CHAPTER NINE
RICK WOKE UP at six with Andrea half lying on top of him, her head nestled beneath his chin. With her return he’d gotten his Christmas present early.
She was still sound asleep. He studied every beautiful feature. Her skin showed a tiny rash from his beard. He loved the way her hair fanned out like spun gold against the cushion. While she slept, he had an idea. Easing away from her, he crept over to the fireplace. After opening the flue, he put a match to the newspaper and kindling. Pretty soon they’d have a roaring fire to warm up the living room for her.
No telling when Tessa would wake up. Before she came running in, he went out to the kitchen and brought Andrea’s gift for her into the living room. He set it right in front of the tree. It was conspicuous any time, but especially so without the other presents.
So far, so good.
He slipped his shoes back on and walked down the hall to his bedroom. He pulled a little wrapped package out of the drawer, along with another small ring box, and put them in his pocket. Then he tiptoed into Tessa’s bedroom. This was going to be fun. The most fun he’d had since before Tina had been diagnosed with her fatal illness.
Unable to wait any longer, he sat down on the side of her bed and kissed her cheek. She stirred and opened her eyes. “Daddy!”
“Good morning, sweetheart.”
She sat right up. A couple of blond curls flounced over her eyes. “Is it time to go to Cranston?”
“Not for a while. I came in here to tell you that we had a very special visitor come down the chimney last night.”
Her eyes widened. “But it’s not Christmas!”
“That’s true, but when Santa Claus found out we wouldn’t be here on Christmas, he came early to bring you your presents.”
He heard her suck in her breath. “My gingerbread man?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to open your present first.”
She scrambled out of bed in her nightgown and ran through the hall to the living room. “How did he get such a big box down the chimney?” She hadn’t seen Andrea yet. He’d placed the couch facing the fire.
Rick grinned. “He has his magic ways.”
On the periphery he saw Andrea stir and sit up to see what was going on. Beneath her disheveled gold hair, her eyes dazzled like blue jewels. They exchanged a private glance. He put a finger to his lips. She smiled and waited.
“Go ahead and open it.”
Having been given permission, she undid the ribbon and tore the paper. It took her a minute to get the job done. “I can’t undo the lid, Daddy.”
“I’ll help you.”
Winking at Andrea, he leaned over and pulled off the top. Both presents were wrapped in green and red tissue paper. Andrea had gone all out. He pulled out the chair first and set it down on the carpet. Tessa was jumping up and down with excitement.
“There. Now you can open it.”
His daughter peeled away the paper, and there sat the carved rocking chair she’d sat in at the shop. “Get out the other present, Daddy. Hurry!”
With a deep chuckle, he pulled it out. She tore off the paper faster than a whirlwind could do it. “He brought me my gingerbread man!” She squealed in such delight it brought tears to his eyes. “Andrea promised he would.”
When he looked at the woman responsible for such happiness, tears were running down her cheeks. Together they watched his daughter sit down in the chair and cuddle her gift as if it were the most precious baby on earth.
“Santa Claus brought you something else, too.”
The rocking stopped and she looked up at him. “What?”
“Do you remember what you said during your prayers last night? You wished Andrea weren’t going away?”
“Yes?”
“Why don’t you look over on the couch?”
Tessa got up with her treasure to see. “Andrea— you came back!”
“Yes, darling.”
All the joy in the world exploded from his daughter. She ran over and flung herself into Andrea’s arms, gingerbread man and all. Quickly before he broke down from too much emotion, Rick pulled out his phone and took a picture of the two of them embracing like mother and daughter. Before much longer, they would be.
“I’m going to get my gingerbread book.” She dashed out of the room and was back in another instant. “Here it is.”
“Shall we read it?”
“Yes.”
“Then sit right down in the rocking chair and hold him tight.”
Rick snapped more pictures of the two of them as Andrea began to read, making the fairy tale come alive once more. When she’d finished, Tessa ran over and they cuddled for a long time while he got more pictures.
“I have some presents, too,” he interjected. “One for you, Tessa, and one for Andrea.”
He pulled the little packages out of his pocket. Rick started with Tessa first. “I didn’t wrap this one because it’s a present that was always yours, but I needed to wait for the right moment.”
She took it from him, recognizing it immediately. “This is Mommy’s ring.”
“Yes. I gave that to her when I asked her to marry me. We both decided that one day we’d give it to you to remember her by. We’ll keep it in my drawer and you can look at it and wear it whenever you want.”
Tessa took it out of the box. “I love you, Daddy!”
“I love you. It’s yours, sweetheart.”
“What’s your present for Andrea?”
“I don’t know. Shall we see what I’m going to give her?”
“Yes, Daddy. Hurry!”
With a smile because she was so predictable, he handed it to the woman he loved, but Andrea’s fingers were trembling. When she removed the paper and opened the velvet-lined box, she gasped.
“That diamond is the color of your eyes, Andrea. They’re heavenly, just like you. I bought it a few days ago because there was no way I was ever going to let you go.” He reached in and put it on her ring finger before he looked at Tessa. “Do you know what this means, sweetheart?”
His daughter was a quick study, because she said, “Did you ask her to marry you yet?”
Rick roared with laughter.
“He did.” Andrea spoke for him with her eyes more dazzling than the blue diamond set in the gold band. “And I said yes.”
“It means Andrea has consented to be my wife and your new mommy.”
Her face lit up. “You’re going to get married and live here with us forever?”
“That’s the idea.” He leaned between them to kiss Andrea long and hard in front of his cherub. “I love you,” he whispered fiercely.
Andrea threw her arms around his neck. “I love you until it hurts, Rick. I’m not afraid anymore. My mother is going to be overjoyed, because she loves you, too. You’ve made a brand-new woman out of me. I’m going to take your love and run with it for as long as we’re granted life, because you and Tessa are my life and this is just the beginning.”
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from PROPOSAL AT THE LAZY S RANCH by Patricia Thayer.
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CHAPTER ONE
SHE WAS A COWARD.
Josefina Slater jumped into her BMW and drove away from the Lazy S Ranch, her childhood home. Before she’d left California two days ago for Montana, she’d told herself she would be able to come back here and help with her father’s recovery from a stroke. But when she’d arrived at the house and saw her older sister, Ana, she found she wasn’t ready to face Colton Slater, or her past.
When Josie had arrived at the ranch house and was greeted by her older sister, Ana, she froze right there on the spot. She needed more time. She told her sister she wasn’t ready and got back into her car and started driving. To where, she had no idea.
She’d grown up here on the ranch with a man who didn’t want the daughters Lucia Slater left behind when she walked out. Outside of her siblings, her twin, Tori, and older sister, Ana, and younger sister, Marissa, there hadn’t been much else to keep her here. This was Josie’s first time back in nearly ten years.
About two miles down the road, she opened the window. The air was brisk, reminding her that winter was fast approaching. With the quiet hum of the engine mingled with soft music from the radio, she finally started to relax.
She glanced out the windshield at the rolling green pastures that seemed to go on for miles and was framed by the scenic Rocky Mountains. Tall pines covered the slopes as the majestic peaks reached upward to the incredible blue sky.
Quite a different landscape from her home in Los Angeles, or her life. Success in her career as an event planner came with a lot of hard work and little sleep. Except she’d been told if she didn’t stop her hectic pace, her health could be in serious trouble. To help ease her stress, her doctor suggested she take time off. Tori, her twin sister and partner in Slater Style, had been the one who’d insisted she come back here to the ranch and try to relax.
Sure, returning here was going to ease her stress. Right. She couldn’t even get through the front door.
Her grip tightened on the steering wheel. No. she wouldn’t let Colt Slater turn her back into that insecure little girl. She shook her head. “Not again.” She wouldn’t let any man do that to her.
She continued to drive down the road until she could see part of the Big Hole River. Memories flooded her head, reminding her how she and her sisters used to sneak off and swim there. That brought a smile to her lips. It was also where Ana was building the new lodge along with some small fishing cabins. They’d hoped to add income to help the other problem, the Lazy S’s struggling finances.
Curiosity had Josie turning off onto a dirt road and driving the half mile to where several trucks were parked. She pulled in next to a crew cab pickup that had GT Construction embossed on the side.
Why not check out the progress? Anything to delay her going back to the house. She climbed out, glad she’d worn her jeans and boots, and pulled her lined jacket closer to her body, shielding her from the late-October weather.
Feeling excitement for the project she’d helped create with Ana, she headed across the grass toward the river to observe the progress of the two-story log cabin structure taking shape about thirty yards from the water’s edge.
“Good job, Ana,” she breathed into the cool autumn breeze.
Suddenly someone called out, but before she could turn around she felt something hit her in the back, sending her flying. Josie let out a cry as she hit the hard ground.
* * *
Garrett Temple felt pain shoot through his body as he cradled the small woman under him. It took a few breaths to get his lungs working from the impact, but at least he’d kept her from getting hit by the lumber truck. He managed to roll off her as his men started to gather around.
“I didn’t see her, boss,” Jerry said as he leaned over them. “You okay?”
Garrett nodded, but his attention was on the still woman facedown on the grass. He knelt beside the petite body and traced over her for any broken bones or visible injuries.
“You want me to call the paramedics?” someone asked.
“Give me a minute,” Garrett said as he gently brushed back the long whiskey-colored hair from her face. He froze as recognition hit him. The olive skin, the delicate jawline, long dark lashes. He knew that underneath those closed lids were mesmerizing blue eyes. His heart began to pound even more rapidly. “Josie?”
She groaned, and he said her name again. “Josie. Can you hear me?”
With another groan, she started to raise her head. He stopped her, but caught a whiff of her familiar scent. Hell, how could he remember what she smelled like? He drew back, already feeling the familiar pull to this woman. It had been nearly ten years.
She rolled to one side.
“Take it easy,” he told her. “Do you hurt anywhere?”
“My chest,” she whispered. “Hard to breathe.”
“You got the wind knocked out of you.”
She blinked and finally opened her eyes, and he was hit with her rich blue gaze. She looked confused, and then said, “Garrett?”
He rose to his knees. “Hello, Josie.”
Josie felt as if she were in a dream. Garrett Temple? It couldn’t be... She blinked again, suddenly realizing it was reality. She pushed him away, sat up and groaned at the pounding in her head. “What are you doing here?”
He didn’t look any happier to see her. “Trying to save your neck.”
“Like I need your help for anything.” She glanced up and saw several men peering at them. “I’m fine.” She brushed off her sweater and jeans, trying to act as if nothing was wrong. “I just need a minute.”
The crew didn’t move away until Garrett stepped in. “Everyone, this is Ana Slater’s sister Josie.”
The guys mumbled a quick greeting, and then headed back to their jobs.
Once alone, Josie turned to the man she’d never expected to see again. The man who’d smashed all her dreams and the last person she needed to see right now.
“Do you hurt anywhere?” he asked again.
A broken heart. “No, I’m fine,” she lied. Her ankle was suddenly killing her.
Garrett got to his feet and reached down to offer her some help. She got up under her own power, trying to ignore her light-headedness and her throbbing ankle.
“Still as stubborn as ever, I see.”
She glared at the large man. He was well over six feet. Nothing had changed in the looks department, either. He was still handsome with all that black wavy hair, not a bald spot in view. Her attention went to his mouth to see that sexy grin, and her stomach tightened in awareness. Well, dang it. She wasn’t going to let him get to her again.
She tested some weight on her tender ankle. Not good. “I know why I’m here,” she began, “but...why are you?”
He folded his muscular arms over his wide chest. So he’d filled out from the thin boy she once knew in high school.
“I own GT Construction. Ana hired me.”
No. Her sister wouldn’t do that. Not when she knew how much Garrett had hurt and humiliated her. “We’ll see about that.” She started to walk off but her ankle couldn’t hold her weight and she started to fall.
“Whoa.” He caught her in his arms. Big strong arms. “You are hurt.”
“No, I just twisted my ankle. I’ll be fine when I get back to the ranch.”
“You aren’t going anywhere until I get you checked out.”
“You’re not doing anything—” She gasped as he swung her up into his arms as if she were a child. “Put me down,” she demanded, but he only drew her closer and she had no choice but to slip her arm around his neck to keep her balance.
He carried her the short distance to his truck. One of the men rushed over and opened the passenger door. Garrett set her down in the seat.
&
nbsp; “You can’t kidnap me, Garrett.” He was so close to her, she could inhale that so-familiar scent of the man she’d once loved more than anything. “Just take me home.”
He shook his head. “You were hurt on my construction site, so I’m responsible for you. We’re going to the E.R. first, then I’ll take you back to the ranch.”
She started to speak, but the door got shut in her face. A few minutes later, he appeared in the driver’s seat. He handed her purse to her. “You might want to call your sister and tell her where you’re going.”
“No. She’ll get all worried and she has enough on her mind.” She stole a glance at the man beside her, unable to stop studying his profile. Okay, so she was curious about him, darn it. “What about my car?”
“I’ll have one of the men drive it back to the house.”
She folded her arms over her chest.
Garrett started the engine and began to back up, then headed for the highway. “Josie...maybe this would be a good chance to talk.”
She glared at him. “What could we possibly have to say to each other, Garrett? I got the message nine years ago when you said, ‘Sorry Josie, I’m going to marry someone else.’” She hated that his words still hurt. “So don’t waste any more words.”
Josie managed to fight back tears. She had to concentrate on getting through this time with a man who broke her heart once. She wasn’t going to let it happen again, so she decided to head back to Los Angeles as soon as possible.
* * *
An hour later at the emergency room in Dillon, Garrett sat with Josie while they waited for the doctor. Even in the silly gown they had her put on, she still looked good. There was no denying that seeing her again had affected him, more than he thought possible.
From the moment when he noticed Josie Slater in Royerton High School and saw her big blue eyes, he’d been a goner. They’d been a couple all through school, even after he graduated and went off to college. Josie finished high school and went to college locally two years later. Then one weekend he’d come home to tell her about his apprenticeship. They had a big fight about him being gone all summer, and they broke up. Josie refused to talk to him for months. Then he met Natalie....
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