A Texan for Christmas

by Jules Bennett

  “Wait right there,” he told her.

  Scarlett stood in the living area and obeyed. She couldn’t imagine what could top the horse-drawn sleigh, but she couldn’t wait.

  She took Madelyn to the little play mat on the floor. Carefully, Scarlett eased down to her knees and laid Madelyn beneath the arch where random plush animals swung back and forth. At the sight of them, she started kicking her feet and making adorable cooing noises.

  Scarlett stood back up and smiled. She was seriously going to miss this sweet little nugget.

  “Are you ready?”

  She spun around and her smile widened as Beau came back in with his laptop. “I don’t know what I’m ready for, but bring it.”

  He took a seat on a bar stool and patted the other one for her. Once his computer was up, he clicked through several screens before pulling up a page with several images of a beautiful old white farmhouse. There was a stone path leading up to the door, four gables on each side of the house, a pond in the back. The landscaping had to have been professional and there was even a white porch swing with colorful pillows. The entire place looked straight out of a magazine.

  “If you like the outside, I can move on and show you the inside,” he told her.

  Scarlett gasped. “Beau, did you buy this?”

  He clicked on the next screen and pulled up the entryway photo. “I knew it was the one the second my real estate agent sent options.”

  Joy consumed her and she reached for his hand. “Beau, I’m so happy for you. I didn’t know you were that close to finding a permanent home.”

  She glanced back to the screen and looked at the thumbnail photos. “Click on that one,” she said, pointing. “I think that will make a perfect room for Madelyn. Does it overlook the pond?”

  “Wait.” He squeezed her hand until she shifted her focus to him. “I bought this house for you.”

  Scarlett jerked back. “What? For me?”

  He released her hand and clicked on another tab. “See? It’s just outside of Dallas and only a twenty-minute commute to your new job.”

  Shock and denial replaced happiness. She stared at him for a moment before looking back to the image of the route from the new house to her new job. She didn’t even know where to start with the questions because there were so many swirling around in her head.

  “If you don’t like it, I can put this on the market and find another,” he went on.

  She snapped her attention back to him. “Do you hear yourself? When people give gifts they usually give a scarf or a candle, sometimes jewelry. Who buys gift houses on a whim?”

  Those dark brows drew in as if he were confused. “It wasn’t necessarily a whim. I mean, I knew you were having trouble finding a place to live and I wanted to help you out. Besides, you’ve done so much for Madelyn and me, plus it’s Christmas. I thought you’d like this.”

  Scarlett shook her head and slid off the stool. How in the world had this last job run the gamut of every single emotion she’d ever had? Worry, anxiety, stress, giddiness, love, anger...betrayal.

  “You can’t do this,” she snapped as she turned back around. “You can’t just send me on my way with a parting gift, as if that will replace what has happened here.”

  Damn it. She hadn’t meant to let that sliver of her feelings out. She didn’t want him to know how much she’d valued and cherished every second of their time together. When it was time for her to go, she’d have to make a clean break in an attempt to keep her heart intact...if that was even possible.

  “You think that’s what I’m doing?” he asked. “I bought this for you to make your transition easier, because you deserve a damn break. Why are you angry?”

  Maybe her anger stemmed from confusion and hurt and the loss of a hope that maybe they could’ve been more. Which was ridiculous considering who he was, how they met and how little they’d known each other.

  But still, how could she just ignore all that had transpired up until this moment? They’d shared a bed almost every night, he took her on a sleigh ride, he asked her on a date...they’d crammed a lifetime of memories into a few short weeks.

  “I can’t accept this gift,” she told him. “I can’t live in a house that you bought when you were thinking of me. When I leave here, I need to be done with what we had, and living there would only remind me of you. Besides, I couldn’t accept something so extravagant. It’s just not normal, Beau.”

  “It’s not normal to want to help?” he tossed back. “Who’s to say I wouldn’t come visit?”

  Oh, now that was just being cruel. “For what? To extend the affair? What happens if you meet someone else or I do? What happens when one of us decides to get married? We can’t drag this affair on forever.”

  No, because that would be a relationship and they’d both agreed this fling was temporary. Besides, after she left, she didn’t want to know who he was seeing or what was going on in his personal life. No doubt she’d see another piece of arm candy at his side. She certainly wouldn’t follow him on social media, but his face would be on every tabloid at the supermarket checkout line. It would be difficult to dodge him completely.

  Beau opened his mouth, but a pounding on the cabin door stopped him. Scarlett propped her hands on her hips and stared at him across the room. More pounding on the door had Beau cursing.

  He went to the door and jerked it open. “What?” he barked.

  Colt stood on the other side holding his cell up for Beau to see a photo. Scarlett couldn’t make out exactly what it was, but Beau’s shoulders went rigid and he let out a string of curses.

  “Want to explain what the hell this is?” Colt demanded. “I believed you when you said she was only your nanny.”

  Scarlett went nearer to see the image on the phone Colt held out. An image of Beau, Madelyn and Scarlett on the street earlier when he’d leaned in to kiss her. Above it was the headline: “A New Leading Lady for Hollywood’s Favorite Cowboy.”

  Scarlett stilled. Was nothing sacred anymore? It just took one person to snap a picture on their phone and send it to the masses.

  Colt’s eyes went to her, then back to Beau.

  “I am his nanny,” Scarlett started. “We just—”

  “It’s not like that,” Beau said, cutting her off. He kept his back to her and his focus on his brother. “She is my nanny and when I leave for the premiere, she’ll stay here and care for Madelyn. Scarlett is moving next week and we went out for lunch. I leaned in and kissed her, so what? It’s nobody’s business.”

  “Nobody’s business?” Colt roared as he pushed his way inside. “You do realize we are trying to honor our father and work on the opening of this dude ranch. Now you’re back in town and making headlines like this. What about two weeks from now when it’s another woman, or another? We’re a close family, with strong core values Dad taught us. Those are the values we want to promote in this new business.”

  “Calm down,” Beau demanded. “Scarlett and I kissed. Don’t read anything more into that. It was an innocent kiss. I didn’t think anything of it. The only person who will make a big deal about this is you.”

  Innocent kiss? He didn’t think anything of it?

  The air whooshed from her lungs and her throat clogged with emotions. She turned from the dueling brothers and went to Madelyn. Blinking against the tears gathering in her eyes, Scarlett bent down and lifted Madelyn in her arms. Then she headed toward her room.

  “I’ll let you two talk,” she said without glancing their way.

  She couldn’t let Beau see her hurt. She couldn’t let him see just how his words had cut her down. What happened to the man she’d come to know? To pretend their kisses meant nothing was flat out a bastard move.

  So she’d hide out in her room and gather her strength. Because there was going to be a showdown and there was no way in hell she’d confront him with tears in her eyes
.

  Fifteen

  “You better get your head on straight,” Colt commanded through gritted teeth. “Scarlett isn’t one of your random women.”

  Beau glanced to the closed bedroom door and wanted to punch something. He fisted his hands at his sides to prevent decking his own twin.

  “I never said she was.” Beau faced Colt and pulled in a deep breath. “I said this was nobody’s business. And the dude ranch won’t suffer because I kissed someone in public. Don’t be so dramatic.”

  Colt adjusted his hat and pocketed his phone. “That’s not what I’m saying. You claimed you’ve changed, but all of the media wrapped their claws around you and what woman you’d be with on any given day. I don’t want that carried over here.”

  “It’s not.”

  Damn it. He didn’t want to have this conversation with Colt. He wanted to be in that bedroom because he knew he’d hurt Scarlett with his careless attitude. In his defense, he hadn’t wanted to let Colt in on the relationship. He’d been trying to save her reputation. Instead, he’d left her thinking what they had wasn’t special.

  Only a jerk would purposely hurt a woman.

  “If you’re done berating me like a disappointed parent, you are free to go.”

  Colt clenched his jaw and nodded. “If you want to prove you’ve changed, then start by doing right with Scarlett.”

  His brother turned and left the cabin, closing the door with a hard click that echoed through the tiny space. Beau muttered a string of curses and raked his hand over the back of his neck. He should’ve seen this coming. One of the reasons he’d been staying in the cabin was because he’d wanted to dodge the press and any outsiders while he tried to find some semblance of normalcy.

  Of course then Scarlett landed on his doorstep and everything snowballed from there. Somehow he needed to fix this—all of it. Her anger toward the home he’d purchased for her, hurting her and having Colt witness everything.

  This morning he’d been full of hope and the possibility of exploring a future with her. Now...hell, he didn’t have a clue what lay on the other side of that door.

  Beau made his way across the cabin and tapped his knuckles on Scarlett’s bedroom door. Without waiting for an answer, he tried the knob, surprised she hadn’t locked him out.

  Easing the door open, he peeked his head through. Scarlett sat cross-legged on her bed reading a book to Madelyn, who lay in front of her on the plaid quilt.

  “What you heard out there—”

  “Was the truth,” Scarlett said as she closed the book and laid it on the bedside table. “You didn’t say anything but the truth. There’s nothing more to us than a few weeks of passion and a good time. We’ve made memories, but that’s where it ends.”

  Beau slipped into her room, but remained by the open door. Her words shocked him. Her steely demeanor seemed so out of character, and he wasn’t sure what to say.

  Scarlett swung her legs off the side of her bed and came to her feet. She made sure to keep distance between them.

  “Since we are so close to the end of our time together,” she said, “it’s probably best to end the intimate side of things. I’m sure you understand why. And I’m sure you can see why I cannot accept the house. I appreciate the gesture, but you should have your agent put it back on the market.”

  Well, wasn’t her speech all neat and tidy and delivered with an iciness he never expected from someone so warm and caring.

  Beau had never experienced this before. Rejection. But it wasn’t the rejection that stung. No, what really sliced him deep was the fact that he had caused Scarlett so much suffering that she’d resorted to this as her defensive mechanism.

  “Maybe I’m not ready to end things,” he stated, folding his arms over his chest.

  She stared at him across the room and finally took a step toward him. “There’s no reason to prolong this, Beau. I will continue to care for Madelyn and watch her while you’re gone to your premiere. But Maggie will be back next week and I’ll be gone. This had to come to an end sometime.”

  Beau couldn’t penetrate this wall she’d put up so quickly around herself. She’d need time and he needed to respect her enough to give it to her. Unfortunately, time wasn’t on their side. He could give her today, but that’s all he could afford.

  “Scarlett, I never want you to believe that kiss, and everything before that, meant nothing.” He needed her to know this above all else. “Anything I said to Colt was to protect you. Maybe I didn’t go about it the right way, but don’t think that I don’t care for you.”

  Scarlett crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. “I’m going to feed Madelyn and take her for a walk to the stables. Then I’ll come back and fix dinner.”

  She didn’t extend the invite to the stables. Beau would stay behind, to give her time to think. Because there was no way she could just turn off this switch. If she felt half of what he felt for her, she couldn’t ignore such strong emotions.

  “I’ll make dinner,” he volunteered.

  “Fine.” She reached down and lifted Madelyn in her arms. “If you’ll take her for a minute, I need to change my clothes.”

  “Scarlett—”

  “Please.”

  Her plea came out on a cracked voice and he finally saw a sheen of tears in her eyes. She was struggling to hold everything together.

  Beau reached for his baby and held her tight against his chest. Scarlett continued to stare at him, blinking against her unshed tears.

  Without another word, he turned and left her alone in her room. After he shut the door firmly behind him, Beau went to his own room to contact his agent.

  Not his real estate agent about the house. No, Beau had every intention on keeping that.

  He laid Madelyn down in her crib and handed her a plush toy to chew on. With a deep sigh and heavy dose of guilt, he pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed his agent.

  “Beau,” he answered. “You’re one hell of a hard man to get ahold of.”

  There wasn’t much to say and this conversation was long, long overdue. But it was time for some changes and they were going to start right now.

  Beau gripped the phone as he watched his daughter play.

  “We need to talk.”

  * * *

  Scarlett didn’t know what was more difficult, having Beau in the cabin or knowing he was miles away and gearing up for a fancy movie premiere tomorrow.

  The past few days had been strained, to say the least. They’d been cordial to each other, like strangers who were stranded together and forced to cohabitate.

  Scarlett had just put Madelyn down for her morning nap and was heading to the sink to wash bottles when a knock sounded on the front door.

  She wore only leggings and an oversize sweatshirt, and her hair was in a ponytail—compliments of insomnia, anxiety, and a broken heart. But she ignored her state of dress and went to see who the unexpected visitor was.

  After glancing through the peephole, Scarlett pulled in a long, slow breath and blew it out before flicking the dead bolt and opening the door.

  “Annabelle,” she greeted. “What brings you by?”

  His beautiful sister-in-law offered a sweet smile and held up a basket. “I brought fresh cranberry apple muffins. Can I come in?”

  “I would’ve let you in without the bribe, but I won’t turn it down.” Scarlett laughed as she stepped aside to let Colt’s wife in.

  Annabelle set the basket down on the island. “The muffins were just an excuse,” she said as she turned back to face Scarlett. “Can we talk for a minute?”

  Scarlett didn’t know why Annabelle wanted to talk, but she wasn’t stupid. Likely this had to do with Colt and Beau, but if the woman thought Scarlett had any hold over Beau or could sway him to work on the relationship with his brother, well, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
r />   “Sure,” Scarlett replied. “Have a seat.”

  She hadn’t seen or talked to any of Beau’s family since Beau had left a couple of days ago. Scarlett didn’t think Beau counted their kisses as nothing, but hearing the words had hurt just the same. And hearing those words only gave her the smack of reality that she’d needed in order to see that this wasn’t normal. What normal, everyday woman fell in love with a movie star and had him reciprocate those feelings? The idea was simply absurd.

  Annabelle took a seat on the leather sofa and Scarlett sat on the other end. “What’s up?” Scarlett asked.

  “I’m going to cut out the small talk because it’s pointless.” Annabelle crossed her legs and leveled her gaze at Scarlett. “I know you have feelings for Beau. Don’t deny it. I saw the two of you together. And I can also tell you that he has feelings, too.”

  Scarlett wanted to deny both statements, but she simply didn’t have the energy. Maybe if she let Annabelle talk, she’d get this off her chest and then leave. Scarlett preferred to sulk in private.

  “I also know my stubborn husband came down pretty hard on Beau and you, by default,” Annabelle went on. “This ranch is absolutely everything to him and he sometimes speaks before he thinks.”

  Scarlett smiled. “You didn’t have to come down here to apologize for him.”

  “I’m not,” Annabelle corrected. “He needs to apologize on his own. I’m here to tell you that you need to ignore what Colt says, what the media speculate and what you’re afraid of.”

  She let out a soft sigh as she scooted over a bit farther. “What I’m trying to say is, your time here is almost up and I’d hate for you to go when you have so much unresolved.”

  Scarlett glanced down to her clasped hands and swallowed. “How do you know what’s unresolved?”

  Annabelle reached over and offered a gentle squeeze of her hand. “Because Colt and Hayes commented on Beau’s broodiness before he left for LA and he was so happy before that. You make him happy. When he came back here he was broken and scared. He’d never admit that, so don’t tell him I said it. But he was so worried for Madelyn and how his relationships with his brothers would pan out...or even if they would.”