A Cowboy for Christmas (Mills & Boon Love Inspired Historical) (Wyoming Legacy - Book 5)

by Lacy Williams

  “You weren’t afraid of coming in after me.” She ran her thumb along the line of his shoulder, just enjoying being close to him.

  “Yes, I was. But I had to get to you.” He squeezed her waist lightly. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”

  He set her away from him, his expression changing from teasing to serious. “Sit down with me a minute?”

  They sat down and he continued to ignore the food on his plate in favor of holding her hand across the table. She wouldn’t complain.

  “I want— I’d really like to be able to ask your pa for your hand in marriage...”

  Her heart, already pounding, galloped even faster. “But...”

  “But there’s several things standing in my way.”

  She swallowed. “Such as?” For one fleeting moment, she imagined he might say that her missing arm was a hindrance; the thought passed so quickly it almost didn’t stick.

  “Such as the fact that your pa don’t approve of me. He didn’t even want me courting you.”

  Yes, there was that.

  “I think he’s softened a little toward me now that you know the truth. But I don’t—” He shook his head. “Family is important. I found that out when I left mine behind. And I don’t want to cause any kind of rift between the two of you.”

  “But...” Her voice warbled and she inhaled sharply to keep from protesting too loudly.

  He squeezed her hand. “I think, if I keep working and proving to him that I’m not gonna spend time in saloons, not gonna even look at any woman but you, that he’ll come around. I hope.”

  And surely if she made a case to Papa as well, he’d listen. She would start right away, making sure Papa remembered that Ricky had saved her life in the barn last night. “All right.”

  “Second,” he said softly, “is that I’ve lost all the cash I’d built up to make a start for us. Before this summer, I’d drunk it or gambled it all away. I hadn’t seen the need for putting anything up in a bank. It was all in my pack, up in the barn loft last night.”

  And gone now. Except...

  “Wait,” she said, and rushed to the back porch. There was his leather pack, among the few other things that had been able to be salvaged. She picked it up and lugged it inside. It was waterlogged, had probably been tripped over and spilled on in the chaos of last night, but it was whole.

  His face lit when he saw it. He took it from her hands and began rifling through its contents, revealing soggy and muddy clothes, and a few other things tucked into the bottom. “How—”

  “Beau was up in the loft when Uncle Ned dropped the lantern. From what Uncle Ned says, the fuel that spilled spread too quickly and the fire right along with it. He couldn’t stomp it out or muffle it. When Beau realized what was happening, that the barn was on fire, he threw what he could out of the loft window.”

  “And my pack was out on my bed,” he concluded softly.

  His face had brightened somewhat.

  “And the last thing?” she asked, because surely there couldn’t be that many things keeping them apart.

  His expression darkened. “I’ve got to go back to Clarkston. I might’ve been just a kid, but I did kill that woman with my carelessness. I’ve got to make it right. Whether that means I’ll spend time in jail or have to make other restitution, I don’t know. But I won’t feel right about shackling myself to you when I don’t even know what the future holds for me.”

  Tears rose in the back of her throat. Her honorable cowboy, trying to set things right, yet again.

  “That’s not gonna work for me,” she said softly.

  His head came up from where he’d been looking down at the satchel, focused on something in the flap. His expression turned wary.

  “I don’t want to wait for folks to know I’m proud to be your wife—even with your past. If you have to pass time in prison, I’ll wait for you.”

  “Daisy, no—”

  She shook her head sharply. “It’s not up for discussion. This is my answer. Yes, I’ll marry you. I’ll talk to Papa this morning.”

  She laid her palm over his forearm. “I love you, and I want everyone to know it.”

  He pulled her forward into a passionate embrace, clutching her tightly to his chest, with her head tucked beneath his chin.

  How she loved this tenderhearted cowboy.

  Epilogue

  Two weeks after the fire, Ricky rode into the small town of Clarkston, Wyoming, with Daisy and her mount at his side.

  His wife. He still couldn’t fathom it. That she loved him back. That she accepted him, scars and horrible past and all.

  And somehow she’d got her pa to accept him, too. She’d disappeared into Owen’s office that first afternoon after the fire and a good half an hour later, they’d invited him to join them. Owen hadn’t taken it easy on him, had demanded to know how Ricky would support his daughter. He’d made Ricky promise that his days of visiting saloons and playing cards were over. It was the easiest promise he’d ever made.

  The promises they’d exchanged on their wedding day four days ago had been harder. Ricky had barely been able to choke out the words as he’d vowed to love, honor and protect Daisy. He’d had to blink tears from his eyes when she’d repeated the vows back to him.

  But now...now all this newfound happiness—happiness he didn’t quite trust—threatened to disappear. But he had to do this. Had to settle the past.

  Daisy reached out and touched his sleeve. “Are you ready?”

  He wasn’t. He was afraid that he would be sent to jail, even though he hadn’t meant to set that fire years ago, and surely hadn’t meant to kill anyone.

  But Daisy was shivering in the cold. He’d wanted to take the train, but she’d demanded they ride together, make the trip in three days instead of one.

  She loved being on horseback. And he couldn’t deny her anything, not when this might be their last few days together for a very long time.

  Everything inside him was cinched tight as he urged his horse into a walk. She followed. They rode into town, pulling up in front of the sheriff’s office. He figured that was the place to start, at least.

  He helped Daisy dismount, then stood for a moment with his hands resting at her waist, just looking down on her. Thinking that this might be the last time he did so as a free man.

  “I have faith that this will turn out all right,” she whispered. But her eyes were luminous, large in her face, and she was biting her lip as if she was as nervous as he was.

  He brushed a kiss against her cheek and they turned toward the sheriff’s office together.

  As they stepped up onto the boardwalk, the door opened. But it wasn’t the sheriff who emerged, it was—

  “Pa?” Ricky’s incredulous surprise manifested in the squeak of his voice. “What’re you doing here?”

  His pa grinned, and some of the tension Ricky felt eased.

  “Probably the same thing as you,” Jonas said.

  “Who is that?” a familiar voice called out from behind Jonas. To Ricky’s amazement, his younger brothers Matty and Seb followed behind Jonas.

  They were quick to offer handshakes and slaps on the back, and of course, quick to notice Daisy and the simple silver band on her fourth finger. Their eyes appraised her only long enough for him to bristle—he knew exactly how beautiful she was—before they were hugging her, too.

  “You got married?” Seb asked.

  “Without the family?” Matty added on. “Ma is gonna be so mad!”

  “Not as mad as Davy,” Seb came back. It was probably true. Davy had been Ricky’s closest friend since their childhoods had brought them together. Hopefully he could make it up to his brother.

  “Davy has his own surprise,” Matty mumbled aside to Seb, the comment rousing Ricky’s curiosity.

  But he didn’t really have time to catch up with his brothers right now, no matter how much he wanted to.

  He looked to his pa. Jonas didn’t seem surprised to see Daisy at Ricky’s side. His pa’s eyes h
eld a quiet pride that had Ricky standing a little straighter.

  Jonas clapped a hand on Ricky’s shoulder. “I had a feeling you would end up here. After all that talk of being an honorable man, I knew you’d want to make things right. Your father-in-law sent a wire.” And the unspoken part was that Jonas must have come to be with him through whatever happened.

  Ricky nodded, throat too full to speak. Until he had to clear it, so he could force the words out. “Will you...make sure she’s taken care of? If I can’t?”

  He trusted his pa to get Daisy home if Ricky had to serve time. His brothers had distracted her, questioning her about Ricky’s job working for her pa, and Ricky was thankful for a chance to watch her with them. She sparkled, answering their questions and firing back some of her own.

  No nervousness, no self-consciousness about her arm. She’d grown into the beautiful woman God had intended her to be.

  He was going to miss her.

  “You don’t have to worry about that,” Jonas said, and Ricky had to take a moment to track back to their conversation.

  “What d’you mean?”

  “I’ve already talked to the sheriff, to several people who are well-respected in this area. I wanted to clear your name, if I could, or at least find out what you were facing.”

  Ricky swallowed. His pa knew what was coming. So why did he look so...happy?

  “Just tell me,” Ricky said.

  Jonas put his hand on Ricky’s shoulder again. “It wasn’t a woman who died in that fire. Several folks remembered it. It was a different sheriff, but they even had a file on it they were able to pull. It was some kind of big cat that died in that cabin. Maybe a mountain lion.”

  “Why would a wild animal be inside the cabin?” Ricky asked. It was too unbelievable.

  Daisy must’ve sensed his upset. She came to his side and wrapped her arm around his waist.

  Jonas shrugged. “Maybe it had chased some game inside. You said the cabin was abandoned, was outside of town. Maybe the cat took it over as its home.”

  “But...the screams,” Ricky protested weakly.

  “I’ve heard of cats screaming so loud and so high-pitched that it sounds like a woman’s voice,” Jonas said quietly. “It wasn’t a person.”

  Ricky couldn’t speak, overwhelmed with the information Jonas was revealing to him.

  “Are they sure?” Daisy asked, voicing the question that Ricky couldn’t.

  “Yeah. You can talk to the sheriff yourself, if you want.”

  He wanted. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe his pa, but he had to be sure, before he let the hope swirling through him right at this moment get loose.

  *

  Daisy stood at Ricky’s side when the sheriff verified Jonas’s story. It sounded too far-fetched to be true, but then she knew that nothing was impossible with God.

  They were back on the boardwalk, his brothers and papa approaching from the side, when it finally hit him. He sagged at her side, shoulders going limp, and the grip he’d had on her hand suddenly let go.

  She turned to meet his fierce embrace. As his arms went about her waist, she put her arm around his neck, squeezing him just as tightly as he was holding her. He was trembling, quaking against her as all the fear and dread and uncertainty flowed out of him.

  “I didn’t kill anyone,” he said into her hair.

  “You didn’t,” she agreed, her words muffled in his shirt.

  And to think she’d almost let bitterness get in the way of loving this man.

  Audra had been right. All she’d had to do was let the past go, and forgive. And the moment she’d seen Ricky in that fire, knowing he’d come after her, she had. The man that Ricky had been, the drunken gambler, was gone. She’d never even met that man. She couldn’t judge him for what he’d done before he’d accepted Christ as Lord of his life.

  She’d also made up with Audra. She still didn’t appreciate the woman’s pushiness and that would probably never change. But with Daisy about to set up her own household, they would likely settle into a slightly more distant relationship and do just fine as mother and stepdaughter.

  Over the past two weeks, the twins had followed Daisy around like wide-eyed, amazed puppies. They touted her bravery in going back into the barn to rescue the pups at every turn.

  Uncle Ned had called her bravery something else entirely, but then he was Uncle Ned.

  And it had all worked out in the end.

  “You’re free,” she whispered, stretching up on her tiptoes to buss a kiss on his cheek.

  He let go in the emotion of the moment and pressed a fervent kiss to her lips, one that lasted long enough that his brothers started whistling.

  When he broke away, she was hot and flustered by the attention—in the best way possible.

  “We’re both free,” he said, looking down at her with those intense gray eyes.

  And she knew he was right. He’d come into her life when she least expected it, and freed her from the fear of living without her arm.

  And in God’s divine plan, they’d both been set free to live—and to love.

  *

  Read on for an extract from CONVENIENTLY WED by Angel Moore.

  Dear Reader, Thanks for reading Ricky and Daisy’s story. At the end of The Wrangler’s Inconvenient Wife, Ricky needed to be redeemed, and when he met Daisy and events started rolling, his journey started. It culminated in him ultimately having to face his greatest fear, and overcome it with God’s help and the love of a good woman. I’m also blessed to have a partner to travel with me through the hard parts of life and the blessings—my husband, Luke. I wouldn’t be writing without his support! If you love the Wyoming Legacy series, don’t miss Davy’s story, coming soon!

  I would love to know what you thought of this book. You can reach me at lacyjwilliams@gmail.com or by sending a note to Lacy Williams, 340 S. Lemon Avenue #1639, Walnut, CA 91789. If you’d like to find out about all my latest releases in an occasional email blast, sign up at http://bit.ly/15lA19O.

  Thanks for reading!

  Lacy Williams

  Questions for Discussion

  Did you relate more to the hero or heroine in the story? Why?

  Do you think Daisy’s stepmother handled things the right way as she tried to help Daisy heal? Why or why not?

  Ricky started the story overwhelmed with guilt for the accident he’d caused and its repercussions. Do you think his guilt was deserved? Why or why not?

  What was your favorite moment in the story? Why?

  Ricky’s relationship with Beau was important to him. Tell about a close friend and how they have affected your life in a positive way.

  What was your first impression of Daisy? Did it change over the course of the story? Why or why not?

  At first, Daisy tried to hide from and avoid life, including her friends. How do you handle difficult times in your life? What would you deal with differently if you had a do-over?

  What was the theme of the story? What parts of the book really showed the theme?

  Chapter One

  Pine Haven, Texas October 1879

  Daisy Mosley pulled back both hammers on the shotgun, lowered the barrel onto the windowsill and aimed at the center of the rider’s chest. No stranger had been down the lane since her husband, Murdock, had been killed by horse thieves three weeks earlier. Daisy was determined that no harm would come to James and John. She could hear the eight-year-old twins shushing each other as they scurried under her bed in the far corner of the cabin.

  Watching carefully, she followed the rider’s slow approach with her gun. Very tall and broad with a straight back, a worn Stetson and red hair, he was definitely not a local. His mount was the prettiest pinto she’d ever seen. He was almost close enough for her to shoot when he stopped. He leaned forward in the saddle, his face still shielded by the Stetson.

  “Daisy Marie, put that gun down before you hurt somebody.”

  “Who are you?” Daisy didn’t flinch. “And how do you know my
name?”

  The stranger chuckled. “You know who I am. Have for years. And you know I don’t trust you with a gun. Not after what happened when your papa was trying to teach you to shoot.”

  “Oh, my goodness!” In one swift movement, Daisy lowered the gun, released the hammers and put it in the rack over the mantel. “Boys, come meet Tucker Barlow!” she called to her sons as she unbolted the door and raced across the porch, barely skimming the steps.

  Tucker dismounted just in time to brace against the impact of Daisy throwing herself into his arms. She remembered fondly that, even though she carried quite a lot of momentum for such a petite lady, she was no match for his strength. Not many could stand against the power of her exuberance. He lifted her and swung her around in a circle before setting her on the dusty ground. He held her hands, and she leaned back to look up at him.

  “Daisy, you are a sight. And what kind of welcome was that for you to think about shooting me before I even met these fine-looking men you’ve got here?”

  James and John stood behind their mother, timid of the big stranger.

  Daisy withdrew her hands from Tucker’s and turned to the twins. “James, John, meet Mr. Barlow. Mr. Barlow, these are my sons.”

  “Strong Bible names. Glad to meet you both.” He held out a hand for James to shake and then turned to John. “I’m glad you’ve got that freckle over your lip, John. Otherwise, I might never know who I was talking to.”

  John ducked his head shyly. “It’s a birthmark. Momma said God put it there so she wouldn’t mix us up when we were babies.”

  James spoke up. “If he didn’t have it, we could trick people and trade places and stuff.”

  Daisy chuckled. “They look alike, but it doesn’t take long to find out how different they are.” She smiled at Tucker. “Boys, Mr. Barlow works for Papa Warren. He was a good friend to me when I was a girl. I haven’t seen him since I moved here when me and your papa got married over ten years ago.”

  Looking directly at the young boys, Tucker said, “You don’t need to call me Mr. Barlow. We’re gonna be working side by side as men. You can call me Tucker.”