“Oh. This is beautiful, Des. Did somebody make it for you?”
“No! I made it, all by myself! Well, okay, Becca showed me the stitches and helped me work on it while I was there, and then Sarah helped me finish it. But I did most of it all on my own.”
His tough features softened as he looked at his daughter. “Wow! This is amazing. It must have taken you hours!”
“A few,” she admitted, quite humbly, since Sarah knew she had spent much more than a few on the project.
He pulled it out and laid it across his lap. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“I thought my fingers were going to fall off,” she confessed, though her cheeks were pink, her eyes shining. She looked as if her father’s reaction was everything she had imagined and more.
“Do you know what this is? The perfect thing for lying on the couch and sleeping while I’m pretending to watch a ball game.”
“I know! That’s just what I thought you could use it for.”
He laughed and held out his arms. “Thank you. I love it. It’s beautiful, and it means so much more because you took the time to make it. Come here, ladybug.”
She hugged him and the love between father and daughter touched a small, lonely part of her heart.
“Thanks for my great Christmas, too,” Destry said. “It’s all been perfect.”
“What about those last few gifts?” Ridge asked.
“Oh, yeah,” Destry said. She winked at her father in a not-so-subtle way and then pulled them from beneath the lowest limbs of the tree and carried them both over to Sarah.
She looked down at her name clearly marked on the outside, then back at the two of them.
“Oh. You didn’t have to get me gifts,” she exclaimed.
“Like you didn’t need to give us gifts?” Ridge drawled.
“Mine weren’t much,” she said, though she could feel her face heat again. “I haven’t exactly had a chance to go shopping since I’ve been here.”
The first night she arrived in Pine Gulch, before she had come out to the ranch, she had wandered around the small downtown, peeking her head into a few gift shops. She had been very grateful for her few impulse purchases the night before when she was trying to think of what to give them.
For Ridge, she had given him the book on Pine Gulch history she had purchased on a whim. For Destry, she had a pair of finely wrought silver-and-turquoise hoop earrings and a bottle of scented lotion she had originally purchased for Nicki. She would find something else for her friend.
She opened Destry’s gift first, and when she saw it, her heart swelled. “Oh, honey. It’s beautiful. When did you have time to make this?”
“I worked on it the last two nights in my room after I went to bed. You might not have all that many chances to wear scarves in San Diego but maybe once in a while.”
She pulled out the colorful scarf, knitted out of soft yarns of variegated green and peach, touched beyond measure to think of the girl working late in her room to make a gift for an unexpected houseguest she just met.
“I’ll make the chance,” she promised. “And every time I wear it, I’ll remember this wonderful Christmas with both of you.”
She fastened it around her neck, looping it in half and pulling the ends through.
“Now the other one,” Destry said, her eyes bright. “It’s from both of us.”
This one was rectangular and narrow, roughly eighteen by twenty-four inches. She pulled away a bit of wrapping paper and saw an edge of a black picture frame. Heart pounding, she pulled away the rest of the paper.
“Oh.”
She couldn’t breathe for a long moment and could feel tears burn her eyes. It was a lovely framed print of the River Bow, obviously painted from the perspective of the foothills above the ranch.
She could see the distinctive log house and the beautiful red barn, as well as the other landmark building she recognized, all painted in a summer scene with wildflowers in the foreground. The silvery bright Cold Creek wound around the edge of the scene, forming the distinctive bow the ranch was named for.
“Your mother painted this one, as well,” she said softly. “I recognize her style.”
Ridge nodded, shifting a little uncomfortably. “It’s one of the few she had made into prints, so we have others of this same scene. I just thought you might like to have something to remember us.”
Yes, it might be a print, but she didn’t doubt it was also valuable, considering the increasing recognition of Margaret Bowman’s rare talent in art circles.
She wanted to tell him she couldn’t accept it, that it wouldn’t be right. He would probably agree with her once she returned all those other paintings to the family. The words caught in her throat. She couldn’t say that now. Refusing the gift would be churlish of her, especially when she very much wanted to keep it.
When she returned to San Diego, she would probably wonder if all of this had been a dream. The art print would be a tangible reminder to her of these amazing few days, to go with all the memories she knew would haunt her.
“Thank you,” she murmured solemnly. “I will cherish it always.”
Something in her tone seemed to disturb him. He gave her a careful look and tension shivered between them.
“I guess that’s it, then,” Destry said, beginning to gather up wrapping paper.
“For now. We’ve got more fun planned at Taft’s this afternoon. That breakfast casserole Caidy froze for us should be just about ready to come out of the oven by now. I’ll throw some waffles on the iron and then we need to head out for chores.”
“Can I help?” Sarah asked on impulse. “With the chores, I mean. I’d like to see what you do.”
He looked surprised but not displeased. “Sure thing. I’m sure Caidy’s got plenty of winter gear around the house that should fit you fine.”
After the delicious breakfast that was more like a quiche, savory and satisfying, along with waffles Ridge made himself, Destry helped her bundle into a pair of snow pants and a parka, along with a pair of heavy boots and gloves.
She added the scarf the girl had given her and then headed out to watch the two of them deliver hay, clean out stalls, deliver feed to the River Bow horses in the barn, drive several heavy bales of hay out to various pastures for the cattle and clean out a couple of stalls.
For two hours, the work was cold and relentless, but Ridge and Destry hardly appeared to notice. They laughed together, sang a couple of silly Christmas carols and otherwise seemed to have a good time, while Sarah mostly tried not to stumble into their way.
When they finally walked back to the house, her cheeks felt chapped, her arm ached from the cold and raw emotion felt huge and unwieldy in her chest.
Seeing Ridge completely in his element left her more in love with him than ever. Both of them, really. She adored Destry. Both of them were as firmly planted in her heart as his heart was planted on this ranch.
What was she going to do? she thought grimly, as they walked into the warm, welcoming embrace of the house. She was in love with a man who would despise everything about her when he learned the secrets she had kept from him.
She had to tell him, soon. As much as it hurt, she had to tell him—and then she would have to figure out how to live with the consequences.
Chapter Twelve
When was she going to tell him?
She mulled over it all day and started to a dozen times, but the moment never seemed right. She didn’t want to ruin Christmas morning. Then they were all having too much fun playing some of the games Destry got for Christmas. Then he took a nap on the sofa near the great room fireplace—under the multihued throw knitted by his daughter—and she didn’t have the heart to tell him when he first woke. Then they were all busy getting ready for the family meal at his brother’s hou
se.
Now, here they were on the way to Taft and Laura’s, and she hadn’t been able to find the right moment. How could she ruin his family dinner? And if she did, she wouldn’t have any way to leave and would be stuck in a miserable situation until he could take her back to the River Bow for her rental car.
Always look for an escape route. One of those subconscious lessons she’d learned from her father.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he said. “You seem tense.”
She gave him a sidelong look. “I’m a stranger going to someone else’s big family party. Wouldn’t you feel a little stretched out of your social comfort zone?”
“Trust me, you won’t feel like a stranger for long. Alex will probably try to pull a prank on us the minute we walk through the door. Maya will throw her arms around you and give you one of her awesome hugs to say hello then Laura and Becca will probably kidnap you and haul you into the kitchen to dig out all the dirty details of your life—and probably share way too many embarrassing details of mine.”
It all sounded chaotic and terrifying and wonderful.
“You love your family, don’t you?”
“Every last crazy one of them,” he said promptly.
Her chest ached. She wanted this. The noisy chaos, the inquisitive relatives, the sense of belonging to something bigger than she was.
And the man who went along with it. She wanted him most of all.
Not trusting herself to speak, she gazed out at the steep, snow-covered mountains that loomed out the windshield. After a moment, he reached out and gripped her fingers in his.
“It won’t be that bad. Don’t worry. Everybody will love you, I promise. And if it’s all too much for you, let me know and I can take you back to the River Bow.”
She forced a smile, touched beyond words at his concern for her.
He squeezed her fingers. “At some point, you’re going to tell me what’s bothering you, right?”
Was she that obvious? She flushed. Probably. He seemed to know what she was thinking before she even realized it. “Yes,” she finally murmured. “But not right now, okay?”
His expression was intense and curious, but he said nothing as they drove across a bridge and headed on a lane through towering, snow-covered evergreen trees.
Finally they pulled up in front of a beautiful two-story home constructed of honey-colored pine logs and river rock with a wraparound porch. White icicle lights dripped from the porch roof and the gables of the house. It reminded her a great deal of the River Bow ranch house, though on a smaller scale.
The scene inside played out just as Ridge predicted. It was as if he’d read the script ahead of time, she thought.
A young dark-haired boy rushed over to greet them the moment they walked through the door.
“Hey, Uncle Ridge. Shake my hand.”
“Why?”
“No reason. I just want you to.”
Ridge snorted, obviously up to the game, but he played along anyway and held his hand out, then pretended to jump away in shock from a little tingly joy buzzer in the boy’s hand, to peals of laughter from Alex.
“Oh, you got me.”
“Guess what I got from Santa Claus? A whole box of joke and magic stuff. It’s so awesome!”
“Wow. I bet your mom was just thrilled at Santa Claus for that one.”
“Yep. Dad thought it was hilarious.”
“He would,” Ridge answered wryly.
“Hey, Destry. Shake my hand,” the boy said.
“Forget it, Alex!” she said. “You think I didn’t just see you punk my dad?”
“Aw, man.” With a disappointed look, Alex rushed off, probably to gear up for another trick.
Before Sarah could catch her breath, an adorable girl with Down syndrome and the sweetest smile she’d ever seen came over and hugged both Ridge and Destry, who clearly adored her.
“Maya, this is our friend Sarah. She teaches first grade, just like you’re in. Sarah, this is our Maya.”
“Hi,” Maya said cheerfully. “I love my teacher. Her name is Miz L.”
Just as Ridge predicted, she threw her arms around Sarah’s waist without waiting for a response, and Sarah smiled and hugged her back, completely charmed.
The sisters-in-law didn’t precisely kidnap her, but they did push her into the kitchen with firm determination, where they set her to work stirring gravy with her good hand, all while subtly and gently interrogating her.
She loved every moment of it.
She had met each of Ridge’s brothers separately, but seeing them together, she would have had a tough time figuring out which twin was which if not for the adorably fat baby boy Trace held.
All of them treated her with warm acceptance. By the time they left three hours later—full of delicious food, fun conversation and more holiday spirit than she ever imagined— she felt fully enmeshed into the Bowman family.
How would she ever say goodbye to them all?
* * *
“What a great day,” Destry declared when they were in the pickup truck again, prepared to head back to the River Bow. “Best. Christmas. Ever.”
He grinned at his daughter. “It was pretty awesome, though I believe I remember you saying the same thing last year.”
“That’s because every year just gets better and better. Next year will be the best yet because Ben and Caidy will be there with Jack and Ava. I missed them all. Who knows? Maybe Caidy will even have a baby by then.”
It was certainly possible, though the idea of his baby sister—the one he had practically raised since she was a teenager—becoming a mother was not a subject he wanted to think too long about.
He had his suspicions in that direction about Taft and Laura, though they hadn’t said anything. Laura had a certain unmistakable glow about her, and Taft couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off her—not that he ever could. His brother had loved his wife for most of their lives. Ridge loved seeing them all so happy.
In contrast to the Bowman clan, with each mile, the lovely woman beside him seemed to grow more and more quiet.
“Sorry about my crazy family,” he said as they neared the River Bow. “I’m afraid they can be a little overwhelming.”
She shook her head. “They were wonderful. So kind and welcoming, even though I’m a stranger. Everything was perfect. Destry is right. It was the best Christmas ever.”
So why did she seem so sad? he wondered. He wanted to ask, but the moment didn’t seem right with Destry listening in from the backseat.
While she seemed to enjoy herself, he didn’t miss the way she maintained a careful distance from the family. She smiled and laughed and chatted, all while keeping something of herself in reserve, as if she didn’t want to let them all into her life too far.
That hadn’t stopped everyone from falling for her, just like he had. Both Laura and Becca had ganged up to corner him in the kitchen and not-so-subtly dig for information about her and, he thought, to try to sniff out any romantic entanglements between the two of them.
He wanted to think he’d been sly and evasive, but judging by a certain crafty gleam in the expression worn by both of his sisters-in-law, he had a feeling he hadn’t been very successful.
He glanced at Sarah again. Her broken arm was clutched to her stomach, and she seemed to be clenching and unclenching the other hand on her thigh.
He thought about what Destry had said...that the next Christmas would be even better for them. How could it possibly beat this one if Sarah wasn’t there?
His heart seemed to race as the truth seeped through. He wanted her in his life permanently.
Yeah, it was early, but he had always been a man who knew what he wanted. Things hadn’t worked out so well when it came to Melinda, but he knew in his heart that Sarah was different. She w
as sweet and kind. She loved his daughter and had seemed to enjoy his family.
He didn’t know how they could make it work long-distance. With phone, email, Skype, maybe they could figure it out for the short term. He could arrange short visits to the coast, and maybe she could come back here during school vacations.
His mind raced with possibilities. What were the chances she might be willing to relocate? He couldn’t leave the ranch, but maybe he could persuade her Pine Gulch had a wonderful elementary school that might be in need of a dedicated first-grade teacher. He would have to talk to the principal of the elementary school, Jenny Dalton, to see if she expected any positions to open up for the next school year....
Whoa. Slow it down, now. As they pulled up to the ranch house, he forced himself to rein in his thoughts as he would old Bob. These powerful feelings seething through him were too new, too raw. He needed time to become accustomed to them—not to mention that she seemed to be fighting this with everything she had.
They could talk later, when Destry was in bed, he vowed as they walked inside the house. They could sit by the fire again in the great room, and he would push until she told him what was bothering her.
Tri hopped to greet them first thing, wagging his tail with excitement.
“Destry, why don’t you let Tri out? Then you can help me do evening chores, if you want.”
“Sure,” she said with that bright eagerness that always warmed his heart. He hoped she never lost that attitude, like helping her old dad feed the stock was a rare and precious treat.
“You’re welcome to come down to the barn if you want,” he offered to Sarah.
She still seemed subdued and didn’t meet his gaze. “I think I’ll pass, if you don’t mind. My arm is kind of achy.”
“No problem. We’ll be back up to the house in an hour.”
“Okay.”
She gave him a smile he thought looked forced.
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