Jingle-Bell Jam (River's End Ranch Book 32)

by Pamela M. Kelley

  He pictured her with someone more like Troy. Or his brother Clark. Clark was tall, athletic and charming. And a doctor. Clark never had trouble getting a date, but hadn’t been serious about anyone in a long time. Bryan could picture Melanie and Clark dating, though. They’d make a good-looking couple. Maybe he should arrange for the two of them to meet. He was sure if they did, that they’d hit it off.

  Melanie was waiting for him when he went out to the front desk. She looked him up and down and grinned. “You look thinner already. How many pounds have you lost?”

  Bryan felt the tell-tale warmth of a blush spread across his cheeks. He was secretly thrilled that she’d noticed.

  “Eight pounds,” he said proudly. He’d been shocked when he weighed in at the end of his first week of working out and trying to behave with his eating. It hadn’t been as hard as he’d expected. He just ate a little less than usual and he found that he had more energy now that he was working out.

  “That’s a great first week! Well done.” He followed her over to the weights area and she had an entirely different workout for him. They did a lot of the same things as before but she mixed in different machines and free weights and he laughed when she had him try the balance balls. They were half-moon-shaped bouncy discs and it was hard to keep his balance and try to lift free weights at the same time.

  “Go slow,” she said. “If you feel wobbly, just stop for a minute or slow it down.”

  They chatted as they made the rounds and as usual, the hour flew by. Melanie was so easy to talk to and she made him laugh.

  “So, my car stalled out this morning as I was coming down the hill and I panicked. I came this close to hitting a parked car. It was a good thing I remembered what to do at the last minute,” she laughed.

  “What did you do?” He felt like he should know the answer, but wasn’t entirely sure.

  “I put it into neutral and pumped the brake really hard. Then when it stopped, I just started the engine back up again and it was fine. I think it might be time to get a new car though, before the weather gets bad.”

  “That’s a good idea. It could be dangerous if your car stalls out on snowy roads.”

  “Maybe I’ll go car shopping this weekend. What do you drive?”

  He laughed. “A big old truck. You need something smaller. What do you drive now?”

  “A red BMW convertible. Not very practical for the mountains,” she admitted.

  He could picture her driving along with the top down, her ponytail dancing in the wind. “I bet it’s a fun car, though.”

  She grinned. “So fun. Maybe I’ll hold onto it for a summer car and pick up something more practical for year-round. Any suggestions?”

  “My sister Cameron drives a Subaru SUV. She loves it. It has all-wheel drive and goes through anything.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  When they finished up, after the cool down stretches Bryan felt great and was glad he’d come in.

  “So, I’ll see you Friday morning?” He confirmed before he headed into the locker room to shower and change.

  “Yes, see you on Friday. Oh, I think we’re all going to trivia Thursday night. You should join us, if you’re not too busy.”

  Bryan smiled as a thought occurred to him. “I’d love to and I’ll see if my brother Clark wants to come. I think you met Clark?”

  “The doctor? Yes, I remember him. We didn’t get a chance to talk much, though.” She smiled. “See you Thursday!”

  Bryan met his brother around noon for lunch at Kelsey’s Kafe. They usually met up every other week or so there because they both loved Bob’s cooking. Bob had a gift for comfort food and Bryan had a particular fondness for his fried chicken with gravy and mashed potato. He ordered it almost every time he went in. But not today. He was determined to keep making better choices.

  “You want a salad?” Kelsi Clapper, formerly Kelsi Weston, stood behind the counter holding a pad of paper and pencil to take his order, and she nearly dropped her pencil when he stated his order. Jaclyn and her good friend, Simon, were sitting a few stools down and they both leaned forward to see what the fuss was about. Clark was running a few minutes late, so he’d told Bryan to go ahead and order for him. Kelsi repeated his order. “Bob, did you hear that? Bryan wants a salad.”

  The kitchen door swung open and Bob walked out of the kitchen with his hands on his hips and walked over to Bryan.

  “You seriously want salad? Why?” Bob looked dismayed at the thought.

  Bryan shrugged. “Do I want a salad? No, of course not. I want my usual. But I’m getting salad. Trying to eat healthy. Doctor’s orders.” Bob seemed somewhat alarmed at the mention of a doctor.

  “It’s nothing serious. I just need to lose a little weight and get in shape. That’s all,” Bryan assured him.

  Bob nodded. “Okay, then. I’ll hook you up with some salad.”

  He went back into the kitchen while Kelsi brought Bryan a glass of ice water with lemon, instead of his usual sugary soda.

  “I’m impressed,” Simon said. “I should be ordering salad, too, but—well, I’m not. Figure I made it this far, might as well enjoy the rest of the ride.”

  “Is this Melanie’s influence, perhaps?” Jaclyn asked with a smile. “The fairies tell me you’ve been seeing her often.” She looked pleased with herself for some reason that Bryan couldn’t figure. She was sweet, though.

  “Yes, I’ve been taking some personal training sessions with her at the new gym. She’s a great teacher.” He leaned forward to share his plan with her, thinking she’d appreciate his attempt at match-making. “I’m hoping to introduce her to my brother Thursday night at trivia. I think they might hit it off. She invited me to join you all.”

  Jaclyn’s jaw dropped and Simon looked confused.

  “What is it, dear?” Simon asked. “I’ve never seen you at a loss for words before. Are the fairies talking to you again?”

  “No, the fairies are utterly speechless. As am I.” She shook her head and Bryan had the sense that he’d taken a wrong step somehow.

  “Did you say that Melanie invited you to join us at trivia?” she asked slowly.

  Bryan wondered if she was starting to forget things. He supposed that was normal at her age.

  “Yes, she was nice enough to invite me to join you all. I’m looking forward to it. I know Clark will, too. Hopefully he isn’t busy. I haven’t asked him yet.”

  “Yes, it would be a shame if he’s busy.” Jaclyn raised her eyebrows and then sighed. “Come, Simon, we should be going. I have things to do.” She shook her head and muttered to herself as she and Simon settled the bill.

  They left just as Clark walked through the door. As soon as he sat down next to Bryan, Kelsi set their meals in front of them. A turkey sandwich with fries for Clark and chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy with a side salad for him. It smelled amazing, but it wasn’t what Bryan had ordered. Clark glanced at his brother’s lunch and laughed. “So much for healthy eating, huh? It does look good, though, I’ll give you that.”

  “I really did order a salad,” Bryan said as Bob came out of the kitchen and walked over.

  “He did order salad,” Bob confirmed. “But neither one of us was happy about it. So, I made a healthier version of his favorite meal. That chicken is baked, not fried. The gravy is made with beef broth instead of fat, and the mashed potatoes have milk instead of heavy cream. I went heavy on the seasoning, so the flavor should still be good. And I did give you a salad too. Let me know what you think.”

  Bryan cut into the chicken, dipped it into the gravy and potatoes and took a bite.

  “If this is what healthy tastes like, count me in! Thank you.”

  Bob looked pleased. “It was a fun challenge. Maybe I’ll add some lighter options to the menu. People have been asking for them.”

  He went back into the kitchen and Clark looked apologetic. “Sorry I doubted you. You look good. Working out agrees with you.”

  “Thanks. I’m down a
few pounds, and it’s not so bad going to the gym. I’ve noticed that it seems to give me more energy.”

  Clark nodded. “It really does. Helps me sleep better, too. How do you like Melanie? A few of the other docs have said their patients love working out with her.”

  “She’s great. I really like her. I think you might too, actually. She’s single and really pretty. Do you remember meeting her at trivia the last time we went?”

  “Sure, vaguely. We didn’t talk much. There was a big group playing that night.”

  “What are you doing this Thursday night? She invited us to go. You could talk to her then.”

  Clark set his fork down. “Are you trying to set me up? What about you? You’re not interested in her? You said she invited you to go.”

  “It was a general you. Just friends going out. She’s not interested in me like that. And even if I was, she’s a client. She hired me to design and build a house for her, so it’s not an option even if I was interested.”

  Clark hesitated. “I don’t know. What about when you finish the house? You met her first.”

  “I really think you guys might hit it off. Trust me, you’re more her type than I am.”

  “I don’t know about that. I will go to trivia with you, though. That’s always a good time.”

  Chapter 4

  Melanie woke up early the next morning and was happy to see that it was a glorious, sunny day. When she opened her front door to pick up the morning newspaper, she saw that the air was cold, but clear and there was no wind so it felt a little warmer than usual.

  She showered, dried her hair and dressed quickly. After having a quick cup of coffee and her favorite breakfast of chocolate raspberry overnight oats, she left the cabin twenty minutes before eight to meet Bryan at Heron Lake.

  There weren’t many people out driving this early and once Melanie left the ranch property and turned onto the main road that led into town, she stepped on the gas and felt her car’s engine kick in. She loved her BMW convertible and since she’d been living on the ranch, it hadn’t gotten much use as almost everything she needed was there.

  She did take it into town at least once a week, though, to stock up on groceries and run errands. It was a fun car to drive, especially in warmer weather when she could put the top down. Technically, she could drive it year round because it had a hard top. Melissa had nicknamed it The Transformer because of how futuristic it looked when the top went up and down.

  Melanie knew it wasn’t practical for winter weather, but for now, on a clear, sunny day and a wide open road, it did give her a bit of a thrill to go a little faster than she should. She rationalized it by telling herself it was good for the engine, though she knew that probably wouldn’t fly if she were to be pulled over for speeding. She slowed down when she saw a car in the distance and drove at the top end of the speed limit the rest of the way to the lake.

  When she reached Heron Lake, she turned the corner and saw her lot straight ahead. Bryan’s truck was already there and he was walking toward the water. She pulled up next to him and walked over to join him. He looked up when he saw her coming.

  “Good morning. I got here a little early to check out your lot. It’s a beautiful piece of property. Nice and level and if you clear a few of those straggly trees by the edge, you could really open up your views.”

  “Thanks.” Melanie walked along the property’s border with Bryan and saw what he was saying. It never would have occurred to her to clear out any trees, but she could see that if she did, her view would be vastly improved. They walked a full loop of the lot and stopped at the water’s edge. It was a good-sized lake and Melanie could picture all kinds of water activity on it in warmer months.

  “I could build you a dock, too, if you think you might ever want to keep a boat there. I don’t suppose you fish?”

  Melanie laughed. “No. But I might want a boat someday, to just ride around. Or at least a kayak. I might start with that, or a paddle board. I tried that last summer for the first time and loved it. Do you like to fish?”

  “I used to love it. I haven’t been in years. My father used to take my brother and I out when we were kids. We didn’t get to go much because he was always working, but every now and then we’d go and it was a real treat. I didn’t care about the fishing as much as just spending that time with them.”

  Bryan was quiet for a moment, gazing at the water. Melanie wondered what kind of work had kept his father so busy. She didn’t feel comfortable asking yet though. She could imagine Bryan out there fishing with his own kids someday. She had a feeling he wouldn’t be too busy for them.

  “I think a dock would be a nice idea,” she said.

  He turned to her and smiled. “It would increase the value of your property if you were to sell it, too.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t thought about that. I don’t intend to sell it but I suppose you never do know.”

  “No, you don’t,” he agreed. “So, tell me about the house itself. Why are you building it, and what’s most important to you?”

  Melanie thought about that for a moment. They were good questions and she respected Bryan for asking them. He really seemed to want to get to know her and understand what was important to her so he could create a design to meet her needs.

  “My sister asked me a similar question, wondering why I wanted to build a house now, instead of waiting until I got married.”

  Bryan looked flustered. “That’s not what I meant.”

  She smiled at him. “Oh, I know. It just made me think of that. I’ve been thinking a lot about why I want to build this and what I want it to be like. I think I’m just ready to put down roots. I’ve always rented and worked in the city. But when I was younger, before my parents died, we lived in the suburbs, on a lake similar to this one. And I loved it there.”

  “So you want to recapture the joy and warmth you felt in your family home?”

  “Yes. I suppose that I do. Melissa and I lost our parents when we were still kids and we moved into the city to live with relatives. We were lucky in that regard. But my dream has always been to live on a lake again someday. To hear the water lapping against the shore and see it ripple in the breeze. I think I could be really happy here. Even if it’s just me.”

  Bryan’s eyes lit up. “I could be happy here, too. I’ve had my eye on this lake to build a place for myself for years now. But I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

  “That’s fairly typical from what I hear, isn’t it? The plumber that never fixes his own bathroom, or the painter that doesn’t finish painting his walls. Or a builder who is too busy designing other people’s dream homes to build his own.”

  Bryan laughed. “That is very true. I know what I’d like, though. I have my house all designed in my mind, for when the time comes.”

  Melanie was intrigued. “Really? What would it be like?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t want it to be too big. Three, maybe four bedrooms, with a master bedroom overlooking the lake of course, and an attached bathroom and French doors to a deck. A three-car garage, kitchen and living room with another set of French doors leading to a deck where I could keep a grill and entertain friends or just enjoy dinner outside looking at the water view. Maybe a den or small office so I could work from home when I felt like it.”

  Melanie found herself nodding as he described his dream house. It lined up very closely with what she’d envisioned for herself.

  “That all sounds lovely. I don’t know that I’d need four bedrooms. Three sounds like plenty. I’m not much of a cook, so I don’t need a fancy kitchen. Just one that is easy to use with a big center island so I can have friends sit around it and chat with me when they visit.”

  “We can do that.” Bryan looked around the neighborhood, at the large lots and well-maintained houses. “These are mostly one-acre lots. That’s a nice size for a little privacy, yet close enough that you can get to know your neighbors.”

  “That’s what I thought, too. I’m pretty social, but somet
imes it’s nice to just be a homebody and hibernate. Stay in and watch movies or sit and stare at the lake.” Melanie grinned. “Can you tell I’m excited?”

  “Yes. Where are you living now?”

  “I have housing at the ranch, which is convenient for work, especially while we were expanding the fitness center and building up the membership. I was working longer hours then. But now, it’s settling down and I was thinking if I start planning now, then you can begin construction in the spring and it probably won’t take long from that point on?”

  “No. It won’t take long. We don’t do much new construction now because the ground is frozen, but once spring comes it will thaw and we’ll be ready to go.”

  “So, what do you think? Did I give you enough of an idea to get started with?” Melanie asked.

  “This has been very helpful. I think we like a lot of the same things, so it’s going to be especially fun to design a house for you.”

  Melanie was glad to hear it. “Good. I’m excited to see what you come up with.”

  “I’ll get started this week and let you know as soon as I have some preliminary designs to show you. We can discuss and then change anything that you want to change.”

  “That sounds perfect. And I’ll see you in a day or two for your next session at the gym?”

  “I’m all booked and looking forward to it.”

  Chapter 5

  “You hired him already? I have three names from Jack for you. Bryan was one of them, but I thought you were going to talk to all of them before deciding?” Melissa seemed irritated with Melanie’s news that she’d hired Bryan after their first session together. But Melanie knew, as usual, that her sister was just worried for her.

  Even though they were twins, they were very different. Melissa was naturally reserved and cautious and Melanie had always been the more outgoing and spontaneous, impulsive one. She always went with her gut reaction and it rarely steered her wrong.