A Texas Holiday Reunion

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

  “Emmett may be reckless and irresponsible but he’d never hurt the company.” Besides, he couldn’t do anything without a majority vote. Could he? “Just get out.”

  “Out of your house or out of Bandera?”

  “You’re here because I need a ranch foreman, but stay out of my way. I don’t need any advice from you.”

  “I’m out of here,” Emmett called as he descended the stairs. He stopped abruptly when he saw the two of them.

  “I better get to work.” Colson turned away, hurried outside. As if rabid coyotes nipped at his heels.

  “What’s up with y’all?” Resa set her hand on her hip and leveled a piercing gaze at her brother.

  “Nothing.” He shrugged. “I never liked him much. Guess the feeling’s mutual.” He came down the rest of the stairs, set his suitcase down. “Listen. I only want what’s best for the company.”

  “Really? The company?” She crossed her arms under her chest, raised her chin. “Or what’s best for your bank account?”

  “This family means everything to me.” His eyes turned glossy. “I’ve wasted years disappointing Mom and Dad. Letting them down. Letting you down. I’m trying to turn that around.”

  “Then stay here and help me while Mom and Dad are gone.”

  He closed his eyes. “You know rustic furniture has never been my thing. You live and breathe it. Just look at this place.” He spread his arms wide, encompassing the whole of her house—log beams and furniture, suede fabrics, with horse-themed accents. “I’m more into sleek decor.”

  “Maybe we could start a new line.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not into designing furniture, period.”

  “Then what are you into?” A longing to connect with him welled up within her.

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.”

  “Video games. I created my own game. I’m meeting with a developer tomorrow.”

  “Really.” She tried to infuse her voice and expression with enthusiasm. Not let it show that she thought him childish.

  “I think it might really come together for me. One little game can put me on the map, and I can start my own company.”

  She might not be excited, but he was, and it was fulfilling to see his eyes light up. Even if she didn’t understand him. And never would.

  “I’m excited for you. Proud of you. Let me know how it goes.”

  “Thanks.” His chest puffed up. “I will.” He hugged her tight.

  A remnant of the closeness they’d once shared.

  “I better go.” He let go of her, picked up his suitcase and headed for the door. Hand on the knob, he turned back to face her, a question in his eyes.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Um, don’t say anything to Mom and Dad about this. I don’t want them disappointed again if nothing comes of it.”

  “I won’t. But think positive.”

  “You were always the one to corner that market.” He grinned, saluted her and exited.

  Had Emmett finally decided to grow up? Maybe there was hope for him yet. And she’d do everything she could to support him.

  In the meantime, she had to deal with Colson. Even though she’d told him to stay out of her way, he couldn’t really do that while he ran her ranch.

  And now he knew she was still suffering from the broken heart he’d left her with.

  * * *

  Why had Ruby’s mom wanted to pick her daughter up at Resa’s office? Couldn’t the woman have chosen somewhere else? Anywhere else? Colson pulled off his thick work gloves and opened the barn door—to find Cheyenne’s head resting against Resa’s arm as she worked on a blueprint. Their likeness almost stole his breath.

  “Daddy!” Cheyenne lurched toward him.

  “Better not get too close.” He stepped inside, but made sure he stayed on the welcome mat. Even though he’d stomped his boots outside he was bound to drag in dirt. “I moved cattle today, so I’m extra filthy.”

  “I don’t care, Daddy.” Cheyenne hugged him for all she was worth. “I had so much fun with Ruby today. And her mama said I could come to their house sometime.”

  “We’ll see.” It was his standard response when he wasn’t comfortable with an idea yet.

  “Resa let me stay here and watch her work until you came. She said I can be a furniture designer like her when I grow up.”

  “She did, huh?”

  Blue eyes clashed with his. “Her grandpa owns half the business.” She shrugged. “I figure it’s in her blood.”

  His sharp intake of breath startled Cheyenne.

  She pulled away from him. “What’s wrong, Daddy? Don’t you want me to be a furniture designer?”

  “You can be anything you want to be, princess.”

  “That’s what Resa said.”

  He patted Cheyenne’s head, but couldn’t tug his gaze away from Resa.

  “You might have had more fun with Annette for the last thirty minutes.” He saw Resa make a few adjustments to the blueprint, then set her pencil down. “I hope I didn’t bore you.”

  “I wasn’t bored.” Cheyenne darted back to her side. “Come see what she’s drawing, Daddy. It’s a log bunk bed with a foo...”

  He stepped close enough to see. Close enough to get wrapped up in tropical perfume. “A futon.”

  “That’s it. It has a futon on the bottom.” Cheyenne tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that had slipped out of her braid. “That’s a couch that slides down to make a bed.”

  “Cool.”

  “Here, Cheyenne, can you make this line a little darker for me?”

  “Me?”

  “I was about your age when my grandpa started letting me help him.”

  Cheyenne took the pencil she offered. Her teeth captured her bottom lip as she concentrated, darkening the line along the bunk-bed top as Resa instructed.

  She was so good with the child. So wary with him. But that was probably a good thing. The last thing he needed was to let his heart get tangled up with his daughter’s aunt.

  “That’s perfect.” Resa hugged Cheyenne. “You’re really good at this.”

  “Thanks.”

  “We better go, princess. I’m making my famous chili.”

  “You should come try it.” Cheyenne’s eyes widened. “It’s really spicy.”

  Please, no.

  “Thanks for the offer, but I have some things to do at my house.”

  “Anything I can do for you?” Colson asked.

  “I can’t think of a thing I need from you.” She stood, turned away and grabbed her jacket.

  It might be easier to keep her at bay while she was mad at him. But it didn’t settle well.

  Over the last ten days, he’d made headway with her. Seen a chink in her armor. A visible softening toward him. But their disagreement yesterday had picked the scabs off the wounds he’d inflicted on her.

  If he could change one thing, leaving Resa behind would be it. But if their course had been different, he wouldn’t have Cheyenne. Losing Resa again would hurt. But Cheyenne was worth every fragment of his crumbling heart.

  * * *

  Hunkered over the blueprint, Resa refused to risk a glance at the window. She should have closed her blinds when she got here this morning.

  A knock sounded at the door.

  Surely he wouldn’t bother her, not after she’d told him to stay away from her.

  She straightened, steeled herself just in case. “Come in.”

  Colson entered, leaned a hip against the massive log chair across from her desk. “I came to apologize for the other day and then I’m officially out of your way.”

  Stony silence. She liked being mad at him. Liked the prospect of him being out of her way.

 
; “The whole Emmett thing is none of my business.”

  But she should accept his apology.

  “You were trying to help.” She set her pencil down, stretched her shoulders back. Something popped, then eased up. “I’m stressed out from worrying about the store and the ranch. And now I’m worried there might be trouble between my parents.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t see any tension at the renewal ceremony. Just two very happy people deeply in love.”

  Her gaze met his. “Then why did Daddy change the date? You know, originally he had me book the dude ranch in March for their vow renewal. On their actual wedding anniversary. But then he switched it to December, on the date they met. You don’t think he changed it because they were fighting about the store earlier in the year?”

  “He told my dad he changed it because your mom would expect something in March.” Colson sank into the chair, stirring up a leather scent along with his spicy cologne. “But not in December, and he wanted to really surprise her.”

  “That’s what he told me, too.”

  “Not to make you mad again, but whose word do you trust more?” Colson’s tone was gentle. “Emmett’s or your dad’s?”

  “You’re right.”

  “If you’re so worried about this, why don’t you phone your dad and discuss it with him?”

  “I made him promise we wouldn’t discuss business when they call.” She propped her elbows on her desk, leaned her face into her hands.

  “So how did they sound the last time you talked to them?”

  She straightened again, with a smile tugging at her heart. “Blissful.”

  “There you go.”

  “I’m sorry for jumping all over you yesterday.” She drew in a shuddery breath. “You have every right to question Emmett’s motives. He’s manipulated me for years. I never know if I can trust him to not have some hidden agenda, so why should you?”

  “I shouldn’t have said anything.” His attention turned to the window and he purposely strode over to it. “Oh no.”

  “What?”

  “Peaches isn’t in the barn lot.”

  “She looked ready to foal yesterday. Maybe she’s in her stall.” Resa jumped up, hurried to the door.

  “No. The gate’s open.”

  Her stomach sank. “She could be anywhere.”

  “I took Cheyenne in the lot yesterday to help with her fear, but I closed the gate. Should have checked it better.”

  “It’s not your fault.” Resa joined him at the window. No Peaches. “She’s an expert gate opener, but I thought we were okay, since Juan installed a new latch. I should have put a backup on the catch. We have to find her before dark. If she has the foal, it might get too cold.”

  “I’m more concerned about coyotes getting to them.” He dug his cell out and made a call. “Hey, Leon, I need all available hands searching for the palomino mare and possibly her foal. I’ll take the south pasture.” He paused. “That’s right. Thanks.”

  Resa grabbed her jacket. “I’m going with you.”

  “Don’t you have something to design?”

  “The Christmas crunch is waning for me. I can spare a day. Especially for Peaches.”

  “Let’s go.”

  So much for avoiding him. But Peaches and Cream were worth a day spent with Colson.

  Chapter Ten

  Saddle creaking with each movement his horse made, Colson tried to ignore the fog of tropical fruit wafting beside him. Cool air, leather and horse, yet Resa’s perfume trumped everything. He searched the yellowed hills for anything stirring.

  “She just has to be a palomino—the same color of dead grass and bare ground this time of year.” Resa shielded her eyes from the sun. “I wish she’d come if you call her name, like a dog.”

  “Is she your horse?”

  “Yes, as is her mother.” Her gaze never left the rolling hills. “Her grandmother was Daddy’s and he let me have her foal, Peaches’s mom, Alabaster.”

  “You ride often?”

  “Not as much as I’d like.”

  “It suits you. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen you so relaxed, even with your horse missing.”

  “I think I see something.”

  His gaze followed hers.

  “In that clearing on the second hill, I think something moved.”

  “Let’s go.” He swished the reins and his bay took off in a gallop.

  Not one to follow, Resa soon passed him.

  A few hundred yards closer, he could see the horse—standing, licking something.

  “There’s the foal!” Resa shouted over her shoulder.

  Conversation ceased as they galloped toward the pair, the baby horse lying at its mother’s feet.

  “Good job, girl.” Resa reined her horse at the bottom of the hill, swung down and approached the mare. “It’s a girl. What a pretty baby.” Peaches whinnied as Resa stroked her snout. “Can I pet her?”

  The foal stood, spindly legs straining, as the mare whinnied again, then nudged Resa as if giving her approval.

  Resa ran her palm along the foal’s side. “Little Cream looks like she’s just perfect.”

  “Keep her calm while I check them out.” Colson climbed down from his saddle and approached.

  With more soothing words, Resa stroked the mare and her foal.

  “Peaches looks fine.” Colson ran his hands along the foal’s body, tested its legs. “And so does Cream. We just need to get them back to the barn, so they’ll be warm and safe.”

  “Can Cream walk that far?”

  “If you’ll keep Peaches calm, I’ll carry Cream on my horse.”

  “How will you get her up there?”

  “Very carefully. See to the mama and I’ll handle her foal.”

  “We’re trying to help, Peaches.” Resa stroked the horse’s side. “I promise we won’t hurt your baby.”

  Colson wrapped his arms under the foal’s legs and picked her up. “Easy does it, little girl. I gotcha.”

  Peaches nickered in disapproval, stamped a foot.

  “It’s okay,” Resa soothed, laying her cheek against the mare’s muzzle. “We’re just gonna get her back to the barn. You can come, too.”

  “We’ll go nice and slow, ’cause she worked hard on this little project.” Colson grasped the reins as he settled the foal across his horse, then held the little body steady as he mounted.

  Resa swung up into her own saddle, clicked her tongue at the mare. “Come on, let’s go home.”

  With the foal’s warm body cradled against him, Colson urged his bay into a slow walk, then made the call to let the hands know they’d found Peaches and Cream.

  The ride back seemed to take forever with a tired Peaches trailing behind them. Finally, they arrived at the barn.

  “It’s okay, girl.” Resa dismounted, then smoothed her hand along Peaches’s side as Colson carefully lifted the foal off his horse and set her in the stall.

  With her baby safely on the ground, Peaches moved forward and nudged her with her nose.

  “I’ll make sure the gate is secure, install a second latch.” Colson dumped grain in the trough, put the hose in the water barrel and turned it on.

  “We should go get Cheyenne. Maybe she’ll want to see Cream,” Resa suggested. “With the foal so small, maybe she won’t be afraid. Might even pet her.”

  “Not sure that’s a good idea. Some mares get protective of their foals.” He’d seen it happen and wouldn’t take the chance with Cheyenne.

  “Peaches isn’t like that. Look how calm she’s been with us. And this isn’t her first.”

  “I guess you’re right. But we should let them rest up for tonight.” And give him time to think about it.

  “Okay
.” Resa gave Peaches’s hip a reassuring pat and backed out of the stall. “But I’m leaving for a weekend trade show tomorrow afternoon and I want Cheyenne to see Cream before I go.”

  “We’ll see.” Was he sad to see her go? Or glad? A mixture, he supposed. He’d miss her, but he was relieved for the reprieve.

  “Thank you for taking care of Cream. I never could have gotten her up on my horse.”

  “Just doing my job.” And trying his hardest not to let Resa’s familiar, magnetic blue eyes undo him.

  “We need to triple-lock the stall door, since we’ll be gone to Bible study tonight.”

  “Wow, it is Wednesday.”

  “I assumed you were going. If not, Cheyenne could go with me.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it.” But he was rethinking his church choice. Surely there was somewhere else he and Cheyenne could go. Where Resa wasn’t. But Marilyn had already charmed Cheyenne, and Ruby was there.

  He’d just have to redouble his efforts to ignore Resa’s presence.

  * * *

  Cloudless sky, bright morning sunshine, a nip in the December air. Resa stepped up on her parents’ porch, her finger hesitating over the doorbell. She probably should have waited for Colson to come to the barn. But she had a jillion things to do before leaving today. And she wanted to witness Cheyenne’s reaction when she saw the foal.

  Seconds passed. She heard scurried, hurried footfalls, and then the door whooshed open.

  “Resa!” Cheyenne zoomed into her.

  Resa knelt, hugged the child. The perfect opportunity. Maybe she could bypass him, tell Mac their destination instead. But that wouldn’t be right just because everything inside her longed to avoid Colson.

  “Did your daddy tell you about Peaches’s baby?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Have you seen little Cream?”

  “Not yet.”

  Heavy footfalls approached, then green eyes met hers. “We were just getting ready to head to the barn.”

  “Is it okay if I tag along?”

  “Doesn’t seem like I’ve got too much choice, since you’re here.”

  Obviously, he wished she wasn’t.

  “Let’s go, Daddy.” Cheyenne grabbed his hand, then Resa’s.