Capturing Christmas

by Shanna Hatfield

  “So her photographs are famous?” Kash had paid little attention to the photography end of the rodeo business, even though he knew every photo taken recorded a moment of rodeo history.

  Celia looked at him like marbles had rolled out of his ears. “Some people referred to her as the Ansel Adams of rodeo. She is a legend. You’ve probably seen some of her photos and not even realized it. There’s a black and white photo of a cowboy hunkered down in the arena with a bronc over the top of him, all four hooves in the air. The cowboy looks like he’s bracing himself for the horse to crash down on him.”

  “Yeah, I know which picture you mean. I have seen that one.”

  She smiled as they left the exhibit. “Watch out, I’ll make an art lover out of you yet.”

  Kash didn’t care so much about the art, but he liked the idea of Celia making him her lover. A tawdry fling wasn’t what he wanted, either.

  To own Celia’s heart — for her to realize she possessed his — that’s what he had in mind.

  He wanted to be her friend, her champion, her confidante, her lover, her lifetime love. Dang it all, he wanted to marry the girl and have their own little teary-eyed, pouty-lipped toddler he handed balloons to.

  Struck by the realization, Kash nearly stumbled as they stepped off an escalator and walked around the huge casino where the art show took place.

  Frank Sinatra belted out Luck Be a Lady Tonight over the speakers.

  Celia listened to the song and turned to Kash. “Is luck supposed to be ladylike? Soft and gentle and beautiful, or is luck in the form of a lady? I never have figured that out.”

  Puzzled, he grinned down at her. “What in the world are you talking about?”

  “The song. Listen.”

  She and Kash listened until the song ended. “Is luck a lady or should luck behave like a lady?” she asked

  “I guess it depends.” Kash placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her through the throngs of people.

  “On what?” Celia thrilled at the feel of his hand against her back, his solid presence at her side. The possessive touch of his hand was exactly what she’d always dreamed of feeling, experiencing.

  Little pangs of jealousy pricked her every time a woman looked their way with a glance of admiration or interest.

  On a regular day, Kash was one devastating smile shy of being entirely lethal to the average female. Dressed up, well… he should come with a warning label and emergency personnel.

  “The lady,” Kash grinned. “I think the song is saying luck should behave like a lady, but to me it seems like having a lady for luck is a much better idea.” He bent down until his lips brushed her ear. “Especially if the lady looks even half as titillating as you.”

  Purposely ignoring the shiver that slid over her, Celia took in the upscale surroundings, accented with evergreens and holiday cheer. “Since we’re both dressed up, let’s go have lunch in that restaurant over there. I’ve heard rave reviews about it. Tate took Kenzie there a few years ago and said it was fabulous.”

  “Okay. Come on, my little shutterbug. You talked me into it. But if there isn’t something meaty on the menu, I’m stopping to grab a burger before I drop you off at the hotel.”

  “Deal.”

  On the way back to Celia’s hotel, they drove down a side street to avoid much of the traffic clogging the Strip.

  She pointed to a billboard and scoffed. “That is such a stupid advertisement.”

  “What?” Kash glanced out the window, but they’d already driven past it.

  “That billboard back there had an ad for a gentlemen’s club. In my humble opinion, it’s a complete contradiction.”

  Kash grinned at her across the pickup cab. “I agree. No gentleman would be caught alive or dead in one of those strip clubs. That’s why they know Ransom by his first name at the one closest to our hotel.”

  Celia laughed. “No one better get you two confused.”

  “Yeah. Like that’s never happened.” Kash gave her a pointed look. “It doesn’t help that when we’re working an event we all wear matching clothes right down to our gloves.”

  “It really doesn’t. You won’t believe how many people I saw giving you guys double takes when you walked out together the other night at the rodeo. It’s like seeing a mirror image.”

  Kash smirked. “Thanks for telling me something I don’t know.”

  “You’re just being a smarty. If you can’t be a good boy, I won’t invite you to come up to my room. I may have acquired some cookies yesterday afternoon from that delicious bakery we visited two days ago.”

  “No fair teasing me like that.” Kash stopped in front of the lobby doors of Celia’s hotel. “As much as I would love to come up and have a cookie and several of your kisses, I need to get going. I’ll see you tonight, though. Okay?”

  Celia hid her disappointment in Kash not accompanying her inside, but he had to get to work. “I’ll be there, handsome. Thanks for coming to the art show. I really appreciated it.”

  “You’re so welcome, Celia. I meant what I said. You have a rare talent for photography and it shows in your work. Rest up while you have a chance. I thought after the rodeo, you might like to go to one of the concerts tonight.”

  She squeezed his hand. “Are you sure an old fogey like you can stay up that late and keep up with a young thing like me?”

  He growled at her. “Just for that…”

  Before he could make an idle threat they both knew he wouldn’t implement, she kissed him on the mouth then opened the pickup door. A valet gave her a hand down. She glanced back at Kash. “See you later!”

  The look he gave her fell like a caress against her skin as the valet shut the door.

  Celia watched Kash pull into traffic before she hurried inside the hotel, wondering if she dared tell him how much she loved him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Celia bounced Gideon on her knee as she sat between Kaley and Kenzie during the final night of the rodeo.

  Tate and Cort both brought their little families to Las Vegas to enjoy the last two nights of the rodeo.

  The previous year, Jacob had gotten lost after the rodeo as thousands of fans exited the building. At the time, the little boy hadn’t been able to speak. Fortunately, they found him not long after he disappeared. Although shaken, he was fine.

  However, memories of the experience left Kaley terrified to let him out of her sight at the venue. They’d all promised to keep a close eye on him. Thankfully, Jacob had the gift of speech this year.

  “It’s so fun to be here with you guys,” Celia said, smiling at Jacob as he looked around his mother at her. Ketchup rimmed his mouth from the hamburger he ate. “Did you have a good time today, Jacob?”

  “Yep.” He took another bite of his hamburger and chewed it while Gideon took a French fry his mother held out to him and crammed it into his mouth.

  “What was your favorite part?” Celia asked her nephew, knowing what he’d say before he even answered.

  “The mini bulls, Aunt Seal. When I’m big enough, that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna ride bulls, just like Huck.” Jacob glanced at his father. “Right, Daddy?”

  Cort ruffled his hair and started to give him an affirmative reply, but a glare from his wife tempered his enthusiasm. “We’ll just have to see how things play out, partner.”

  Celia glanced at her brother. “Good answer, bro.”

  “Just wait, Miss Fancy Pants. Someday you’ll have the responsibility of being a parent and will quickly realize you don’t have a clue what you’re doing.” Cort grinned at her as he snitched one of his son’s fries.

  “You don’t have a clue, regardless.”

  Cort tried to stretch over far enough to muss her hair, but Kaley grabbed his hand and smiled at him. “Quit picking on your sister.”

  “She started it.”

  Kenzie and Kaley laughed while Tate leaned over to look at his friend. “Remind me how old you two are? Take an example from Jacob, would
you? He’s behaving himself.”

  “My Jake is good,” Gideon said, wiggling his little boot-clad feet as he sat on Celia’s lap. “Seal is good.” He reached up and patted her cheeks. “My Seal pretty.”

  “Thank you, sweetheart.” Celia kissed Gideon’s nose, making him laugh. She grinned at Tate. “I see you’ve already started your lessons in how to wield the Morgan male charm.”

  “It comes naturally. No instruction needed.” Tate winked then offered her a smile that set off the dimples in his cheeks.

  “Speaking of male charm, there’s a whole six-foot-something of it down there by the bucking chutes.” Kenzie pointed to where a man wearing the Rockin’ K Rodeo Company outfit spoke with the chute boss. When a second man identical to the first stepped up, Kenzie frowned and turned to Celia. “How on earth do you know which one is Kash? I thought my little sisters had the market cornered on look-alike twins, but those two take identical to a whole new level.”

  “From this distance, I study their stance. Ransom has an exaggerated swagger and his shoulders tend to roll forward, like he’s too relaxed. Kash always stands up straight and tall. While Ransom is arrogant, Kash is confident.”

  “What about up close?” Kaley asked, giving Celia a playful nudge in the side.

  “I could tell them apart with my eyes closed up close.” Celia grinned at her sister-in-law.

  “How?” Cort asked, joining the conversation.

  “Their scent.”

  Cort snorted. “I didn’t realize my sister had turned into part bloodhound.”

  Tate laughed then turned the conversation to who they thought would take the championship titles that evening.

  Right before the rodeo started, Mara Powell and her children rushed in, taking the seats directly in front of the Morgan and McGraw group.

  After sharing hugs, Jacob traded seats with Katie Jo Powell so he could sit by her brother, Hunter, who was close to his age.

  “We’re all cheering for Huck, Mara,” Celia said, leaning forward and settling her hands on the woman’s shoulders. “Is it true he’s talking about retiring if he wins this year?”

  Mara turned and nodded her head. “That’s what he says, but I’ll believe it when I see it. That man’s blood runs with rodeo and bull riding. I’m not convinced he can walk away from it quite yet.”

  The rodeo started with much fanfare and then moved right along. Celia kept an eye on the chutes, watching for a glimpse of Kash when his animals competed. She knew he’d cheer for his equine and bovine athletes every bit as much as the crowd cheered for the cowboys.

  When Huck burst out of the chute on Kash’s bull, Wild Willie, they all shot to their feet. The bull and rider put in a stellar performance. Huck dismounted and tossed his hat in the air while Willie calmly strolled out of the arena.

  “How about an eighty-seven point ride for that cowboy!” the announcer boomed over the speakers. “If Huck doesn’t take home the trophy, I will eat my brand new Resistol.”

  The crowd cheered and whistled as Huck took his hat from one of the bullfighters and jogged to the gate. He waved toward their group before he disappeared behind the chutes.

  “He’s got it nailed down, Mara,” Tate leaned forward and gave her a high-five. “That was a great ride.”

  “Isn’t that one of Kash’s bulls?” Cort asked, turning his attention from the arena to his sister.

  “Yes. I’m sworn to secrecy, but that bull is more like an over-sized pet. Kash gets in the pen and rubs his neck, scratches him behind those big ol’ floppy ears. He’s unbelievably gentle, but he’s got a lot of heart and loves to buck.”

  “Those are the best kind of bulls,” Mara said, glancing over her shoulder. “The riders don’t have to worry about the bulls trying to gore or trample them when they’re down. Huck mentioned Kash has some of his favorite bulls to ride in the circuit.”

  “That’s good to know,” Celia said, then gasped as a rider flew high in the air. He landed with a thud in the arena dirt. The bullfighters kept the bull away from him until the pickup men chased it out of the arena. By then, the cowboy recovered from having the air knocked out of him. He lumbered to his feet and out of the arena.

  The final rider managed to stay on the bull, but only earned a seventy-nine point ride, putting him in third place and Huck in first.

  “Do you guys want to come with us to one of the rodeo recap shows? Kash and I are going and then we’re heading to a concert. We went to one the other night and it was so much fun.” Celia blew on Gideon’s cheek, making the sleepy toddler giggle.

  “I’m so tired, I won’t last, but the rest of you go ahead,” Kaley said, as she looked around the group.

  “Why don’t you leave the kids with us? The rest of you can go,” Cort suggested, glancing to Kaley for approval. She nodded her head and he smiled. “When was the last time you and Huck had an evening out on the town, Mara?”

  She appeared to search back in her memories before replying. “Before Bree was born, and she’s five.”

  Kaley looked to Katie. “Would you mind hanging out with us and letting your mom and dad have some fun?”

  “Nope! I keep telling Mom I’m old enough to watch these two monsters, but she’s a bit of a control freak when it comes to us kids.” Katie ignored the scowl her mother cast over her shoulder. “If you give me the room key, Mom, we can grab our stuff and crash with Cort and Kaley.”

  “Our room has two beds, plus a pull-out sofa bed. It wouldn’t be any trouble at all to let the kids stay with us tonight,” Kaley suggested.

  Kenzie poked Mara in the arm. “Go on, live a little. I fully intend to let them watch Gideon while we join you, at least for a while. As much fun as it used to be to function on adrenaline and no sleep, I’m getting too old for this.”

  Tate looked to Cort and Kaley. “I agree, but I would like to go to the show, and maybe the concert. We’d be back by one.”

  They both nodded in agreement.

  Cort sighed dramatically. “If anyone had told me two years ago I’d turn into the group babysitter, I’d have told them they had rocks for brains. Yet, here I am.”

  Kaley reached around Katie and patted his knee. “And you love every minute of it, so you’ll get no sympathy from this crowd.”

  They all laughed and watched the closing festivities then got to their feet. Huck met them at the door and agreed to their plans. Kash would catch up with them at the recap show, so Celia left with her family.

  Once there, they staked out a table and waited. While Tate and Huck went to get everyone something to drink, Kenzie, Celia, and Mara talked about the upcoming holidays.

  “Tate hauled in all the Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving so we’ve got the house decorated and the lights up outside,” Kenzie said as they watched people walk inside the room. “He’s asked no less than a dozen times when I’m going to get started on my holiday baking.”

  “What did you tell him?” Mara asked, well aware how much Tate enjoyed his sweets.

  “That I might just buy a package or two of cookies from the bakery this year and skip all the effort of baking.”

  Celia laughed and shook her head. “You did not.”

  Kenzie grinned. “I totally did. He begged and pleaded, tried to bribe me with a few kisses. I held out as long as I could before promising to make all his favorites. My Christmas cowboy can be persuasive when he puts his mind to it.”

  “You guys are nuts,” Celia said, smiling at her friend. “Mostly about each other.”

  “Unless I’m completely mistaken, you have joined the club of the women besotted with handsome rodeo men.” Kenzie offered Celia a knowing glance. “I recognize the look of defeat.”

  “Now, Kenzie, we call it surrender. Remember?” Mara teased. “You do look so happy, Celia. Huck said Kash is great guy. You’ve got his seal of approval.”

  “Ours, too. Tate and Cort both talked about how much they like him. His brother, um… not so much.” Kenzie leaned closer to Celia.
“Doesn’t it freak you out how much they look alike?”

  “Not unless I see them together, which isn’t often. Ransom is just…” Celia searched for a nice way to say a narcissistic donkey’s hind end. Unable to come up with anything, she shrugged. “I try to stay away from him as much as possible.”

  “Which one of them is that?” Mara asked as Kash, or possibly Ransom, stepped inside the room.

  “Let me guess,” Kenzie said before Celia could answer. She studied the man for a moment, watched the way he moved and thoughtfully glanced around the room. “That’s Kash.”

  “Yep!” Celia stood and waved to him. His face lit up and he hurried their direction. When he reached their table, he hugged Celia and kissed her cheek then took a seat beside her.

  When Tate and Huck returned with their hands full of drinks, Kash stood and greeted them. Together, they sat down and waited for the show to start.

  Tate thumped Kash on the back. “I heard you’re taking home an award, man. Congrats.”

  “That’s right,” Celia turned to smile at Kash. “Wild Willie was ranked as the top bull and you almost got top stock contractor of the year.”

  “Almost. I’m gunning to win next year.” Kash grinned.

  Once the show ended, the six of them agreed to attend a concert at a casino on the other end of the strip. Tate and Kenzie rode with Huck and Mara, leaving Celia and Kash to ride together.

  On the way to the casino, they talked about their plans to leave. Celia had a senior portrait session on Tuesday, so she would drive home the following day. Kash needed to tie up several loose ends before he left, so he’d roll out of town Monday morning. After he got things settled back at the ranch, he promised to drive to Boise on Friday to spend the day with Celia and take her to a holiday performance.

  The two other couples waited for them at the door when they arrived at the casino. Together, they hurried inside.

  Halfway through the concert, Kenzie couldn’t stop yawning. Mara said she couldn’t think with all the noise, so they all walked out together.