A Rancher's Christmas (Saddlers Prairie)

by Roth, Ann

  It was time to get up and get to work on the house. She would start sorting through Uncle Lucky’s things, beginning with the contents of his desk.

  After showering and dressing, Gina headed downstairs. While her cinnamon bread toasted and the coffeemaker percolated, she turned on her phone.

  To her relief, Carrie had texted, letting her know she’d emailed the report Gina wanted and that she would wait for Gina’s call Monday morning.

  “That’s more like it,” Gina murmured. She was relieved and decided that for now, she wouldn’t bother any of her colleagues with the request to help her assistant.

  As she loaded her breakfast dishes into the dishwasher, she couldn’t help remembering the kisses she and Zach had shared right there last night. Unbidden heat flooded her, and she wanted him again.

  Exasperated with herself, she turned her back on the dishwasher and considered making plans to go out tonight and do something to take her mind off Zach.

  Saddlers Prairie didn’t offer much of a nightlife, but she needed something to fill the evening. Not that she didn’t have plenty to keep her busy right here. It would be nice to get out, though, even for a little while. She needed to write thank-you notes to those who sent cards and flowers, so she could drive over to Spenser’s and pick up some nice note cards and some chocolate. Then she’d check out the TV guide and look for a movie. And, what the heck, she’d check her email today after all.

  What a fabulous Saturday night she had planned.

  Armed with trash bags and boxes, Gina started for Uncle Lucky’s office.

  She was halfway down the hall when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw that Autumn Naylor was calling. Autumn was a year older than she was, but they’d attended the one-room Saddlers Prairie grade school together. Both had been dirt poor and they’d developed a friendship of sorts.

  “Hey, Autumn,” she said, smiling.

  “Hi, Gina. That was a nice service yesterday.”

  “I thought so, too. We were all glad to see you and your family.”

  Autumn and Cody had an adorable little girl and four foster sons they were raising at Hope Ranch.

  “I know this is last minute,” Autumn said. “But Cody and the boys are seeing a movie in Red Deer tonight. April goes to bed at seven, and I have the whole evening to myself. I’m throwing a pizza party, no guys allowed. You know everyone who’s coming, either from school or the funeral, and I’d love for you to come. That is, if you can spare the time. I know you have a lot on your plate.”

  Gina jumped at the invitation. “I’ll be working on the house all day, but I’m free this evening. What should I bring?”

  “Nothing, but since the Pizza Palace is on your way here, it’d be great if you picked up the pizzas for me. I’ll call and put them under my name.”

  “Sure,” Gina said.

  “Great. See you tonight.”

  Pleased to have something fun to look forward to, Gina hummed as she sat down at the desk.

  Having done a cursory search through the drawers the other day, she didn’t expect to find anything worth keeping. They contained packages of never-used pens and pencils, paper clips and sticky notes—enough to last years. Her thrifty uncle had always preferred to buy his supplies in bulk. She would donate them to the school, she decided as she filled a box.

  She made short work of all but the fat bottom drawer, which was crammed with ancient-looking folders containing old bills and statements dating back decades.

  Who knew why her uncle saved all this stuff, or why he kept his current statements in the safe. Not that it wasn’t entertaining to see what groceries had cost twenty-five years ago. Otherwise, it was worthless.

  She was tossing the folders into a trash bag and thinking about taking a coffee break when a yellowed folder label caught her eyes. It read Beau and Marie in faded ink. Her parents.

  Curious, she opened the folder, which was thick with papers. At first she wasn’t at all sure what she was looking at, but seeing her parents’ signatures here and there filled her with nostalgia. Her father’s sense of humor and self-deprecating laugh had often lightened up the most difficult times, while her mother’s canning and baking skills had kept their stomachs relatively filled. And despite working two jobs and preserving food, she’d somehow found the time to make many of Gina’s clothes—outfits that often rivaled the store-bought items the other girls wore but sometimes fell far short.

  Even after all these years, Gina still missed them—but not the hard life they’d endured.

  At the bottom of the file she found papers that made her widen her eyes and suck in a breath. Bankruptcy papers.

  The one on top noted that shortly after her birth, her parents had declared bankruptcy.

  Stunned, she sat back in her chair. No one had ever told her about this. Not a whisper, even after both her parents had died.

  Something else her family had kept from her. It had happened a long time ago, so what was the big secret?

  Of course, bankruptcy wasn’t good; Gina got that, but she was family. She deserved to know! Fuming, she set the folder aside, stood and stalked into the kitchen. Next time she saw her relatives, they were going to hear about this.

  Over a cup of reheated morning coffee, she thought about her parents’ bankruptcy some more. Knowing about it explained a lot. Her mother’s constant worry about money and her tight hold on the family purse strings, and her father’s grudging acceptance that his wife controlled the checkbook.

  They’d had a legitimate reason for their money problems. Thanks to a recession and hard times, the farm-equipment business had all but failed. To supplement the family income, her dad had started an equipment-repair business, which had brought in some cash. Both her parents had put in long hours, leaving Gina to fend for herself at home.

  Another unsettling part of the whole thing was that, despite her own large paychecks and fat year-end bonuses, she also struggled to make ends meet.

  In that way, she wasn’t so different from her parents.

  That was upsetting. She wasn’t like them. She wasn’t! Too restless to sit still, she carried her coffee to the window and stared out at the snow-covered backyard and the rolling pastures beyond.

  The snow turned everything into a winter wonderland. But nothing could hide the hard-scrabble life her uncle and parents had lived. Gina’s life was much easier, and she had the condo, high-end car and closet filled with beautiful clothes and shoes to prove it. Yes, she struggled to pay the bills, but her bonus would help her catch up.

  Skating so close to the financial edge was nerve-racking, something she didn’t want to think about right now. She pushed the thought away and stared at the back pasture and the herd of cattle lumbering toward an old flatbed, where four men tossed heavy bales of hay onto the ground.

  Was that Zach? He was too far away for Gina to be sure, but... No, that was him. As the tallest man, he stood out. Even in a bulky winter jacket, she recognized his long, muscular, jeans-clad legs.

  From out of nowhere, a sigh escaped her. She was relieved that for the moment he was out of reach and glad she had plans away from the ranch that evening.

  With any luck, she could avoid Zach for a while and rein in her unwanted feelings.

  * * *

  MAN, IT WAS cold. Standing in the north pasture, Zach stomped his numb feet and glanced at the wintry blue sky. It didn’t look like snow, but in Montana, you never knew. Between the bitter cold and ice and the seasonal downtime at the ranch, Montana winters were a bitch.

  Not that any of the ranch hands complained. They were glad for the work and used their free hours to spend time with their families and visit the friends they had little time for during the rest of the year. Next week, Pete, Bert and Chet would take off for the Thanksgiving holiday, while Zach and Curly had Christmas Eve and C
hristmas Day off.

  When the truck bed stood empty, Zach whipped off his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his coat sleeve. “That’s it for today.”

  Chet and Pete whooped and made for the truck.

  Curly Gomez, wryly nicknamed for his bald head, hung back. He and Zach had become friends of sorts and often spent their Saturday evenings hanging out together. They headed for the barn on foot.

  “What’s on the agenda tonight?” Curly asked, his breath puffing from his lips like smoke.

  Anything that would take his mind off Gina. After a hard evening last night—hard being the operative word—Zach needed to keep his distance.

  The wanting inside him just wouldn’t quit. It had been a while since he’d scratched that particular itch, and he figured it was time to change that. “I’m thinking we grab a pizza at the Pizza Palace, then drive up the highway to Sparky’s.” The bar just outside town was a good place to hook up with a willing woman.

  Curly grinned. “Pizza, beer and ladies—I’m game. It’s your turn to drive.”

  Zach nodded. “I’ll give you a call when I’m ready to go.”

  * * *

  THE PIZZA PALACE was busy, but then it was a wintry Saturday night in Saddlers Prairie. Zach and Curly were in a booth and about to dig into their extra-large pizza when Curly leaned across the table toward him.

  “Don’t look now,” he said under his breath, “but the dark-haired woman at the table to your left is checking you out.”

  “Yeah?” Zach took a big bite out of his pizza and surreptitiously glanced around. The woman was about his age, with long hair, full lips and big breasts—just his type. She gave him a friendly smile.

  Oddly, aside from a spark of attraction, he didn’t feel much interest. Unsmiling, he nodded at her and returned his focus to his dinner.

  “What’d I tell you?” Curly said with a go-get-her smile.

  “She’s okay.”

  His friend’s jaw dropped. “If you don’t think she’s hot, you need glasses.”

  She was hot enough. Unfortunately, Gina was the woman Zach wanted.

  Frowning, he reached for a second slice and glanced at the door as it opened. Gina walked in.

  Of all people. A certain part of his body woke up. He swore under his breath.

  Curly glanced over his shoulder. “That’s Gina.”

  “Yep.”

  “She’s a real class act. I wonder what she’s doing here?”

  “She must want a Palace pizza.”

  “Well, it is one of the finest pizza joints around.” Curly’s mouth quirked. “The only pizza joint around.”

  She’d spotted him. Zach nodded. Looking a little uncomfortable, Gina headed uncertainly toward the table.

  “Hello, Curly,” she said, wearing a bright smile that faded when she turned her gazed to Zach. “Hi.”

  They shared a long look fraught with meaning. They hadn’t seen each other since last night. In the twenty-four hours since then, Zach had done more than his share of fantasizing about exactly what he wanted to do with her next time they were alone. Not that there would be a next time.

  Tell that to his body. A fresh wave of desire hit him; it was so strong that he got hard just sitting there. Lucky for him, the booth hid his lap.

  Curly shot a puzzled look at both of them. “Uh, you want to join us?”

  Just what Zach needed—the company of the woman he was better off avoiding.

  “Actually, I’m here to pick up an order,” she said. “If it’s not ready, I’ll sit down for a minute—if it’s okay with you, Zach.”

  It was so not okay, but he shrugged. “Sure.”

  While she was gone to check on the order, Curly raised his eyebrows. Ignoring him, Zach helped himself to another wedge of pizza.

  Moments later, Gina returned to the table. “My pizzas are still in the oven. The guy at the counter will call my name when they’re ready.”

  “You ordered more than one, eh?” Curly said. “Is your family coming over tonight?”

  Gina shook her head. “They’re for a party at Autumn Naylor’s house.”

  “Hope Ranch.” Curly nodded. “I’ve been in that house. It’s nice and big, perfect for a party.”

  Zach pictured people milling around, some of them no doubt trolling for available women. The thought of a bunch of single men scoping out Gina bothered him. “Who else will be there?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

  She looked surprised by the question. “Friends from high school who are home for Thanksgiving break and a few other people.”

  Curly laughed. “Cody’s cool. I’ll bet he wouldn’t mind if Zach and I crashed his party.”

  Gina smiled. “But Autumn would. This is a girls-only party. Cody isn’t even invited.”

  Zach relaxed. “Did you get a lot done at the house today?”

  “I did.” She wouldn’t meet his eyes, whether because of those kisses last night or something else, he wasn’t sure. “But there’s still much more to do.”

  “Naylor,” a teenage boy called out.

  “That’s my order.” Gina jumped out. “I’ll see you later.”

  Zach followed her with his eyes. He couldn’t help it. Her camel hair coat bustled around her legs as she hurried to the pickup counter, all corporate and businesslike. He imagined she moved that quickly all the time at work.

  Carrying four large boxes, she moved more slowly toward the door. Several men checked her out. Two started to rise to hold the door for her.

  Zach slid out of the booth and beat them to it. The scent of fresh-baked pizza all but drowned out her scent, but he swore he caught a whiff of her perfume.

  “Thanks,” she said with a quick smile.

  “No problem. You and your girlfriends have a good time tonight.”

  “We will. You, too.”

  Curly didn’t say a word until the door closed behind her and Zach returned to the booth. With a wink, he leaned toward Zach. “She’s interested in you.”

  Zach shook his head. “She goes for the corporate-executive type.”

  “A woman’s eyes don’t lie, man. Every time she glanced your way, they lit up.”

  So that he wouldn’t have to reply, Zach bit off a huge chunk of pizza.

  “I saw how you watched her when she wasn’t looking,” Curly went on. “Why are you even talking about going to Sparky’s tonight when what you want just walked out the door?”

  Zach glanced out the large front window. He could see Gina piling the pizza boxes in the passenger seat of Lucky’s truck, her thick coat hiding her hips. All the same, he was aroused. He tore his gaze away and cleared his throat. “Maybe I don’t want to be interested in her.”

  “Doesn’t mean you aren’t.”

  “She’s not my type.”

  “Come on, man. She’s beautiful and a lot hotter than the brunette at the other table. By the way, as soon as she saw the way you looked at Gina, she left.”

  Curly’s plate was empty. “You finished?” Zach asked. When his friend nodded, he said, “Me, too. I changed my mind about that beer. I’m ready to call it a night.”

  “It’s only seven-thirty, man. Let’s grab a pitcher at Sparky’s like we talked about.”

  Zach didn’t feel like it anymore. “When we get back, you go on without me.”

  “Suit yourself. But it’s gonna be one lame Saturday night for you.”

  Chapter Eight

  Feeling like a giant bundle of exposed nerves, Gina set the pizzas on the passenger seat of the truck. She could feel Zach looking at her—or was she imagining things? On the way to the driver’s side of the car, she glanced furtively through the front window of the Pizza Palace. He was frowning at Curly, almost as deeply as he’d frowned at her when she
’d walked through the door.

  He’d been less than pleased to see her tonight, and apparently he was still unhappy. Gina hadn’t exactly been thrilled to see him, either. She pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the highway. She hadn’t expected to see him for several days and hadn’t been prepared for the powerful effect his mere presence had on her.

  The heat and naked need on his face had stirred her own desire. It was a good thing he hadn’t unleashed his smile. Because if he had, she’d probably still be sitting in that booth, wanting him.

  Which was startling in itself. No man had ever made her feel like that, turning her on with just a look.

  Out of all the available men in the world, why did she have to want Zach Horton?

  Refusing to think about him anymore tonight, Gina turned on the radio. The toe-tapping music from the bluegrass country station reminded her of Uncle Lucky, and she suffered a wistful pang. He’d loved bluegrass. At the same time, the delicious smells of freshly baked pizza filled the truck, making her mouth water. Better to salivate over food than Zach.

  In what seemed like no time, she was rolling up the long gravel driveway of Hope Ranch. Although she’d never been there before, even when it had been known as Covey Ranch, she was aware that Hope Ranch was far more successful than the Lucky A.

  That was obvious by the big house alone. Light blazed from every window on the main floor and across the wraparound porch, making for an impressive sight.

  A good half dozen cars were parked in a large turnaround near the house. Gina parked the truck there. Cradling the pizza boxes, she climbed the steps and crossed the porch. She rang the doorbell with her elbow.

  Autumn opened the door with a smile. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said, relieving Gina of the pizzas. “Thanks for picking these up.”

  Gina stepped into a wide entry. She shrugged out of her coat and hung it in the coat closet. In the adjoining great room seven women sat before a roaring fire. Three were friends she’d lost touch with after high school and the other three had been at the funeral. She didn’t know the slightly older woman.

  She needed this night, catching up with old friends and getting better acquainted with new ones. She needed to relax and push Zach, Uncle Lucky’s death and her work worries from her mind.