Christmas Spirit (Cutter's Creek Book 12)

by Annie Boone

Josh pulled her wool coat around her a little tighter and his fingers lightly brushed her neck. She bit down on her bottom lip as something warm swelled inside her. Something that was taking over all her senses.

  Felicity took a deep breath of the cold afternoon air and turned to face Josh. Light danced in his eyes, as he reached towards her and lifted his scarf over her head.

  He grinned sweetly. “Can’t have your head getting cold, can we? Now you look like a snow princess.”

  She could feel the wide smile that stretched across her face. Josh’s words made her feel pretty – something she had never felt before.

  Six

  Josh took her hand and pulled her arm through his, and then stepped off the porch. She had no choice but to go with him. Her black boots crunched on the dry dirt as she hurried to keep up.

  “Were you working on your cider?”

  Guilt niggled at her. Here was the man of her dreams apparently trying to decide if he was going to court her or not, and she had lied to him about her ability to make cider. What would he think, if he knew the truth? But maybe she could make it the truth before he ever found out. That was going to have to be her plan. It was the only way.

  “Yes. We’re trying some new ingredients.”

  A chuckle escaped Josh. “Someday I’ll get you to speak a little louder. I really am interested in what you have to say, so it’s fine if you make sure I can hear you.”

  Her gaze snapped to his. This was all so new and unexpected. The whole expedition to the river had happened so fast, she didn’t stop to think about what was going on. Now, she was befuddled, but in a hopefully good way.

  She noticed in the last few weeks he had made more of an effort to talk to her, but she’d never have guessed that was leading to this. Where they were now, heading toward the river arm in arm. Arm in arm!

  She ran her hands over an evergreen bush, with prickly leaves and red berries that thrived in the winter cold. She quietly marveled that these stayed pretty and green while everything else died during the winter.

  They stopped at the river, and she glanced down. Sure enough, it was starting to freeze at the edge of the bank. A layer of thin ice lay over the brown water full of sticks and a few broken brown leaves. She thought about the frogs and fish that would be frozen along with the water when winter hit full force. She looked down, but it was still too early for them to be trapped inside the ice.

  “I’m looking forward to tasting your cider. What new spices are you trying out?”

  The guilt nibbled at her again as she stood. “I hope you enjoy it. It won’t be like anything you’ve had before. I may have mentioned I’m using my grandmother’s recipe, but I might change it up a little depending on what spices I can get at the mercantile.”

  “I’m sure it will be special. Were you just looking for the frogs in the ice?”

  A smile nipped at the corners of her lips and she nodded. Now how did he know she was looking for the frogs? Maybe he knew a little bit about her, after all. That was almost a shock since she figured he’d never noticed anything other than she was his sister’s friend.

  “Since you love animals so much, I’ve always thought that if you married a rancher, you’d want to work the herds with him.”

  But she wouldn’t want to see the young calves be separated from their mamas. All that bellowing would break her heart. She blushed a bit at the implication of his words and then she realized he was waiting to hear a response.

  “I imagine I would want to help,” she mumbled, looking down at the water.

  She felt two strong fingers under her chin as he tipped her face up. “You know, Miss Felicity, I’ve known you for a long time. You’re much more talkative and animated when you’re with other people. I have noticed that, for sure.”

  Her instinct was to pull her head away and look at the ground again. How could she get her emotions under control?

  His blue eyes took on a mischievous look, making her swallow hard. “So tell me. What do I have to do to make you stop being so cautious? I promise I won’t bite.”

  “I, um, don’t know. I’m not—” She clamped her mouth shut.

  He raised his brows and dropped his fingers from her chin. Taking her hand, he nodded confidently. “I have an idea. Come with me.”

  He took off, taking big steps, dragging her behind him. Her small feet struggled to keep up but a giggle escaped her. There was a boyish playfulness about his actions as he tugged her toward a grove of Ponderosa pines and Douglas firs.

  He stopped to hold some brush back for her, his breath escaping in short puffs. With careful steps, he pulled her into the woods, fully enclosing them in the tall trees that reached up to the sky.

  Mixed in with the evergreens were cottonwoods and oaks. Their limbs were bare and allowed just enough sunlight to fall on them so that her eyes didn’t have to adjust to the change. She glanced behind her, her heart rate speeding up as they walked so far she could no longer see the river.

  Where was he taking her? This was bordering on scandalous, but the firm grip of his hand made her want to follow him anywhere. They walked on, stepping over fallen logs and pushing aside dry branches, still hand in hand.

  He stopped and pulled her behind a large cottonwood. As he stepped behind her, his chest brushed against her back since he towered over her. Her heart skipped a beat at their closeness and she forgot that she had no clue why they were in the woods hiding behind a tree.

  “Look. Over there.”

  She followed his outstretched finger. Her hand flew to her mouth as a black mama bear lounged in the brush on a bed of crushed leaves. She looked unperturbed as a cub crawled over her and rolled around beside her.

  He bent to her ear, sending sharp tingles through her. “I spotted the bears a few days ago,” he whispered. “As soon as I saw them, I thought you might like to see them. I was hoping they’d still be here.”

  “We’re too close. If she sees us, she’ll come after us,” she whispered back.

  “It’s just about time for them to go down for their winter sleep. I doubt much else is on her mind right now. Besides, I can run faster than you so I’ll be just fine if she sees us.”

  Her jaw dropped and her eyes were huge. “I’m shocked! You’d really leave me for the bear to eat, wouldn’t you? That’s not very gentlemanly!” Then she punched him in the arm and started to laugh. She couldn’t hold it back any longer.

  ***

  Josh looked down at his wool scarf on her head, the fibers tickling his chin. He never realized how small she was until now with her leaning back against him. Her dark eyes twinkled in the filtered sunlight as she watched the bears laying in the leaves.

  He had to keep his hands in his pockets to keep his arms from slipping around her waist. He imagined if he made a move like that, she’d bolt and he’d have to chase her down. Something about that image seemed quite appealing. With a mother bear so close to them, it wasn’t a good idea to do anything that might make her notice them.

  The mother bear finally got up and ambled deeper into the woods with the cub following distractedly behind her. Felicity sighed and she leaned her head against the tree. Then she turned back to him with a smile.

  “That was amazing! I’ve never been that close to a bear before. I was a little afraid, but it was so wonderful to see them. Thank you, Josh.”

  He took a step closer to her, licking his lips. His gaze caught on her full lips and every part of him wanted to lean down and give them a little kiss. But he imagined she wouldn’t be too keen on that. It was definitely too soon. He had a feeling that he needed to take things slow. He thought it might be worth the wait.

  “You’re welcome. I best get you back before your pa comes looking for us. I don’t think either of us wants that situation.”

  A slight blush painted her sallow cheeks. He took her hand once more and slipped her arm through his, and they headed back to her house. They walked in companionable silence, mostly, though she did ask about his herd.

>   “Things are always risky this time of year, you know. I do my best to make sure they have enough food, though that’s a challenge after a dry summer like this last one. I’m sure everything will be fine, though.”

  He didn’t go broadcasting his concerns and he especially didn’t want to burden Felicity with the challenges he was facing. A positive outlook was always the best attitude to project, anyway.

  When they reached her front porch, she smiled up at him. “Thank you for the visit with nature. It was refreshing.”

  “It was nice, wasn’t it? I especially enjoyed your company. I hope we can see each other again soon.”

  “Oh, here’s your scarf. Thank you for letting me borrow it.” She pulled it from her head and held it out to him.

  He reached for the scarf with one hand and took her hand with the other. He squeezed gently and let it go.

  “Well, goodbye for now, Felicity. I’ll see you soon.”

  She smiled. “Yes. Soon.”

  After the door closed behind her, a small sense of loss filled him. Why was he so reluctant to leave her? Josh dug his hands into his pockets and went to the horse he’d left tied to the tree in the side yard.

  Nick’s opinion of his choice in women flashed through his mind. His friend didn’t realize that Mayor Pershing’s daughters had never had much of a hold on him. He’d never been serious about either of them. In fact, they were always out of his mind the minute he left them, no matter how much they batted their eyelashes at him.

  Every man in Cutter’s Creek thought those girls were the most beautiful ladies around. He didn’t share the sentiment. They couldn’t hold a candle to Felicity.

  Something was very different about his reactions to her. He was determined to bring her out of her shell. Exploring why she captured his attention might be a most enjoyable adventure. He was looking forward to seeing what might happen next.

  Seven

  Felicity opened the door and the acrid smell of something burning hit her. She entered the kitchen to find Lana looking into a cast iron pot with her hands on her hips. Her pink lips were pressed into a thin line.

  Felicity wiggled her nose and walked over to her. She glanced down into the purple mess. That didn’t look like cider. She looked over at Lana with slumped shoulders. This wasn’t what she’d expected to find.

  “Oh no! I thought you’d have cider to taste when I got back. What happened?”

  “Why are you fussing at me? I did you a favor. Remember?”

  “You did not! You pushed me to go for that walk with Josh and you know it. I tried to stay, but you wouldn’t have it. So I am going to fuss at you!”

  Lana conceded and smiled. “I suppose I don’t have a defense for that one.”

  “So seriously, what happened?”

  “I don’t really know. Maybe it got too hot. I think we need to get some help from your mother. Maybe she’ll know what we did wrong,” Lana said.

  “Maybe. She’ll be happy to help, but I was hoping to figure it out on my own.”

  “You’ve never done it before and neither have I. It’s not shameful to have to get some help.”

  “I know you’re right. I’ll talk to her later. So, did it scorch or what? It actually smells like it caught on fire. It stinks!”

  Lana turned to Felicity, nodding. “I know. We should open some windows. The cold will be better than the smell.”

  “I’ll get the ones in front if you’ll get the ones in here.”

  When Felicity came back to the kitchen, Lana was watching her with a big smile on her face. “I see you’re all flushed from your walk in the chilly winter air.”

  Felicity went to the stove and picked up the ruined attempt at sugar plum cider and headed to the back door. “I’m going to take this out back and dump it out. There’s not use trying to save it. And what do you mean by flushed?”

  “I’ll come with you. Your cheeks are rosy. That’s what I mean by flushed. So? How was it?”

  Heat trickled through her, but she tried to not show her excitement. “It was nice.”

  “Nice? That’s it? You just took a long walk with the boy you’ve been all dreamy eyes about since we were kids. It was just nice. Hmm. Interesting.”

  Felicity shrugged her shoulders.

  “Did he kiss you?”

  Felicity’s gaze snapped up. “Why, Lana Garrett! What a rude question!”

  Lana smirked. “I know he wants to.”

  Felicity looked back at the table where sugar plum berry juice had splatted on the table. She picked up a rag and began to wipe it off. She remembered the look in Josh’s eyes and the gentle touch of his fingers on her chin. Maybe Lana was right. That familiar shiver went up her spine.

  If Josh did plan to court her, then she needed to get this cider thing figured out. After his interest in her progress, she didn’t want to even think about admitting defeat.

  ***

  Josh looked up at the sky. The clouds looked heavy, as if the snow might come billowing down any moment. The weather had been taunting them for a while now. One moment he’d be sure the snow was coming just to watch the clouds disperse and move away.

  Whether it rained, snowed, or remained dry, he hoped Lana would get home soon. He knew he should have picked her up when he dropped off Felicity, but he wanted some time to himself without her butting in.

  A slight smile slipped across his face, and he walked into the house. Greeted by warmth, he headed for the parlor and stilled at what he saw. His father was out of bed. He sat on his favorite faded red oak chair with a blanket laying over his lap. In his hands, he held a piece of paper.

  Josh took off his coat and lay it on the back of the settee, and sat across from his father. His cheeks had grown thinner, but his eyes looked clear and sharp. A small hope ignited in Josh. Maybe his father had turned a corner. Maybe he was getting better.

  “What you got there, Pa?”

  His pa lowered the letter to his lap with a silly grin on his face. “It turns out I’m going to be judging the cider contest this year.”

  “You are?”

  “Yep. Got the invitation today and I’ve decided to do it. Your ma thinks it’s a good idea, too. Might give me something to occupy my mind while I’m on the mend.”

  Josh worked his jaw. Should he tell his pa that Felicity was entering her cider? Would it be fair for his father to be a judge if the woman he was courting was competing? They weren’t officially a couple, but he hoped she’d agree when he asked her.

  “So, you’re done with the mayor’s daughters, are you? It’s about time.”

  He leaned back and shook his head. Images of Felicity’s sweet face filtered through his mind. If his father was improving, then maybe he could think about asking Felicity to be his wife. Make Felicity his wife? Whoa! He was possibly getting a little ahead of himself.

  His father started to cough, holding his hand over his mouth. Josh went to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. The coughing finally stopped and the older man leaned back, closing his eyes as he struggled to catch his breath. An ashen look spread across his face. These coughing spells always set him back.

  “You shouldn’t have come downstairs. Why don’t we get you back up to your—”

  His father opened his eyes and cut him off. “I don’t want to spend so much time locked away in a sick room! I’m going to stop waiting on this blasted sickness to take my life. I’ll be strong again. I will!”

  Harsh emotions crashed against his chest. His father seemed certain he was going to get well. Nobody else was sure about that. He wanted to believe, but the reality was that the man he so admired may not live much longer. He nodded at his father to acknowledge his feelings.

  “So, your mother tells me you went to see Felicity. Such a sweet young woman. Tell me about it. Did you have a nice time together?”

  Josh nodded and sat back, but still holding his father’s hand. For some reason, he just wasn’t ready to let go yet.

  “How did Ma know where I we
nt? She’s so nosy, your wife.”

  Sonny Garrett laughed out loud without coughing at his son’s crack about his wife, who just happened to be the boy’s mother. “I can’t argue with you there, Son. I have no idea how she knew, but it’s no use trying to keep a secret from her.”

  Josh grunted assent. “It was nice, I suppose. I tried to keep it light. We walked to the river and, well, we just talked.”

  He decided not to mention that he took her to the see the bears since being alone in the woods together wasn’t exactly proper. The last thing he wanted was to get a lecture or put Felicity’s reputation in jeopardy. Not that his father would gossip, but he would definitely hand out a lecture.

  “Be careful with her.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “The kids teased her in school. You probably don’t remember this, but your mother encouraged Lana to befriend her. Helped bring her out some, but she’s always been shy.”

  “Your father’s right. Be nice to that girl. She’s a real catch. Can’t believe you wasted so much time on those silly Pershing girls.”

  Josh looked up to see that his mother had stepped into the room just in time to force herself into their conversation.

  “Hi, Ma. How long have you been standing there?”

  “That doesn’t matter. Just know that there are plenty of children who could do with a loving and nosy mother like me. Maybe one day I’ll have a daughter-in-law who appreciates me.”

  His father burst out laughing again and all Josh could do was shake his head.

  Eight

  Though the elder Lipscombs’ had known Josh Garrett since he was in school, her father was quite insistent that he come for dinner. This wasn’t intended to be a neighborly meal where pleasantries and town goings-on were the main topics of conversation. This was to be a time for Henry Lipscomb to get a good look at the man interested in courting his daughter.

  The two had been spending more and more time together, but Josh was taking it slow. He said he wanted to make sure that this was right for both of them. Felicity was certain, but she hadn’t told him that yet. She was waiting on him.