret,” Rita said with a wink.
Eli took the cookie tin over to the table and pointed to a chair for Hadley. He took the seat across from her. Rita turned from the saucepan at the stove and eyed the two of them with a smile.
Hadley could see that Eli gave his mother a shake of his head that was almost imperceptible. Still, Hadley caught it. Just what did that mean? That his mother shouldn’t get any ideas about the two of them? That would certainly be best.
Nevertheless, as soon as the hot chocolate was made, Rita brought it to the table and poured it into three mugs. “I’ll have some with you, but I’ll forgo the whipped cream. I just happen to have some that I whipped up this morning. I was going to use it on apple cobbler tonight, but I can whip up more.”
And before Hadley had any say in the matter, Rita had spooned two good tablespoons onto her hot chocolate. As it floated on the top, the scent of the chocolate and the warmth of it made Hadley feel...almost weepy. How could that be? Was she so unused to being around a man and being treated kindly that this was the result?
Apparently thinking the silence had gone too long, Rita said, “We’ll soon be putting up a Christmas tree. How do you feel about Christmas, Hadley? Everybody has their own take on the holiday.”
That was a thought-provoking question. She’d had reasons the past few years to work on the holiday. She still enjoyed choosing presents for loved ones, but the sparkle of Christmas just wasn’t the same anymore. So she said, “I believe Christmas is for children.”
“Oh, you do? Are you busy tomorrow?” Rita asked.
“Mom,” Eli warned.
“Shush, boy,” Rita said. “I’m talking to Hadley. And before you say whether you’re busy or not, I’ll tell you why I’m asking. We’re having a big volunteer day at the community center tomorrow. We’re filling food baskets for needy families. If parents feel they can provide for their children, they’re more likely to make Christmas happier for their kids, don’t you think?”
“I’m sure that’s true,” Hadley said. “Is there a toy drive, too?”
“Yes, there is, and not just store-bought toys. People actually make things for the children—crocheted stuffed animals, wooden trucks and trains, even old-fashioned games like painted checkerboards. No child in this town should be without a smile on Christmas morning.”
“That’s a wonderful idea, and I’d like to help. What time should I be there?”
* * *
Derek clapped Eli’s shoulder as they passed the old-fashioned hitching post outside the Ace in the Hole later that night. “Ready for this viewing party?”
Eli’s mind wasn’t on viewing the latest episode of The Great Roundup, a cowboy/adventure reality show that his cousin Travis had signed up for. Brenna O’Reilly, another resident of Rust Creek Falls, was also participating. Rather, he was remembering each of his encounters with Hadley Strickland. The one that replayed in his mind the most was their kiss.
He glanced up at the wood-burned sign for the Ace in the Hole and the neon red sign with an ace of hearts playing card over the door. This bar could be a rough-and-rowdy cowboy hangout, depending on the clientele that particular night. There had been occasional rumbles and fights, but tonight couples would be attending to watch the latest episode of The Great Roundup. When he visited his cousin Trav during filming in July, Trav—Ben Dalton’s son—and Brenna O’Reilly seemed to really be on the road to romance.
Eli opened the bar’s old screen door with its rusty hinges and then the heavy wood door. Tonight no country tunes poured from the jukebox. Instead, the TV blared loud and clear. Booths lined the outer walls while wooden tables with ladder-back chairs formed a square around a small dance floor. A few cowboys played pool in the far back. As Eli glanced around, he briefly took in the framed Old West photos and those of local ranches that hung on the walls. Studying the wooden bar lining the right side of the room and its dozen bar stools, he spotted Hadley’s cousins sitting there. He could see in the mirrored wall reflecting rows of glass bottles and customers at the bar that Hadley wasn’t with them.
Eli spotted several couples he knew at the tables, among them his cousin Zach with his fiancée, Lydia. From two booths, Zach’s brothers, Shawn, Garrett, Booker and Cole, waved Eli and Derek over.
They joined their cousins. Seated next to Booker, Eli opened his jacket but didn’t shrug out of it. He wasn’t sure how long he was going to stay.
When a waitress came rushing over, Eli ordered a beer while Derek, who’d sat across from him, requested scotch neat.
Booker elbowed Eli. “Did you ask the pretty vet for a date?”
Eli didn’t particularly want his cousins poking into his private life. “Why are you asking?”
“Derek told me to.”
Derek grinned at Eli. He couldn’t possibly know what they were talking about because of the high volume level of the TV and the cheers that were rising from the crowd during the latest challenge on the show.
Eli just shook his head at both men and turned toward the TV. One of the challenges this week was cheer-worthy. He’d heard all about it during the preview that aired at the end of last week’s episode. He watched as Brenna and his cousin Travis fought with all they were worth to win as the host timed them. It was easy for Eli to catch up with what was happening. The couple had to bring up a wooden box from the bottom of the pond. They dived over and over until together they hefted the box to the surface of the water. Swimming as fast as they could, they sputtered to shore and dragged the box to a spot where they could work on the locks. Apparently they’d earned keys before Eli had arrived. He could tell the couple’s hands were shaking as they inserted a key in one of two padlocks and then focused on the other padlock.
Booker nudged Eli again. “Are you going to date Hadley? I’ve heard you haven’t had a serious romance in years.”
“Serious would be rough with Hadley living in Bozeman.”
“So you’ve thought about it.”
“I’ve thought about her,” he admitted, then turned to the big-screen TV. “Now let’s see if Trav can win this.”
“He’ll need Brenna’s help,” Booker said philosophically.
They watched as Brenna and Trav pulled a burlap bag from the box, untied the knots and then dumped the puzzle pieces onto a board provided for them. Eli decided that romantic relationships were just like that puzzle. All the pieces had to fit and make the perfect picture.
The Great Roundup had given him something to think about.
* * *
Saturday morning, Eli had been passing by the community center and decided to stop in. That was all there was to it, he told himself as he opened the door of the building and went inside. The center was bustling. He knew many of the people there, and they waved to him or said hello as he made his way through volunteers who were sorting food or boxing up items. One corner of the room was obviously dedicated to toy collection.
It didn’t take him long to spot Hadley, not with that glossy, dark brown hair falling down her back, black leggings that disappeared into tall leather boots and a deep purple turtleneck sweater that dipped below her fanny. He noticed everything about this woman every time he was around her, though he still told himself he didn’t want to.
His mother waved at him from a table across the room, and she pointed to Hadley and winked.
He knew he was playing right into his mom’s hand. She wanted him to settle down so she had grandbabies. Or maybe she just wanted him to be happy.
Wasn’t he happy? He had work he liked and family, a house of his own and now pets to share it. Still... His gaze returned to Hadley.
When he approached her, she smiled and then gave him a perplexed look. “What are you doing here?”
“I had errands. I had to stop at the feed store, so I thought I’d look in here and lend a hand if it was needed.”
Lorna Babcock, a frizzy-haired sixty-year-old, called to him from the toy center. “Hey there, Eli. You here to help? We can use some strong arms to carry boxes.”
“Wherever I can fit in.”
“Just find yourself a spot. I’ll call you when we need someone to haul.”
“Do you need help?” he asked Hadley.
“Sure do. I need ten boxes pretty much filled evenly with everything I’ve got here, from the canned beans to the fruit cocktail. That would be great if you could carry them over to that corner that’s going to be the distribution center. Someone there is labeling everything and tagging with names.”
“I’m on it,” Eli said. Taking off his jacket, he went to hang it on the portable coat hanger. When he returned, Hadley gave him a look that he did his best to ignore. He wasn’t wearing anything different from any other day—a flannel shirt, jeans and boots. But when she looked at him, he felt she was assessing all of him. Did women do that?
She quickly looked away, her eyes darting to the canned goods in front of her. Because he didn’t want to embarrass her or himself, he started a different type of conversation. “Sometimes I see Rust Creek Falls as an extension of ranch living. The town pulls together just like my family does.”
“I heard about how all the residents helped each other after the flood. The town has made a remarkable recovery.”
“Even the newcomers have made that happen,” Eli said as he boxed a jar of peanut butter next to a bag of rice. He nodded to the table next to them. “That’s Hudson Jones, who married Bella Stockton. Bella’s a longtime resident. When Hudson and his brother Walker were newcomers, Hudson donated electronic tablets to the elementary school so the kids could learn better. There are a lot of Secret Santas that no one knows about.”
“Secret Santas?” Hadley asked, looking for clarification.
Now he realized he messed up and he shouldn’t have opened his mouth. But he had to explain. “Sure, people who give without anybody knowing they do it. The result is everybody’s life is made better. It’s just like these food baskets. They don’t seem like much, but they could get a family through a couple of weeks. That’s important in these times.”
Hadley stopped sorting canned goods and gave him a curious look. She asked perceptively, “Are you a Secret Santa?”
“That word secret goes with Santa for a reason,” he responded, not answering her one way or the other. But there was a warm look in her eyes, and he realized he couldn’t fool her. But he wasn’t going to say more either.
Suddenly Lorna was charging toward him and Hadley.
“Uh-oh,” Eli said. “Lorna’s on the move.”
“Is that bad?”
“It means she’s going to ask us to do something for her.”
Marching right up to them, the older woman said, “I need a favor.” She didn’t wait for them to ask what, but went on, “Jazzy Smith has asked for ten of the food baskets to give the residents she knows who would not want to be on an official list. But Brooks is tied up with a rancher outside Kalispell, and she’s caring for his dad after surgery and can’t pick them up. I need somebody to deliver them.”
“I can deliver them,” Hadley volunteered. “But I walked over here. I’ll have to go get my SUV.”
Before he caught his tongue, Eli said, “My truck is right outside. We can go together. I’ve never gotten a firsthand look at the Smith Rescue Ranch.”
“It would be easier with two of you doing it,” Lorna decided for them.
Hadley was looking unsure, as if his idea troubled her. However, she conjured up a smile. “We’ll have ten of these ready in a few minutes,” she told Lorna.
But Eli heard the uncertainty in her voice. Was this volunteer jaunt going to be awkward?
Chapter Seven
On the drive to the Smith Rescue Ranch, it didn’t take long for Eli to realize that Hadley looked and acted uncomfortable. He didn’t have Derek’s charm with the ladies. He only knew how to be honest. “You know,” he said, “you should have vetoed the idea of us doing this together if you didn’t want me to come along.”
“I hated to refuse Lorna,” she answered. “She thought she was doing a good thing.”
That answer wasn’t to his liking, but he didn’t think Hadley was pushing him away just for the heck of it. There was something at the bottom of her reasoning.
“Are you a people pleaser?” he asked.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her study him. “Yes, I am.”
“Care to tell me why?” For some reason, he didn’t think people pleasing came naturally to Hadley; rather something had taught her to do it.
She was quiet for a few beats, but then she answered him. “I was bullied in elementary school. I was pudgy, short and an easy target. I was the last one picked for anybody’s games. If I answered in class too often, I was made fun of. So I learned from that. I tried not to capture anybody’s attention. I kept my mind on my schoolwork, increased my brainpower whenever I could, but didn’t let others know about it. That paid off in high school because I earned a scholarship that helped with college.”
Although he knew he should keep his eyes on the road, there wasn’t any traffic and he gave her a long, appraising male look. “You’re too pretty to fly under the radar now.”
Her gaze met his for a second before he turned his attention back to the road. “That’s not a line,” he assured her. For once she didn’t say anything, though he didn’t know if she believed him. Whether he should prod or not, he did. “Did the bullying affect your adult life?”
“I might want to please the people I care about and those who care about me. But overall, the bullying made me bolder as an adult. I push the limits now more and I stand up for what I believe in. In fact, now sometimes I’m too impulsive.”
“Like when you kissed me back?”
She didn’t hesitate to say, “Exactly like that.”
They rode in quiet for the next mile, but then she asked him, “How did your childhood affect your adult life?”
He gave a shrug. “I told you, being the oldest made me feel responsible for everybody. I felt my parents depended on me to be the practical, steady one.”
“Don’t you get tired of that? Don’t you ever want to break out and just have fun?”
“I find ways to do that now and then.”
“The Daltons do have a reputation with women.”
He gave her a sharp look. Then he realized that was probably true. Derek certainly did. Jonah was married now, but he’d done his fair share of dating. Eli had to admit he had, too. Only, after Elaine he hadn’t been serious about it.
He glanced over at Hadley. He knew her well enough to know she didn’t want to be anybody’s conquest. And, from her body language, he also realized the subject was closed...for now.
* * *
Hadley felt bad about the silence between her and Eli on the rest of the drive to the ranch. But she hadn’t known what else to say. The Daltons were all sexy men who could date whomever they wanted to date. And Derek and Eli, according to the gossip, hadn’t seemed serious about anybody they’d dated. Not recently anyway. That told Hadley they were out for a good time.
Yet Eli didn’t seem like a carefree Romeo. Still, after the hard work he did, maybe on the weekend he just wanted an outlet like many men did. It was impossible to know.
As she and Eli walked up to the front door of Jazzy and Brooks’s home, she wished she could relax around Eli more. She wished—
No, she didn’t. She’d stopped wishing. She knew better than to dream about hearts and flowers, and a romance that could last forever.
She reached the door first and knocked. When Jazzy answered
, she looked frazzled. Her hair was mussed, and she appeared tired.
After Hadley and Eli had stepped inside, she asked Jazzy, “Are you okay?”
Jazzy gave her a weak smile. “I’ve got to admit taking care of one recalcitrant patient is harder than caring for a whole stable of horses. Brooks’s dad thinks he should be better already.” She shook her head and then looked at Eli. “Maybe you could talk some sense into Barrett, man-to-man, because he’s not listening to me. I think he might already be regretting the decision to move in here with me and Brooks. Brooks has tried to talk to him, but father-and-son communication...” Jazzy shook her head again. “Sometimes that just doesn’t work so well. Barrett thinks Brooks is being condescending, and Brooks thinks Barrett is just being stubborn.”
Hadley saw how worried Jazzy was about it, so she sought to reassure her. “This might not be about you and Brooks at all. It could just be that Barrett’s worried about losing his independence.”
Eli immediately agreed. “Men like my dad and Brooks’s dad—they need to think they control at least their own world if not everybody else’s. Didn’t Barrett try to arrange your marriage to Brooks?”
Now Jazzy laughed. “He was a huge part of why we married. But I’ve got to admit, Brooks and I do belong together.”
“Then maybe what you need to do,” Eli suggested, “is to make Barrett feel he’s more in control.”
“And how do I do that?” Jazzy asked.
“I’m not sure,” Eli told her. “But I’ll think about it while I’m unloading the baskets. Where do you want me to put them?”
Jazzy pointed to a corner of the living room. “Over there would be good for now. We’ll be delivering them soon. While you do that, I’ll make coffee. Hadley, do you want to help?”
Hadley didn’t know what kind of help she’d be making coffee, but it was obvious Jazzy wanted to talk to her. So she followed her into the kitchen.
Jazzy took out a coffee canister. “Grab the milk from the refrigerator, would you?” she asked Hadley as she dumped the water into the coffeemaker. “So tell me, how do you like Eli?”
The Maverick's Snowbound Christmas Page 9
