“Maybe the location has some special significance to them,” she suggested. “Perhaps the first time he kissed her was in this barn. Or maybe the first time they made love was in the hay loft.”
Luke held up his hands. “Enough speculation. I don’t really want to know.”
She laughed as she looped the lights over a nail that had been hammered into the wall for that purpose. But the laugh cut off as she sucked in a breath.
He was immediately at her side. “What happened?”
“Splinter,” she said.
He took her hand and gently unfolded the fingers that had instinctively curled into a fist. “That’s a big one. And it seems to be in pretty deep.”
“Are you talking about my hand or trying to evoke memories of last night?”
“It’s not a good idea to distract me with dirty talk when you’re wounded,” he chastised.
“It’s just a little wood.”
His gaze narrowed. “Definitely not what you were saying last night.”
She laughed. “Can you get it out? Please.”
“Again, not words I’ve heard you say before.” But his expression grew serious as he turned his attention back to her hand. “You should have been wearing gloves.”
“I’m not a delicate flower,” she told him.
He stroked his thumb along the side of her palm, sending tingles shooting up her arm and down her spine. “Your hands are soft.”
Because she pampered them before bed every night, using a special scrub and lotion to ensure they didn’t bear evidence of the arduous work they did in the kitchen. “And strong.”
He nodded, acknowledging the fact. “I’ve seen you lift fifty-pound bags of flour as effortlessly as an angel food cake,” he agreed. “But you should still be careful.”
“It’s a splinter,” she reminded him. “Not a bullet wound.”
Though it wasn’t lodged completely under her skin, his fingers were too big and clumsy to be able to grasp the end and pull it free.
“There used to be a first-aid kit in the tack room,” Luke remembered. “I might find a pair of tweezers in there.”
“Let’s take a look.”
He continued to hold her hand as he led her toward the back of the barn.
She hadn’t been in the tack room before, but someone had obviously done a thorough job sweeping the space free of dust and cobwebs. Eva might have grown up in town, but she was enough of a country girl to recognize the faint scents of saddle soap, beeswax and leather—with just a hint of wood smoke, courtesy of the old stove in the corner—that lingered in the air.
Beneath a row of bridle hooks, empty saddle racks hung on the wall. On another wall, there were benches and shelves. A row of wooden boxes was lined up on the lowest shelf, and Luke instinctively reached for the nearest one and pulled it down.
“Here we go,” he said, lifting out a smaller white box with a familiar red cross on the cover.
“That doesn’t look as if it’s been in here for at least a dozen years,” Eva noted with relief.
“Whoever cleaned up in here must have replaced the old one,” Luke said.
“Probably Annie,” she surmised. “Moms appreciate the importance of having antibacterial cream and Band-Aids on hand.”
“Hopefully tweezers, too,” he said, unsnapping the lid. He rifled through the contents. “Even better—individually wrapped sterile splinter removers.”
He opened the package and lifted out the instrument, then reached for her hand again. She was aware of his palm—wide and calloused—beneath her hand, and she found herself remembering how those strong, hard hands felt sliding over her naked skin, skimming over her curves, caressing her—
“Did I hurt you?”
She blinked. “What?”
“You shivered,” he said. “And I thought maybe I hurt you.”
“No,” she said, her cheeks flushing beneath his scrutiny. “I guess I just...um...got a chill.”
“Well, it’s out.”
“Out?” she echoed, uncomprehending.
His lips twitched at the corners. “The splinter.”
She looked down at her hand, still cradled gently in his, and saw that the sliver of wood had, indeed, been removed from her palm, leaving only a small red mark where it had been. She started to draw her hand away, but he held it still.
“You still need some antibiotic cream and a Band-Aid.”
“It was just a splinter.”
“It was a big splinter and it was wedged deep.”
And yet, she hadn’t even felt him pull it out of her skin, because her mind had been too busy spinning romantic fantasies.
Still holding her hand, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to her palm. Her breath hitched.
“A kiss to make it better,” he said.
“Should I give you a list of all the other places that hurt?”
He smiled and released her hand to unwrap a Band-Aid and dab some cream on the pad, then carefully place it over her wound. “The first time I ever kissed a girl was in this room,” he told her as he worked.
“Was it?”
“Charmaine Wilson. I was twelve, she was fourteen.”
“An older woman,” she mused aloud.
He nodded. “She wore her long, dark hair in a single braid down her back, skin-tight jeans and she had the most amazing br—” he cleared his throat “—brown eyes.”
Eva chuckled. “And how long did your infatuation with Charmaine Wilson last?”
“Almost a whole week.”
“You did tell me that long-term relationships aren’t your thing,” she acknowledged.
“So why are you still hanging around with me?”
“I happen to enjoy your company.” She dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “And the off-the-charts sex.”
“I think we’re done here for today,” he decided as he drew her into his embrace. “It’s Thursday, isn’t it?”
“All day,” she confirmed.
“Does that mean your parents are bowling tonight?”
“It does,” she said, impressed that he’d remembered.
“So what would you say if I suggested that we grab a bite before going back to my sister’s place?”
“I’d say ‘yes, please.’”
* * *
Over the past twelve years, Luke had almost forgotten what it meant to be part of a family. In only a few weeks, being around Bella and Hudson, Danny and Annie and Janie, and Jamie and Fallon and HJK—as his youngest brother fondly and collectively referred to his triplets—had reminded him and shown him how much better life was with people he cared about and who cared about him. Which made him think that maybe he should forget his promise to stay in Rust Creek Falls until after Danny’s wedding, until after the New Year, and head back to Wyoming now, before he started to feel as if he belonged here.
That would be the smart thing to do, but it wasn’t what he wanted to do.
In fact, the prospect of going back to Wyoming was surprisingly unappealing. He didn’t want to walk away from the siblings he’d just started to reconnect with, and he didn’t want to leave the woman who had already taken hold of his heart.
Chapter Thirteen
Eva couldn’t remember a time in her life when she’d been happier than she was with Luke. Her euphoric mood was dimmed only by the fact that Luke hadn’t said anything to her about his plans for the New Year. Or rather that he hadn’t said anything that suggested he’d change his plans.
Because the truth was that he’d clearly—and repeatedly—told her of his intention to return to Cheyenne after the holidays, but Eva kept waiting for him to realize that he wanted a future with her and decide to stay in Rust Creek Falls so that they could build a life together. So far, he’d re
mained silent on the topic, so she’d pushed the questions and concerns aside and focused on preparing for the holidays—and spending every possible minute with the man she loved.
“Your dad and I are going to watch White Christmas tonight,” Marion told Eva after dinner on Friday. “Do you and Luke want to join us?”
She appreciated that her mom had included Luke in the invitation, but she shook her head. “We’re going to the Ace in the Hole. Rosey’s hosting another viewing party to show the final episode of The Great Roundup. Practically the whole town is going to be there.”
“That will be quite the crowd,” Marion said. “Why don’t you watch it here?”
“Aside from the fact that you want to watch White Christmas, Dad can’t watch anything without the clicker in his hand, changing channels every few minutes to ensure he isn’t missing something better on another station.”
Her mother sighed, unable to deny the fact. “We’re supposed to get another storm tonight. Please keep an eye on the weather and come home early if it gets bad.”
“I’ll keep an eye on the weather,” she promised.
But the concerned expression remained on her mother’s face as she continued to dry and put the dishes away.
“What are you really worried about, Mom?”
Marion folded the towel and hung it over the handle of the oven door. “That you’ll marry Luke and move to Wyoming,” she finally said.
Eva was stunned. “Why would you ever think something like that?”
“Because I know you’re in love with him, and I’m beginning to suspect, considering the amount of time he’s been spending with you, that he has some pretty deep feelings, too.”
She hoped her mother was right about Luke’s feelings, but right now she was more concerned about Marion’s. “Where’s this coming from, Mom?”
“I guess I was just thinking about how much has changed over the past few years—and how much more is going to change.”
“What do you mean? Is Dad—”
“Your father’s fine,” Marion hastened to assure her. “He’s really, truly fine. I’m sorry—you know I always get emotional around the holidays.”
Eva smiled. “I know. You don’t only cry during holiday movies, you cry over the commercials.”
“Some of them,” her mother acknowledged. “But as I was digging through the holiday movies, looking for White Christmas, I was thinking about all the times we watched it together as a family. Then Calla got married and moved away, and Delphine got married and moved away, and...well, you’re the only one I have left.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Eva assured her.
But Marion shook her head. “I don’t want you to make those kinds of promises. Don’t get me wrong—I would miss you terribly if you went away, but you have to live your own life. Follow your heart.”
“I will, but I’ll always be here if you need me.”
“I know.” Her mother hugged her tight. “But right now, you need to get ready for your date.”
* * *
“I still can’t believe that Brenna and Travis are actually married,” Eva remarked to Luke as they left the Ace later that night.
“That certainly seemed to be a big surprise ending to the season,” he agreed.
She knew he hadn’t really followed the series, insisting that the only reality TV he was interested in was live-action football. She also knew that, as a result of being in Rust Creek Falls over the past few weeks, he’d been caught up in the fervor.
“I’ll bet it was a surprise to both their families, too. Although Travis is several years older than Brenna, they’ve known each other forever, and I don’t think anyone ever suspected there were sparks between them.”
“Sometimes there needs to be friction to generate sparks,” Luke commented, opening the passenger door of his truck for her.
“I guess that’s true,” she acknowledged, still stunned by the revelation of the on-set wedding. But maybe she shouldn’t have been surprised to learn that the gorgeous hairdresser and sexy cowboy had found love on the reality show. Over the past few months a lot of romances had blossomed in Rust Creek Falls.
Eva loved a happy ending as much as anyone, and while she was sincerely pleased for the newlyweds, she couldn’t help but feel a little envious, too. She was grateful that she’d met Luke, and getting to know him had inevitably led to falling in love with him, but she was still waiting for some hint or indication that he felt the same way. Because as exciting as it was to be in love, she wanted to be loved, too.
Luke turned onto Cedar Street, then reached across the center console to take her hand. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course,” she replied automatically.
“Are you sure? Because you’ve been quiet since we left the Ace.”
“I’m just tired,” she said.
And she was—physically and emotionally. The early mornings at Daisy’s took a toll on her body, but it was her heart and spirit that were really feeling beaten down. Tired of being left out. Tired of helping other people plan their weddings—which reminded her, “And I still have to finish making the flowers for Danny and Annie’s wedding cake.”
“Speaking of their wedding,” Luke said. “Annie’s been stressing about making sure there are enough seats at the wedding and she wants to know if I’m going to have a ‘plus one.’”
“Are you asking me to be your ‘plus one’?”
“I know it’s Christmas Eve and your sisters will be here with their families so you’re probably busy...”
“Just ask the question, Luke,” she interjected.
He smiled at the impatience in her tone, “Will you go to Danny and Annie’s Christmas Eve wedding with me? I can’t recommend the venue, but the cake should be good.”
“I would love to,” she said.
* * *
“This must be a director’s cut,” Eva commented when she walked into the house and found her parents snuggled together on the sofa watching the end of White Christmas.
“One of the benefits of watching a movie on Blu-ray is being able to pause it to make popcorn or take bathroom breaks,” her dad commented, hitting the pause button again.
“Or to watch the final episode of The Great Roundup and the postshow reunion,” Marion added.
Eva smiled. “I wondered if you would switch over.”
“I wanted to find out if Brenna and Travis were still together,” her mom admitted. “And your dad wanted to know who took the prize money.”
“And now you know that Brenna was the big winner,” Eva noted. “She got the money and her man.”
“I’ll bet there was a lot of buzz at the Ace when Travis and Brenna admitted they were married for real.”
“There was, but that wasn’t the only buzz,” Eva said, then proceeded to tell them that Phil Dalton had bought a huge parcel of land on the outskirts of town.
“I knew he’d been looking for some property around here,” Ray admitted.
“After losing his home and his wife in January, it’s understandable that he’d want a fresh start,” Marion noted.
“His sons, too,” she said. “Apparently they’re going to live on and work the land with him.”
“That’s wonderful news,” her mother said. “During times of tragedy, it’s more important than ever for families to stick together.”
Eva agreed, and she knew that Luke was still feeling the effects of losing touch with his siblings after the deaths of their parents.
“There are rumors going around that some of Neal Dalton’s kids are planning to move to Rust Creek Falls, too,” she said.
“Phil could use the extra hands,” Ray commented.
“And the support of more family close by,” Marion added.
And because spending
time with Luke had helped Eva recognize and appreciate the value of her family, she settled onto the sofa and watched the end of White Christmas with her parents.
* * *
All of the guests agreed that the newly refurbished barn at Sunshine Farm was a beautiful setting for a Christmas Eve wedding. Only those who had been involved with the intense rehab efforts over the past few weeks could truly appreciate the transformation that had been effected. Eva had pitched in a little herself, but even she was awed by the end result.
His two sisters that the groom had reconnected with stood up with the bride. Though Dana hadn’t lived in Rust Creek Falls since she was a child, Annie knew how much his siblings meant to her soon-to-be husband, so she’d chosen to involve them in the ceremony as much as possible. Bella and Dana were dressed in long-sleeve, scoop-neck gowns of dark green velvet. The flower girl—Danny and Annie’s daughter, Janie—was wearing a matching style in red. All three of the attendants carried bouquets of red roses with festive accents of evergreen, pinecones and berries.
The bride’s dress was silk taffeta with a lace overlay. Annie had confided to Eva—who wanted to match the icing on the cake to the color of the bride’s dress—that she had reservations about wearing white, and although her dress was technically ivory, she worried that tongues would wag. But when she took her first steps down the makeshift aisle, Eva didn’t imagine anyone was thinking anything except that she was a truly beautiful bride.
The ceremony was an interesting mix of traditional and nontraditional elements. Instead of walking down the aisle on the arm of her father, the bride was given away by her ex-husband. Unorthodox, perhaps, but considering that Annie and Hank were both committed to continuing to co-parent the daughter they’d raised together from birth, it was a gesture that spoke to the bond of their family.
Dana had arrived in Rust Creek Falls the night before, taking up Bella’s offer of a spare bedroom, and Luke had stayed up late with her, as if a few extra hours might somehow allow him to catch up on everything he’d missed over the past twelve years. At first it had been difficult to reconcile the little girl he remembered with the young woman who walked into Bella’s living room. Then Dana smiled at him, and it was the smile he remembered. The sparkle in her eyes was the sparkle he remembered. And it felt so good to see her again, even if it hurt to think about all the years he’d lost, all the moments they’d never shared.
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