by Sophie Mays
“I was wondering about their return policy,” he explained, “I would love to get Rosalind something from here, but she can be a bit picky at times.”
Hannah shook her head at her needless worrying. Rosalind was coming to the ranch to spend the holidays with them. Of course Rafferty would need to have a present ready for her. Now that Hannah thought about it, she should start looking for something for Rosalind also.
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll like whatever you get her,” Hannah said. “Did you already have an idea in mind before you decided to come to the states?”
“Well, we weren’t going to see each other,” Rafferty said with a shrug. “Usually, if we’re not going to be in the same country we just keep it to a Happy Christmas phone call. Trying to figure out the right time to ship something so that it’s received on the day or only a few days before is a bit difficult.”
As they walked to the car, they both noticed how windy it was. Hannah pulled out her phone to text her father when Rafferty reminded her she’d promised to do so. As soon as they got into the car, flakes of snow began drifting from the sky.
“Well, hopefully…” Rafferty started.
“Ah, ah!” Hannah said, holding up a hand. “Don’t jinx us.”
Rafferty ran a hand through his curls. “Quite right,” he said with a sheepish smile.
“Oh, you’ve already thought it, so it’s probably too late,” Hannah teased.
Rafferty shrugged, and Hannah noted the strangely guilty expression on his face. Dismissing it, she checked the sky once more time. The clouds were only beginning to look angry. They would probably have enough time to drive back to the ranch before the storm took a more intense turn. Hannah considered whether or not they should stay in town to wait out the storm. She didn’t think Rafferty would mind, not if they settled in one of the coziest cafes in the vicinity.
She wondered if it would provide another opportunity for a question about whether they were just friends. She wondered what her answer would be if she was asked.
Her phone rang and she picked it up after glancing at the caller ID. She swiped to accept the call, and placed it on speaker. “Hey, Jakey. You’re on speaker. You need something before we head back?”
“Nah, Daddy said it’s gonna be brutal but swift and y’all should just wait there until it calms down.”
“Sure?” Hannah asked. “We have everything already, and we’re in the car. We could probably make it back before it hits hard.”
“Better safe than sorry,” Jake said, and she could hear that he was shrugging. “We’re all in the house now, and you know Mama and Daddy will worry if you’re on the road.”
“Oh, Mama and Daddy will worry, huh?” Hannah said.
“If you want to drive back in a snowstorm it’s no skin off my nose,” Jake said. “Emma might be upset about it though.”
Hannah laughed softly. “We’ll stay in town, Jakey. I think I’ll take Rafe to Bean Me Up, and we’ll relax there.”
“Bring me back a cranberry-orange muffin,” Jake demanded. “Actually, bring three. AJ will steal one.”
“And then you can have two to yourself?” Hannah teased.
“Yes, and?” Jake sniffed haughtily.
Hannah glanced over to the front seat to see Rafferty grinning. He always seemed so amused by all of her conversations with her siblings. She couldn’t wait to see how he and Rosalind interacted. It would give her a whole new insight into her friend. He always spoke about her with fondness, but Hannah had first-hand experience with how older brothers liked to tease. From the stories, she’d heard about Rosalind, the other Winthrop wasn’t someone whose wit ever failed her. Hannah expected to witness a great many interesting and amusing moments between the siblings.
“Alright, I’ll let you know when we’re on our way back,” Hannah said
“Copy that,” Jake replied. “Y’all stay safe.”
“Same to you and everyone else,” Hannah said.
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Hannah turned to Rafferty, who raised an eyebrow.
“Bean Me Up?” he asked.
“Best coffee place ‘round these parts,” Hannah said. She glanced out the window where the flakes were starting to fall fast and thick. “Let’s get over there, so we can stay warm and wait out the worst.”
Rafferty nodded and followed her lead when they exited the car. It was a short walk to the end of the street and they walked up to a shop with mosaic tables and crossback chairs out front. There were Christmas lights in the windows and when they entered, the whole place smelled like gingerbread.
Hannah watched Rafferty’s face light up as he looked around. It was a cozy little shop, and her favorite as much for the atmosphere as for the delicious coffee. They ordered at the counter. Hannah got a mocha peppermint concoction and teased Rafferty until he agreed to salted caramel hot chocolate instead of a simple English Breakfast tea. She remembered him admitting once to a sweet tooth he rarely indulged in, and was gratified to see the bliss in his expression when he tasted his beverage.
Hannah settled into a couch at the back of the store. She expected Rafferty to sit in the armchair to her immediate left, but he took a seat next to her on the couch. She turned to him in surprise, settling her back against the arm of the chair. Rafferty was facing her also, side pressed to the back of the couch, arm crooked along the top, leaning his head in his hand.
“You remembered I have a sweet tooth,” he said.
Hannah sipped her drink. There was no reason for her to feel embarrassed considering Rafferty could remember things about her that she’d only mentioned once and could apparently accurately analyze her entertainment preferences. She was once again hit with the surreal reality of intimately knowing someone she had only recently met in person.
“Well, I’m happy to help you indulge,” Hannah said. “In fact, I think you should do it more often.”
“And lose my godlike physique? Can’t have that,” Rafferty joked.
“I think it would take more than a few desserts to ruin your physique,” Hannah said.
Rafferty’s expression shifted to sly amusement. “Why, Hannah Wyatt. Are you commenting on my figure?”
Hannah could feel herself blushing and took another sip of her drink. “I was commenting on your eating preferences.”
“And the effect they have,” Rafferty said.
“Or lack thereof,” Hannah replied. Rafferty laughed.
“If I don’t eat sweets all the time, that makes the few circumstances in which I do a special treat,” he explained.
“Life’s too short to be hoarding indulgent moments,” Hannah said with a shrug. “I always thought we should enjoy what little time we have to the fullest.”
Rafferty studied her with something akin to wonder. “Maybe I should take your advice,” he said. “Maybe you should take your advice too.”
“Excuse me?” Hannah asked, frowning at him in confusion.
“You’re finally moving back home, which you realized you’ve wanted for a long time, but it seems like you’re waiting for something else to happen before you enjoy it to the fullest.”
Was she really that easy to read, Hannah wondered, or was Rafferty especially good at being able to tell what she was thinking? After a moment’s hesitation, in which she reminded herself that Rafferty was a close friend, Hannah opened up about her thoughts.
“I am happy to be home. I’m happy with the land I’ve chosen and my plan for it,” she said. “I guess the only thing that’s really bothering me is that my siblings aren’t as settled as I am about the land they’ve been given. It seems like they’ve decided to stay permanently after we found out what happened to Daddy…”
“I’m sorry, what happened to your father?” Rafferty asked in concern.
Hannah looked at him in surprise. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t already told him. Thinking back though, she remembered that she’d found out about the heart attack after she and her siblings had been gifte
d their land. She remembered telling Rafferty about the parcels and then about what she was hoping to do with hers.
“He had a minor heart attack. The least impactful type of heart attack it’s possible to have. It shook him and mama up, though. That’s why they offered us the land. So they could have us home,” Hannah said.
Rafferty took this in. “I’m sorry about your father, and I’m glad it wasn’t worse. I can understand why he would want his children near him after such an experience.”
“Yeah, and we feel the same way,” Hannah said earnestly. “And it seems like they’re going to stay but I just think they don’t exactly know what they’re going to do with themselves. None of us really do well without work that we feel passionate about.”
Rafferty hummed thoughtfully. “Do you all work well together? Not simply two or three of you, but all five of you working on a project.”
Hannah thought about it carefully. “If we each have specific roles, I think. If we split into teams, it’s a little more dicey, but things get done even if it takes a bit longer.”
“Have you thought about having them help you with your events idea?” Rafferty asked. “If you all choose parcels relatively near each other, and they’re all connected to aspects of hosting events, then you’ll all be working together on a family project. If you can somehow link their individual professions with aspects of the business, it will be something they’re passionate about too.”
Hannah stared at Rafferty in absolute shock. It was probably the most actionable solution possible. It would be so easy to create a kind of ranch retreat if they all worked together. Hannah could be in charge of making the cabins livable and comfortable to stay in. Carson and Emma could be in charge of food and desserts. AJ could help with activities like horseback riding and art classes. Jake could do different cultural expositions based on all the places he’d been to, or even something with wine tastings. Maybe he could even establish his own vineyard right there on the ranch!
New ideas tumbled into her mind one after the other like falling dominoes. It could be a family business with each person in charge of their area of expertise, but all of them working together and supporting each other. It was like a dream come true.
Hannah had no idea whether or not her siblings would be as excited about the idea as she was, though. She said as much to Rafferty.
“There’s no way you can know if you don’t ask them,” he replied with a shrug. “But I think it might be a possibility they will at least consider with the gravity it deserves. It’s an idea with merit.”
“It was your idea and I can’t thank you enough…” Hannah started. Rafferty shook his head.
“It was your idea. I simply expanded upon it. I’m sure it would be a successful business with your sole guidance. Giving your siblings the opportunity to participate is just a way to give them purpose while they settle at home,” Rafferty said.
Hannah subsided, but resolved to find some other way to thank him. It was unlikely she would have thought of asking her siblings to join in with her on her plan to host events. It hadn’t occurred to her that her idea was compatible with their skills until Rafferty asked whether it was possible for them all to work together. No matter how humble the man was, Hannah would be sure to show him the full extent of her gratitude. Maybe if Rosalind got to the states early Hannah could ask for ideas on the perfect Christmas gift for Rafferty.
Having had help solving her own problems, Hannah turned her attention to Rafferty. She set her drink on the table and leaned toward him. He seemed somewhat unnerved by her focus on him, but met her gaze nevertheless.
“I’m really happy you’re here, Rafe. Meeting you has exceeded all my expectations, and not only because you turned out to be a man,” Hannah said. At first, Rafferty laughed. Once her words truly registered, he grew more solemn.
“But?” he asked cautiously.
“But there’s a reason you decided to actually take me up on my offer,” Hannah said. “If you just needed a vacation, I understand that. Something tells me there’s a deeper problem, though.”
Rafferty sighed and his gaze dropped to the cup in his hands. For a moment, he looked so sad that Hannah almost regretted bringing it up. Rafferty had helped with her problem, however, so the least she could do was try to return the favor. Being here with Hannah’s family was soothing something in him, but he would eventually have to go back to whatever he was running away from if it wasn’t resolved by the time the holiday season was over.
“It wasn’t a particular thing, I suppose,” Rafferty said. “I’ve been feeling a bit lost lately. I just keep going from country to country, making business deals and meeting the same types of people. I hardly ever see my parents or my sister. I just…”
He looked so forlorn. Hannah had heard the phrase ‘heart wrenching,’ but she’d never experienced it until this moment while witnessing the despondent expression on Rafferty’s face. Without thinking, she reached out and placed a hand over his. He paused for a moment, caught off guard, but flipped his hand over to intertwine their fingers.
“When you sent me that email that said you wished I could see your home, it really hit me how much I wanted to. The way you talk about where you grew up, it just seemed like a place filled with so much beauty and warmth and happiness. I just felt like it had been so long since I was in awe of a place and I thought maybe the ranch, your ranch, could…”
He trailed off again, uncharacteristically struggling with his words.
“Help somehow?” Hannah asked. “Has it?”
Rafferty’s lips quirked, his gaze on their hands. “I do feel better here. But it also makes me realize what I’m missing at home.”
“Well, if you know what you’re missing, then you can get it at home, right?” Hannah asked. She knew he was missing companionship. If he tried to spend more time with his sister and make his uni buddies actual friends, there was no doubt he would feel more settled. Rafferty just looked at her though.
“No. I can’t get what I’m missing at home.”
“Rafe…”
He raised his free hand and smoothed the crease between her brows. “Don’t fret, love. I won’t be unhappy. I’m determined to visit quite often, if nothing else.”
Hannah pursed her lips, disgruntled and not at all soothed. She wanted to help him. Of course, it filled her with warmth to know that he was planning on coming back after he left, but she’d much rather he was happy all of the time instead of selectively. Unless he was more specific about exactly what characteristics of the ranch made him feel better, though, it would be difficult to encourage him to find it when he left for home.
“Maybe if you tell me…”
Rafferty leaned forward abruptly. Hannah froze in surprise.
“It’s very sweet of you to want to help, but you’ve already done so much. If you hadn’t offered a haven for the holidays, I might never have found what I was missing.”
Hannah blinked at him, trying to focus on his words, but getting a bit lost in his hazel eyes. “I still wish I could do more.”
“If I’ve need of anything from you, love, I’ll ask you. How about for now you let me buy you a pumpkin muffin and I’ll help you plan a proposal to your siblings?”
Hannah’s eyebrows went up in surprise.“Pumpkin muffins are…”
“Your favorite?” Rafferty asked with a cheeky grin.
“Right,” Hannah said, a mirthful sound escaping her lips. “Of course you know that. They have lovely cherry danishes if you’re so inclined.”
Rafferty shook his head in amusement and walked back up to the counter. Hannah glanced outside, surprised to see a layer of white on the ground. It couldn’t be half an inch, but it was still surprising considering the short amount of time they’d been in the cafe. The flakes were still falling fast and fluffy, so Hannah settled in for a wait.
When Rafferty returned with their warmed pastries, they discussed the best way for Hannah to approach her siblings about her idea of collaborati
ng.
“Would you and Rosalind work well together on something like this?” she asked.
Rafferty reflexively made a face at the idea of working with his sister, but then seemed to consider the question. “Possibly. We’re both efficient, but I don’t believe we’ve ever worked together on a long-term project. I’m torn between believing we would get it done fairly quickly by reading each other’s minds, and believing we’d be too busy arguing and bickering about every component to actually get anything done at all.”
“Probably a mixture of both,” Hannah said with a giggle. “If you’ve been feeling a bit isolated and stressed, maybe she’s been feeling the same. I’m happy you invited her. She probably needs a vacation as much as you did.”
“And didn’t have a Hannah to offer it to her,” Rafferty muttered, mostly to himself. He seemed to feel a bit guilty as he thought about it and Hannah quickly asked another question.
“Have you two ever taken a family vacation together? Jetted off to some tropical island for a week?”
Rafferty grinned, and said, “We did go on an island vacation once, but the island was Japan.”
Hannah was enchanted by his stories of cuddling baby foxes, pearl hunting, and ghost tours. When they got back to the ranch, she would make sure Rafferty and Jake had a chance to exchange travel stories. They spoke more on his travels, discussed a few of the places Hannah wanted to visit at some point in the future, and laughed at pictures of past vacations.
They were still talking hours later when Hannah’s phone dinged with a text notification.
Are y’all gonna be home for dinner, or are you eating in town?
Hannah looked out the window and realized the snow had stopped.
“Oh, wow, it’s already time for dinner and we didn’t even notice,” Hannah said.
Rafferty tilted his head. “They do say time flies when you’re having fun.”
“They do say that,” Hannah agreed, shaking her head. “They want to know if we’ll go home for dinner or get something here in town.”