by Jodi Thomas
* * *
Clint said he had an errand to run, and the doc offered to go with him, knowing what he was going to do. Three hours later, when they returned to the ranch, everyone was asleep. They shared another whiskey by the fire before the doc fell asleep in a chair. While the doc was snoring softly, Clint poured himself another whiskey and thought about his future. Now that he was home again, he couldn’t bear the thought of being far from his mother, or Amelia and the girls. He knew his presence brought comfort to the girls, particularly after the encounter with those men who’d stolen the gold. Before he’d left the ranch tonight, the girls had told him good night, and he’d overheard Annie ask Amelia why he couldn’t sleep with them like he did on the trail. He couldn’t help but chuckle when he heard Amelia try to explain why that particular sleeping arrangement would be inappropriate here.
“But Mr. Mitchum let us sleep beside him on the way home. He held us so we wouldn’t be scared,” Annie retorted.
Amelia smiled at the thought of Clint holding the girls at night and patiently answering all their questions. “Well, that’s different.”
“Why?” Annie pressed.
“Annie, a lady must be married before a man can stay in her room,” Katie explained to her sister.
“Why?” Annie asked.
“That’s just what’s proper,” Katie replied.
“That’s silly,” Annie informed her.
Clint had to agree with Annie on that point.
Chapter 11
Ingrid and Amelia prepared a simple breakfast of apple cinnamon rolls with milk for the children and coffee for the men. After the men ate, they hurried to the stable to ready the wagons and buckboards for the trip to town. Clint hooked a team to his buckboard, planning to take Amelia and the girls with him.
While waiting for the women, Clint and Whitt were standing by the porch talking when Clint suddenly stopped in mid-sentence. Amelia and Ingrid walked from the house wearing their new dresses. Clint walked closer and removed his hat. “Ma, I’ve never seen such beautiful dresses, or two more stunning ladies.”
Smiling, Ingrid placed a kiss on his cheek. “You chose the lovely material.”
“Yes, thank you. Your mother is a talented seamstress. I’ve never owned anything so fine,” Amelia added.
Clint held out his hands to help them down the stairs. “I’ll be fighting every man in town over you two.”
As soon as Annie and Katie walked outside, they ran straight to Clint.
“Look what Miss Ingrid made for us!” Annie exclaimed, holding out the skirt of her new dress.
“You girls look so pretty.”
Annie thrust her doll at him. “Look at Lucy! She got a new dress, too.”
Clint took Lucy and examined her new dress and her new eyes, which greatly improved the little doll’s appearance. His mother had put Lucy back together. “She looks real pretty.”
The doctor took Ingrid’s hand in his and led her to the stable, where he’d left his buckboard. Honey and the puppies were hidden in the buckboard, and they didn’t want the girls to see them. The doc’s buckboard was at the back of the group as they made their way down the lane leaving Clint’s ranch.
Reaching the dirt road that led to La Grange, they rode for another quarter of a mile until a huge banner draped across the road came into view. CHRISTMAS ROAD was written in big, bold letters. Clint heard the excited chatter not only from the children, but from the adults.
Pulling the buckboard to a halt, Clint jumped down and helped Amelia and the girls to the ground. As if timed perfectly, Mr. and Mrs. Stanton rode in from the opposite direction, followed by several buckboards filled with the families from town.
Whitt and the boys jumped from his wagon and joined Clint and Amelia. “Clint, what’s all this?” Whitt asked.
Clint clapped Whitt on the back. “You’ll see.” He turned to see the excitement on the faces of the children. “There are presents hanging from the trees for the ladies and children. Now, everyone go find the present with your name on it.” He motioned for Whitt, Tom and Ben, saying, “I want to talk to you in private for a minute.”
By the time the adults were on the ground, all of the children, except Annie and Katie, were running to the trees looking for their names on the presents. Fortunately for Clint, he’d picked out gifts for all the children he’d met at Honey Creek. Mr. and Mrs. Stanton had selected gifts for the families who had remained in La Grange, and Mrs. Stanton had wrapped the presents. After Mr. Stanton delivered them to the ranch, Ingrid hid them in the stable until Clint returned. When Mr. and Mrs. Stanton told the town about the surprise Clint had planned for the children on Christmas morning, they decided to rename the road leading to La Grange to Christmas Road. Mr. Stanton and the doc had hung the banner for the families to see when they returned to their homes.
“This was the errand you had to do last night?” Whitt asked.
“Yep. The doc and I hung all the presents last night. Early this morning I left the house to go pick up Bo and Boone’s presents.”
Whitt gave Clint a puzzled look just as Bo called out to him, “Pa, look at our goats!”
Whitt looked at Clint with watery eyes and said, “I don’t know how you did this, but thank you.”
* * *
Clint motioned for the men surrounding him to move a few steps away, where they could talk in private. “I know you men were worried about your ranches being foreclosed on. I talked to the banker, and he agreed to push back the dates where he could.” He handed each of them paperwork from the bank, reflecting the now-current mortgages.
Whitt studied the paperwork. “But you paid the portion that was due.”
“It wasn’t much, and that’s a Christmas gift,” Clint responded.
All the men choked back tears as they shook Clint’s hand, thanking him for his generosity.
“Now, go see what your children are so excited about.”
Clint walked back to Amelia and the girls. Annie slipped her hand in Clint’s. “Thank you for our dresses.”
“We love them,” Katie added.
“I’m glad. Now, let’s walk back to Doc’s buckboard.”
When they reached the buckboard, Clint lifted Honey from the back.
“Is that your dog, Mr. Mitchum?” Annie asked as she petted Honey.
“I reckon she is, and your mother named her Honey. What do you think of her?”
“She’s so pretty,” Katie replied.
Clint put Honey on the ground before he picked up the two puppies. “Honey told me these two were for you. But their ma has to stay with them for a while because they’re so young.”
Both girls started to cry.
“We’ve always wanted a puppy,” Annie sobbed.
Clint held out a puppy to each girl. “Your ma agreed you can each have one, but you have to promise to take good care of them.”
They both looked at Amelia. “Really? We get both of them?”
Amelia smiled through her own tears. “Yes, but you should thank Mr. Mitchum.”
“Thank you!” They hugged the puppies, promising to take good care of them.
Clint kneeled down in front of them. “You’re welcome, but why are you crying?”
“These are happy tears,” Amelia told him.
Clint shook his head. “I have a lot to learn.”
“Casey always said we couldn’t afford puppies,” Katie reminded her mother.
“Casey has no say in the matter. He won’t be working at the ranch anymore,” Amelia replied, her eyes on Clint.
Clint looked at her and arched his brow.
“He visited me while you were away and I told him we would never marry.”
Clint grinned, pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, “Now that’s a nice Christmas present.”
“What are their names?” Katie asked, totally ignoring the conversation about Casey.
“You have to name them; they belong to you.” Clint pointed to the puppy Katie was holding. “Th
at one is a boy, and the one Annie is holding is a girl.”
“We’ll think of good names,” Annie promised.
Clint glanced up to see his mother and John approaching. “There’s a present with your name on it, Ma.”
“For me?” Ingrid questioned.
“Yes, ma’am, but you have to find it,” Clint replied.
Ingrid and the doc walked to the trees to find her present.
Annie pulled at Amelia’s skirt. “Ma, we have a present for you.”
“Miss Ingrid helped us wrap it.” Katie pulled the small package from her pocket.
Taking the gift in her hands, Amelia admired the wrapping. “This is so pretty. But how did you girls manage to get me a present?”
“Didn’t I tell you about the magic of Christmas?” Clint asked.
The girls smiled up at Clint conspiratorially.
Carefully unwrapping the present, Amelia gasped when she saw the locket she’d seen months before in Stanton’s mercantile. “It’s the locket we saw that day.”
Annie and Katie grinned at her. “We remembered.”
“You certainly did. It’s lovely.” Amelia immediately tied the black ribbon holding the locket around her neck.
“It looks real pretty on you,” Katie said.
Amelia kissed the girls. “I shall wear it always. Thank you, girls.”
Clint took Amelia’s hand. “All of you, come with me.”
When Clint passed his mother, he asked, “Did you find your present?”
“Here it is.” Ingrid pulled the small package from the tree and pulled off the paper. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the gold star locket brooch, designed with a large opal surrounded by seed pearls. “Son, it’s beautiful.” She turned to him, wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “It’s the most beautiful present I’ve ever received, and I’m going to put your photograph inside.”
“It’s not as beautiful as you are, Ma.”
“You know I already gave you your Christmas present, don’t you?” Ingrid whispered in his ear.
“Yes, ma’am, I do, and in the process you put me back together, just like Annie’s doll.” He glanced at Amelia. “And I need to ask Amelia something right now. We’ll be back in a minute.”
“What present did you give him?” the doc asked Ingrid when Clint walked away.
“Amelia.”
* * *
Reaching the tree where he had hung a small box tied with a blue ribbon, Clint plucked it from the branch and took hold of Amelia’s hand. “Amelia, I’d like to know . . .” His throat went dry. He wanted the moment to be perfect—a moment they would remember when they were old and gray, telling this story to their grandchildren. He removed his hat and started again. “Amelia, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” He looked at the girls standing beside Amelia, their eyes wide in surprise. “I’d like to know if you girls would do me the honor of becoming my daughters.”
The girls quickly exclaimed, “Yes!”
Clint grinned at them, feeling more confident by their eager response. The girls wanted him as a father, but did Amelia want him as a husband? He turned his dark eyes on Amelia. “I can’t be one without the other.”
Tears started to flow down Amelia’s cheeks. “This is the best Christmas of my life,” she whispered.
Smiling at her response, Clint asked, “Are those happy tears?”
Amelia nodded.
Clint thought if he could judge his success by tears, then he’d succeeded in giving Amelia and the girls a wonderful Christmas. He opened the small box, plucked out the sapphire and diamond ring and gazed into her eyes. He arched his brow at her.
“Yes!” Amelia threw herself in his arms. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
Clint reached for her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. “The magic of Christmas,” he whispered in her ear before he kissed her. He kissed her for so long that he forgot all about the people around them until he heard Annie ask, “Does that mean Mr. Mitchum can sleep with us now?”
Pulling his lips from Amelia’s, Clint answered Annie’s question. “Yes, it does.”
“Can we call you Pa now?” Katie asked.
This time it was Clint who started to get teary-eyed. “Nothing would make me happier.”
Everyone had gathered around Clint and Amelia, including Mr. and Mrs. Stanton. After everyone offered their congratulations, Clint thanked Mr. and Mrs. Stanton, his ma and the doc for their help with the Christmas surprise.
Mr. Stanton had a request of his own. “Clint, can you come over to our buckboard for a minute? I need to show you something.”
With his arms around Amelia and the girls, Clint followed Mr. Stanton to the back of his buckboard, with all the other folks trailing close behind.
Clint looked inside the buckboard. Seeing nothing but a blanket, he looked at Mr. Stanton. “What’s wrong?”
“Move the blanket aside,” Mrs. Stanton instructed.
Tossing the blanket aside, Clint stared at the contents. He glanced up at the faces gathered around the buckboard. They were all smiling at him. “What’s this?”
“The magic of Christmas!” Katie replied.
“It’s your nightingales, Pa,” Annie exclaimed.
Wishing you a magical Christmas!
Courtesy of Portraits by Tracy
With millions of books in print, Jodi Thomas is both a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty novels and more than a dozen novellas. Her stories travel through the past and present days of Texas and draw readers from around the world. Jodi has been inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. When not working on a novel, Thomas enjoys traveling, renovating a historic home, and “checking up” on her grown sons and four grandchildren.
Turn the page for a sneak peek at Picnic in Someday Valley by Jodi Thomas!
Click here to get your copy!
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Jodi Thomas
PICNIC IN SOMEDAY VALLEY
A Honey Creek Novel
New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas continues her charming and heartwarming series set in small-town Honey Creek, Texas, where ties run deep, and lives intersect in unexpected ways . . .
Marcie Latimer longs to run away from Someday Valley—especially since her ex-boyfriend spun a web of lies that almost led to tragedy in neighboring Honey Creek. Little wonder so many locals have turned their backs on her. But not Brand Rodgers. The quiet cowboy comes to listen every time she sings at Bandit’s Bar, offering a glimpse of safety and calm that Marcie’s rarely known.
After Texas Ranger Colby McBride saved Honey Creek’s mayor, Piper Mackenzie, from a fire, she claimed him with a kiss. That was five months ago, and Colby still isn’t sure where they’re headed. Piper loves her town—but does she love Colby? And is he even ready for what comes next?
Pecos Smith, Honey Creek’s emergency dispatcher, is grateful to have a new bride he adores and a baby on the way—even if one vital piece of the puzzle is missing. But as trouble comes stalking through the valley, lives will cross surprising paths. And Marcie, who’s always felt that a forever love was out of reach, might discover that Someday is the perfect place to find it …
Click here to get your copy!
Courtesy of Leo Weeks Photographers
Sharla Lovelace is the bestselling, award-winning author of sexy small-town love stories. Being a Texas girl through and through, she’s proud to say she lives in southeast Texas with her retired husband, a tricked-out golf cart, and two crazy dogs. Among her work is the bestselling novel Don’t Let Go, the exciting Heart of the Storm series, and the fun and sexy Charmed in Texas series.
For more about Sharla’s books, visit www.sharlalovelace.com and keep up with all her new book releases easily by subscribing to her newsletter. She loves staying in touch with her readers, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as @sharlalovelace.
Before becoming a published author, Scarlett Dunn was an entrepreneur, owning several businesses. Her love of history and the adventurous souls who settled the West inspired her to write historical, inspirational romance novels. She lives in Kentucky and, as an avid outdoorswoman, she enjoys any activity under the sun, where she develops her characters and plots. When not writing, her favorite days are spent with those she loves. See Scarlett’s books and what she has planned next by visiting her website, www.scarlettdunn.com. If you want to connect, she would love to hear from you! Reach out on Facebook, Twitter (scarlettdunn2), or Instagram.