Cowboy Unwrapped

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  Her mother asked him to use Jane and Stan instead, and he slipped right into that without awkwardness or hesitation. Amethyst couldn’t help contrasting the self-confident person he was now with the high school senior who’d been so unsure of his place in the world. His work as a firefighter had given him an impressive physique, but it had also matured him. He appeared completely relaxed, as if he didn’t consider it the least bit strange that he’d received a last-minute invitation to join a family Christmas activity.

  At one point Amethyst’s mother glanced over and lifted her eyebrows as if silently asking why her daughter didn’t snap up this paragon. That gesture was enough to convince Amethyst why her mom had issued the invitation. She hadn’t said much since breakfast about the LA plan. She must be frustrated that her teaching job at the high school would keep her from checking on the safety of Amethyst’s apartment until at least spring break. She probably hoped that a romance with Jake would postpone the move or maybe even cancel it.

  Neither of her parents could be blamed for their nervousness about LA. She wasn’t entirely calm herself. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going.

  “I should warn you that I’m not much of a singer.” Jake glanced at Amethyst’s parents. “I hope the rest of you will be really loud so nobody can hear me.”

  Her mother patted his arm. “I’m not much of a singer, either, Jake. I count on Amethyst and Stan to help me stay on pitch. Sapphire can hold her own, but I’ve never heard Grady sing.”

  “I have.” Jake grinned at his foster brother. “He’s got a halfway decent voice but—”

  “Hey!” Grady threw back his shoulders. “I have a fully decent voice. There’s nothing halfway about it.”

  “You know, that’s a fact.” Jake tugged his Stetson a little lower. “Now if you could only remember the words, you’d be all set. If anyone hears a person going ‘Silent night, holy night, something something, something something,’ that will be Grady.”

  “Not anymore.” Grady whipped out his phone. “Times have changed, bro. Thanks to the modern age, I have the words at my fingertips.”

  Jake pointed to Grady’s thick gloves. “Those don’t look like the kind for handling a phone. In essence you have no fingertips.”

  “Oh. Yeah, that’s true.” He pocketed his cell. “Didn’t think of that. Guess I’m back to mumbling.”

  “Never fear. I’ve got you covered.” Amethyst’s father held up a sheaf of papers. “When we came up with this idea, I printed out a few carols.” He passed them out. “Here’s the plan. We walk to the end of the block. Jane and I will take the lead and you four will follow. At the end of the block we’ll cross the street and serenade the people who bought the Blakely’s house. It’s a young couple with a baby. I’ve met them and they seem nice. Then we’ll cross back to Mrs. Gentry’s.”

  “Does she still live there?” Sapphire asked.

  He nodded. “Yes, but she’s at least ninety and she’s hard of hearing so we’ll have to belt out those tunes. Anyway, we’ll crisscross the street and end up back here for dinner. Everybody ready?”

  “Ready as we’ll ever be,” Amethyst said.

  “Then let’s go surprise the neighbors.”

  “Surprise them?” Jake asked. “This isn’t a family tradition?”

  “Used to be,” her dad said. “Back when we could corral the girls and bribe them with promises of hot cocoa and Christmas cookies afterward. Then the day came when they flatly refused, regardless of the bribe.”

  “Because it was embarrassing, Dad,” Sapphire said as they headed out the door. “Nobody else did it and we had friends living around here. We’d hear about it when we got back from Christmas vacation. They called us the Trapp Family Singers. It was not cool.”

  “And none of our neighbors knew how to react.” Amethyst suspected it would be even more confusing to them this year after a thirteen-year hiatus. “They weren’t sure whether to invite us in for dinner, give us money or bring out a platter of Christmas cookies.”

  “No kidding,” Sapphire said. “They were completely bewildered. Mrs. Lester wanted to give us the poinsettia she had sitting in her entry.”

  Amethyst started laughing. “Yeah, and you almost took it until Mom made you put it back. Oh, and remember the Danforths and the bowl of candy?”

  “The candy they started throwing at us like they were on a parade float?” Sapphire rolled her eyes. “But that was better than Mr. Johannsen trying to make us eat some surstromming.”

  “Eeuuww, yes! That was gross!” Amethyst could still remember the smell of the fermented fish.

  “Hey, Dad,” Sapphire called out. “Could we skip his house? Just in case he still eats that awful stuff?”

  “He’s moved,” their father said over his shoulder, “so you don’t have to worry about it.”

  “That’s a relief.” Sapphire motioned Amethyst and Jake to the back of the parade. “You two bring up the rear.” She lowered her voice. “I’m sure you have things to talk about.”

  “Um, okay.” Amethyst glanced at Jake. “Sorry about this,” she murmured.

  “No problem.” He took her hand. “I can’t wait to see how this caroling gig turns out. I’m a little sorry Mr. Johannsen moved away.”

  “Trust me, you would not want to get anywhere near that stuff. But thanks for accepting the invitation.” She glanced over at him. “Did I pull you away from anything important at the ranch?”

  “Not really. Playing poker and pool, watching basketball, eating leftovers. They all thought it was hysterical that I was coming here to go caroling.”

  “I’m guessing you’ve never done it before.”

  “Good guess. But it seems kind of nice, growing up in a neighborhood where you knew most of the people.”

  “You probably didn’t have much to do with the neighbors when you lived with your dad.”

  “Sure didn’t. He was the most antisocial person I’ve ever known and if I talked to anybody who lived around there I was in big trouble.”

  “I never asked you before, but do you know where he is?”

  “No, which is fine with me. Rosie used her connections in social services to keep tabs on him for a while. I was petrified that he’d try to take me away from the ranch. Then he left town, thank God. Never heard from him again.”

  “Good.”

  “Yeah, really. I have my family, now, and they’re great.” He glanced around. “This is nice, though, walking along looking at all the Christmas lights. We didn’t get to do that when we were dating.”

  “Nope. That’s what happens when you break up right before Christmas.”

  “There should be a rule—no breakups right before Christmas. That was one of my worst holidays ever.”

  “Mine, too.”

  He squeezed her hand. “Sorry. Entirely my fault. I promise not to go stomping off like that in the next twelve hours so we should be okay this Christmas.”

  “Good to know.” She tugged on his hand so he’d slow down. “I should probably warn you that my parents aren’t completely in favor of my going to LA and I think they’re hoping you’ll be a factor in changing my mind.”

  “Which is why I got the sudden invitation, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “I kind of figured that. And I need to tell you something in case it comes up in conversation. I’m going to see if I can get on with the fire department here.”

  She sucked in a breath. “Because you’re hoping I’ll change my mind, too?”

  “No, not at all. Whether you leave or stay, I’m still doing it. If you change your mind and decide to stick around, that would be wonderful, but that’s not the deciding factor.”

  She probed his statement for any hidden agenda and didn’t find one. He’d never lied to her, so she was inclined to believe him. “So what is
the deciding factor?”

  “Simple. I’m homesick. Rosie and Herb are the only parents I have, and I want to be able to see them on a regular basis. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed the ranch and being with them until I came back this Christmas. Cade and Damon have moved back, too, so I can hang out with them. When others visit, I’ll be around.”

  “You’d live at the ranch?”

  “No, that’s not practical. The Academy students are staying in the cabins now, except for vacations, and I don’t want to move into one of Rosie and Herb’s guest rooms. I’m too used to being on my own. Besides, a place close to the station makes more sense.”

  “My house isn’t that far from the station.” She wasn’t sure how she felt about him living in the space, but at least he could be trusted not to trash her studio.

  “That’s true.”

  “My half of the rent’s reasonable.”

  “You think I should take over your lease?” He sounded surprised.

  “I don’t know. Arlene might freak out if I said a guy was moving in. Or she might like it from a security standpoint, although we don’t have much in the way of crime around there. I’d have to ask her.”

  “I love that house, but there may not be a job opening for me. I’m going to check on that in the morning before I leave town, but I won’t move until I have something lined up.”

  “Tell you what, I won’t go looking for someone to sublet it until you find out about the job.”

  “Thanks. The idea’s growing on me.” He took a deep breath. “Although moving in there after you’re gone would be...a little weird.”

  “I’m sure. Knowing you were moving in would be weird for me, too. But I’d love it if I didn’t have to tear out my studio.”

  “But why would you want to keep it if you’re never going to use it again? You could take some of the equipment to LA and sell the rest, which would give you extra money.”

  She thought about it and knew he was right. If she sublet her space to anyone besides Jake, they’d expect her to dismantle the studio. Finding a musician to move in was unlikely, and it would have to be the right musician, someone who’d treat the studio with respect. She should take it apart and sell what she couldn’t use. The soundproofing she’d done would be wasted, but moving on meant sacrifice.

  “If I ended up renting from you, I’d let you take everything out gradually,” he said. “That way you wouldn’t have to rush to strip it all away. That could be stressful.”

  “It could, and I appreciate the offer. But I’m a rip-off-the-bandage kind of girl, so if that studio is destined to go, then I might as well get it over with.”

  They walked in silence for a little longer.

  “You know, on second thought,” he said, “what if you left everything the way it is? I don’t need that second bedroom for anything. You could rent a furnished apartment until you see how it all goes. Then you’d only have to take your clothes and what few other things you’d need.”

  “You mean leave all my furniture, too?”

  “Sure. Or I could buy it from you if you want. It’s nicer than what I have. That way you don’t have the hassle of renting a truck and hauling furniture into your new apartment.”

  “It would be a heck of a lot easier, wouldn’t it?”

  “Seems like it to me.”

  “Let me think about it. First, you have to get a job with the fire department.”

  “If they have an opening, you could pack up and leave whenever you want.”

  “I could.” Her stomach began to churn with a combination of excitement and anxiety. If Jake’s visit to the fire department in the morning produced a job, she was free to simply take off. Then she remembered her New Year’s Eve gig and was relieved that she couldn’t go immediately even if Jake did get hired right away. She wanted to go to LA. She really did. But leaving next week seemed a little hasty.

  “I couldn’t go until after New Year’s,” she said. “I agreed to perform in Jackson Hole and canceling at this late date would be unprofessional.”

  “You’re right. You can’t cancel now. Anyway, I’m selfish enough to want to see you again before you take off.”

  She squeezed his hand. “I want that, too. And, by the way, I appreciate this gesture on your part.”

  “It might not work. It all hinges on the job situation.”

  “I know, but you’re still attempting to help me get there even though you don’t think it’s a great idea. Or have you changed your mind?”

  “Not really. But if that’s what you want, then you need to give it a shot.”

  “Thank you. That means so much to me.”

  “Okay, troops!” her dad called out. “Time to cross the street. Watch for cars.”

  “There aren’t any cars, Dad,” Sapphire said.

  Her father laughed. “Sorry. Force of habit.”

  Amethyst’s heart swelled with affection as she thought of all the times her parents had cautioned her and her sister to watch out for this and that. No wonder they were worried about this move. They couldn’t be expected to simply turn off that impulse, no matter how old she was.

  Once they were all on the other side of the street in front of what used to be the Blakely house, her dad arranged them in a semicircle. Then he gave out the stapled sets of lyrics and hummed the opening note of “Joy to the World.” Jake fumbled with the pages and finally let go of her hand so he could deal with them.

  As the six of them launched into the carol, she discovered that Jake wasn’t such a bad singer. His deep baritone was untrained but he had a good ear and stayed on pitch. This was going to be fun, after all.

  They were partway through the song when the door opened and a woman and a man came out wearing their coats. The woman held a blanket-wrapped bundle that was probably the baby swaddled against the cold. A second woman with long blond hair stepped onto the porch and closed the door behind her. She hugged a furry coat to her body instead of fastening it and she kept looking at Jake.

  Amethyst couldn’t blame her. He was gorgeous. She’d been spoiled the past couple of days because she hadn’t had to deal with watching attractive women ogle Jake. This one was subtle about it, but she clearly found him appealing. Well, she was out of luck, at least for the time being.

  When the carol ended, the women both applauded and the blonde called out, “Jake, is that you?”

  Amethyst’s jaw tightened. Damn.

  Jake hesitated a moment. “Marla?”

  “It’s me! I’ve moved to Sheridan!” She made her way down the porch steps toward Jake. “It’s so good to see you. I thought we’d lost touch forever. Are you back in town, too?”

  “Not permanently yet, but I hope to be soon. Let me introduce you to my friends.”

  Friends. Amethyst winced at the casual term that didn’t come close to describing how she felt about Jake and how she believed he felt about her. But, under the circumstances, she couldn’t claim to be anything else.

  14

  TALK ABOUT ROTTEN TIMING. But he couldn’t introduce Amethyst as his girlfriend because she wasn’t. He knew she wasn’t happy about the chance meeting with an old flame, but then, neither was he. On the other hand, he didn’t want to be rude to Marla. They’d had a good thing going for a while.

  At the time he’d taken the job in Jackson Hole, she’d been immersed in her accounting courses. She’d made a couple of trips to Jackson during breaks in her schedule and he’d made a couple to Sheridan, but in the end the relationship hadn’t survived the separation. She’d sent him a wedding invitation to a ceremony down in Cheyenne two years ago but she wasn’t acting married now.

  She didn’t specifically mention a divorce, but when they all tromped up to the porch to meet her sister, brother-in-law and the baby, Marla said she’d moved to Sheridan to be wi
th them. Her brother-in-law worked for the bank and had recommended her for a job.

  While everyone goo-gooed at the baby, Marla asked for his cell number so she could text him hers. He couldn’t figure out any way to refuse. It wasn’t as if he had a commitment to someone else. He was sure Amethyst had heard the entire exchange, damn it.

  He wasn’t interested in Marla. He wanted Amethyst, but she might eventually be lost to him. He didn’t intend to stay celibate for the rest of his life and mourn the loss of his one true love, so if the time came when he had to accept that Amethyst would never be with him, he’d take comfort elsewhere. If Marla was still available, well...he might take comfort with her.

  Amethyst had probably figured all that out. Women were quick to do that. He had a strong feeling the subject would come up once they were alone, but Amethyst was a fair person. She’d know that she didn’t have a leg to stand on. That didn’t mean she had to like this turn of events. In a way, he found her irritation encouraging.

  Other promising signs had cropped up tonight. He was serious about renting her half of the Victorian if he got a job, but he had ulterior motives. So far she hadn’t called him on it, but she was smart so she might before too long.

  If he was right that she was ambivalent about the move, having the chance to accomplish it right away with a minimum of fuss might be startling enough to make her question her decision. If that backfired and she hightailed it over to LA thanks to his help, then coming home would be really easy if it didn’t work out for her.

  He wanted a job in Sheridan for many reasons, but securing the Victorian and keeping it ready for Amethyst’s possible return was now high on his list. She’d guess his motives at some point and he’d be happy to confess if she did. He hoped that eventually she’d want to come back to the house and to him, but if not, he’d live with the memories they’d shared for as long as he could stand it.