He blustered as if at a loss for words. “There’s two seats in the front row. You two’d better grab ’em. I’m going to see if Wade is backstage.”
Addison spotted two women heading for the chairs. She muttered to herself, “Oh, no, you don’t.”
“Head ’em off at the pass, Addy. I’ll catch up.”
Addison smiled sweetly. “Sorry, ladies.” She turned to survey the room and pointed. “There’s a couple of chairs over there.” As Nell arrived, she told her, “You save the seats, Aunt Nell, and I’ll go get us a cup of coffee.”
Addison stopped to chat with Brenda Brown and then Wade’s sister and mother.
The lights flickered to signal that everyone should be seated. Chatter quieted as Mayor Dorothy Clark took the stage. After her usual welcome speech, she said, “To add a little intrigue to the bidding, we asked each bachelor to select a sealed envelope which isn’t to be opened until he meets with his date. Inside the envelope is the name of the sponsoring restaurant.” She clapped her hands together in glee. “As a special treat, Darla Hill, our very own auctioneer, will conduct the auction tonight.”
She added, “Remember, this is all in fun, and the proceeds go toward funding a children’s wing for the library.” She gave the event over to the auctioneer.
The lights dimmed enough to add a special ambiance to the room. “Welcome, ladies. I’m honored to be your auctioneer for this special occasion. I’ve been asked to remind you that bidding starts at twenty-five dollars. All bids afterward are in five-dollar increments. Are you ready to have some fun?”
The crowd responded with woots and clapping.
The auctioneer offered a huge grin. “All right, then, bid big and bid…bid…bid.”
The red velvet curtains opened, showcasing the bachelors seated on high stools. Wolf-whistles sounded, accompanied by several oohs.
“Ladies, we’ll begin with bachelor number one: LaVar Studstill. Mr. Studstill is our local pharmacist. Who will open the bid?”
An attractive African-American bachelor in his mid-forties stepped to the front of the stage. Wearing a wide smile, he pirouetted and then stood with his legs slightly apart, hands on hips.
A woman’s voice rang out, “Twenty-five dollars.”
Another woman yelled, “Thirty.”
A third woman shouted, “Sixty-five dollars.”
A sigh wafted through the auditorium as the auctioneer announced, “Going once, and going twice.” She pointed her gavel. “The bid is closed at sixty-five dollars to bidder number thirty-three.”
The auditorium was abuzz by the time Emmett sauntered to the front of the stage. The auctioneer announced, “Mr. Emmett Oxbow, rancher and owner of Oxbow Ranch.”
He turned and looked straight at Nell, offering a wink. Before the auctioneer opened the bidding, a woman shouted, “Sixty dollars.”
The auctioneer guffawed. “My, my, aren’t we anxious! Ladies, the bid is open at sixty dollars. Do I hear sixty-five?”
The surprised look on Emmett’s face was priceless. Addison laughed, and Nell stammered, as she turned to look in the direction of the voice, “What the jingles is Brenda up to, offering a bid like that?”
Addison nudged her on the arm. “What difference does it make? Bid a hundred.”
Nell’s eyes widened. “But I don’t have—ˮ
“Call it an early Christmas present. Hurry…bid before someone else does.”
Nell held up her paddle and called out, “One hundred dollars.”
It was the auctioneer’s turn to look surprised. “Ladies, we have a one-hundred-dollar bid. Who will make it one hundred five?”
It was if an anxious aura hovered over the crowd waiting to see who would offer the next bid and how big.
Nell reached over and gripped Addison’s hand. Addison leaned close and whispered, “If we have to, we’ll up the bid. I want this to be your and Emmett’s special time together.”
Nell glanced over her shoulder, only to have Brenda shrug with a good-natured wink.
The auctioneer said, “One hundred dollars going once…twice…” She grinned. “The bid is closed at one hundred dollars. Congratulations to the lady holding paddle number twelve.”
The cool weather outside did not match the steamy atmosphere inside the school’s cafeteria.
****
It made no sense. It was crazy. He’d only known Addison a short while. Yet the impression she made on him was undeniable. Wade tried not to think about the kiss they had shared or how beautiful she looked tonight. Thoughts of holding her in his arms at the dance after the auction kept pestering him despite all attempts to prevent them. He’d only known her for a short while, and for some crazy reason knowing her reminded him of all the wrong decisions he’d made in his life.
A tense silence followed while the auctioneer shuffled a stack of papers.
He was the last bachelor, and the idea of women bidding on him like a bull at auction made him antsy.
Emmett resettled on the stool he had vacated. He leaned close to Wade. “Makes you feel like a danged sacrificial lamb gettin’ ready for the slaughterhouse. Sure am glad to get it over with.”
“Yeah, I hear you. I’d rather wrestle a grizzly than face this group of women for the next minute or two. My palms are actually sweating.” Wade heaved a sigh and walked to the front of the stage. He turned in Addison’s direction and greeted her with a crooked smile.
They stared at each other for a heart-dropping moment. Wade gazed into her smoldering blue eyes, and his heart thudded faster. Never had he felt such a sharp need to hold a woman in his arms, to kiss every inch of her silken skin until she was breathless. To—
The auctioneer’s voice interrupted his lustful thoughts and drew everyone’s attention. Her speech was punctuated with dramatic pauses and exaggerated hand gestures. “Ladies, our last bachelor is none other than Meadow Creek’s very own Sheriff Wade Grey. Dig deep into your purses and bid big. Who will start the bidding?”
“One hundred dollars.”
Wade searched for the bidder. He groaned inside when he spotted the wide grin of Mrs. Turley, better known as “the cat lady.” She was old enough to be his grandmother.
Another bidder shouted, “One hundred fifty.”
Wade’s six-foot-two frame craned forward, searching the crowd for a voice he didn’t recognize. He arched an eyebrow toward Addison. Why didn’t she bid?
Bids ping-ponged back and forth from every direction in the room. He didn’t have time for this.
Relief weakened his knees when Addison smiled and held up her paddle. “Three hundred twenty-five.”
Wade felt like doing a happy-dance shuffle. He held his breath. Surely no one will top that amount.
Wrong!
A five-hundred-dollar bid rang out.
Someone from the audience loudly exclaimed, “Holy crap!”
Wade felt his neck growing red beneath his collar, and his body heated with discomfort when a female voice chortled, “He can put his shoes under my bed anytime. Five hundred twenty-five.”
He prayed his cell phone would ring with Millie on the other end telling him there was an emergency and he was needed asap!
Thirty seconds seemed like a lifetime to Wade. His stomach muscles tightened when Addison’s lips quirked into a mischievous smile. Her blue eyes piercing his seemed to say, “Oh, if only you could see the expression on your face.”
Her hand lifting the paddle moved in slow motion, and her sultry voice purred, “One thousand dollars.”
Wade mustered a fresh smile when the auctioneer finally called the bidding closed to the woman holding paddle number seven. At that moment he wanted to kiss Addison with every ounce of the pent-up emotions he’d suppressed for the last few minutes.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The auctioneer closed the bidding and welcomed Mayor Clark back to the podium. The mayor thanked all the participating bidders and the bachelors. She encouraged everyone to enjoy refreshments while a crew of vol
unteers moved chairs against the wall and the band set up for the dance.
The crowd dispersed into small groups. Wade and Emmett meandered over to where Addison and Nell stood.
Emmett handed Nell a white envelope. He waggled his eyebrows. “Let’s see where we’re to have our date.”
Nell accepted the envelope and ran her finger under the sealed flap. She withdrew a certificate. Her cheeks pinked. “The Dockside, that new place out by the waterfall. Maybe we should wait until the weather warms and we can sit outside.”
Emmett agreed.
Clamping down on his wayward thoughts, Wade handed his envelope to Addison. She opened it and held the certificate forward. “Le Chalet. Sounds very French and very romantic.”
The lights dimmed, and the band struck up its first number, a waltz. Wade offered his hand and swept Addison into his arms. He held her close. She looked more beautiful than anyone had a right to look.
“Le Chalet is the sort of place a man takes a special woman,” he said.
She drew back a little, gazing into his eyes. “Did you know the woman who bid five hundred on you?”
Wade whirled Addison around the floor. The lilt of her voice caused his belly to do a flip-flop. “I know most of the locals pretty well. With so many tourists at the auction, I didn’t see anyone I recognized.”
As her body molded perfectly against his, sparks of awareness ran through him. Everything inside him grew still and quiet. Everything except his heart. He drew back to appreciate the bold but feminine lines and curves of her face, focusing on her lips for longer than he should—long enough to cause a stirring sensation below his belt.
His breath feathered the top of her hair. He inhaled the subtle sweetness of her shampoo. Her fingers toyed with the nape of his neck, sending sensual slithers of desire to places that were responding with a sweet ache.
He bent closer as she tilted her face, her lips slightly parted, inviting, and then just as his mouth took hers, his phone whirred and vibrated. A rueful annoyance flashed in her eyes, replacing the dreamy glint.
He scowled, pulling his phone from his pocket and looking at the caller ID. “It’s Millie.” He blew out an aggravated breath as he escorted Addison off the dance floor.
The song ended. Emmett led Nell over to where Wade stood with Addison.
Wade’s jaw clenched when he disconnected. “There’s been an accident. Car and a moose collided. I’m sorry, Addison.” He placed his hands over hers and kissed her knuckles. “This isn’t the way I’d hoped the evening would end.”
“Don’t you worry, Wade. We’ll see to it she gets home,” Nell declared.
Addison sighed and patted Wade’s shoulder. “Such is the life of a lawman. Truly, I hope no one is badly hurt. Go, and if I don’t see you before—Merry Christmas.”
He bent and lightly brushed her lips with his. Addison watched him wend his way through the crowd, stopping only to speak to his sister and mother. Both women grabbed their coats and followed him through the double cafeteria doors.
****
Dressed in flannel pajamas and heavy robes, Addison and Nell regaled J.J. with comments and quips about the auction. Nell giggled like a young girl when she said, “I almost peed myself when Brenda yelled out a sixty-dollar bid. She was the first bidder. And the expression on Emmett’s face was priceless.”
“Speaking of surprises—Nell, did you recognize the voice of the woman who bid five hundred on Wade?”
J.J. sputtered. “Someone actually bid five hundred dollars?”
“We’re not joking, J.J.” Nell elbowed Addison. “You have to admit Wade is one handsome hunk and a prize catch, if a woman can rope him and put her brand on him.”
J.J. remarked, “Sheriff Grey seems like a stand-up guy, but my guess is he’s no pushover.” She finished off the cup of Nell’s old-fashioned German Glühwein. “I still can’t believe someone bid that much money on him.”
Nell arched an eyebrow at J.J. “Don’t forget all that money goes for a good cause. Not to speak of getting to spend the evening over dinner with him.”
Nell sat pensive for a moment. “It almost seems like I’ve heard that voice before. The room was filled with lots of tourists. It could have been anyone.”
“Yeah, well there’s that.” J.J. unfolded from the sofa. “By the way, who did have the winning bid?”
Addison cleared her throat and grinned. “Ahem, that would be me.”
J.J. matched Addison’s grin. “I’m not even going to ask what the final bid was. As Aunt Nell said, it’s for a good cause.”
Nell yawned as she stood. “Tonight was the most fun I’ve had since I can’t remember when.” She gave each woman a hug. “Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve. Let’s sleep a little late in the morning. For the remainder of the day, we have a lot of cooking to do.”
Addison tipped her cup forward. “I’ll turn out the lights. Goodnight, Aunt Nell, J.J.”
Addison stood in front of the living room window watching snow feather down from the sky. Behind her the fire crackled, casting a warm glow around the room. A wave of nostalgia washed over her as she took in the twinkling lights on the tree, the garland, and the angel topper.
She felt content and happy. She thought about Wade and his sensuous lips against hers, his sexy smile, and how the aroma of his cologne mingled with his masculine scent. Desire stole through her. She tamped down a rush of emotions that she shouldn’t be feeling. It’d been months since she’d had sex, and she refused to give in to carnal needs.
She wanted more. She wanted to be cherished and loved by only one special man—Wade.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Christmas Eve morning arrived with sunshine and blue skies feathered with wispy white clouds. Snow blanketed the grounds of Hope Ranch. Addison stood at her bedroom window, soaking in the scene that reminded her of a Christmas greeting card. Suddenly invigorated by an idea, she hurriedly shrugged out of her pajamas and into denims, flannel shirt, and boots. With nimble fingers she quickly plaited her hair into a French braid and applied a minimum of makeup.
She knelt down and, from the beneath the bed, pulled out a suitcase and opened it to remove her camera case and lens. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d had a desire to pursue her hobby as a photographer.
The aroma of coffee and blueberry pancakes wafted upstairs. Addison followed her nose to the kitchen, and J.J. and the twins stumbled from their bedroom and followed her.
Addison held up the camera. “Good morning. I have a fun idea to do after breakfast. Whatta you say…are you game?”
Joey and Julie climbed up on stools at the kitchen counter. Joey rubbed sleep from his eyes. “What kind of game?”
Julie scoffed. “Not a game, silly. Addison said she had an idea.”
Addison framed her face into dismay. “Oh, my, if you’re too sleepy and would rather go back to bed—ˮ Her voice trailed off when the twins protested.
“We’re game, Addison. Really!”
Addison choked back a chuckle. “You are going to make snow angels while I take pictures of you.”
“Yippee!” The cherubic voices shouted in unison. And then, “What are snow angels?”
Addison explained, and immediately the twins wanted to involve their mother, Aunt Nell, and Addison.
Addison set the camera on a shelf while she helped J.J. fill plates and cups. “Someone has to take the pictures,” she said.
Excited pleasantries were exchanged around the marble counter, with the twins asking if they could leave cookies and milk for Santa and J.J. expressing excitement about settling in Meadow Creek and having a home for her and the twins.
The morning chatter was interrupted by Boomer’s yippy barks and the patter of his paws on the floor as he raced to the living room to settle in his favorite spot on the sofa to look out the window.
Everyone in the kitchen raised their eyebrows in expectation. Nell pushed from her stool. “We’re not expecting anyone until tomorrow. Wonder who it
could be?”
The waiting group heard her say, “Well, this is a nice surprise, J.T. What brings you all the way out to Hope Ranch on Christmas Eve?” And then she added, “C’mon to the kitchen. Coffee’s fresh.”
J.T. Elsworth removed his coat and hung it on the rack in the hallway. He followed Nell to the homey kitchen and greeted everyone, then asked the twins if they were ready for Santa Claus.
“Oh, he’s already brought our Christmas.” Joey smiled at his mother.
Julie followed with, “We wrote Santa a letter asking him to bring us our mommy, and he did.”
J.J. stood and extended her hand. “I’m Jenny Wallace. J.J. to everyone.”
J.T. returned the handshake. “Welcome home, Private Wallace, and thank you for your service. I understand congratulations are in store.”
Her curious glance bounced from Nell to Addison to the banker. “How so, sir?”
“Meadow Creek is a small community. There aren’t many secrets here. We need a good deputy, and Millie is excited that these little tykes will live next door. Just be careful that she doesn’t spoil them rotten.”
Nell handed him a cup of coffee. “You didn’t say what brought you all the way out here, J.T.”
The bank’s vice president pulled a white envelope from the pocket of his cardigan. He smiled. “I promised that as soon as the deed to the ranch was satisfied I’d deliver it to you in person. I’m here to keep that promise.”
Nell accepted the envelope then handed it to Addison. She used a napkin to blot the tears from her eyes. “This would never have happened without you, Addison.”
The two women hugged. It was the banker’s voice that interrupted them. “I’d better get going. Thanks for the coffee.”
Addison laid her hand on his arm. “Wait. We need another favor.”
She explained about making snow angels with the children. “They insist that I be in the picture, too.” She handed him the camera. “Would you?”
He grinned. “I’d love to do this with my family. Do you mind if I borrow your fabulous idea?”
“Free for the taking, J.T.” Addison hugged him. “We owe you so much for going the extra mile when most bankers might have simply closed the door on us and sold Nell’s loan for the payoff amount from a mega corporation.”
Christmas at Hope Ranch Page 18
