She ran over and swept him up into her arms. “Oh my God! Are you okay?” He nodded. “You’re not hurt? Are you sure?”
He nodded again and then he said, “I came down to get my notebook. I was getting ready to go back up …” The poor baby was as pale as a ghost. She hugged him tightly to her chest and for a while they just both stared at the mess in front of them. When her adrenaline began to wane, she realized how cold it was. The roof collapse had taken out the fireplace as well as leaving a gaping hole in the roof where the snow was pouring in.
“Mama has to get her phone, baby. Go get your coat and hat and put them on.”
“Are we going somewhere?”
“Mama’s going to figure that out. Go get your coat.” Gabe ran down the hall and she went to get her phone. As soon as she picked it up, the doorbell rang. Who in the world would be out in this blizzard? She pulled the front door open and found a very cold and blue-looking Sharla. Her teeth were chattering so hard that she couldn’t speak. “Oh my goodness! What are you doing? Get in here!”
She pulled her frozen friend inside and started to close the door when she heard a familiar voice ask, “Can I come in too?”
“Grant? What’s going on?”
“He—came—to—”
“Maybe she should go in by the fire,” Grant said.
“Um, yeah … that might be a problem.” Jyl closed the door behind him and led them into the living room. While he was gaping at the hole, she picked up a blanket off the couch and wrapped it around her friend.
“Grant!” Gabe ran out of his room, bundled up in his winter coat, hat, and gloves. Grant scooped him up.
“Hey, buddy. You and your mom are having a crazy night, huh?”
“Boy are we. You shoulda been here. The whole thing fell down and there was this big boom and—Aunt Sharla?” Sharla managed a small smile for the little boy. Grant set him down on his feet and he ran to her, wrapping his little arms around her legs.
“Oh—Gabe—you’re so warm!” Sharla crouched down, and the little boy wrapped his arms around her neck. Grant smiled and then looked at Jyl.
“Rough night, huh?”
She was beginning to shake. She didn’t know if it was from the cold or the effects of the adrenaline that had flooded her system. “You could say that,” she said with a half-smile.
He winked at her and said, “Good thing I found your friend there on the side of the road. Why don’t you take her and Gabriel into the bedroom? I’ll make some coffee and then call the station and have them send one of the four-wheel drives out to pick us up.”
“Where will we go?”
“For tonight, my place. You can’t stay here. We’ll figure out a better solution tomorrow, okay?”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
He winked at her and said, “You’re welcome. Go on and get them in the bedroom where it’s warm. Turn up the thermostat and keep the door closed.”
She did as he told her. She was more thankful for him showing up than he would ever know. She got Sharla and Gabe into the bedroom, wrapped up in the warm comforters, and then turned up the thermostat. She was only gone for a few minutes, but when she got back, they were both asleep. She smiled at the sight of her best friend cuddling her sweet boy, and that was when it really hit her—how close she’d come to losing him.
She wrapped her arms across her chest and slid down to the floor next to the bed. The thoughts were accelerating inside of her head: What would she have done if Gabe had been hurt—or worse? She couldn’t live without him. He was her heart; she couldn’t breathe without him. She couldn’t breathe now, just thinking about losing him. She was trying to slow her breaths but they were coming in short gasps and she began to feel like she was going to black out. Her heart was pounding like a hammer against her ribcage like a rabbit running for its life. The room began to spin and she had to put her head down between her knees. She felt so sick—it was too close. She’d almost lost her baby boy, the only person she had left in the world.
“Hey.”
She pulled her head up. It felt like it weighed a thousand pounds and it made her neck hurt to lift it. Grant was standing next to her.
“Are you okay?”
The tears she’d been holding back suddenly manifested and began flowing down her cheeks like a waterfall. Her breaths had turned into big, gulping sobs and that was making it harder to breathe.
Grant slid down next to her. “Oh, baby, come here.” He put his strong arms around her and pulled her into his warm chest. He held her tightly and rocked her back and forth, running his hand down her hair and making shushing noises. “It’s okay, Gabe’s okay. He’s safe and warm. Your baby’s okay.” She hadn’t even had to tell him—he’d just understood. That made her cry harder and he held her tighter.
She had lost all sense of time and when the doorbell rang she had no idea how long they had been sitting there like that. She felt his lips brush the top of her head. “That should be our ride. I’ll be right back, okay? Put something warm on.” She nodded and he kissed her forehead. She almost started crying again, and she wasn’t even sure why.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
After Grant tucked Gabriel into his bed, he stoked the fire and put on a pot of coffee. When he came back into the living room he found Sharla snuggled under the blanket on the couch asleep again and Jyl sitting next to the fire with her legs tucked underneath her. He sat down next to her and said, “Are you okay?”
She nodded and smiled at him. “I will be. I’m sorry about the meltdown. I couldn’t stop thinking about how close I came to losing him. He was just up there minutes before that happened. He was making you a Christmas card. Oh God, Grant! My chest hurts! What if I had lost him?”
He put his arm around her and pulled her back into his chest. “You didn’t. He’s safe. He’s warm. He’s in dreamland. Remember what you told me about the beauty of being four? He’ll forget all about this in no time.”
She nodded against him. “I know. It’s so stupid. I can’t stop shaking.”
“It’s not stupid. You’re a mom. It’s perfectly normal. You can cry and shake for as long as you want, but just keep reminding yourself that little man is safe down the hall. When you’re ready, you can go crawl in that big bed with him and feel him breathe all night long, okay?”
She nodded again. “Thank you so much—for everything. How did you find Sharla?”
“You remember Max the tow guy? He found her and her taxi driver on the road. He called and asked me if I’d take her to town. He was driving the driver back to the city. Unfortunately, I took the snowmobile and that’s why she froze half to death. I was afraid I’d get the pickup stuck and then we’d have bigger problems.”
“I told her to stay in the city. She’s the worst listener.”
He laughed. “When you’re ready to wake her up, there’s a guest bedroom across from my room. I put her bag in there. You can help yourself to whatever you need in my room for something to sleep in.”
“If Gabe and I have your bed and Sharla the guest room, where will you sleep?”
“I have the most comfortable couch in the world.”
She looked at it and then at Grant, with tears in her eyes again. “It looks about a foot too short for you.”
“I’m not as tall as I look.”
She laughed. “Is that why you always wear the hat?”
“Now you know my deepest, darkest secret.”
Giggling, she said, “Thank you, Grant.” He answered her with a kiss gently above her ear. She nestled against him, and he almost felt guilty for basking in the warm glow of her affection. He looked down at her face and gently wiped the tear that escaped the corner of her eye.
“What is this? I hope this isn’t about me sleeping on the couch. I really do prefer it. Sometimes I sleep there just for kicks.” He felt her body shake against him as she laughed.
“I think I’m still just coming down from the adrenaline, but on that note I’m going to go to bed,” s
he told him.
He stood up and reached down for her. She gave him her hands and he lifted her up to her feet. He started to let her go and was surprised when she came up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. He froze for a second, afraid to move. She let her lips slide slowly across his and when he felt a slow, tentative sweep of her tongue, his resistance failed him. His tongue slipped into her mouth and his hands went into her hair … God … it felt like it had been so long since he had touched her hair. She put her hands up on top of his biceps and clutched on to him as the kiss went from warm and sweet to hungry and demanding. She moaned into him as he possessed her mouth completely.
They kissed for what seemed like an eternity as he twisted and tugged lightly on all of that gorgeous hair. It took every fiber of strength in his body to end it. He gently nibbled and tasted her bottom lip before she pulled back and looked at him.
“I’m sorry. …”
He laughed and pressed his forehead into hers. “You’re sorry? That’s the best kiss I’ve ever had.”
“I don’t mean to send you mixed messages—tonight was just so intense and emotional. …”
“Shh … it’s okay. I won’t hold you to that kiss, okay?”
She had tears in her eyes again. “I’m so grateful for you.”
He smiled and kissed the bridge of her nose. “I know and you’re exhausted. Go in there with your boy and get a good night’s rest. We don’t have to talk about this right now.”
“Why do you have to be so nice?”
He laughed again. “I ask myself the same question all the time.”
* * *
Jyl woke up to the smell of bacon and maple syrup. Her taste buds were instantly alert and her stomach began to growl. She looked down at her sweet son nestled against her and watched the even rise and fall of his chest. Leaning down, she kissed him softly on his hairline. His blue eyes fluttered open.
“Mama?”
“Hi, buddy.”
“Hi—why are you in my bed?”
“We’re at Grant’s house, baby. Remember? Our roof caved in last night.”
“Oh.” He pulled out of her embrace and sat up. “So this is Grant’s room?”
“Yes.”
“Where’s Grant?”
“He slept on the couch and let us have his bed.”
He rubbed his little eyes and said, “Oh. I’m hungry.”
She laughed. “So am I, buddy. Let’s go see if Grant’s breakfast tastes as good as it smells.”
The little boy scrambled out of the bed and Jyl got up behind him. She was wearing one of Grant’s long t-shirts. She slipped her jeans on underneath it and ran her fingers through her hair, using the mirror on his dresser. As she did, she noticed a photograph clipped to the mirror. She leaned in close and looked at it. It was Grant and a really pretty blond woman. Grant didn’t have his cowboy hat on; he was clean shaven and wearing a suit. He looked really handsome, but not like himself. He had his arm around the lady, and she was wearing a beautiful blue gown that matched the color of Grant’s tie exactly. Jyl furrowed her brow, trying to remember where she’d seen the woman before. She knew it had just been recently. … Finally she chastised herself for being so nosy and followed Gabe out to the kitchen.
She got there in time to hear him say, “Aunt Shar! I thought I was dreaming you were here.”
“No way, kid, really? I thought I was dreaming you were here too!”
Jyl walked in in time to see Sharla hugging Gabe and Grant busy at the stove. He looked over his shoulder and smiled.
“Hey, you two, did you sleep well?” he asked as he tended to the bacon on the stove top and flipped a large waffle out of the waffle maker. A basket of fresh-baked biscuits and butter, honey, and jam sat on the table. She looked at the food and realized that she felt comforted by its existence. It felt like her life kept changing, evolving, and the food was … just normal and real.
“We slept great,” she said. “Thank you.”
“Wow! Did you make all of this?” Gabriel asked Grant.
Grant grinned and said, “Yep, a guy like me has to know how to cook—or starve.” He stepped over to the coffee pot and poured some in a mug that sat on the counter. He dropped two sugars into the cup and poured in a splash of cream from the pitcher and then handed it to Jyl. She wasn’t sure how comforting it was that he already knew how she took her coffee.
“Thank you,” she said, taking it and bringing it up to her face. She loved the way it smelled and the feel of the steam on her cold face.
“There’s orange juice and milk in the fridge, Gabriel. What would you like?”
“Hot chocolate,” he answered.
“I’m not sure hot chocolate was on the menu, buddy,” Jyl told him.
“I think we can arrange for one cup of hot chocolate. You two sit down and grab a plate. The bacon and eggs will be ready in a few, and waffles are done too.”
She sat down and fixed a biscuit for her son, smearing butter and jam on it before handing it to him. She took one for herself too and bit into it, instantly deciding that it was the best biscuit she’d ever tasted in her life. She wasn’t sure if it was the biscuit or just the fact that, as with the rest of the food, she was comforted by it.
Grant set a plate with a waffle down in front of Gabriel. He’d already cut it up and put syrup on it. Once again, she had to wonder how he got to be so nice. He set hers down in front of her and she marveled at how fluffy and golden it was. She’d had a waffle maker for years and hers always came out brown and crusty around the edges. She smothered it in syrup and bit into it.
“Oh my God, that’s so good.”
Grant glanced at her and grinned. Sharla readily agreed. “I’m on my third one, but calories don’t count out here, so I’m okay.”
Jyl shook her head. “Calories don’t count here?”
“Of course not. Calories in the wilderness are like that old saying, ‘If a tree falls in the forest when no one is around, does it still make a sound?’”
Laughing, Jyl said, “That makes no sense.”
“Hush. Let me have my delusions while I enjoy my breakfast. It’s all I have.”
Breakfast with Sharla was always a good way to wake up.
As she ate, Jyl asked her friend, “What the heck were you thinking last night? I told you to stay in town.”
She shrugged. “It wasn’t bad when we left town. All of a sudden the wind felt like it was going to pick us up and carry us away. Then there was this crazy loud thump. All of this snow had just dumped down on top of us. The driver couldn’t see anything so he pulled over, but we didn’t even know if we were far enough off the road not to get hit—it was the most exciting evening I’ve had in years.”
Jyl giggled. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay and I’m glad you’re here. I wish I had a house for you to visit me in.”
It was Sharla’s turn to laugh. “Well maybe this means you’re destined to just come back home with me.”
Grant dropped his spatula. As he bent down to pick it up he looked at Jyl out of the corner of his eye. She smiled at him. He smiled back. As soon as he turned back toward his cooking, Shar whispered, “He’s gorgeous.”
Jyl poked her friend with her elbow. “Shh.”
“Why?” Shar whispered again. “Does he not own a mirror? If he does, he has to know how gorgeous he is.”
“Stop.”
Grant turned around with a plate full of steaming eggs and bacon and said, “If you ladies are finished talking about how good-looking I am, your breakfast is ready.”
The girls laughed and Sharla said, “Gorgeous and he can cook—he’s a keeper.” That time Jyl kicked her underneath the table. She felt like she was in high school again and Shar was pushing her toward … Josh. Josh is dead. Oh God… I forgot, just for a second… I actually forgot.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Jyl suddenly lost her appetite. Having to remind herself that her husband was dead was the worst. It happened every once in a while. She’d
see or hear something and the first thought she’d have was, “I can’t wait to tell Josh.” Then she had to remind herself that was not possible; it was almost like finding out that he was dead all over again. It was even worse when she was sitting in another man’s home—a man she was wildly attracted to. The grief came with guilt which made her chest hurt so much worse. Josh had been her soulmate. You only get one of those … right? How would he feel about Grant saying he knew that she was “the one”? How would he feel about his son asking Santa Claus to make the other man his daddy?
Grant sat down next to her and said, “You don’t like the eggs?”
She realized she’d been picking them apart with her fork. She pulled her head up and before she turned to look at Grant, she locked eyes with Sharla. Sharla knew exactly what she was doing to herself. Jyl finally looked at Grant and said, “I like them. They’re really good. I’m just not that hungry.”
She suddenly couldn’t shake the memories of Josh. Grant deserved a woman who could put him first. He was so good, so kind, so loving. How could she have a relationship with him and still hold onto all of those memories, without cheating one or the other of them? Didn’t Grant deserve a woman who could fall in love with him with her whole heart? In order to do that, she’d have to give up Josh completely, and she just wasn’t ready to do that. Oh God, she felt another panic attack coming on.
I Saw Mommy Kissing A Cowboy (Cowboy Christmas Romance) Page 12