Racing Christmas

by Shanna Hatfield

  She sat on the edge of the tub as she added bubble bath to the water. The vanilla scent held a hint of pomegranate and a spice she couldn’t quite identify that gave off an aromatic Christmas fragrance.

  Brylee pinned her hair on top of her head and then carried a small side table into the bathroom, leaving it next to the tub. She made a cup of hot chocolate brimming with marshmallows, and left it along with her book and phone on the little table by the tub. She sank into the steaming, fragrant water then pulled up a playlist of mellow Christmas songs on her phone.

  Since she was alone and had no worries of anyone spying on her, she left the bathroom door wide open. The view from the free-standing tub was straight across from the big picture window in the main room with a spectacular view of the mountains. She sipped her chocolate and watched snowflakes fall outside. With the smells of the Christmas tree and cinnamon-laced ornaments blending with the holiday scent of her bubble bath, the sound of carols playing softly accompanied by the crackling and popping of logs on the fire, and a delicious cup of hot, creamy chocolate in her hand, she sat back in the tub and relaxed for the first time in a long, long while.

  The heat drew the tension and soreness from her muscles while the atmosphere calmed her spirit. She took another sip of the chocolate and closed her eyes, letting her head rest against a towel she’d folded and placed against the edge of the tub.

  Thoughts she’d refused to dwell on surfaced, like how much she’d enjoyed kissing Shaun the last night of the rodeo, how good it felt to be held in his arms again. For a few marvelous moments, it was as though all the pain and loss between them had washed away, leaving behind pure, sweet love. She had such dreams of sharing Christmas with him, of the future holidays they would enjoy together. Now, all she knew is that she’d do most anything to be with him again.

  Lost in her thoughts, she drifted in a state of not quite awake or asleep until she heard what sounded like a car door shut. She settled deeper in the water, convinced it must have been a log shifting on the fire.

  Then a creak that sounded like someone opening the front door reached her. Her eyes popped open and she stared into the main room, but she couldn’t see the door or the entrance area from the tub. The abundance of bubbles provided an iridescent cover for her, but she didn’t relish the idea of facing an intruder while she was naked.

  The distinctive jingle of spurs caught her attention as footsteps thudded across the floor. If someone was sneaking up on her, they weren’t doing a very good job. She glanced around for a weapon and realized all she had within her grasp was her book and her cup of chocolate. Not willing to sacrifice the mug or clean up a mess if she was losing her mind and hearing things, she set down the mug and picked up the book, pulling back her arm and taking aim for the center of the door.

  The footsteps drew closer and she sucked in a frightened breath, holding it as a cowboy hat-covered head came into view along with a crystal vase full of gorgeous red and white roses.

  She lowered the book and gawked at Shaun as he stepped into the bathroom with a broad grin on his face. A million questions ran through her head, but she couldn’t voice a single one. Not when she could see love glimmering in his eyes and hope dancing in his smile.

  “Well, this isn’t exactly how I envisioned finding you, but I’m not complaining,” he said, holding the vase in front of him as he walked closer to the tub. “It looks like you’ve been holed up here playing Santa’s elf.” He sniffed the air. “It even smells like Christmas.”

  “Shaun! Good grief! You scared me half to death sneaking in here like that.” She couldn’t believe he was standing in her bathroom looking like he’d just ridden out of one of Lasso Eight’s advertisements. It was all she could do to keep from leaping out of the tub and into his arms.

  He smirked. “I wasn’t sneaking. My spurs and boots made enough noise to wake a deaf dog.”

  The barest hint of a smile lingered on her lips. “I know you didn’t ride Lucky all the way here. Why do you have on spurs?”

  He glanced down at his boots then back at her. “I didn’t take time to change once I decided to come see you.”

  That made sense, even if she had no idea what motivated him to drive all the way up to the cabin. “What are you doing here?”

  Rather than answer right away, he glanced around and noticed a small stool in front of an old vanity in the corner of the bathroom. He set the vase on the vanity then pulled the stool over by the tub although he didn’t take a seat on it. “I need to talk to you about something and a phone call won’t do. I'm still mad at you and aching about Michaela, but that's not what I drove all this way to say.”

  “I’m sorry, Shaun. Truly, I am.”

  “I know you are, darlin’, but I’m the one who needs to apologize. None of this would have happened if I’d never left you, if I’d done everything I could to get you back. I’m sorry, so incredibly sorry.”

  “And you are forgiven,” she said, meaning it. She forgave him because she loved him, but that still didn’t explain why he’d come to the cabin. He could have apologized on the phone.

  “How’d you find me?” she asked, sinking deeper in the tub and shifting around bubbles to provide strategic coverage. She lifted a bubble-covered hand and pointed toward the door. “Why don’t you wait in the living room and I’ll join you in a minute.”

  “I think I like you right where you are,” he said. He removed his hat and set it on the vanity then shrugged out of his coat and draped it there, too. When he sat down on the stool and took a drink of her chocolate, she got the idea he didn’t intend on leaving the room or her anytime soon.

  “Mmm. That’s good chocolate,” he said, taking another sip before handing the cup to her. “To answer your question, I went to your house, but Ace told me you came up here yesterday then gave me detailed directions in case I’d forgotten how to find the cabin. Although we stopped by a few times when we were dating, his map came in handy. With the snow falling like it’s gonna turn into a blizzard, it made it challenging to see the landmarks I thought I recalled.”

  One of his long, tanned fingers dipped into the tub and lazily trailed back and forth through the bubbles by her knees.

  Brylee glanced at his finger and goose bumps broke over her flesh despite the heat of the water. She needed a distraction from how much she wanted Shaun, wanted him to love her. “Why are you here and where did you find such beautiful roses?”

  His attention shifted from the bubble he’d captured on his finger to her face. Brylee felt the magnetic pull of him as his gaze fused to hers. “I called a florist and had those flowers delivered to your house this morning, but Ace decided it would be a good idea to bring them with me.” Shaun grinned. “I think he was right.”

  “They are beautiful and very much appreciated, but why did you choose red and white?” she asked, knowing the meaning of the combination of colors, but wondering if Shaun did. “Because they look festive for Christmas?”

  “No, although they do fit well with the holiday.” Shaun walked back over to the vanity and pulled a red rose from the vase then handed it to her before he took a seat on the stool again.

  Brylee buried her nose in the bloom, studying him as he sat there looking more handsome than her battered heart could take. “So if it wasn’t to spread Christmas cheer, why did you choose red and white?”

  “It’s the symbol for unity, isn’t it?” he asked, trailing his index finger through the bubbles again. “Going forward, you and I are going to be united, Brylee. United in our thoughts, in our dreams, in our hopes, and our hearts, and most definitely united in marriage.”

  Sure she must have gotten soap bubbles in her ears and hadn’t heard him correctly, she stared at him. “You still want to marry me? After finding out about Michaela, about my mother meddling in things and creating half of the mess, you’d still want to spend your life saddled with me and my crazy family?”

  Shaun pulled off one boot and let it drop to the floor followed by the other,
then yanked off his socks. “I’m not married to your crazy family, Brylee, although I love Birch like a little brother and your grandpa like he was my own. Your mother is going to take a little work for me to warm up to, but given enough time, it will most likely happen.” He stood and unfastened his belt buckle then pulled the tails of his shirt from his jeans. “I had an interesting conversation this morning with Will Johnson. It seems his brother never filed the paperwork to annul our hasty wedding. In the eyes of the law, we’re still married.”

  Brylee’s eyes widened with shock. “You’re kidding me.”

  Shaun shook his head and unsnapped his shirt, letting it fall to the floor. “I would not kid about something that serious, Bitsy. I spoke to his brother and even had my attorney check to be sure the paperwork was never filed. It wasn’t. So you, my beautiful little holiday enchantress, are still married to me. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to keep it that way for the next sixty or so years.” He tugged the Henley shirt he wore over his head. “If you're tired of loving me by then, we'll revisit the option of going our separate ways, but only by mutual agreement.”

  Brylee drank in the sight of him, of bulging muscles and the beauty of a rugged hard-working man.

  Sparks flickered in his eyes, like lightning across a stormy sky, as he braced his hands on either side of the massive tub and bent down until his lips hovered achingly close to hers. “What do you say, Brylee Elizabeth Barton? Will you remain my wife in sickness and in health, in hard times and happy times, through the birth of the children I hope we have together although no one will ever replace Michaela in our hearts, and the many years ahead when I’ll stay right by your side until the good Lord calls us home? Even then, I’ll love you still.”

  Tears of joy glistened in her eyes while happiness unlike anything she’d ever known flooded her heart. Unable to speak, she nodded her head and pressed her lips to his. Passion and yearning exploded between them, right along with hope and promises for their future together. Promises they both knew they’d always keep.

  “I love you so much, Bitsy,” Shaun whispered, holding himself up on the edges of the tub while she buried her face in his neck, breathing in his decadent, familiar scent.

  “I love you, too, Copperhead. I have since the first moment we met.”

  “Then, I guess we should do this,” he said, digging in the front pocket of his jeans and pulling out two rings. He took Brylee’s left hand in his and kissed the tip of each finger before sliding a beautiful platinum etched band with a diamond set in the center onto her finger. “With this ring, to my already wedded wife, I vow to cherish you, protect you, support you, encourage you, to make you laugh, wipe away your tears, and love you forever.”

  She took the other ring, a wide band that matched the one on her finger, and slid it on his ring finger, kissing it then pulling his hand up to her cheek and kissing his palm. “With this ring, I promise to honor you, to support you, to do my best to obey you,” she grinned at him and he smiled, “to treasure you, to encourage you, to care for you, to laugh with you, and love you with every beat of my heart.”

  Shaun kissed her again, so tenderly and sweetly, Brylee thought she’d melt into the bubbles that rapidly dissolved around her.

  When they stopped to draw a breath, Shaun dropped his jeans and climbed into the tub, pulling her into his arms, into the bliss of being his beloved wife.

  Later as they cuddled on the sofa in front of a roaring fire, Brylee held out her hand to watch the diamond sparkle in the firelight. Shaun took her hand in his and kissed her fingers again, making tingles race down to her toes.

  “I love you, Bitsy, more than you can know,” he said in a husky voice.

  She snuggled closer against him, relishing the feel of his hard chest pressed against her back. “I have an idea because I love you just as much, Shaun. May this be the beginning of a lifetime of happy Christmases we share together.”

  He pressed a warm kiss to her neck and wrapped his hands more tightly around her waist beneath the blanket that covered them. “I think we should make it a tradition to come up to the cabin every year right before Christmas to celebrate our anniversary.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at him then shifting to trail her hand through his hair.

  “I also think we should renew our vows. I’m thinking a little ceremony with just our close friends and family. What do you say?” he asked, giving her a hopeful look. “You could have a real wedding dress, and a reception.”

  She turned over so she could see him better, gaze into the face she so loved. “Your close friends encompass at least a hundred people and you know it.” He smirked and kissed her cheek.

  Brylee traced the cleft in his chin. “I don't need a fancy ceremony or an expensive dress or a six layer cake, but I think it would be nice to renew our vows. What do you think of doing it New Year’s Day? Most of your friends will be in the area for Chase and Jessie’s party anyway.”

  “That sounds perfect, Bits. You invite whomever you like and I’ll be there with bells on.”

  “Leave the bells on the Christmas tree, and you’ve got a deal,” she said, kissing him with all the love she’d held for him in heart for so long. Shaun was finally hers to love and cherish, and she planned to love him with all her heart from that moment forward.

  “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Price,” he whispered against her lips.

  And Brylee knew it would be.

  Recipe

  Here is the recipe for the meatloaf Brylee made for Shaun. Sometimes, there is nothing like a little comfort food. This recipe is different, but always moist and good.

  Not Your Granny’s Meatloaf

  2 pounds of ground beef

  3 eggs

  2/3 cup milk

  1 tbsp. parsley

  1 1/2 cups Panko crumbs

  1 tsp. seasoning (we like Mrs. Dash)

  dash of salt

  1 tbsp. olive oil

  1/3 cup celery

  1 tsp. onion flakes (or you can add fresh diced onion)

  2 cups chicken broth

  3 tbsp. butter

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  Thinly slice celery. Heat olive oil in a small skillet on medium heat and add celery and onion. Cook until celery is softened. Remove from heat and let cool about ten minutes.

  Mix celery with remaining ingredients until thoroughly blended.

  Line a rimmed baking pan with foil or a piece of parchment (if you’re lazy like me) and give it a shot of non-stick spray. Form a loaf in the pan that is about 12 inches long by 5 inches wide by 1 1/2-2 inches deep.

  Bake for an hour, until the outside is a nice, deep brown.

  About twenty-five minutes before the meatloaf is finished baking, pour 2 cups of chicken broth into a heavy skillet with the butter. You can add a spoon of seasoning, if you like.

  Bring to a boil then simmer for about twenty minutes, until it starts to thicken. It will not get thick like gravy, but will be thicker than broth.

  When the meatloaf is cooked, remove from the oven, slice, and drizzle with the gravy. We like it best served with mashed potatoes.

  Author’s Note

  The first time I wrote about Shakin’ It Shaun in Barreling Through Christmas, I knew this cowboy needed his own romance. Shaun is outgoing, full of fun, and doesn’t embarrass easily. He’s handsome and hunky, and maybe a little cocky from time to time.

  I knew to give him his own happily ever after, I’d have to create a girl who was strong enough to balance his character.

  That’s when I came up with Brylee.

  Brylee might be small, but she is mighty and she is fierce! At least that’s how I see her. Brylee is one tough cookie but I think the thing I admire about her most is how deeply she loves.

  I also had a wonderful time creating the secondary characters like Jason, Pops, Ace, and especially Birch. I’m thinking Birch might need his own story once he’s all grown up!

  If you caught the ment
ion of the Jordan family when Jason was telling Brylee about his wife’s ancestors… yes, I’m referring to Thane and Jemma Jordan from the Baker City Brides series. It’s such fun to tie in characters from other series.

  I’ve previously confessed I could spend hours (and hours!) on Pinterest. One day while I was looking at Pins for ideas for this book, I happened upon one that was titled “Five Deadly Terms Used by a Woman.” Those terms are “Fine,” “Nothing,” “Go Ahead,” “Whatever,” and “That’s OK.” The word “Wow!” is listed as a bonus word. The descriptions that go with each of the statements are hilarious. “Fine” is a word women use to end an argument when they know they are right. “Nothing,” of course, means something and men should definitely be worried. “Go ahead” is a dare, not permission. Men are discouraged from pursuing it. “Whatever” implies the man in question should back off and leave her alone. “That’s OK” means she’s thinking long and hard about retribution for whatever the man has done. “Wow!” simply points out her amazement that one person could be so stupid.

  After reading all that, I, of course, had to find a way to work it into the story and the perfect opportunity arose when Brylee was injured and left at the mercy of Shaun — a man she loathed, or at least tried to convince herself she did.

  If you noticed the mention of the sports medicine trailer at the rodeos and the helpful physicians who staffed it when Brylee was injured, those trailers are real. Through the Justin Sportsmedicine Team®, trailers and medical staff travel to rodeos all across the country, providing assistance and care to rodeo athletes. The sportsmedicine team works in conjunction with the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. Find out more about the JCCF and why I support it through my Read a Book, Help a Cowboy campaign.

  One day my niece and I decided to go to lunch at a newly opened restaurant. The door had a “pull” sign, so we pulled. And pulled. Read the sign again and pulled. Then she pushed and the door swung open. The person watching us had the biggest smile on her face. Once we were seated, we watched another unsuspecting customer go through the same experience. Apparently, the sign was switched solely for the entertainment of the staff working there. It seemed fitting to include that bit of humor in the gas station scene with the crazy old coot and his mouse.