A Cowboy for Christmas

by Susan Fisher-Davis

  He had no idea what he was even looking for. What do you buy a woman who has everything? He sighed when he reached the women’s department and stared at the selection of clothing. A robe would be nice. Did she need one? Hell if he knew. He exhaled as he stepped to the rack lined with robes. What size? Jesus! Shouldn’t you have thought of this before you came here?

  He browsed through the rack moving each one past after deciding it was one that she wouldn’t like. Her favorite color was pink; he knew that much. He pulled one off the rack and held it up. It was pink velour with a zipper up the front. The pull-tab had a pink ribbon attached to it for easy zipping, he supposed. She might like this, he thought.

  “You look like you’re concentrating awfully hard on that robe,” a female voice said from beside him. Reid glanced over to see a very pretty woman with blonde hair smiling at him. He grinned at her.

  “I don’t like Christmas shopping,” he told her.

  She laughed. “Most men don’t. Do you need some help?”

  “Do you work here?”

  “No. Just asking.” She smiled at him again. He knew she was flirting and he didn’t see anything wrong with that because she was very pretty.

  “I just don’t know...” He stopped when he spotted Lucy walking past in the aisle. She was looking down at something alongside her and smiling. When she glanced up, her eyes connected with his. She stopped in her tracks and her face turned pink. He saw her swallow hard then take a deep breath before walking toward him. The closer she got, the harder his heart pounded. She was so beautiful. He couldn’t take his eyes off her face. She stopped in front of him and looked up at him.

  “Hello, Lucy,” he said in a rough voice then cleared his throat. She’d always had this kind of effect on him.

  “Hey Reid. Are you getting your shopping done?”

  “I’m trying. What are you—” His words caught in his throat when he glanced down and saw the little blond-haired boy holding her hand. He looked back to Lucy. “Is he...?”

  “Yes. I was pregnant when Zeke died. He just turned three in September.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “I’m the only who knew at the funeral.” She looked at the robe in his hand, and then to the woman standing beside him. “I’ll let you both get on with your shopping.”

  Reid glanced to the woman beside him and back to Lucy. “Uh, no...we’re not together. I was just looking for something for someone, and she was helping me.”

  “I can see you don’t need my help any longer,” the blonde said before walking away.

  Reid nodded but didn’t take his eyes off the little boy. “He looks just like Zeke.” His voice caught and he swallowed hard.

  “Yes, he does.” Lucy squatted down. “Zeke, this is Reid Callahan, an old friend of...mine.”

  “Hello, Zeke,” Reid said, putting his hand out to the little boy.

  “Hello,” Zeke said, as he placed his little hand in Reid’s much larger one.

  Reid swallowed hard again, and quickly blinked tears away. Zeke’s son looked so much like him it was scary. Reid glanced away and took a deep breath. He looked back to Lucy.

  “Are you shopping too?”

  “Zeke and I have some things to get for Christmas. He’s going to buy his nana a diamond ring.” She winked.

  “Wow. That’s great.” Reid squatted down so he was face to face with Zeke. “Does your nana like diamond rings, Z-man?”

  Zeke’s eyes lit up at the nickname. He gazed up at Lucy. “He called me Z-man, Mama.”

  Lucy laughed. “I heard that. Do you like that?”

  “Yep.”

  Reid laughed. “A simple yep is good.”

  “It’s his favorite word...that, and of course, no.” Lucy glanced at the robe in his hands. “Is that the one you’re getting?”

  Reid stood. “I think so. She loves pink, but I’m not sure of the size.”

  “You’re not sure of your wife’s size?”

  “Wife?” Reid frowned then realization dawned on him. “Oh, no...this is for my mom.”

  “Oh well then, I’d say your mom is about a size ten.”

  “Okay.” Reid looked at the label on the robe. It was a twelve. He put it back and found an identical robe in a size ten. He turned to look at Zeke. “So, Z-man, are you ready for Santa?”

  “Yep. I want a pony this year. Mama says my daddy rode ponies when he was little, so I want to be like him.”

  Reid noticed Lucy blink her eyes quickly. He knew how she felt because he had a lump in his throat too.

  “Your daddy was a great guy.”

  “Did you know my daddy? I didn’t know him. He died before I was borned.”

  “I knew him very well.”

  “Reid was your daddy’s best friend, baby. They did everything together. Reid misses him too.”

  Reid stared at her in wonder.

  “Reid, I’m so sorry for what I said to you at the funeral. It was wrong.”

  “It’s all right, Lucy.”

  “No. It’s not. I’d love to make it up to you, how about coming over for dinner tonight. Unless you have to be at your mom’s?”

  “I’d...I’d love that. What time?”

  “Six? We still live on the ranch.”

  “Six is fine. I’ll see you then. I need to get going. I have to get something for my dad yet. I’ll see you tonight then. See ya, Z-man.” Reid grinned at them.

  “Bye, Reid.” Zeke pronounced his name as Weid and waved at him as Lucy led him away. Reid couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  LUCY STOPPED IN THE men’s wear department then watched Reid stride away, and couldn’t stop her eyes from going to his ass in those jeans of his. The man always could fill out a pair of jeans. She’d done everything she could to keep her eyes off the rodeo buckle he wore. It was way too close to the fly of his jeans.

  She’d always thought Reid Callahan was one incredibly good-looking man. He stood six foot five, had black hair, and beautiful gray eyes. His nose was straight and sat above a kissable set of lips, although she’d never had a chance to kiss them. Even though he was clean-shaven, his lower face, neck, and jaw sported a faint shadow. She’d known the reputation he had while on the circuit, and wondered if he had someone special now.

  Her insides shivered thinking back to that time. She’d hated the sport even though she’d met Zeke at a rodeo. She’d been only eighteen, seven years ago when she’d met the twenty-five year old Zeke Albright. Had he lived, he’d be thirty-two now and still in the prime of his life. She’d been so infatuated with him from the first moment they’d met. A friend had invited her to the rodeo and she felt mesmerized by all the sexy cowboys there. On her way to the concession stand to get popcorn, she’d literally run into Zeke almost knocking him down. He stood only a few inches taller than she did but he seemed larger than life. He’d laughed at her and asked her to go for a burger with him after the events. She agreed, but only if her friend went along. He was fine with that. They’d started dating, and she soon fell madly in love with him. They married a year after meeting, but they also fought constantly about him riding. It terrified her that he’d be hurt, or worse, killed. Her fears had come true.

  She’d been so in love with Zeke that she hadn’t paid much attention to Reid until one night, about a month after her wedding, when she was at a rodeo with Zeke she’d seen him talking with a woman and smiling at her like she was the only woman in the arena. The young woman stood with her back against a wall and Reid stood close with his hand placed above her head. Lucy realized just how devastatingly handsome he was, and felt so guilty about having even thought that way about him after that, she gave him the cold shoulder any time she was around him. As if was his fault she was attracted to him. She loved Zeke, she never doubted that ever, but sometimes looking at Reid made her wish she’d met him first.

  She shook her head at the memories. Zeke had loved her and she would never have hurt him. Zeke had never known how she felt about Reid, and she suppose
d that since she’d never acted on her attraction, there had never been a reason to tell him. Seeing Reid today only intensified her feelings. If it was possible, he was even better looking than he was years ago. Now, she’d gone off the deep end and invited him to dinner tonight.

  “What is wrong with you,” she muttered under her breath.

  “Nuttin’, Mama. Why?”

  “Not you, baby. I’m just thinking out loud.”

  “Okay. We need to see the rings now.” Zeke tugged on her hand and led her toward the jewelry department. She spotted the costume jewelry and turned him in that direction. With her luck, he’d spot a real diamond and want to buy that for his nana.

  “Okay, little man, here we are.” She scooped him up into her arms so he could see all the goodies on display.

  “You can call me Z-man, Mama,” he said with a proud grin.

  Lucy did her best not to laugh. “All right, Z-man. See if you can find something nice here.”

  Zeke looked at the jewelry with a frown on his face. He concentrated on each ring he saw. Finally, he picked one up.

  “This one, Mama. Do you think Nana will like it?”

  Lucy took the ring from him and smiled. “Of course, she will.”

  It was a huge cluster of fake diamonds with a silver band. It looked just like the kind of real ring her mother would buy. She did love her diamonds and Lucy knew she’d love this one just as much as a real one.

  “Now, I have to get Pap something.” Zeke scrunched up his nose. “Pap is hard to buy for.”

  “You’re right about that. Let’s look at some flannel shirts. He could always use one of those.”

  “Okay,” Zeke said as he started hopping from one foot to the other with excitement. He stopped and stared up at her. “Mama? Is Reid gonna have supper with us?”

  “Yes, he is. Why?”

  “Just wondering. I like him. Is he a real cowboy?”

  “Yes. He used to be on the rodeo circuit.”

  “What’s a circuit?”

  “Different types of events in different arenas, like the rodeo.”

  Zeke nodded. “Can he ride a horse?”

  “Yes, baby, yes, he can.”

  In her mind’s eye, Lucy could see Reid sitting astride a horse. He used to compete in so many events. She’d loved watching him barrel race. He’d been fantastic at it, he’d have that horse so close to the ground going around those barrels that it looked as if the horse were on its side, but she knew his first love was riding the bulls. Just like Zeke. She quit watching the rodeo three years ago. He’d made a lot of money while bull riding and he’d been champion two years in a row before Zeke died, and one year after that. Buckle bunnies always surrounded him. Zeke had his share too, until he married her anyway, and she began to travel with him for every show.

  They’d purchased the ranch a year before he died. Zeke had paid cash for it, and with the life insurance he’d taken out, she was set for life. She loved the ranch. It was just hard taking care of it with only her and one ranch hand. She knew she’d have to hire at least one more man in the near future. The horses were a handful for just two people. She raised Paints with a great bloodline. They were her favorite breed of horse. Zeke had bought her one for their first anniversary, and she knew then what she wanted to do. The only real competition she had was from Ryder Wolfe in nearby Clifton.

  Zeke had helped her get customers from his rodeo friends. Her business took off like wildfire but when Zeke died, she’d almost quit. She’d wanted to sell the ranch and disappear. The pain she’d felt over losing her husband had almost done her in. There were nights, however, when she’d lay in bed and wonder if they’d still be together. Her infatuation with Reid would have grown stronger because she would have seen him more often. God! He was still so tempting and sexy. He was the same age as Zeke, but just seemed like so much more a man. Damn, he was still single and still smoking hot.

  Lucy sighed. It didn’t matter though because she would never get involved with any man who competed in bull riding, ever again. Even though he’d supposedly retired, the pull of the rodeo would always be there—a temptation hard to resist. So, why invite him to dinner? She shook her head...because she was an idiot.

  Chapter Two

  REID PULLED INTO THE driveway of the Rolling A ranch. He remembered the day Zeke first told him about it. It’s perfect, man. Luce and I are going to raise our children there and grow old together. I’m going to have a house built with a huge front porch with rocking chairs on it. We’ll sit there and watch the kids play in the front yard.

  Reid cleared his throat as he pulled his truck up to the front of the house. It was just as Zeke had wanted it to be. A porch stretched across the entire front of the log home. A porch, Zeke would never sit on watching his son run around the yard or ride a pony. Damn it! Why was life so cruel? Zeke should still be here with his wife and son. Taking a deep breath, Reid stepped from the truck and walked up the steps to the front door. He rang the doorbell and waited.

  Lucy opened the door and stood there smiling at him. “Come in. You’re just in time.”

  Reid wiped his feet on the mat, taking his hat off as he entered the house. He’d been here many times, but this visit made him feel very uncomfortable. He glanced around as he entered. It was still the same. A large living room sat to his right. A fire roared in the stone fireplace, and the house smelled of fresh pine due to the large Christmas tree in the corner with its twinkling lights. Two stockings hung from the mantle where three should have been.

  A large overstuffed sofa faced the fireplace. A large flat-screen TV hung above the mantle, and two chairs bracketed the sofa. Scattered rugs covered the dark oak hardwood floors. A dark cherry rocking chair sat by the large front window. Reid stared at the room as if seeing it for the first time.

  “Are you all right, Reid?” Lucy asked him gently touching his arm.

  “Uh, yeah...I’m fine.” He smiled at her.

  “Take a seat. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes. I made spaghetti. Its Zeke’s favorite. That and mac and cheese.” She laughed.

  “I love spaghetti. Sounds great.” Reid hesitantly moved into the living room.

  “Oh hey, let me have your coat, Reid,” Lucy exclaimed from beside him. He took it off and handed it to her.

  Zeke came running into the room and jumped onto the sofa.

  “Hi, Reid.” The boy, who reminded him so much of his best friend, smiled up at him.

  “Hey, Z-man...what’s going on?”

  “Nuttin’. We’re having p’sgetti for supper.”

  Reid grinned. “I know. I love p’sgetti. How about you?”

  Zeke fell back on the couch and giggled. “You said it wrong.”

  Reid frowned. “I did? That’s how you said it.”

  “Yep, but I’m a little boy,” Zeke said with grown up knowledge.

  “I see.” Reid ran his hand over his mouth to hide a grin.

  “Mama said you’re a real cowboy.” Zeke got to his knees, leaned on the arm of the sofa and stared at him.

  “Yes, sir. I most certainly am. I have the hat to prove it.” Reid pointed to his hat that he’d perched on his bent knee.

  “I have a cowboy hat too. I’ll go get it.”

  He hopped down from the sofa and ran off down the hallway. A few minutes later, he returned with a black Stetson perched on his head. It was too big and Reid knew why. It had belonged to Zeke. Reid swallowed past the lump in his throat. Damn it, this was so hard.

  “That’s some hat, cowboy.”

  “It was my daddy’s. Mama said he always wore it.”

  “Yes, he did.”

  “My head will grow one day and it will fit me.”

  Reid couldn’t help it, he laughed. “Yes.”

  Lucy entered the room and stared at Zeke. “Are you bothering Reid?”

  “Nope. He said I was a cowboy too.”

  “I’m sorry...” Reid hadn’t wanted to stir up bad memories.

  “Its fin
e, Reid, I call him cowboy all the time. You don’t have to tiptoe around me about Zeke. He’s been gone over three years now. I’ll always love him, but I’ve moved on. Come on, dinner is ready.”

  Reid watched her walk away. Moved on? What the hell did that mean? Did she have a man in her life now?

  Damn, the thought hit him like a ton of bricks. He stood and followed them to the kitchen. Nothing had changed in that room either. The large window above the sink still had hanging baskets with plants in front of it. The large butcher-block table sat centered on a braided rug. He watched as Lucy placed the spaghetti on the table, along with garlic bread. The room smelled wonderful and in reaction, his stomach rumbled.

  “Hungry, are you?” Lucy laughed.

  Reid grinned. “Starving.”

  “Sit. Please.”

  “I will, after you do.”

  Lucy smiled at him and his heart hit his stomach. She put Zeke in his booster seat then pulled out a chair and sat down. Reid sat after she did.

  “Your mom raised you right, Reid.”

  “Did you raise me right, Mama?”

  “I like to think so, Zeke.”

  “Z-man, Mama.”

  Lucy tipped her head down and Reid knew it was to hide a smile. “Yes, sir. I forgot.” She raised her eyes and looked at Reid. Her smile seemed to fade when their eyes met and held.

  Reid glanced away. You can’t be lusting after your best friend’s wife. It wasn’t right then and sure as hell isn’t right now. He mentally shook his head and looked at Zeke.

  “Tell me what you want for Christmas, besides a pony, Z-man.” Reid waited until Lucy put spaghetti on hers and Zeke’s plates before piling some onto his own, and then took a slice of garlic bread.

  Reid and Lucy listened as Zeke rattled off a list of toys. Reid raised an eyebrow at Lucy. She shrugged and dug into her spaghetti.

  OH, THIS WAS A BAD, bad idea, Lucy Albright!

  She chastised herself for even thinking she could just be friends with Reid. The spaghetti had no taste whatsoever, but she continued to eat. She listened to Reid and Zeke talking. Reid would laugh when Zeke told one of his jokes. Jokes that never made sense but would make him giggle uncontrollably. She suppressed a tremor of heated desire when Reid’s deep chuckle moved over her. Shit! He was so sexy. She quickly glanced up when she heard Reid say her name. She saw a frown on his face, which made her think he’d spoken her name more than once. She could feel the heat pour into her cheeks.