by Caroline Lee
“You’re all heart.” The blacksmith pulled his apron over his head to toss it at Andrew, and Belle forgot how to breathe.
Had she thought he was gorgeous a minute ago? Completely shirtless, with his chest exposed to the elements like that, he was… Well, Belle’s knees went weak. Surely she only felt feverish because of the heat from the forge, right?
Wow.
She forced herself to swallow and look away. This was ridiculous. She was just looking for Tootles, not for a man. Not for this man. She didn’t want a man who only wanted her for her looks, and surely he didn’t want a woman who only saw him for his beautiful body.
No, this was wrong. “I don’t even know your name.”
“Elf Redfern.” He pulled off his work gloves and was shrugging into a beat-up leather coat before she could even process his name. Elf? What an odd name for a strapping man who was the opposite of Elvin. “What’s yours?”
Belle blinked. He’d moved up beside her so quickly, she had to take a step back. “Belle Kalani. And—”
She hadn’t been sure what she was about to say, but he nodded like he understood. “And you’re looking for your pig.”
In one fast movement, he turned, pushed aside the leather curtain that circled the workbench in the corner, and reached inside. There was a squeal—one she recognized well—and his large hand emerged, wrapped around the back of that ridiculous sweater Mom had knitted Tootles last Christmas.
“Here you go,” he said as he dropped the miniature pig into her arms. The animal grunted happily and burrowed deeper into her coat. Stupid pig.
Then Elf had his hand on her elbow, holding the heavy door open. He called back over his shoulder, “Thanks, Andrew. I owe you one.”
And right before the door swung closed, leaving her standing on the boardwalk of the Old West town, Belle swore she heard Andrew mutter, “A hundred ones, is more like it.”
What was that about?
“So, you’re a guest at the ranch?” Elf was already ambling along the boardwalk.
Belle glanced at the smithy once more, and started towards Sadie’s as well. “Yes. My family always comes here for Christmas. We’ve been doing it since I was seven, staying in the Cone of the cabins for the two weeks of school break.”
“You’re in school?” He sounded surprised, and she couldn’t blame him. She was a little old for school.
“I just graduated, actually. A degree in early childhood education.”
“And now what?” He sounded…genuinely interested.
She shifted Tootles into a more comfortable position. “I’m not sure.” It had taken her an extra three years to complete college, between her duties as Miss Idaho and her siblings’ training schedules. “I figure I’ll start looking when I return home after the new year.”
“And where’s home?”
“Orofino. We’re nearby, which is why we’ve been coming here for so long.”
“Makes sense.” He stepped down off the boardwalk and into the light snow. As the flurries landed on the dark leather covering his shoulders, Belle couldn’t help but remember that he was shirtless underneath it, though he didn’t seem to mind the cold.
“How about you?” She followed him out into the street to head for Sadie’s. “The ranch didn’t have a blacksmith last Christmas.”
“I’m new. Came out here in October for my sisters’ weddings, and just stuck around. I loved the ranch, and Ellie and Dink were here, and then Wade offered me a job.”
“Ellie and Dink?”
“My sisters. Ellie married Will Weston, and Dink married his best friend, who’s now the ranch accountant. Turned out to be a double ceremony, which was unexpected, but nice.”
It sounded as if there was more of a story there, but Ellie wasn’t sure if she wanted to press for it. After all, she didn’t want to encourage him, did she?
Fumbling for something to say, she blurted, “And you’re a blacksmith? That’s interesting. Not too many blacksmiths around.”
“Yep, and convenient that I ended up here, since there’s not too many old-fashioned smithies around either.” He smiled and reached for the door to Sadie’s.
As she stepped up, Belle noticed a new sign hanging above the door: Sadie’s Sarsaparilla Saloon. That was new, and it was wrought-iron. Had Elf made it?
He went to open the door for her, but hesitated. “Does Tootles have a leash? Can you just leave him out here, or will he run away?” He must’ve seen that she didn’t understand. “I don’t think Sadie allows pets inside. She even gave Will a hard time about bringing Indy in here the other day.”
“Oh.” Belle’s frown cleared. “No, no pets allowed. But Tootles is…” She rolled her eyes. “He’s a therapy animal. Therapy animals are allowed inside most places.”
“He’s a therapy animal?” Elf asked incredulously.
Best to just get it over with. “He’s an anxiety pig. Tootles the Anxiety Pig.”
Elf’s mouth twitched under his beard. Was he laughing? “Tootles the Anxiety Pig,” he repeated blandly.
She kept her expression serious when she nodded. “Tootles. Because he has a…delicate digestive tract.”
That did it. Elf burst into laughter, and she couldn’t contain her giggles either. He was still chuckling when he finally opened the door and ushered her inside. “So your anxiety is bad enough to—”
She cut off his question. “Oh, he’s not my anxiety pig. He’s my mother’s.” They crossed towards the counter.
“Why isn’t he with her then? Isn’t that how therapy animals work?” They got in line behind Dani Weston.
“Well, yes, if Mom actually needed an anxiety pig. She was just watching him for her sister, who decided that having to clean up pig poop was adding to her anxiety. But it turns out that Tootles doesn’t want anything to do with Mom and latched on to me.”
“So…” He grinned and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Pretty much the exact opposite of what a therapy animal is supposed to do, huh? Wouldn’t that make him Tootles the Failed Anxiety Pig?”
She nodded solemnly. “Some of Aunt Jean’s anxiety rubbed off on him. I think he thinks I’m his therapy human.”
Elf burst into laughter again. “Tootles the Failed Anxiety Pig actually has anxiety?” His unabashed guffaws were as big as he was and drawing attention.
Belle was surprised to discover that she didn’t mind. She liked that she could make this man laugh. It felt nice. Real. Like maybe he was interested in more than just what she looked like.
When Dani took her coffee with a distracted nod and turned to leave the shop, a slight frown on her face, Belle and Elf stepped up to the counter
Seeing them, Sadie squealed. “Tootles! You’re back! Merry Christmas!” The plump barista winked at Belle. “Oh, and you too, I suppose. Welcome back to the ranch, Belle.”
“Thanks! What’s new with you?”
Sadie wiggled her left hand, where a pretty diamond ring sat on her fourth finger. Belle gasped and Sadie beamed.
“Congratulations! Who’s the lucky man?”
“His name is Shawn. He’ll be in later if you stop back by. He has to pick up—Oh! Speak of the devil.”
Sadie’s attention went to the front door, and when Belle turned, she saw two little girls rushing out of the cold. “That’s his daughter, Violet, in the braids, and her best friend, Vivian.” Sadie’s voice went all soft. “I never imagined being a mom, but Violet and I, well…”
Belle smiled when the young woman trailed off. “I’m happy for you, Sadie. She looks sweet, and I can tell you’re totally in love.”
“I am! There’s just something about this place that makes the impossible possible, you know? Violet!” she called. “Violet, come meet Tootles!”
As the two girls hurried over and took turns cooing at the pig in Belle’s arms, she whispered to Sadie over his head, “I’ve started calling him Kalua.”
“After the food?” When Belle nodded, Sadie burst into laughter. “You’re wicked
.”
“Thank you.” Belle beamed, then straightened when the girls ran off towards a table in the corner. “Is your coffee still as good as I remember?”
“Better.” She reached for the pot. “But you’ll have to remind me how you like it. I already know how he takes it.” She nodded towards Elf with a smile. “His sister’s in here daily picking up a cup for him.”
“And I love you both dearly for it.” He gave a little bow.
Sadie rolled her eyes at his theatrics. “Flirt.”
Flirt. The word washed cold over Belle in a way that the snow outside hadn’t. Elf Redfern was a definite flirt. She’d noticed it right away, but had let herself be swayed by his gorgeous smile and friendly laugh. He was a flirt, and that meant he was insincere.
But that shouldn’t be a surprise. She was used to men being insincere.
She gave Sadie her order, then stood there stiffly, not looking at either of them, even when Elf tried to engage her in conversation about his blacksmithing. She just stared down at the gently snoring Tootles as if he was the most interesting thing in the world. When Sadie returned with the coffee, Belle pulled out a few dollars from her pocket and tossed them on the counter, before grabbing the cup.
“Hey,” Elf protested. “This was supposed to be my treat.”
“No, but thank you,” she hurried to assure him as she backed away from the counter.
He looked confused, and she didn’t know if that made things better or worse. “O…kay. How about that date, huh? Can I treat you to dinner?”
She was already shaking her head, so he hurried to ask, “Lunch?”
“I’m sorry, no.” She hurried towards the door.
He stepped after her. “When can I see you again, Belle?”
“You can’t. I’m sorry.” She choked a little on the apology. “Goodbye.”
And as she pushed her way out into the cold with her coffee and Tootles, she tried to ignore the twinge of guilt at the disappointed look on his face.
It was for the best. He was a flirt—a gorgeous flirt--and obviously used to women falling over themselves for him. And she wasn’t interested in flirts. She was interested in forever, and Elf Redfern didn’t have anything to do with forever.
CHAPTER TWO
“If I could have everyone’s attention?” Will stood up from his place at the head of the table in his and Ellie’s packed dining room. With Muz and Dad staying with them, and Dink and Jace and Elf over for the family meal, things were cramped.
“I knew it,” Jace groaned theatrically. “He lured us here with steak and potatoes, and now he’s going to talk at us.”
Dink elbowed her husband. “Shush. He probably wants to apologize for the brussels sprouts.”
“Yes.” Jace nodded. “One should always apologize for brussels sprouts. There’s just no excuse for them.”
Muz burst into laughter. “You’ve certainly found a sense of humor since the last time we were out here, Jace.”
“He’d have to, married to Dink,” Dad muttered into his mashed potatoes.
But Muz just smiled fondly at the two of them. “You know what they say! Many a good marriage prevents a bad attitude.”
Ellie snorted into her root beer, and Dink just rolled her eyes. Elf was fairly certain that no one had ever said half the stuff Muz claimed was said. She seemed incapable of remembering an idiom correctly, but sometimes he wondered if she did it on purpose.
Still, he kept a straight face when he drawled, “Yeah, that’s what they say, right, Jace? Glad you’re over your bad attitude.”
The taller man’s lips curved up slightly, which for him was as good as a shout of laughter. “I am too. And I’m glad I don’t have to eat brussels sprouts more than once a month.”
“Ahem.” Will cleared his throat pointedly. “I didn’t call your attention so that you could insult my wife’s cooking.”
Dink grinned at her sister. “We wouldn’t have to, if you’d made an edible vegetable to go with this yummy steak.”
“Here, here.” Dad took another bite of the meat, but Elf couldn’t tell if the older man was agreeing that it was yummy, or that brussels sprouts weren’t edible.
“Anyhow…” Will planted his hands on his hips, clearly impatient with the interruptions. “Ellie’s pregnant.”
There was stunned silence for a few seconds, then Dink squealed “What?” at the same time Jace broke into an actual grin.
And then the table was overwhelmed with noise, as the Redfern family spoke at once.
“Congratulations!”
“How exciting! A grandbaby!”
“I’m really happy for you, dude.”
“I can’t believe that’s how you decided to tell us! You just blurted it out.”
“I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too.”
But Elf just sat there, staring across the table at his baby sister. She was going to become a mother. He was going to be an uncle.
Even a blind man could see that Ellie and Will—and Dink and Jace, for that matter—were wildly in love with one another, and blissfully happy here at River’s End Ranch. When Will pulled Ellie up to wrap his arms around her and rested his hand protectively on her stomach, Elf had to look away.
He was happy for them, really he was. But this sour taste in the back of his throat, this roiling in his gut…it was jealousy, pure and simple. He’d recognized the symptoms a while ago, and this news only made it worse. Ellie and Will were going to become parents. He was happy for them, he really was. But their happiness only seemed to increase the bitterness he’d been carrying around for the last few months.
He wanted someone to wrap his arms around and look at, just like the way Will was staring down at Ellie. He wanted to start his own family, so that one day he’d have a boisterous family gathering like this. He wanted to find love.
But sitting here moping wasn’t going to do anything but hurt the feelings of those he cared about. So he stood up, nudged Dad out of the way, and wrapped his arms around Ellie too. “I’m happy for you, little sister.”
When she smiled up at him, he dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I want a nephew, okay? Make ‘im big and brawny so I can teach ‘im to play football.”
“You could teach your niece to play football too,” she teased.
“Yeah, but having a big and brawny niece isn’t anything to brag about,” he shot back.
Will chuckled. “Just as long as she looks like Ellie, and not me, I’ll be happy.”
Ellie laid her palm on her husband’s cheek. “I hope she has the Weston eyes. I’ve always loved your eyes.”
“What names are you thinking of?” Dink butted into the conversation.
Will just shrugged. “Anything Ellie wants. Watching the trouble my sister Kelsi has put her husband through over my niece’s name has convinced me to just go along with whatever Ellie wants.”
Dad leaned back into the cluster of bodies—and since his shoulders were as broad as Elf’s, things got even more cramped—to say, “Best piece of advice I can give you, son, is to learn to say ‘Yes dear.’”
They all laughed at that, and Ellie started to list the names they’d been considering, and Elf took that as an excuse to back away. All of this happiness and love and excitement for the future just made his gut churn with jealousy, and he didn’t like feeling that way at all.
He kept the smile plastered on his face as he pushed open the back door. Will’s border collie, Indy, was lying on her bed on the back porch, and lifted her head with a little questioning “Wuff.” She’d been relegated to the covered porch for dinner, and must be bored.
Elf pulled down the giant plastic egg that was her favorite toy, and when she bounded happily to her feet and off the porch, he tossed it to her. It was cold out here, but Elf just shoved his hands into his pockets, hunched his shoulders, and watched her chase her toy through the snow.
Indy’s enthusiasm reminded him of Tootles. That little pig was so small he’d fit in Bell
e’s arms, but had shown an attitude that still made Elf smile to think about. An anxiety pig! Who would’ve thought?
And then to find out Belle carried that pig around because he had anxiety, rather than her. Elf found himself chuckling. Those few minutes he’d spent with Belle the other day had made his heart race in a way it hadn’t in a long time. Maybe it was that stupid bet, or maybe it was her lovely smile, or maybe it was her sense of humor. All Elf knew for sure was that he’d been genuinely disappointed when she’d turned him down for a date.
He wasn’t sure why that had happened, what had changed. One moment she was giving every indication of enjoying his company, and the next moment she’d gone all pale and had turned him down. Something had changed, and he had been genuinely disappointed.
Which was a first for him. Usually, he asked girls out on a whim, just because he was in the mood for a nice dinner or a show down at Figs or whatever new action movie had just come out. If the evening ended with a kiss, then that was nice, but it wasn’t necessary. It’d been a long time since he’d been so invested in getting to that point…and so disappointed when he’d failed to.
And Andrew’s teasing text that afternoon—“You ready to pay me yet?”—had just irritated that failure further. He wasn’t completely ready to give up on Belle Kalani yet, but he’d been unable to track her down over the weekend.
Granted, he had been working extra-long hours this month. With all the ornaments he’d wanted to have made for the coming Christmas week, he’d been at his forge ‘til midnight most nights. He’d needed to stockpile enough ornaments to sell in the general store and The Book Nook, which meant he’d been walking around with permanently cramped fingers and a sore back from pumping the bellows. He’d done it though; he had enough of an inventory that he figured he’d meet all the requests for hand-made River’s End Ranch wrought-iron Christmas ornaments.
But that had meant that besides his daily visits to Kelsey’s Kafé, he hadn’t had a chance to track down the mysterious Belle. Kelsi, of course, knew of Belle—how could anyone forget her? But she hadn’t been any help in finding her. “Just look for pig tracks in the snow, silly!”