The Christmas Surprise

by R. R. Banks

  “I have a message for you,” she said.

  “Save it for later,” I said, starting past her.

  “He said that it was urgent, that he needed Walter to get back to him immediately.”

  “Oh, he did, did he?”

  I paused by her desk and reached for the paper that she held, swiping it out of her hand to look at the message. I felt my stomach sink when I saw the name on the paper. I quickly straightened and offered a smile.

  “Thank you, Cindy,” I said. “I’ll take care of this right away.”

  I stepped into my office and closed the door, leaning back against it as I looked down at the message again.

  He wouldn’t. Would he?

  Robin

  “Hello? Snow? This is Robin. You remember? Your nearest, dearest, and most devoted best friend? Just thought you might need a little reminder. I haven’t heard from you in a few days. Call me. Email me. Tweet me. Like me. Poke me. Swipe me. Smoke signal me. Do something.”

  I ended the voice mail and dropped my phone to my kitchen counter. Turning back to my stove, I took hold of the wooden spoon and stirred slowly. The rich aroma was starting to fill my lungs and I was eagerly anticipating the concoction when I heard a key in the lock to my apartment and the door opened. Snow stepped in and looked at me strangely. I noticed that she was holding her phone to her ear.

  “Did you just tell me to swipe you?” she asked as she closed the door and locked it.

  “Well, since guys are apparently your life now.”

  “And you know that you will always be my very best guy.”

  “No, I don’t know that,” I snapped, a little more aggressively than I might have wanted to.

  “What’s that all about?” Snow asked as she came into the kitchen.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve just missed you the last few days. I haven’t even heard from you this week.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. She sniffed the air. “What is that?”

  “My specialty,” I said.

  “Packaged hot chocolate with crème de menthe?”

  “Only the classiest.”

  “Pour me a cup.”

  I looked at Snow a little closer as she climbed up onto one of the bar stools positioned around the kitchen island. There was something different about her. She had only been to the retreat a few times, but I could already see it changing her. She had always been sure of herself with a personality that could fill a room, but her confidence was stronger now. She held herself differently, as though she had become more acquainted with her body and knew better how to hold and move it. The way that she was looking then, though, didn’t seem that she was enjoying the change as much as she should.

  “What’s going on with you today?”

  “Lucille came over.”

  “She what?” I asked, ladling the hot chocolate into two mugs and sliding one over to her. “I thought that the two of you hated each other and now she’s stopping by for a friendly chat and afternoon tea?”

  “Well, there was no tea and I wouldn’t exactly call the encounter a friendly chat.”

  “How did she even know where you live?”

  “She’s running the company. She can look in my personal file and find out anything about me that she wants.”

  “That’s not frightening at all.”

  “I know.”

  “So, why did she come over?”

  “To demand that I submit to her.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Maybe that wasn’t the best terminology. She showed up and told me that I needed to just give up and go away because she won and she was going to make sure that my life was miserable for as long as it took to get rid of me.”

  “What did you say to her?”

  “That I wasn’t going to do what she wanted.”

  “Good for you. What are you actually going to do?”

  She glared at me.

  “I’m not going to do what she wants. I’ve had to claw my way past her my whole career and deal with her shit every step of the way. I’ve never been able to accomplish anything without having to fight through her first.”

  “That makes it even more impressive,” I said. “You’re where you are and you’ve done what you’ve done in spite of her, and there’s a lot to be said for that.”

  “What if she’s serious?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What if she really is going to make my life miserable until she’s gotten me out of the way?”

  “What do you think that she could possibly do to get you out of the way?”

  Snow shrugged.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Nothing,” I said. “That’s what. You are flawless in your career. You’ve never disappointed a client. Never used unethical practices. You don’t even show up late to work. There’s nothing that she can do, Snow, and she knows it. She’s just running scared, now, and she’ll keep talking a big game as long as she can until someone calls her out on her bullshit or she talks herself out of her cushy little marriage and then everything will go back to the way that it should be. So now all you need to do is sit back and let it happen. You still have weeks of vacation to go. Relax. Enjoy. Everything is going to work out fine.”

  “Do you really think so?” she asked.

  “Of course, I do. The world is yours, Snow, and now that you are doing this retreat, you are actually going to figure that out. And once you do, you’re going to be unstoppable. There won’t be anything that anyone will be able to do to stand in your way. I just hope that you don’t forget about little old me when you shoot off into the stratosphere.”

  Snow laughed and reached over to squeeze my hand.

  “I could never forget about you,” she said. “Remember, you’re why I’m doing all of this.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Snow

  The limo arrived to pick me up for my date just after breakfast and I was immediately intrigued, wondering what type of date could be planned for that early in the day, especially with the first of the outfits that had been sent to me. The jeans I wore were tight, but lacked the splashy brand name of the ones I had worn to Sam’s rehearsal, and they were topped off with a black tank top and flannel shirt that I tied at my waist, unsure of anything else to do with it. I wore work boots on my feet and my hair hung in a braid down my back. Something told me that there were going to be no VIP lounge or screaming crowds involved with this date.

  The limo turned in the opposite direction away from the retreat than it had the last two dates and soon we were wandering along narrow, twisting backroads. It seemed that my body had gotten too accustomed to the lazy mornings and lack of structure and I found myself getting sleepier the further that we drove. I had drifted off by the time we arrived and the car stopping startled me back into consciousness. I peered out of the tinted window and saw that we seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere. The door opened and I looked out at the chauffer.

  “Are you sure that this is the right place?” I asked.

  “I’m sure.”

  I stepped out and from the vantage point of being out of the car I saw that we weren’t really in the middle of nowhere, but appeared to be on a farm of some kind. I stood on a dirt path that led down in between to large wooden fences and I could hear the low rumble of an engine somewhere in the distance. The driver got back into the limo and drove away, leaving me, yet again, to wonder where I was and what I was supposed to be doing. I was sorely missing the idea of being picked up at my door for dates, though there was something nice about knowing that my room at the cottage was my space and I didn’t have to share it with anyone, not even for a few minutes.

  Not knowing what else to do, I started toward the sound of the engine. The further that I walked, the more I recognized where I was, and after a few minutes a man on horseback coming toward me all but confirmed it. He slowed the animal and looked down at me.

  “You must be Snow,” he said.

  “We’re on a ranch,” I said.
/>   I hadn’t really intended on saying that. It had just kind of tumbled out of my mouth when I opened it to introduce myself.

  “Yes, we are,” the man on horseback said.

  I looked around and then back at him.

  “Like a ranch-ranch. Like a the-only-place-it’s-appropriate-to-say-dude, I might as well dip my veggies in it ranch.”

  “Again, yes.”

  “And you’re a cowboy. Like a – “

  “As much as I would like to sit here and listen to you process through all this and give me the rundown of things that I already know, I have a lot of work that I have to get done.”

  I was stunned by his response and fell silent.

  “I’m sorry,” I said with a slight edge of sarcasm in my voice. “I’d like to point out that you are the one who started the listing of already-known facts. Yes, I am Snow.”

  He gave a single nod.

  “I’m Shane,” he said. “Do you ride?”

  “Do I what?”

  He patted the side of the horse beneath him.

  “Do you ride?”

  “Not since the fair when I was ten.”

  “Perfect.” He jumped down from his horse and looked me over. “You look adorable, by the way. Useless as all fucking hell, but adorable.”

  What was with this guy? He’s supposed to be my fantasy date and he’s acting like I’m getting in his way.

  “You know what? I think I’ll just head back to the retreat now. I appreciate it.”

  I turned to start back down the path, but I felt his hand wrap around my wrist.

  “Wait,” he said. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that. It’s just that I got started late this morning and I haven’t gotten as much done today as I wanted to.”

  “But it’s still early,” I said.

  “Early for me is still dark for you.”

  Damn.

  “If it’s alright with you, I can help you with your work.”

  “I had a date planned.”

  “I’m sure you did. So, what are you doing?”

  “I have to feed the herd.”

  “Sounds great. How do we do that?”

  He gestured toward a pile of hay bales against a fence and I walked over to it, grasping the twine around the bale and giving it a hard tug. It didn’t even move an inch and I lost my grip, falling back and landing directly on my ass. Shane walked up to me slowly.

  “Please don’t try to do that again,” he said.

  “Those things are not light,” I said.

  “No,” he said. “They aren’t. They also aren’t what we feed the herd.”

  “Then why did you point to them?”

  “I pointed at the horse behind them. You need to ride if you’re going to help me.”

  Well, damn-shit-hell.

  There is a reason that the old adage is about riding a bicycle and not about riding a horse and I learned that reason very quickly. Sitting in the saddle felt awkward and I felt like I had to grasp the reins for dear life just to keep me in place. Fortunately, I had only had to attempt to ride for a few minutes before a large truck came into view. It eased to a stop beside Shane and the window rolled down. A weathered face looked out at us.

  “Hey, son, I called in some extra hands for the day if you want to go ahead and take off.”

  “Are you sure?” Shane asked.

  “Yep. I know you were looking forward to your date.” The old man’s eyes came to me and he grinned. “Hi, there.”

  There was something queasy in his voice and I was relieved when Shane leaned to block his view of me with his body.

  “That’s enough of that. I really appreciate it, Greg. I’ll make it up to you.”

  The window rolled up and the truck drove away slowly.

  “Now that we’re off for the day, do you want to take a ride through the ranch?” He looked at my position on the horse. “Do you want to take a walk through the ranch?”

  “I would love that.”

  He jumped down off of his horse and came to the side of mine, reaching up for me. I let him grab onto my waist and help me down. My body glided down his as he lowered me to my feet and I felt a flutter in my belly. We brought the horses to the stable and he showed me how to brush them and tuck them into their stalls with fresh water. He reached into his pocket and drew out a palm full of sugar cubes. He offered a few to me and then held the others flat on his palm under the mouth of the horse he had ridden. I followed his lead and smiled as the horse I had ridden quickly ate the treat from my palm.

  Shane gave a hint of an approving smile and then led me out of the stable. We walked along slowly and I enjoyed the scenery in the silence before Shane spoke again.

  “So, I’m guessing that this is your first visit to a ranch.”

  “Are you allowed to ask me that?” I asked, tilting my head at him.

  “Grey area,” he answered.

  “Then I’ll be risky and say yes, this is the first time that I have been to a ranch.” I looked back ahead and then back at him. “Wait. Does a pumpkin patch that advertises itself as a real working farm count?”

  “No, it does not.”

  “Then, yes, this is the first time that I have been to a ranch.”

  “Do you have any other plans for the day?” he asked.

  I was slightly startled by the question and shook my head.

  “No,” I said. “I had it set aside for you.”

  “Would you mind if I planned a different date for us?”

  He spoke slowly with very little inflection, but I could still sense the slight shift in emotion in the question.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “I’ll get it set up. Come back before supper. Wear the dress.”

  Without even the most subtle of shows of affection, Shane walked away from me. Feeling confused, I reached into my pocket and withdrew my phone so that I could call for the limo to come back for me. There were still hours to kill before I was to be back at the ranch and I spent the drive back to the retreat thinking about how to spend the time. I was thinking about curling up with a book when I saw Noah standing in the front room of the cottage.

  “Hey,” he said. “Back so soon? What was wrong with him?”

  I laughed.

  “There was a little change of plans, but I’m going back to the ranch tonight.”

  “The ranch?” he asked.

  “Oh, yes,” I said. “I tried my hand at cowboying today.”

  “Wouldn’t that be cowgirling?”

  “I guess you’re right.” I glanced over my shoulder at the steps leading to my room and then back at him. “Do you have time for a snack?”

  “How do you know that there’s one there?”

  “You’ve become a bit predictable.”

  Noah gave a mock gasp but then followed me. After sharing the cup of tea the day after my date with Sam, Noah had come by my room a couple of other times for a snack and chat, and I was really beginning to look at him as a good friend. In all of the questions and unpredictability of what was happening around me, it was nice to feel like there was a friendly face I could rely on when I got back to the cottage.

  We had been laughing and eating our way through the plate of chopped vegetables and cheese in my room for almost an hour when I heard Fawn’s voice calling from the main room.

  “I should go,” Noah said. “I hope you have fun tonight.”

  “Thanks.”

  I watched him leave, the bright green of his eyes seeming to still sparkle in mine even when he was gone.

  This time when I arrived at the ranch, Shane was waiting for me. He held what looked like a pile of blankets in one arm and a truck was parked to the side of the trail. Instead of the driver helping me out of the car, Shane offered his hand and I climbed out. He led me to the truck and opened the door for me. I contemplated the vehicle for a moment, trying to come up with the most appropriate way to climb up into it wearing a skirt. I finally pressed my skirt down to my legs
and hopped in sideways, gliding across the leather seat. Shane closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  I nodded and the trucked roared to life.

  The sun had set completely and we were surrounded by dark blue night two hours later as we sat beside a glowing campfire. The smell of chicken and vegetables he had cooked right in the flames was still lingering in the air and Shane was holding a stick with a marshmallow in the flames. He pulled it out and I saw it engulfed in flame, the fluffy white sides quickly blackening. I jumped back away from it, causing the blanket I had around my shoulders to fall off and I caught it, tugging it back into place as I laughed at Shane’s efforts to blow out the flames. When he had finally succeeded in extinguishing the fiery confection, he grasped it with two fingers and peeled it away from the stick. He took a bite of it first and then pulled off more for me. I opened my mouth and accepted the soft, melted marshmallow. I reached up to catch a string of the marshmallow that clung to my lip and saw Shane staring at me. His eyes were smoldering nearly as much as the embers of the fire and I felt the energy between us change.

  The blanket slipped off of my shoulder again and Shane drew it back into place, letting his fingertips trail along its edge before bringing them up to rest on the curve of my jaw. I looked into his eyes and saw them flicker down to my lips and back. He leaned forward slowly and I tilted my face up until our mouths met. Shane’s lips were tender and soft on mine, unhurried as if that kiss was all that he wanted. When it ended, he rested his forehead against mine.

  “There’s something else I want to show you,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite places on the ranch.”

  I nodded and let him help me up off of the log where I sat. Shane used a bucket of water that he had brought with us to douse the flames and then to scoop dirt over the embers. When the fire was completely extinguished, he took my hand and guided me back to the truck. We climbed in and he started to drive further away from the main path that we had walked down earlier. His eyes flashed over to me every few seconds as he drove and I found myself smiling at the subtle attention. Finally, we drove out of the trees and into what looked like a huge, empty field. It was slightly overgrown, as though it hadn’t been used for crops or grazing in some time, and I heard the whishing sound of the grass on the tires as we drove into the center of the field. Shane stopped the truck and turned it off. He got out, taking the blanket I had brought with me from the campfire. A few moments later he opened my door and helped me down. We walked around to the end of the truck bed and he put the tailgate down. I noticed that he had spread the blanket out along the bottom of the bed, creating a cushion for us. I crawled onto it and turned to look at him.