Winter in Snow Valley (Snow Valley Romance)

by Anderson, Cindy Roland

  He tried so hard to act like he was okay, but currently she knew he was on the office computer Googling loan options. She’d glimpsed the page when she used the bathroom an hour ago.

  “Hey, do you want to go spend the afternoon with Trey?” McCoy asked. “We don’t have any appointments scheduled until… Friday at one.”

  Chanel drew in a long breath. She knew. She’d made that appointment. Friday was three days away. McCoy had given her a check last Friday for her two weeks’ worth of work. She felt like a slimeball taking it and cashing it, but she had to buy diapers and fill her car with gas and attempt to buy some groceries rather than completely freeload off of Porter and Missy.

  She wanted more than anything to go massage the tightness out of McCoy’s shoulders and remind him that they were in this together. The patients would come. Somehow.

  “Sure. Thanks.” She grabbed her threadbare coat off the cute rack she’d found at the second hand store in Billings. At least the dental office looked warm and welcoming. Though she wasn’t sure how long McCoy could pay the heat bill, rent, and keep paying her. He hadn’t confided in her how many loans he owed on, but it must be high to have his eyes this filled with worry. She should go see if the other dentist in town needed another assistant. It would relieve some of the strain on McCoy. No. She couldn’t betray him and that would feel like a betrayal no matter her reasoning.

  “I’ll see you at home?” she asked.

  “Sure thing.” He gave her a fleeting smile.

  Chanel sped home, anxious to relax in Missy’s beautiful home and have some extra time with Trey. She couldn’t believe how wonderful Missy and Porter were with him, and she felt such guilt that Missy was taking care of her boy and not working so Chanel could work.

  Carefully shutting the front door behind her, she realized Trey was probably down for his nap already. Missy came out of the office to the right of the entryway. “Hey. Everything okay?”

  “Is Trey asleep?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll be right back.” Chanel took the stairs two at a time and went to look at her boy. He was so cute, cuddled around his blanket and sucking his thumb. She bent down and gave him a kiss then much more slowly made her way back to the office.

  Missy was tapping away at the computer. She ran a marital advice website that Chanel had referred to many times during her brief marriage. Sadly, without her husband willing to get help for his addiction to prescription meds there wasn’t a lot she could do to change her marriage.

  “I swear that boy is so easy,” Missy said. “He played in my office all morning while I worked then we ate lunch and he took a nap. I feel guilty that he’s so low-key.”

  Chanel smiled. “I don’t. I feel guilty that you’re watching him while I work.”

  “Pshaw.” Missy pushed a hand through the air. “As good as he is you could take him with you and he wouldn’t disturb anyone.”

  “Sadly that’s true. We hardly have any clients to disturb.”

  Missy glanced out at the world of white. “It’s not picking up yet?”

  “Not yet.” Chanel leaned toward her cousin. “Missy. You’re great at marketing. I know this is way different than Internet, but what can we do to help him get clients?”

  Missy pursed her lips and tipped her head to the side. “You’re pretty concerned about McCoy, are you?”

  “He’s a good guy and he deserves to succeed.”

  “Yeah. He does. Well, I created a website for him and it’s getting some hits, but it’s not like the majority of Snow Valley residents are going to Google a new dentist, they usually just go to Dr. Mason.”

  “I feel guilty stealing clients from Dr. Mason, but I think he’s plenty busy. I called to get an appointment, just to see, and they didn’t have an opening for new patients for six months. Not sure what he does with an emergency.”

  “I think there’s definitely room for more than one dentist in this town, especially a pediatric. They just don’t know you two are there yet. What if we did some flyers?”

  “Couldn’t hurt.”

  “You go grab you some lunch, skinny thing you probably haven’t eaten today.”

  “I ate some yogurt for breakfast.”

  Missy rolled her eyes. “I’ll get the flyer designed quick.”

  “Thanks. You’re much too good to us.”

  Missy arched an eyebrow. “Us as in you and Trey or us as in you and the illustrious Dr. Wilson?”

  It was Chanel’s turn to roll her eyes and exit the room. She smiled as she walked to the kitchen. Her cousin had always been a matchmaker, but for the first time since Chance had died, Chanel was actually interested in being matched.

  She grabbed a cheese stick and a handful of baby carrots then rejoined Missy in the office. The flyer was perfect. Colorful and attractive but not too overbearing. Chanel added some special introductory pricing and a few things about McCoy’s expertise in pediatrics and sedation, but they also added that adults and walk-ins were more than welcome.

  After one last edit, Missy hit print.

  Chanel was excited. It might not be a huge thing, but at least they could get the word out. She grabbed the paper off the printer and looked it over. “This is perfect.” She handed it off to Missy. “Does Dove’s have a color copier? I’ll make copies then start with their parking lot.”

  Missy pressed print again and changed the number to two-hundred.

  “No, Missy, you’ll use up all your color.”

  Missy chuckled. “You know Porter’s side job is home design? Do you have any clue how much stuff he prints? This is nothing.”

  Chanel glanced over at the top of the line office equipment and felt a surge of jealousy. She tamped it down quickly. Missy and Porter were so generous there was no place for jealousy of her cousin.

  “Thank you.”

  “Sure. Now, why don’t you go put on my good boots and coat? It’s going to be cold running flyers.”

  Chanel couldn’t thank her cousin enough. “Are you okay with Trey?”

  “What a question. I get the easy part. Stay here in the warm house and answer emails, then play with cute baby boy when he wakes up. Go, get that stuff on.” Missy shooed her away.

  Chanel wanted to protest, but she could only be grateful, again. She was going to do something to help McCoy, and Missy’s warm clothing would keep her from freezing in the process. If she was envious that Missy got to stay home with her baby, she pushed that to the back of her mind. This was her life right now and she could only make the best of it.

  Chapter 5

  McCoy left the office more depressed than he’d ever been in his life. Okay, scratch that. When he woke up from the car accident and they explained the extent of his injuries he’d been pretty depressed, but he’d had a desire, a drive to fight through rehabilitation and graduate from pediatric dental school. Now he wasn’t sure he had a purpose. Currently, he could make it through February’s rent and pay the heat and utility bills, but there was no way he’d have enough for the payday loan. What would he do then? Maybe he could find a dental office somewhere that would take him on at a shared profit. Who knew?

  He drove to Porter’s house on auto pilot. Pulling his old truck into the driveway, he rested his head against the steering wheel and took long, slow breaths. He’d suffered a pretty significant head injury in the accident and the therapists that had worked with him had really helped him learn how to control bouts of anger, depression, and panic attacks.

  He said a brief prayer, “Please help me calm down. Please give me hope.”

  Raising his head up, he glanced at the front porch and Chanel stood there. The winter sun highlighted her long, blonde hair and the sparkle in her eyes radiated across the distance to him. How did she stay so upbeat? It could be claimed that it wasn’t her credit rating, years of education, and dreams of a lifetime on the table, but he didn’t believe that. She was every bit as invested in the dental office as he was. It wasn’t just about a paycheck, though he knew sh
e’d needed that last paycheck horribly, and he’d been thrilled that it had cleared the bank.

  She was invested because she cared, about him. Was it simply because of the kind of altruistic person she was, or was she feeling something deeper? A connection that had been forged by them working and hoping together. Above all else, he didn’t want to let her down.

  He climbed out of the truck and made his way to the porch, and bless her heart, she didn’t ask how the rest of the day went as he’d alternated between looking at different due dates on student loans and searching the exterior windows for some sign of life coming in. They’d painted “walk-ins welcome” on one of the windows a couple days ago to try and garner some interest. Was that just tacky and screaming, This dentist is a loser who can’t even get a patient.

  She extended a hand to him. McCoy’s eyebrows went up and she almost retracted the hand, but he grasped it, savoring the warmth of her. Their relationship had been friendly, but still professional. This was their first hand-holding experience, besides the first day when he hadn’t known how wonderful she was, and he had to say he liked it. She infused energy and hope into him with a simple touch. He wanted to beg her for the formula to staying positive and upbeat even with all she’d been through.

  “Missy made your favorite for dinner.”

  “Which is?” He grinned, not sure Missy even knew his favorite.

  “Lasagna.” Her smile revealed a small dimple on her left cheek. How had he not noticed that dimple before?

  He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her tight. Who cared that lasagna was his least favorite food and Porter knew it? He’d eat macaroni and cheese or Top Ramen if he could just keep Chanel’s hand in his.

  “I’m going to thump Porter,” he muttered, though he honestly thought it was a pretty funny prank and reminded him of when he and Porter were in high school and he’d told the girl that Porter was interested in that Porter loved peanut butter cookies. Porter absolutely hated peanut butter, but he choked down several cookies as the girl watched, beaming.

  McCoy opened the front door and escorted Chanel through. He had a sudden glimpse of how it would be if this was their house and he was coming home to her every night. Even if his day had been as horrible as today, he could handle it if she was waiting for him. He shook his head to clear it. He had no right to dream of Chanel or a house of his own. He couldn’t afford to put gas in his truck, let alone take care of a family. Chanel and Trey deserved much better than he could ever provide.

  His shoulders slumped again, but Chanel squeezed his hand and he inhaled the yeasty aroma of homemade rolls, a roast, maybe even apple pie. He straightened and joy surged through him. “Okay, maybe I’m going to hug him instead.”

  Chanel tugged him to a stop. “I know things are tough right now. But we all care about you.”

  McCoy looked into her blue eyes. “All of you?”

  She nodded.

  McCoy took a step closer. He had no right to toy with her emotions when he could never be a serious contender for her heart, but he couldn’t help brushing his knuckles down her cheek and whispering huskily, “Thank you.”

  “Is he here?” Porter’s voice boomed from the kitchen. “Tell Doc Wilson to wash up. I’m ready to eat his favorite meal.”

  McCoy smiled and held onto Chanel’s hand as they walked side by side into the dining room. He was a dentist and a good one. He had family who loved and supported him. Best of all, he had a beautiful woman who wanted to hold his hand. Hang the bills. He’d deal with them tomorrow.

  **

  A shrill cry yanked Chanel from a sound sleep. She flung herself out of bed, groping in the darkness toward Trey’s crib. His cries rent the air. She had to calm him down before he woke McCoy, Porter, and Missy. She flicked on a side lamp and smiled at her boy. He stood at the edge of the crib, grasping the railing and howling.

  “It can’t be as bad as all this,” she crooned as she picked him up and cuddled him against her chest.

  His cries softened but didn’t abate. “Hurt, Momma. Hurt.”

  Chanel wondered if he was getting more molars in. That would hurt. “Okay, sweetie. Let’s go get you a drink and some medicine.”

  She walked into the hallway, the nightlight in the bathroom guiding them. McCoy exited his bedroom dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. “Everything okay?”

  “I think he’s teething.” She wished she could tug down the hem of her heart-covered nightshirt. It was a leftover from teenage years, but it was comfy.

  “Ah, no. It’s definitely time for some distraction.” He held out his hands and Trey transferred into his arms. “Let me tell you a story about The Three Little Kittens,” McCoy said in a voice identical to Steve Carrell as Gru in Despicable Me.

  Chanel laughed despite how tired and frustrated she was.

  McCoy rewarded her with a smile then proceeded to walk into her bedroom with Trey, sit in the overstuffed chair, and tell him the silly story from the movie.

  “I’m going to grab him a dose of Tylenol,” Chanel whispered.

  He nodded his acknowledgment. She hurried down the hall to the bathroom, filled the medicine dopler, then returned. Trey sleepily lifted his head off McCoy’s shoulder and sucked down the medicine, then lay his head back down again. Chanel watched as McCoy told stories, moving from The Three Little Kittens to The Three Little Pigs. Trey was out within minutes. McCoy gently laid the little boy down in the crib, brushing his large fingers across Trey’s head.

  Chanel’s heart clutched at the sight. Was this what it was like to have a spouse to help with raising your son? Chance had died weeks before she’d discovered she was expecting. He’d never had a chance to meet his son, but with the issues he struggled with she doubted he would’ve been helping her out at night with Trey.

  McCoy straightened and turned, staring at her. Chanel’s heart started thumping much too quickly at the intense look of desire in his eyes. Was this what it was like to have a spouse who wanted to be with you in the night? Chance had become disenchanted with her a few months into their marriage and their intimacy had become more about obligation.

  McCoy’s halting steps brought him to her. Chanel didn’t walk toward him, but she didn’t back away either. He stopped in front of her and gave her a crooked smile. The scars on his face deepened, but she agreed with Missy, scars simply made him more handsome.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, thinking she should say something witty but she had nothing.

  “Anytime.”

  “You say that now, but if he woke you up every night, you might change your mind.” Chanel talked much too fast and she wasn’t quite sure what she was saying. She was distracted by the slight smirk on his full lips and the way his eyes were completely focused on her face. They worked together every day and she thought very highly of him—his steadiness, determination, knowledge, and ability to make her, or their young patients, laugh with different voice imitations, but she’d forced herself to tamp down on romantic feelings. Well, as much as was possible when you spent every day with a handsome, well-built, and well-educated man that you were instinctively drawn to.

  “I always like spending time with Trey,” McCoy’s voice was low and husky, “And I’d do about anything to help you.”

  Chanel swallowed and forced herself to look into his eyes instead of drooling over his lips. “Why?”

  “You’re an amazing lady, Chanel Horman. I find myself more impressed by you and drawn to you every day.”

  She blushed and had to look away. “Thank you.” Did she tell him she felt the same or was that just awkward, similar to when someone complimented her and she felt like she should respond with a compliment, but it weakened the effect.

  “The first time I saw you, I thought you were lit up, like Christmas morning or some angel.”

  Chanel’s eyes were drawn back to his dark gaze. “I was so discouraged that day. Thank you for giving me something to hope for.”

  He grunted and shook his head. “Not sure I’
m much to hope for.”

  “You are,” Chanel insisted. “You’re talented, smart, darling with the kids.”

  McCoy chuckled. “Now that’s what I’ve always aspired to be … darling.”

  “You know what I meant.” Chanel pushed a hand at his chest more to show him she was teasing than anything, but the moment she touched him, she couldn’t remove her hand. The musculature of his chest seemed to represent protection and desire to her. She flattened her palm against the muscle.

  He wrapped his hand around hers and gently tugged her toward him. Chanel went willingly. Their bodies were inches apart and his breath brushed against her forehead. “Thank you,” he murmured. “I appreciate that you believe in me, even when I’ve given up hope myself.”

  Chanel glanced up at him. “Don’t ever give up. Not when you’re so darling.”

  McCoy laughed and it rumbled against her chest. “You’re the darling one.” He bent down and his lips brushed hers so briefly she didn’t get a chance to savor it.

  He pulled back and studied her. “I’m crossing a line here—employee, boss, and all that stuff.”

  Chanel wrapped her hands around his broad shoulders and pulled him closer. “If you’re going to cross it, cross it.”

  His eyebrows lifted in surprise then he grinned and complied. His lips covered hers and she had time to savor it and then some. Joy and desire shot through her as his lips communicated a need for her she didn’t know a man could have. Her husband had gotten to a point where he only needed his drugs. She was an extra thought, a guilty thought to him most of the time. McCoy wanted her near and she could feel that in each movement of his mouth and hands.

  After several wonderful minutes, Trey snorted and rolled over. McCoy jumped in surprise. Chanel laughed. “I guess that’s his way of chaperoning.”