Snowbound at Christmas

by Debbie Mason

  Cat relaxed against the pillows. It was good to know she’d soon have her friends and family at her back. “I appreciate it. Thanks, guys.”

  “We were going to stop off at Disney World for a couple of days, but I think we better come straight home,” Ethan said.

  “No, I don’t want you to do that.” Busy with their careers and their daughter, her brother and Skye hadn’t had a honeymoon. They deserved a break. And her niece Evie would love Disney World. “We’ll be fine until everyone gets here. I’ll see you—”

  “Hang on a minute, Cat.” She heard a door shut, then Skye came back on the line. “Okay, it’s just me and Vivi. Give us the scoop on the royal hottie.”

  She shifted and did a face-plant in the pillow to muffle a groan, then lifted her head. “There’s no scoop.”

  “Uh-uh, friends don’t hold out on friends,” Vivi said. “You’re interested in this guy.”

  “Vivi’s right, Cat. Come on, we’re old married women. Oomph. Vivi, why did you elbow… Oh, um…”

  “No way! Vivi, did you and Chance get married?”

  “Keep your voice down. We want to keep it on the down-low for a bit.”

  “I thought friends didn’t hold out on friends?”

  “Don’t try to distract us, Cat. This is about you. And it’s about time you showed some interest in another man,” Skye said.

  They wouldn’t give up unless she gave them something. “Look, he’s hot.” She thought of his wavy, dark hair brushed back from his traffic-stopping face, those pale blue eyes, and the way he filled out his worn jeans and white button-down shirt. “Like, really hot, and he has a deep voice that makes your toes curl, so when you throw in the accent… I guess it does put him in off-the-charts territory, but he’s really nice, kind of sweet actually, and thoughtful, too. The other day he…” When their amused whispers came over the line, she pinched the bridge of her nose. “But he’s totally not my type. Come on, the guy’s an actor. And he crosses his legs like a girl. Oh, and says, ‘Jolly good.’” She mimicked his voice. “Ridiculous, right?”

  “You are so into him,” Skye said once she stopped laughing.

  “You better be careful, Cat,” Vivi warned. “Nell will have you and his royal hotness pegged for the hero and heroine of her next book.”

  “No, she won’t. She’s already set her beady little matchmaking eyes on Chloe and Harry.” She took the phone from her ear and closed her eyes. That came out sharper than she intended.

  “Um, Cat, is Chloe interested in him in that way?”

  “What do you think, Skye? Of course she is. She took one look at him and you could almost see her heart beating outside of her chest. Then he opened his mouth, and I thought she was going to have a big O right on the spot. You don’t want to know what she looked like when she heard he was a lord and ninety-eighth in line for the throne. My sister’s had a vision board since she was ten. And right smack in the middle is her, or the her she wanted to be, wearing a tiara. She’d known him for less than twenty-four hours, and she told me he was the one.”

  Dead silence. Cat scrunched up her face, silently tapping the phone on her head. Giving them something, just a little something, would have been fine, but vomiting everything out there for them to dissect…

  “Is he interested in Chloe?” Skye asked carefully.

  “No, he told me, and half the town, he isn’t interested in either one of us.” Maybe it was wishful thinking on her part, but there were times when Cat thought he might be interested in her. Sheesh, what was she doing? This was so high school. Next she’d be pulling out her Magic 8 Ball.

  She threw back the covers and got out of bed. She had to shut this down. She was putting herself in a bad mood. And given last night, she hadn’t exactly started the day in a good one.

  “I know it sucks, sweetie. But if Chloe thinks he’s the one, it’s probably for the best he’s not looking for a relationship right now. You don’t want a repeat of the Easton love triangle.”

  Okay, she should have hung up five minutes ago. “It wasn’t a triangle, Skye. We were in high school.”

  “Would someone fill me in, please? Everyone keeps bringing up you and Easton, and I don’t have a clue what they’re talking about.”

  “It was nothing,” Cat said. The last thing she needed was Vivi digging up something that was better left buried for all of their sakes. “Just a high school crush.”

  “That may be how you feel, Cat. But I’m not sure Easton feels the same way. He thought he was kissing you at Liz and Paul’s rehearsal party and was pretty ticked to discover it was Chloe.”

  Cat winced at the memory. Vivi was right. The trading-places thing never turned out as planned. And it was always at Chloe’s instigation, which was probably why. Cat may not be able to change the past, but there would be no more switcheroos in her future. And right now, thanks to the knowledge her friends would soon be here to help, Cat’s future and her sister’s were looking a little brighter. One of Cat’s suspects would be behind bars before the shoot in Christmas wrapped up. She smiled as she put on her cat slippers, her bad mood lifting at the thought of not having to return to Hollyweird.

  Cat did a happy-dance shuffle to the door in her red plaid sleep pants and black tee. “Wish I could continue the chat, ladies. But Her Majesty is summoning me,” she lied. She wanted to hang on to her good mood as long as she could, and she had a feeling that if she stayed on the phone much longer, Vivi or Skye would say something to send her back to a not-so-happy place.

  And she wanted to get something to eat before Chloe and their houseguests got up. A full stomach and a cup of coffee was required to face the three of them, especially Chloe. Cat figured she’d have to suck up to her sister if she planned to accompany her today. Cat didn’t have a sucking-up bone in her body. But since they were identical twins, surely she had acquired some of her sister’s acting gene. She hadn’t messed up too badly when she’d subbed for Chloe as Tessa Hart.

  “Poor you,” Skye said. “Hang in there, and if you need us, we’ll be on the first plane home.”

  “Thanks, but I’ll be okay. Have fun at Disney World. Give Evie a kiss for me.”

  Skye said good-bye, and Vivi promised to text Cat as soon as they got home. She disconnected and opened the door. As she stuck her head into the hall, a piece of paper floated into the room. She picked it up, relieved that everyone appeared to be sleeping, and glanced at the paper. So much for her good mood. Chloe had left instructions for a four-course breakfast. One she expected Cat to make and serve to the three of them in their respective beds.

  Crumpling the paper in her hand, Cat was tempted to open her sister’s bedroom door and lob the menu at her head. Instead, she reminded herself of her goal for the day, and strode toward the gourmet kitchen to prepare a breakfast fit for their aristocratic guests. At this point, Cat wanted to kick their royal butts to the curb. She skidded to a stop at the entrance to the kitchen at the sight of an exceptional-looking royal butt clad in black sleep pants. Harry was bent over in front of the Sub-Zero refrigerator.

  Her gaze moved to his bare feet, sexy, up his long legs, even sexier, to his… Before she could ogle any more of his royal hotness, she realized his attention was no longer focused on the refrigerator drawer but on her. He looked over his shoulder, then straightened with a pound of bacon in his hand.

  She cleared her throat. “Morning.” Her eyes were a couple of seconds behind her mouth. They were still working their way up his white T-shirt, appreciating the display of manly muscles and broad shoulders.

  “Cat?”

  She jerked her gaze to his. “Yes?”

  He scratched the back of his neck, and she couldn’t help but notice his impressive bicep. Then she realized she was staring again. His sculpted lips lifted at one corner, his eyes on her… head.

  It seemed entirely unfair that while his lordship’s dark waves were swept smoothly from his forehead, her hair was undoubtedly standing on end. She was a restless sleeper on a goo
d night, and last night had been far from good. She lifted her hand, about to pat down her hair, then realized, without a mirror, it wouldn’t do her any good. She probably looked like a cross between a rooster and a porcupine. Whereas Harry looked ready for a photo shoot with his perfect hair and chiseled jaw lined with scruff. It was the first time she’d seen him without a clean-shaven face. It was a good look on him. Okay, so it was exceptional.

  She dropped her hand to her side as he held up the pound of bacon. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  “No, not at all.” She walked to the center island, smoothing the paper on the dark granite in an effort to keep her eyes and mind occupied before she embarrassed herself. “I was just going to make breakfast.”

  He moved in behind her, and she lifted her eyes to the coffered ceiling. He was so close, she felt the heat from his body. Which was not at all conducive to calming her overactive libido. And where had all this sexual desire come from, anyway? It was annoying. She was acting like a woman who hadn’t… Well, yes, she supposed her twenty-month dry spell explained it. It had nothing to do with Harry. Any man would do. And any man who looked like Harry would really, really do.

  She briefly closed her eyes, then forced an unruffled note to her voice. “If you don’t mind, I need to get…”

  From over her shoulder he read, “Bacon, sausage, eggs, grilled tomato, mushrooms, fried toast, marmalade, and tea. I say, Cat, that’s quite the menu.”

  Okay, that was better. She’d been right about the accent. He made even a menu sound sexy. Thankfully, though, the comment that followed cooled his hotness factor. Then his arm brushed against hers as he reached for the paper, and she got an up close and personal look at his strong, tanned forearm and his masculine hands.

  “You know, I don’t recall ever being served in bed before. I think it’s an experience I’d quite enjoy. As long as you’re doing the serving, Cat.” His voice was low and rough, and far too close to her ear.

  Holding herself stiff so as not to rub against him, she shuffled her way along the island. “Since you’re up,” she said, shooting him a narrowed-eyed glance at what sounded like a muffled cough, “you can eat at the table. And maybe, seeing as you’re an aficionado, you should make the tea.”

  “Actually, I prefer coffee in the morning. Pot’s on if you’d care for one.”

  “You made coffee?”

  He leaned his hip against the counter. “Title, but no fortune, remember? I can hardly afford servants to do my bidding.”

  She twisted her mouth to the side. “I’m sorry about last night. I was mad at my sister and took it out on you. I know you’re not interested in Chloe for her money. My crack was uncalled—”

  He moved closer, a smile playing on his lips as he raised his hand and began to finger-comb her hair. She didn’t know whether to be annoyed or amused that he felt the need to fix her up. But those strong fingers skimming along her scalp made thinking difficult, and then he stunned her with the next words out of his mouth.

  “The accusation was uncalled for. Because, Cat, if I were interested in a relationship, it wouldn’t be with your sister. It would be with you.”

  Chapter Ten

  Cat closed the barn door after feeding the horses. Her mother had given the ranch hands the day off to attend the casting call. Cat didn’t mind. At least it was quiet. She leaned against the barn, breathing in the cool, pine-scented air as she took a moment to enjoy the sun’s warmth on her face before returning to the house. The cloudless azure sky reminded her of Harry’s eyes, though they’d been a darker shade of blue when he’d made his stunning declaration earlier this morning. She’d barely had time to process what he said when her sister and Estelle sashayed into the kitchen, demanding their breakfast.

  As Cat expected, those demands only increased as the morning wore on. Chloe made it clear she hadn’t forgiven Cat for the night before. And Dame Alexander had jumped on the bandwagon with both feet. Even Fluffy had joined the I Hate Cat Club and peed on her slipper.

  Cat sighed. She’d stalled as long as she could. They were scheduled to be at the town hall in an hour. Pushing off the barn to head back to the house, she heard an engine turn over. Oh, no, she wouldn’t. But of course she would, Cat thought as she raced along the snow-packed path.

  Rounding the corner of the house in time to see the Range Rover pulling away, Cat ran after them. She waved her arms. “Chloe, don’t you dare leave without me!”

  Her sister, who was in the driver’s seat, ignored her and pressed on the gas. A wave of wet snow splattered Cat from her head to her toes. She wiped the snow from her face, scowling after them as the Range Rover turned onto the main road without stopping. Cat brushed the iced mud from her hair. Typically she knew when Chloe was up to something, but this time she hadn’t had a clue. The only explanation was that Harry’s confession had thrown Cat for a loop, and she was off her game.

  If he hadn’t removed his fingers from her hair and stepped back seconds before Chloe and Estelle arrived in the kitchen, Cat had no doubt her sister would have run her over.

  She pulled the damp wool from her body to shake off the snow from her sweater, then took the path back to the barn. She’d have to warn Harry to hide his keys from now on. As he would soon discover, her sister was a terrible driver.

  Cat dug her cell phone from the pocket of her brown puffy jacket and texted Jill Flaherty, the deputy Chance’s brother, Sheriff Gage McBride, had assigned to her sister. Once again Chloe had Cat second-guessing her abilities to protect her. Cat pushed her self-doubt aside as she rounded the red barn. She didn’t have time for this. She had to get… Raul’s pickup was gone. Of course it was, because their head ranch hand and his wife, Rosa, their housekeeper, had gone to visit their daughter for the holidays. Cat was stranded.

  She debated calling her mother, but then she’d have to confess that Chloe had abandoned her. Forget that. Cat strode to the garage that housed the farm equipment, sleighs, and snowmobile and opened the doors. After pulling off the cover from a black-and-red Polaris, Cat maneuvered it outside. She went back in and grabbed a helmet and goggles off a shelf and put on her gloves, then closed the garage doors behind her. Straddling the black leather seat, she gunned the engine and took off.

  Normally she’d take her time and enjoy the scenery as she traveled the backwoods trails through the forest into town. But today the winter wonderland was a white blur as she traveled at high speed. Though she had managed a brief glimpse of two elk a few yards away in the woods, and a bighorn sheep on the rocky cliff that soared above her. The sightings reminded her what she’d been missing being so far away from the beauty of her home. Nature recharged her, and she loved the changes in the seasons, how she could step out her door into a nature lover’s paradise. No, not her door, she reminded herself, her sister’s. Once again her anger from the night before ignited. It wasn’t fair, but right now she had more urgent things to occupy her mind.

  What typically would take twenty minutes by car took Cat an hour. She cut through a back road off Main Street to come up behind the two-story wooden building. She parked the snowmobile in a wooded area off to the side of the parking lot. Removing her goggles and helmet, Cat strode to the front of the town hall. There was a line all the way out the glass doors.

  Wonderful. She fluffed her hair, but the tips were frozen, so it didn’t have much of an effect. She didn’t know why she bothered. “Hey,” she said to the deputy at the door. She didn’t recognize him. “If I can just get by…”

  “Sorry, you have to get in line like everyone else, ma’am.”

  From behind her, several people muttered angrily, and she turned to reassure them. “I’m not auditioning for a part. I’m Chloe O’Connor’s sister. I—”

  “Yeah right,” someone scoffed while the deputy smirked. Cat searched for a familiar face in the long line, but didn’t find one.

  She had to create a diversion. She couldn’t afford to waste any more time. Pointing across the street, she waved her ar
ms, nearly taking out a young girl with her helmet. “There she is! Chloe, over here! Tessa! Tessa Hart!”

  “Where is she? Do you see her?” As she’d hoped, the deputy was as big a fan of Chloe’s as the rest of the people in line. Cat took advantage of his inattention and scooted past him, ducking down as she made her way through the crowd waiting to get into the main hall.

  “There! She’s right there!”

  Hoping they were talking about her sister and not her, Cat went up on her tiptoes to search the jam-packed room. Because of his height, she spotted Harry first. He was surrounded by people, mostly women, several of whom she knew. Cat made a beeline toward the group. She’d almost reached them when someone grabbed her from behind.

  “Gotcha.” The deputy took her by the arms, twisting them behind her back.

  Harry, wearing a well-tailored navy suit, looked over. He blinked, then a slow smile spread across his face. Her sister, who’d been standing beside him signing autographs, glanced over her shoulder and sent her eyes to the timbered ceiling. Jill was there, too, but she hadn’t noticed Cat. She was too busy staring at Harry. “Jill, would you tell your friend here that I’m Chloe’s sister?” Cat didn’t trust her sister to. She’d probably tell him she was a stalker and to throw her in jail.

  “Cat? What happened to you?” Cat pressed her lips together. Jill grimaced. “Sorry. Brad, you can let her go. She’s Cat O’Connor, Chloe’s sister.”

  “But I thought they were supposed to be twins. She doesn’t look anything like Ms. O’Connor.” He released Cat and extended his hand to her sister. “Hi there, Ms. O’Connor. I’m a big fan. Sorry about the confusion.”

  Chloe clasped his hand with a wide smile on her face. “Don’t you worry about it, Brad. It’s an easy enough mistake to make. Especially with my sister looking like she’s been dragged through the mud. Really, Catalina, you think you could have cleaned yourself up before you came.”