Western Christmas Wishes

by Brenda Minton

  With Love!

  Brenda Minton

  A MERRY WYOMING CHRISTMAS

  Jill Kemerer

  To Wendy Paine Miller,

  my friend for the long haul. I’m so thankful

  to have you in my life. Merry Christmas!

  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;

  and lean not unto thine own understanding.

  —Proverbs 3:5

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Chapter One

  What a way for Sunrise Bend to welcome him back.

  Michael Carr leaned forward to concentrate on the highway. It wouldn’t be December in Wyoming without icy roads and whiteout conditions. Heavy snow against the night sky kept visibility to a minimum as a gust of wind hit his truck. He adjusted the steering wheel and eased his foot off the accelerator.

  Keep it steady. You’re almost home.

  Home.

  He hadn’t had one of those in six years.

  A sense of yearning hollowed out his chest. His transient life must be catching up to him. Or Christmas being a week away was messing with his head.

  He missed the family ranch. Until recently, he hadn’t fully appreciated his roots. He craved quiet mornings feeding cattle with his dad and afternoons checking pregnant cows and moving the herd. He pined for the cowboy life he’d left behind after high school, even though he’d been gaining a good reputation for his research as a wildlife biologist.

  Moving from location to location was getting old.

  If things were different, Michael would be tempted to move back and partner with his dad on the ranch. But things weren’t different, and Michael couldn’t pretend his brother’s betrayal didn’t still hurt. He and David had barely spoken to each other in years, and this Christmas wouldn’t change it. Michael just hoped he wouldn’t have to spend a second more than necessary with David, Kelli or their three small kids.

  Kelli. Thinking of her hardly hurt anymore.

  His ex-girlfriend was living proof he’d been a fool to think he could hold a woman’s interest with his quiet personality and loner lifestyle.

  His windshield wipers were barely keeping up with the snow. Michael could just make out the Welcome to Sunrise Bend sign up ahead. But something was below it, something that didn’t belong—a car covered in several inches of snow.

  It must have slid off the road earlier and crashed sideways into the signposts. He hoped nobody was inside. With the temperatures dropping to single digits, hypothermia was a real danger. Most people in these parts knew to prep their vehicles with blankets, water and food. Given the angle of the car, Michael couldn’t rule out an injury.

  He slowed the truck to a crawl and pulled onto the shoulder. Then he grabbed a flashlight from the console, zipped his coat and put on his heavy-duty gloves. After checking for oncoming traffic—thankfully, no one else seemed to be on the road—he climbed out of his truck, braced himself against the wind and trudged through a foot of snow to the car. Pointing the flashlight into the windows, he tried to detect anyone inside.

  A woman was in there, and she had a small child bundled on her lap.

  He hoped neither of them was hurt.

  Lord, let me have found them in time.

  * * *

  Please, Lord Jesus, send someone to help us...

  Shivering uncontrollably, Leann Bowden tucked her chin to rest on the top of her two-year-old daughter’s head. It had been hours since Leann’s compact car had skidded out of control before crashing into the sign. Not the best start to her new life in Wyoming.

  But it could have been worse. She and Sunni could have been injured. Not counting the shooting pains in her wrist and the dull ache in her shoulder, Leann was fine. And Sunni showed no signs of being hurt. The car, on the other hand, would need serious repairs. And she didn’t care. A vehicle could be replaced. Her precious daughter could not.

  Earlier, she’d gotten out to inspect the damage. The car was wedged tightly against the sign. Two flat tires had sealed her fate. She’d kept the engine idling for heat, but the gas had run out long ago and her cell phone had no service. As the temperatures had dropped, she’d moved to the passenger side for more room, pulled Sunni onto her lap and wrapped her in every blanket and sweater she could find. Thankfully, Sunni was a sweet-natured child and hadn’t made a fuss.

  The cold seeped clear through to Leann’s bones, and she wrapped her arms more tightly around her sleeping little girl. Every muscle in her body ached with tension. It had been a long day, a long ride. Exhaustion kept pulling down her eyelids. Sheer fear kept her from letting herself give in to sleep.

  If someone didn’t find her and Sunni soon, they would freeze.

  A knocking sound came from the window. Her heart jumped to her throat. Someone was out there. Someone had found them!

  Thank You, Lord!

  “Can you unlock the door?” The words were low, muffled.

  Leann scrambled to press the unlock button, and the door opened. Wind and snow blew inside, snapping the final thread on her self-control. A flashlight beamed her way, and she shielded her eyes against the bright light.

  “Are you okay?” The man’s voice sounded rough, like he hadn’t spoken in a while.

  “I’ve been praying for you to come,” she said softly.

  He turned off the flashlight and pocketed it. “Are you injured?”

  “No.”

  “Hand me the baby.” He held his arms out.

  With the flashlight no longer blinding her, she briefly studied him. A stocking cap covered his hair, and he wore a work jacket she’d expect to see on a cowboy. From the looks of it, this guy was about the same age as her. Maybe a few years older. The outdoorsy type.

  Nothing like her ex-husband, that was for sure.

  Leann winced as she attempted to pass Sunni out to him, but he easily picked up her daughter then held out his hand to her.

  “I think I can do it.” She grabbed her purse and the tote with Sunni’s supplies. “Oh! I forgot about the car seat.”

  “Let’s get you two into my truck where it’s warm. I’ll come back for the car seat.” He carefully took her by the arm and helped her navigate to his truck. The blowing snow stung her cheeks. Then he opened the door, boosted her up and handed Sunni to her. “Did you hit your head? Does anything feel broken?”

  “No.” From inside the truck, she got a better look at him. Deep blue eyes. Broad shoulders. And handsome. Very handsome. His expression was closed off, but she could sense his concern.

  “I’ll be right back.” He gave her a firm nod. “Do you need anything else out of the car?”

  Did she? Her suitcase would be nice, but it was probably asking for too much. She looked around and didn’t see Sunni’s favorite stuffed animal.

  “Bumbles.” Leann’s teeth chattered. Her body would not stop shivering.

  “What?” He leaned closer. “How long were you out there? You might have hypothermia.”

  “It’s my daughter’s stuffed rabbit. She must have dropped it when she fell asleep.” She handed him her keys.

  His face cleared. “Okay. Nothing else?”

  “There’s a suitcase in the trunk. If you could get it, it would be a big help, but don’t worry about—”

  “I’ll get it.” He shut her door and disappeared.

  The warmth of the truck sent stabbing sensations to her frozen fingers and to
es. Sunni had slept through the commotion. Leann kissed the top of her head again.

  Today hadn’t gone as planned, but it didn’t matter. In a few weeks, this would be a distant memory, and Leann would be managing The Sassy Lasso, a women’s Western boutique her friend from college Kelli Carr owned. In the meantime, Leann and Sunni would stay at the local bed-and-breakfast until they found an apartment. She couldn’t wait to explore the town and get in the Christmas spirit.

  Goodbye, St. Louis. Hello, Sunrise Bend.

  Christmas was going to be wonderful this year.

  After the previous couple of holiday seasons, Leann was due for a good one. Right after Sunni was born two years ago, her husband, Luke, left her for Deb, a beautiful dentist at his practice. And last summer, Luke and Deb had wed and promptly relocated to Costa Rica. Luke had claimed he wanted to be part of Sunni’s life, but how could he be involved with their daughter if he lived in another country? The man was all talk, no action. At least he paid generous child support.

  Her door opened, and the man handed her Bumbles along with her keys. He shut her door, then stowed the suitcase in the back seat.

  “How does the car seat go in?” he asked.

  “I’ll do it. It’s kind of tricky.”

  “You’re freezing. Just tell me what to do.”

  “Pull the strap...” She explained how to lock the seat into place. “I’ll get her buckled in.”

  As she reached for the door handle, she winced again.

  “Let me.” He opened her door and gently lifted Sunni off her lap. Leann told him where the straps went and how to check to make sure everything was tight enough. In no time flat, he’d gotten Sunni settled. Then he hopped back into the driver’s seat, shifted into Drive and carefully pulled back onto the road.

  “Is she okay?” He glanced back at Sunni.

  “I think so. She’s been sleeping. By the way, I’m Leann, and that’s my two-year-old daughter, Sunni. Thank you for stopping. I was so worried. We never would have made it through the night if you hadn’t helped us. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “It’s no trouble. I’m Michael.” He drove slowly, paying close attention to the road. “Where are you headed?”

  “Sunrise Bend. I have a reservation at the bed-and-breakfast in town.”

  “Dandy’s, I assume? It’s not far.”

  “Yes, Dandy’s.” She tried to ignore the prickling pain creeping through her body as the heat blasted her. She couldn’t wait to change into her warmest pajamas and crawl under the covers.

  “What about you?” she asked. “Where are you going?”

  “Same as you. Sunrise Bend. My family owns a ranch outside town.”

  “Oh, do you live there?”

  “No, just visiting for the holidays.”

  Why disappointment settled in her gut, she couldn’t say. Oh, really, Leann? You don’t know why you’re disappointed this attractive guy is only in town for the holidays?

  Maybe the storm had frozen her brain. After the divorce, she’d promised herself she wouldn’t so much as look at a guy who didn’t plan on sticking around. She and Sunni had already had one man desert them. At this point, her only goal was to set down some roots and give Sunni a happy life. Dating could wait...indefinitely.

  “Where do you live?” Her attention was drawn to his profile. Sharp chin. Strong jaw. Straight nose. And those blue eyes.

  “Nowhere at the moment. I haven’t decided where to work next. I’m a wildlife biologist.” He slowed taking the curve, and soon a traffic light came into view. “Almost there.”

  Leann turned her attention out the window. If it wasn’t for Michael, she might not have made it to Sunrise Bend at all. And though he might only be visiting for the holidays, she planned on settling in for the long haul.

  She couldn’t wait to catch a glimpse of her new home sweet home.

  * * *

  Michael parked as best as he could in front of Dandy’s Bed and Breakfast while snow continued to fall. He got out, ducked his chin, then rounded the front of the truck.

  I’ve been praying for you to come. The words she’d first said to him kept repeating in his head. Stupid to get so sentimental over one line. Especially since she’d only meant she’d been praying for someone to come. Not necessarily him.

  No one really needed him.

  Her eyes were the palest blue he’d ever seen. And they were trusting. Full of hope and gratitude.

  He wasn’t used to pretty blue eyes bursting with appreciation for him. And he didn’t like the effect they were having on his pulse. The last time he’d fallen for sparkling eyes had been Kelli, and look how that had turned out.

  “I’ll carry your daughter inside.” He helped Leann onto the sidewalk. Then he turned to unbuckle the little girl, Sunni. Cute name. She’d woken up, and her eyes were big and blue like her mama’s. She stared at him, studying his face.

  “Uh, let’s get you out of the seat.” To his surprise, she held her arms up. He lifted her easily.

  “Bubba!” she cried, pointing to the seat. He turned back. The rabbit. He handed it to her, and, with the little girl tucked against his chest, escorted Leann to the front door.

  A bell jingled above them. Light from a chandelier flooded the foyer, and strands of white lights wound up the staircase directly ahead. An antique desk stood to their left, and a Christmas tree beckoned from the living room ahead.

  “Terrible night!” Margo Dandy bustled to them from a swinging door which led, he assumed, to the kitchen. She stopped and grinned when she saw him. “Well, if it isn’t Mikey C. Come here and give old Margo a hug.”

  She held her arms out wide. Margo looked the same as she had when he was growing up, except her permed, short hair was white now instead of bleached blond. A bit on the plump side, Margo wore jeans and a gray sweatshirt with cardinals on the front.

  After he hugged her, she stepped back. “And who is this? Did you find yourself a girl?”

  “I’m Leann Bowden.” Her smile was wide, her voice soft. “I have a reservation. Michael was kind enough to stop and help Sunni and me. Our car skidded off the road.”

  Only then did he notice how pale Leann was and the shivers she was trying to hide. He frowned. She needed to get warm. Immediately.

  “Margo, can you get them settled into a room quickly? She was trapped in her car for a long time.”

  “In this storm? You must be half frozen.” Margo grabbed a key off the row of hooks behind the desk and bustled to the staircase with Leann on her heels. “Follow me. I have extra quilts in the closet, and I’ll get a pot of tea ready for you in a jiffy...”

  “I’ll go out and get your suitcase.” He started to set Sunni down, but she held on to him tighter. She wasn’t shy with him, he’d give her that. Her chubby, rosy cheeks and long, dark lashes made her look more like a doll than a living child.

  She was the cutest thing he’d ever seen.

  “Bubba.” She held up the stuffed rabbit. He patted its head. She hugged it and laid her cheek against his shoulder. His heart puddled into jelly.

  Seconds later, Leann hurried back down the steps to him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to leave her.”

  “Mama.” Sunni beamed.

  “Come here, sweet one.” She tried to take Sunni from him, but at the contact, she gasped and grew even paler.

  “You’re hurt.” He kept his hold on Sunni. “I’ll carry her up.”

  “Thanks.” Her smile was full of gratitude. She turned and climbed the stairs, and he followed her and set Sunni on the bed. “I’ll get your things.”

  The snow was still coming down hard as he hauled the suitcase out of the truck. Now what? Leann was clearly injured, but the clinic wouldn’t be open tonight. Her car was smashed up. And she had a toddler. He couldn’t just leave her to deal with everything on her own.

  W
hen he got back indoors, he shook off the snow, borrowed a pen and piece of paper from the pad sitting on the entrance desk and scribbled his cell phone number on it. Then he took the steps two at a time on his way to Leann’s room. The door was open, so he set the suitcase down with a light thud. He shifted from one foot to the other in the doorway.

  “Oh, thank you, Michael!”

  “Fank you, Myco!” Sunni ran to him and hugged his legs. Her wide grin revealed tiny white teeth.

  He laughed, ruffling her hair. “You be good for your mama, okay?”

  “’Kay.” She toddled back to Leann.

  “I’ll be back tomorrow morning. Here’s my number if you need anything.” He handed Leann the paper with his cell number. “I’ll take care of the car for you. You’ll need a doctor to check you out. I can drive you to the clinic if it’s open.”

  Leann’s cheeks grew pink. “That’s nice of you, but—”

  “I’m coming over tomorrow,” he said firmly. “Just try to get some rest.” Then he winked at Sunni and let himself out.

  He wasn’t about to let an injured single mother, with no vehicle and no family in town, handle her problems by herself.

  Unfortunately, it would mean running into his brother sooner than he’d anticipated.

  Michael tromped out to his truck. The whole ranching-with-Dad thing had been a nice fantasy, but there was no way he was moving back to Sunrise Bend. Not with David and Kelli living here, constantly reminding him of what he’d lost. And Leann up there? Like she’d ever consider a boring guy like him. He’d help with her car, take her to the clinic and that was it. Spending additional time with the pretty mom would be flirting with disaster.

  Chapter Two

  The world glittered with fresh snow. It was pretty. Peaceful.

  Leann sipped tea at one of the dining tables the next morning. Sunni was making Bumbles hop along the windowsill of the picture window close to Leann’s chair. A snowplow had poked through Main Street once. Not many other vehicles were out and about. Last night Michael had mentioned coming over to help her out, but maybe he was just being nice.