“I know we will.” And then she took his hand and walked him over to the scraggly Christmas tree. Turning to face him, she smiled sweetly. “You’ve given me this beautiful ring and a promise of your love. It’s a wonderful gift, and now I have a gift for you, my sweet love.” She handed him a small box decorated with snowmen and reindeer wrapping paper. “Merry Christmas.”
He lifted the lightweight box in his hands and jiggled it. Nothing moved. He shot her a glance. She gave nothing away, and he had no idea what she was up to, but her expression was hopeful, and her eyes positively beamed. “Let’s see,” he said, ripping away the wrapping and opening the small box. After separating the tissue paper, he lifted out a small white garment.
“It’s called a onesie,” Ruby said softly.
Puzzled, Brooks read the printed saying on the front. “Future Look Away Ranch Wrangler.”
He blinked. And blinked again. Normally he wasn’t slow on the uptake, but this...this was like a lightning bolt striking his heart. Something else lay at the bottom of the box. Cute, small, adorable tan leather baby boots.
He stared at them for a second. “A baby? Ruby,” he said, tears burning the backs of his eyes so hard he could barely get the words out, “are we having a baby?”
She began nodding her head. “Yes. We’re going to have a baby, Brooks.”
Joy burst inside him, and his face stretched wide as he grinned. Thankfully he didn’t shed tears, but his emotions were off the charts. “A baby...” he said, awed, as he pulled Ruby back into his arms and kissed her cheek, her chin and finally her lips. “It’s the best Christmas gift in the world.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I think so, too. But I wasn’t sure how you’d feel...”
“I love you, Ruby.” He set his hand very gently on her belly. “And I love our baby already. I couldn’t be happier. To have you and our child in my life, it’s a dream come true.”
“I love you, too. You’ll be a great father, Brooks.” Ruby covered his hand with hers and positioned it where new life was growing inside her. Then she leaned in to kiss him. The kiss bonded them together forever, and Brooks had never been happier in his life. He was complete. His life held new meaning and purpose.
Here on Look Away Ranch, he had finally found home.
Epilogue
Christmas morning on Look Away was usually a chaotic affair of eating, joking, opening gifts and spreading the love, and today was no different, except that the family had expanded to include the Winchesters. Ruby had coordinated with the household staff to make sure they were as comfortable as possible.
Sutton Winchester had his own set of nurses, and the older man who’d played a role in Brooks’s, Graham’s and particularly Carson’s lives was holding his own this morning. His wheelchair was right next to the warm flames of the fireplace, and he seemed to be in good spirits. Occasionally Ruby would see him smile at his daughters, Nora, Grace and Eve. For a powerful man who wasn’t long for this earth, his eyes still held a bit of mischief, and though he spoke seldom, what did come out of his mouth was witty and charming.
Ruby knew the history he had with Brooks’s mother. Last night, while in bed with her new fiancé and father of her unborn child, Brooks had recounted to her all he’d known of their relationship. Sutton was Carson’s father, and it was sad that Carson had come to know him only in the last months of his life.
“Gather around the tree, everyone,” Beau said after they’d eaten a Christmas morning meal that would probably stay with them throughout the entire day. Except for her. She was still ravenous. And now Brooks was watching her like a hawk, eyeing her with love in his eyes, but also concern over every little move she made. It was sweet, for now, as they were both getting used to the idea of her pregnancy and overjoyed at the little one who’d be making an appearance in eight months.
Married now, Nora and Reid Chamberlain took their places along with newly engaged Grace and Roman Slater. Carson stood with his fiancée, Georgia, next to Sutton’s wheelchair, and his allegiance to his ailing father was inspiring. Toby, Malcolm and Clay were to Beau’s right, and next to him on the other side were Graham and Eve.
Brooks grabbed Ruby’s hand and angled them beside Graham.
“Want to sit down?” he asked her.
“No, I’m fine,” she told him quietly. Ruby’s heart was thumping wildly in her chest. No one knew their news yet, and she was enjoying this special secretive time with her new fiancé, but a part of her just wanted to scream it from the rooftops. The ring, which she’d hated taking off, was in Brooks’s pocket.
Lupe came around with a tray of mimosas and sparkling cider. Brooks snapped up two ciders and handed Ruby one, giving her a quick, adorable smile.
“Thank you all for making the trip to Look Away for the holiday,” Beau began, holding up his glass. “I’m not one for making speeches, but it seems lately there’s a need. So I’ll make this toast short. The past has been hard on many of us. But looking around this room, I have renewed faith in the future. I see love here in many forms, and it’s heartwarming.”
Beau’s gaze found hers, and his smile made Ruby blush down to her toes.
“I, for one, am grateful that Graham and Brooks are here with me this holiday. They have met their three half brothers and our Ruby, and it’s been all that I had hoped. And I’m so happy having Carson here, along with all you wonderful Winchester girls and your father. It’s all a blessing.
“I cannot hold a grudge about the past. It serves no purpose and so, with that in mind, I hope that this coming together of the Prestons, Newports and Winchesters brings with it peace to all families. Let’s set aside our differences, put salve on our wounds and try to move forward. Especially at this time of year, when goodwill abounds, let’s have ourselves a very Merry Christmas.” Glasses clinked and good-natured chatter began. The families were united and, at least for this holiday, all was well.
“Dad, if you don’t mind, I’d like to say something.” Brooks’s tone was reverent, and everyone stopped talking to listen.
“Of course, son.”
Brooks’s arm came around Ruby’s shoulder, tugging her in even closer, and many sets of eyes rounded in surprise. “I didn’t know what to expect when I came to Look Away. I’d been hell-bent on finding my father, as everyone here knows. And when I finally met him...well, when I met you, Beau...” Brooks said, speaking directly to his father now and choking up a bit. Ruby put her arm around his waist, supporting him. She’d always be there for him when he needed her. “When I met you, Beau, saw you for the decent, kind man you are, I was floored, inspired and thrilled to know you. To be your son. But I also felt one with this land. It was like a part of me became suddenly alive again. And I knew I belonged here. I knew that Texas and Look Away was my real home. Ruby played a role in that.”
He spoke to her now, and she lifted her chin to look into his eyes. “Ruby and I have fallen deeply in love. With Beau’s blessing, I’ve asked her to marry me, and she said yes. We are officially engaged as of last night.” Brooks dug into his pocket and formally put the ring on her finger.
Applause and congratulations broke out. Brooks bent his head and brought his lips to hers, giving her a taste of the passion that would always consume their lives. She had no doubt.
“There’s one more thing,” Ruby said, raising her voice above the din. Everyone grew silent again. “It seems that Graham and Eve aren’t the only ones who will be making Beau a grandfather.”
Gasps broke out, and Ruby thought she heard Eve chant, “All right!”
“Brooks and I are going to have a baby.”
Tears poured down Ruby’s cheeks again. Even though she tried her best to maintain decorum, she couldn’t help it, and Brooks did his best to wipe them away.
Beau was the first to come over, wrapping his arms around both of them and hugging tight. “Congratulations, you two. I couldn’t be happier.” His voice broke, and Ruby knew he was crying, too. “You’ve got yourself a wonderful girl,
son.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Brooks said, brushing a kiss across her cheek.
After everyone congratulated them and the Christmas festivities moved on, Brooks took her by the hand and led her outside to the front veranda. Wrapping his arms around her from behind, he bestowed kisses on the back of her neck as they swayed back and forth in full harmony, gazing out on the land, the pasture, the horses, all that was Look Away. “We’re going shopping tomorrow,” he announced quietly.
“For baby things?”
He chuckled. “First I need to put a roof over our heads, sweetheart. We’re buying our own ranch, one we can call home. And even though I’m in real estate—”
“You’re not in real estate. You’re the king of real estate.”
“But you’re the expert in ranching. I value your opinion in all things, but I especially defer to you when it comes to Texas and ranches.”
“You’re letting me choose?”
“I want you to have your heart’s desire, Ruby. The house, the ranch. I’ll build it for you if you can’t find something you absolutely love.”
“I already have.”
Brooks’s brows arched. “You found a place?”
“I found something I absolutely love.”
And then she roped her arms around his neck and kissed her handsome fiancé something fierce with all the love she had in her heart, thanking her lucky stars she’d met her very own knight in shining armor that night at the C’mon Inn.
“You, Galahad. I found you.”
* * * * *
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Maid Under the Mistletoe
by Maureen Child
One
Sam Henry hated December.
The days were too short, making the nights seem an eternity. It was cold and dark—and then there was the incessant Christmas badgering. Lights, trees, carols and an ever-increasing barrage of commercials urging you to shop, spend, buy. And every reminder of the holiday season ate at the edges of his soul and heart like drops of acid.
He scowled at the roaring fire in the hearth, slapped one hand on the mantel and rubbed his fingers over the polished edge of the wood. With his gaze locked on the flames, he told himself that if he could, he’d wipe the month of December from the calendar.
“You can’t stick your head in the snow and pretend Christmas isn’t happening.”
Sam flicked a glance at the woman in the open doorway. His housekeeper/cook/nag, Kaye Porter, stood there glaring at him through narrowed blue eyes. Hands at her wide hips, her gray-streaked black hair pulled back into a single thick braid that hung down over one shoulder, she shook her head. “There’s not enough snow to do it anyway, and whether you like it or not, Christmas is coming.”
“I don’t and it’s only coming if I acknowledge it,” Sam told her.
“Well, you’re going to have to pay attention because I’m out of here tomorrow.”
“I’ll give you a raise if you cancel your trip,” he said, willing to bargain to avoid the hassle of losing the woman who ran his house so he didn’t have to.
A short bark of laughter shot from her throat. “Not a chance. My friend Ruthie and I do this every year, as you well know. We’ve got our rooms booked and there’s no way we’re canceling.”
He’d known that—he just hadn’t wanted to think about it. Another reason to hate December. Every year, Kaye and Ruthie took a month-long vacation. A cruise to the Bahamas, then a stay at a splashy beachside hotel, followed by another cruise home. Kaye liked to say it was her therapy to get her through the rest of the year living with a crank like himself.
“If you love Christmas so much, why do you run to a beach every year?”
She sighed heavily. “Christmas is everywhere, you know. Even in hot, sandy places! We buy little trees, decorate them for our rooms. And the hotel lights up all the palm trees...” She sighed again, but this time, it was with delight. “It’s gorgeous.”
“Fine.” He pushed away from the hearth, tucked both hands into the pockets of his jeans and stared at her. Every year he tried to talk her out of leaving and every year he lost. Surrendering to the inevitable, he asked, “You need a ride to the airport?”
A small smile curved her mouth at the offer. “No, but thanks. Ruthie’s going to pick me up at the crack of dawn tomorrow. She’ll leave her car there so when we come back we don’t have to worry about taking one of those damn shuttles.”
“Okay then.” He took a breath and muttered, “Have a great time.”
“The enthusiasm in that suggestion is just one of the reasons I need this trip.” One dark eyebrow lifted. “You worry me, Sam. All locked away on this mountain hardly talking to anyone but me—”
She kept going, but Sam tuned out. He’d heard it all before. Kaye was determined to see him “start living” again. Didn’t seem to matter that he had no interest in that. While she talked, he glanced around the main room of what Kaye liked to call his personal prison.
It was a log home, the wood the color of warm honey, with lots of glass to spotlight the view that was breathtaking from every room. Pine forest surrounded the house, and a wide, private lake stretched out beyond a narrow slice of beach. He had a huge garage and several outbuildings, including a custom-designed workshop where Sam wished he was right at that moment.
This house, this sanctuary, was just what he’d been looking for when he’d come to Idaho five years ago. It was isolated, with a small town—Franklin—just fifteen minutes away when he needed supplies. A big city, with the airport and all manner of other distractions, was just an hour from there, not that he ever went. What he needed, he had Kaye pick up in Franklin and only rarely went to town himself.
“...Anyway,” she was saying, “my friend Joy will be here about ten tomorrow morning to fill in for me while I’m gone.”
He nodded. At least Kaye had done what she always did, arranged for one of her friends to come and stay for the month she’d be gone. Sam wouldn’t have to worry about cooking, cleaning or pretty much anything but keeping his distance from whatever busybody she’d found this year.
He folded his arms over his chest. “I’m not going to catch this one rifling through my desk, right?”
Kaye winced. “I will admit that having Betty come last year was a bad idea...”
“Yeah,” he agreed. She’d seemed nice enough, but the woman had poked her head into everything she could find. Within a week, Sam had sent her home and had spent the following three weeks eating grilled cheese sandwiches, canned soup and frozen pizza. “I’d say so.”
“She’s the curious sort.”
“She’s nosy.”
“Yes, well.” Kaye cleared her throat. “That was my mistake, I know. But my friend Joy isn’t a snoop. I think you’ll like her.”
“Not necessary,” he assured her. He didn’t want to like Joy. Hell, he didn’t want to talk to her if he could avoid it.
“Of course not.” Kaye shook her head again and gave him the kind of look teachers used to reserve for the kid acting up in class. “Wouldn’t want to be human or anything. Might set a nasty precedent.”
“Kaye...”
The woman had worked for him since he’d moved to Idaho five years ago. And since then, she’d muscled her way much deeper into his life than he’d planned on allowing. Not only did she take care of the house, but she looked after him despite the fact that he didn’t want her to. But Kaye was a force of nature, and it seemed her friends were a lot like her.
The Texan's One-Night Standoff Page 16