The Maverick's Snowbound Christmas

by Karen Rose Smith

  Oh, she remembered Justin.

  And Eli must have seen the ghost of that memory on her face because he leaned away. “What’s wrong?”

  Clamoring for the first viable excuse, she glanced around. “We’re on a public sidewalk. You know Rust Creek Falls. Everyone will talk.” She pulled out of his embrace and righted herself in her boots, standing firmly on solid ground once more.

  “They’ll only talk if there’s something to talk about. Is there, Hadley?” Eli stood there, tall, handsome and questioning as he waited for her answer.

  Chapter Eight

  For a few moments, Eli thought Hadley was going to be honest with him and tell him there was something between them that other people would notice and maybe even talk about. But he saw the exact moment when she decided that wouldn’t be a good idea...that being too vulnerable around him wasn’t even a possibility.

  Taking a step back, she acted as if he hadn’t even asked the question. “This is attractive,” she said, turning toward Jonah’s office. She took a few paces toward the steps. “Coming?” she asked.

  He gave her a long, steady glare. “You didn’t answer my question.”

  This time instead of evading him, she responded, “I don’t think that’s a conversation to have in the cold on a public sidewalk.”

  “Meaning we’ll have that conversation sometime in a warmer spot?”

  “We’ll see,” she said, and he knew she meant it.

  Apparently she still hadn’t made up her mind about him, though what there was to decide he didn’t know. He suspected Hadley Strickland didn’t give her trust easily, and he wanted to know the reason why. She’d been right. That definitely wasn’t a conversation for a public sidewalk.

  He led the way up the steps to the porch, and she followed him. After he opened the doors into the foyer, he immediately spotted his brother sitting at a desk to the left in his office.

  From the doorway, Eli asked him, “Are you busy?”

  “Not too busy for you,” Jonah said, standing. “This is a surprise.”

  “Jonah, I don’t know if you know Hadley Strickland.”

  Hadley stepped up to shake Jonah’s hand and studied Eli’s brother, who was six feet tall with dark hazel eyes. As usual, he was wearing a dress shirt and jeans with his boots.

  “I think we’ve met in passing,” Hadley said. “I’ve admired your wife’s mural at the resort more than once.”

  Eli wasn’t surprised. Everyone in Rust Creek Falls knew of the mural that depicted the history of the town. Vanessa’s painting graced the lobby of the restored Maverick Manor.

  “I’ll tell Vanessa you’ve admired it,” Jonah said. He addressed his brother again. “And how are you enjoying living in your new house? Are you finally settled in?” He looked at Hadley. “This guy bought his furniture piece by piece. It took a while for him to get it furnished.”

  “I wanted to be comfortable,” Eli protested. “And I am.”

  “It’s a beautiful house,” Hadley said.

  “You’ve seen it?” Jonah asked with a raised brow.

  “Hadley’s a vet,” Eli explained. “Amber had her foal and a little trouble. We also found a cat and a kitten, so I took them in and she came in to check on them.”

  “You have pets?” Jonah rolled his eyes then shook his head. “I shouldn’t be surprised. There wasn’t any doubt you’d put down roots here.”

  “And now you have, too,” Eli pointed out. Jonah had spent years in Denver, till he met Vanessa.

  “Yes, I have.”

  “I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else,” Eli confided, but then he remembered how his desire to stay here to ranch, to appreciate the land, had separated him from the woman he thought he’d loved.

  “Now that I’m back, I can’t imagine it either,” Jonah agreed.

  “Even though Vanessa and I haven’t been to dinner lately, I do talk to Mom, you know. She said you’d be helping the Bonners with some repairs.”

  “That’s in my plans for tomorrow,” Eli said.

  “You do good work, Eli. Lots of elderly folks are glad you’re around.”

  At that Hadley gave him a questioning look, but he didn’t explain.

  “Speaking of Mom... She wanted me to ask you and Vanessa to come to dinner. I figured you couldn’t shut me down face-to-face.”

  Jonah motioned to his desk. He had blueprints and papers stacked there. “I’m not avoiding the family,” he said. “I’m just busy. Vanessa has been, too. She was awarded a commission to paint a mural in a hotel in Denver. She just got back.”

  “Can you come over Monday night for dinner? Uncle Phil and his sons are going into Kalispell. It would just be me and Derek and the folks.”

  “I’ll check with Vanessa. That sounds like a good idea. We’ll be there for Thanksgiving, but I’m sure it will be bedlam.”

  “Do you want to give Mom a call after you check with Vanessa about Monday night?”

  “Sounds good,” Jonah said. He smiled at Hadley. “It was nice seeing you again.”

  A few minutes later they were back in the truck. Hadley fastened her seat belt and asked Eli, “So you’re helping the Bonners?”

  “Do you know them?”

  “My grandmother does. When I’m here and we go to church, she usually manages to talk to all her neighbors. If I remember correctly, Mrs. Bonner had a stroke about six months ago.”

  “That’s right. She’s recovering, but her husband worries about her.”

  “Grandmother told me that they couldn’t afford to have many renovations done.”

  “That’s why I’m helping them,” he admitted.

  “And Jonah said you do good work, which means you’ve helped others. So you are a Secret Santa, too.” There was a twinkle in her eye and amusement in her voice.

  “You could call me that if you want, but I just help people who need it. There are lots of older folk who can’t afford someone to do the work and don’t have kids who can do it for them.”

  “Tell me why you do it.”

  He shrugged and started up the truck. “I’m not the most educated man in the world, but I’ve got skills. It’s good karma to share them.” He wouldn’t have told Hadley about the work he did. That just wasn’t his way. But now that she knew—

  “So if you know the Bonners, would you like to come along with me tomorrow? If you’ve got something else on your schedule, I understand.”

  “Nothing on my schedule. Not unless I get another emergency call from Brooks. If I come with you, is there something I can do to help?”

  “Can you cook?”

  “I wouldn’t be my grandmother’s granddaughter if I didn’t know how to cook.”

  “Maybe you could bring fixings along to make a meal. I’ll tell the Bonners we’ll provide dinner. That would be a treat for them. They don’t get that many visitors, so I’m sure they’ll enjoy our company, too.”

  “I like that idea. I like it a lot. Thanks for inviting me along, Eli.”

  “Maybe I have an ulterior motive,” he replied as he pulled away from the curb. “Maybe when we’re not on a public sidewalk, and we’re someplace warm,” he added as he cast a heated glance her way, “we can have that conversation you avoided.”

  * * *

  The next day as Carl Bonner invited Hadley and Eli inside the small home, Hadley remembered what Eli had said yesterday. He couldn’t imagine living anywhere but Rust Creek Falls. He was a man with roots. Did he stay because of the ranch and his family’s land? Did he stay because he liked Rust Creek Falls? Did he stay because the small town was familiar, or maybe it was simpler than all that—he stayed because his family and friends were here.

  Hadley thought about her own life in Bozeman. Tessa and Claire no longer lived there. She alternated her
life with her husband from California to Falls Mountain. Hadley’s parents were in Bozeman, but their lives were busy and hers was, too.

  Eli was carrying grocery bags, and so was Hadley. Seeing that, Carl said, “It looks as if you brought enough supplies for a week’s worth of meals. I don’t need no charity.” The man was easily in his seventies with a white mustache and a balding pate that sported a few white strands.

  “It’s not charity,” Hadley assured him. “I just thought after Eli does a little work, we can all use a home-cooked meal. I’m going to make a beef, noodle and tomato casserole. How does that sound?”

  “That sounds just fine,” Carl said with an answering smile. “I thought you were going to do something fancy with all those bags.”

  Suddenly Jill Bonner appeared in the doorway from the kitchen. She was using a four-pronged cane and didn’t look the steadiest on her feet. Her husband went to her and helped her to an armchair in the living room.

  “Do you remember Hadley Strickland from church?” he asked his wife.

  “Oh, of course I do. Melba talks about you all the time,” Jill told Hadley. She had snowy-white hair that looked like a halo around her head. She was thin, and her cardigan sweater looked oversize on her small frame. She was wearing sweatpants and a top that looked easy to pull on and off.

  Hadley went to her and crouched down beside her chair. “Before I start supper, how would you like a cup of tea?”

  “You don’t have to go to any bother. Carl makes fine tea.”

  “I’m sure he does, but he’s probably going to want to supervise Eli, don’t you think?”

  Jill gave a little giggle and said in a low voice, “You know how men operate, don’t you?”

  All too well, Hadley thought. “Let’s just say my dad and grandpa would do the same.” She leaned toward Jill conspiratorially. “Do you think he’d like some apple cobbler for dessert tonight?”

  “That sounds grand,” Jill assured her. “Is yours as good as Melba’s?”

  “I doubt it,” Hadley said with a laugh. “But I’ll make a good attempt, and I’ll put together a salad so no one can say we didn’t have our vegetables.”

  “The tea kettle’s on the stove,” Jill explained. “And the mugs are on the counter. We don’t bother putting them away.”

  “I’m sure I’ll find everything without a problem.”

  Eli said, “I’ll just put these groceries in the kitchen then go get my tools and we’ll get started.”

  The next few hours sped by. Hadley made tea for her and Jill, then started supper. Afterward, she and Jill talked. They had a lot to talk about—from her grandmother and grandfather to events at church to Hadley’s practice in Bozeman. Jill even showed Hadley how she managed to crochet, telling her it was good therapy for her hand that was still a little weak from the stroke. She made mistakes but she could correct them.

  Hadley wished all of life was like that. Correctable.

  After they all sat down to dinner, Hadley learned that the Bonners had a son who was living in Portland.

  “We wish he’d move back here,” Jill said honestly. “Not so he can take care of us, but just so we can keep company with him in the time we have left. I’m sure your parents feel the same,” she said to Hadley.

  Hadley didn’t know. She’d rarely talked to her parents about anything like that. But she bet Eli had spoken with his parents about it. His family bonds were one of the reasons he was so grounded and knew where he belonged.

  Hadley had made sure she cooked enough food that the Bonners would have leftovers. After dinner, Eli helped her clean up while Carl showed Jill the improvements Eli had made to the bathroom.

  While Eli plucked a dish from the drainer, ready to dry it, he told Hadley, “Carl’s pleased with the repairs. I’m going to come back next week and build a ramp for the back steps. And you did a great job with supper. They should have enough for a couple of meals. Did you see Jill’s face when she ate that real whipped cream on top of the apple cobbler? We made them happy, Hadley.”

  “It was easy to do. I can see why you enjoy helping. Maybe enjoy isn’t the right word, but you find satisfaction in it.”

  “I usually enjoy it, too. Purpose is everything.”

  “Purpose?” she asked.

  “Sure. Your purpose is getting up each day and helping as many animals as you can, right?”

  “I suppose it is,” she said thoughtfully. But then she wondered if that was enough of a purpose for her life.

  She was still thinking about that as Eli drove her back to the boardinghouse. After he pulled up in front, he cracked a window and let the heater run along with the engine. “Are you ready to have that conversation now?”

  She knew exactly what conversation he meant. But, no, she wasn’t ready to have it. Still, she knew she couldn’t avoid it.

  “Eli, what do you want me to say?”

  “This has nothing to do with what I want you to say. I want to know how you feel. There’s chemistry between us, maybe even something more than that. But if it’s all one-sided, you can hop out of this truck and I won’t call you or expect you to visit Amber and Coco or the cats ever again.”

  When she thought about not seeing Eli again, she had a sick feeling in her stomach. Worse than that, her heart hurt a little. Oh, no. Her heart couldn’t be involved.

  “Eli, I’m not going to be here much past Thanksgiving.”

  He shrugged. “It’s not like Bozeman is that far away.”

  No, it wasn’t, she supposed. But long distance was no way to start a relationship. What was she even thinking? She didn’t want a relationship.

  Eli turned fully toward her and gently clasped her shoulder. As he nudged her toward him, he said, “I enjoy your company, Hadley.”

  She swallowed hard. “And I enjoy yours. This afternoon was pleasant.” Better to stay on safe territory.

  Even in the dim light from the dashboard she could see his small smile. “I was thinking more about the intimate time we shared in the barn.”

  “We didn’t have any intimate time. We both had our clothes on,” she pointed out.

  “Do you think clothes make a difference?” he joked.

  “I know clothes make all the difference in the world.”

  He suddenly grew serious. “I suppose that’s true. If we’d taken off our clothes, we would have really found out what intimacy was.”

  “Eli,” she warned.

  “Does the idea of being intimate with me make you want to back away?”

  Actually the exact opposite was true, but she couldn’t admit that.

  “Why are you so afraid to give in to this attraction?”

  “Maybe attraction has gotten me into trouble before,” she blurted out.

  Although she suspected he might drop the subject, he didn’t. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  “No, I don’t. I just mean attraction is limited and sometimes doesn’t go anywhere.”

  “But it could be a lot of fun finding out exactly where it’s going to go,” Eli protested.

  Eli always seemed to carry the scent of leather and soap about him. It drew her to him, almost as much as anything else about him. Though she did like his eyes and his heavy brows and the jut of his jaw and the set of his lips. She was crazy for even thinking about becoming more involved with him. Not that she was involved. She could put the brakes on at any time. She could leave Rust Creek Falls and forget all about him.

  But right now, sitting in his truck, so close to him, inhaling that soap and leather, inhaling him, watching his expression, feeling the electricity that ricocheted between them when they were in a confined space, she couldn’t deny she was very attracted to him. If she could just take a moment to think... However, she didn’t. She acted on impulse.

  She reached up
to his face and ran her thumb over the dent in his chin. He clasped her hand and did something she totally didn’t expect. He kissed her fingers, one by one. Then he slid his hand under her hair at her neck, pulled her close and kissed her.

  There was no doubt she was kissing him back this time. There was no doubt they were both involved in this kiss up to their eyeballs and down to their boots. Eli seemed to have the expertise and the power to make her feel more like a woman than she’d felt in years. She felt sensations deep inside that pushed her closer to him. Her fingers ached to touch him. They tunneled into his hair, knocking his hat off.

  He didn’t seem to mind because he kissed her harder, longer and wetter. The windows steamed up, and she decided breathing was overrated.

  Suddenly the porch light went on and blazed through the car windows. They both became aware of it, blinked and slowly ended the kiss. Hadley felt embarrassed that she’d gone from zero to ten on the passion scale in a matter of seconds.

  She mumbled, “I wonder if that thing’s on a timer, or Old Gene is turning it on intentionally.”

  Eli’s voice was husky when he said, “It could be Melba. She’ll want you to know you have backup if you need it.”

  Hadley could have used backup three years ago...backup against her own foolishness. Backup to sit her down and explain what the wise thing to do would be. But she’d been besotted with Justin, and wisdom might not have entered into it either.

  Before she could pull completely away, Eli stroked her cheek. “Hadley, there’s nothing wrong with what we did.”

  “I know that. I’m still not sure it’s wise.”

  Even though Hadley said it, she was reluctant to get out of the truck. Eli didn’t seem eager to move away either. She racked her brain for something to say, something to bridge the silence. “So you’ll be having a big Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday?”

  “We will. It hasn’t been decided yet where the celebration will take place—at the Circle D or at the Dalton family ranch, Uncle Ben’s place. But it will be big and noisy with more food than even the Dalton clan can eat. They’ll all be there, except for Kayla. She’ll be spending Thanksgiving with you Stricklands. I suppose your celebration will be huge, too.”