The Rancher’s Christmas Miracle

by Maya Stirling

  Josh nodded. "Back in Wyoming, there were a whole lot of things I had to learn. One of them was working with wood so I could do repairs around the place where I was staying."

  "Seems like your time in Wyoming taught you a lot," Wyatt suggested.

  "It did. More than you can imagine, Wyatt," Josh explained. Josh gestured to the pieces of wood on the table. "You want to help me with this?"

  Wyatt nodded. "Sure."

  "You have to promise you won't tell Ryan what we're making."

  "I know how to keep secrets, Josh," Wyatt replied.

  Josh lifted a brow. "Really. What kind?"

  Wyatt's face colored slightly, as if he'd been caught off guard. "Never mind that." He glanced down at the table. "I'll start with this one," he added lifting a broad, flat piece of wood which Josh knew would end up being the center board of the toboggan once it was finished.

  For a short while, he and Wyatt worked quietly on the pieces of wood. It had been a long time since he'd shared an experience like this with his half-brother. It felt good to be working on something together. Josh's mind drifted to the events of the day before. To the man he'd seen at the saloon. Josh wondered what he was going to do about the presence of the man who'd inexplicably appeared in Inspiration. He asked himself what could be the reason for the man's arrival in town. He thought back to the last time he'd seen the stranger.

  It had been on his last day in Buffalo, Wyoming. The day he'd left the small town to begin his journey in the Conestoga wagon with Ryan safely in the back. The stranger had arrived in Buffalo and had immediately started causing trouble. He'd gotten involved in a tussle at the town saloon. No-one knew who he was. All that they did know was that he had spent his first night in the jailhouse. From what Josh had heard before leaving Buffalo, the man had refused to say who he was, or why he had come to Buffalo. All that Josh knew about him was that he had intimidated people right from the moment he'd ridden into town. Josh himself had had no dealings with the man. He'd been too busy getting ready to leave Buffalo.

  All of this added up to something of a mystery for Josh. It was too much of a coincidence that the stranger had come to Inspiration such a short time after Josh and Ryan had arrived. Josh asked himself if the man's presence had anything to do with him and Ryan. But, he couldn't figure out why there could be a connection.

  For the moment, Josh decided it would be wise for him to make some discreet inquiries about the man. But, above all, Josh was determined to keep himself and Ryan away from the man. Just in case trouble was brewing. Josh didn't want to jeopardize all the progress he'd made since returning to Inspiration. He wanted to get through Christmas before dealing with anything from his past. He wasn't going to allow anything to ruin Christmas.

  Josh dragged his attention back to the work at hand. He could see that Wyatt knew what he was doing when it came to working with wood. Wyatt was comfortable handling the tools, and his every move produced results. Maybe it wasn't going to take too long to make this toboggan, after all, Josh told himself.

  Suddenly, Wyatt looked thoughtful. He glanced at Josh. "I heard you went to pay respects to pa on Sunday," Wyatt said.

  "I did," Josh replied, wondering how Wyatt was going to deal with this.

  Wyatt nodded slowly. "That's good," he said curtly. He looked at Josh. "I'm glad you did that. Pa would be pleased."

  Josh put down the wood he was working with. "I was in church, and I just had this feeling that I had to go to him," Josh said, emotion creeping into his voice. "That I had some forgiving to do."

  "Forgiving?" Wyatt said, lifting a brow and pausing his own work.

  Josh nodded. "I told pa that I forgave him for everything he did."

  Wyatt frowned. "What did pa do to you, Josh?"

  Josh waved a dismissive hand. He wasn't going to take the bait. The time for arguing with Wyatt over their past with their father was gone for good. "That wasn't all I did, Wyatt. I also asked pa for his forgiveness."

  Wyatt's mouth dropped open. For a moment, he was speechless. Consternation filled his eyes. "You asked him to forgive you? Why?"

  "Because I done him wrong, Wyatt," Josh explained. "I heard the pastor's words in church, and I realized that I'd been prideful. Even arrogant and cruel to my father. And that, when I left him like that, I must have hurt him. Real bad." Josh felt emotion tighten his throat. He could see Wyatt was watching him with disbelief. "I had to go ask him to forgive me."

  Josh heard Wyatt gasp quietly. His half-brother's eyes narrowed as he tried to make sense of what Josh had revealed to him. After a long pause, Wyatt spoke: "I had no idea, Josh. From what you said to me when you came back, I figured there was no way you'd ever fix the past between you and pa."

  "Well, I did,"Josh said. "At least as much as I could under the circumstances. I thought it was too late. But, the Lord helped me see that it is never to late to forgive and be forgiven."

  Wyatt's face paled slightly. "The Lord?"

  Josh nodded and smiled. "I know you haven't been in church for a long time, Wyatt. But, I can only hope that you'll find your way back."

  Wyatt frowned and picked up a piece of wood. He lifted a tool and began shaving the edge of the wood, clearly determined to avoid the subject.

  Josh moved around the table and laid a hand on Wyatt's shoulder. "It's never too late, Wyatt," Josh said.

  Wyatt lifted his head and peered into Josh's eyes. "You don't understand, Josh. When pa died I felt angry. Like I'd lost something I shouldn't have." Wyatt sighed heavily. "Like God had taken him away from me. And I couldn't understand why."

  Josh nodded. "I know how that anger feels, Wyatt. I had some of it myself. But, it's no good turning your back on the Lord because He allowed some trial into your life. He's calling you back to Him," Josh said. "I know it."

  There was still doubt in Wyatt's eyes. Josh could see it clearly. Abruptly, Wyatt shook his head and fixed his attention back onto the work. Moving back around the table, Josh told himself that maybe it was going to take a while to persuade Wyatt that he belonged back in the arms of the Lord.

  Deciding to change to subject, Josh peered across at Wyatt. "I heard you and Victoria Baxter were stepping out together while I was away."

  Wyatt's brows lifted abruptly. His face flushed red. "Who told you that?" he demanded.

  "You know nothing gets past Miriam for more than a day," Josh said, forcing himself to smile at Wyatt.

  "That's old history," Wyatt grunted.

  "Not that old, from what I hear," Josh retorted. "You and Victoria were courting during the summer."

  Wyatt dropped the wood down onto the table. " I was not courting Victoria," he complained. "We were just good friends."

  Josh smiled. "Well, that confirms it, then."

  "What do you mean?" Wyatt asked.

  "In a town like Inspiration, being just good friends is almost as good as being ready to marry," Josh joked.

  Wyatt exhaled loudly and shook his head. "I think I'll leave you to make your own toboggan," he declared. Wyatt strode to the barn door, slid up the wooden bar, opened the door and stepped outside. Josh went to the open door and watched as Wyatt walked briskly toward the ranch house. Josh shook his head and smiled as he closed the door. Seemed like he'd touched a raw nerve with Wyatt by mentioning Victoria Baxter. He wondered how serious Wyatt's friendship had been with her. Miriam had spoken about it with Josh when he'd been in the kitchen this morning. Josh knew nothing about Miss Baxter. But, judging by Wyatt's reaction, maybe she'd been more than just a mere acquaintance.

  Josh picked up the piece of wood he'd been working with. An idea drifted into his mind. He smiled to himself. There was one way of finding out just how serious Wyatt was about the Miss Baxter. And Josh knew just the person who could help him get to the truth.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Grace was helping Hettie, the Buchanan housekeeper, in the kitchen when Josh arrived late on the Tuesday afternoon. Instantly panicked because she was wearing a plain gown and di
rty apron, Grace rushed to ready herself. By the time she stepped out onto the porch, Josh was standing there waiting for her. Grace saw his gaze drift appreciatively down the length of her green gown. She had a woolen shawl wrapped around her shoulders.

  Josh was dressed for the cold weather, in spite of the fact that another brief thaw had set in. The afternoon air was mild, almost warm for this time of the year. He wore his usual heavy jacket, jeans and Stetson. As always when she was in his company these days, Grace told herself Josh looked mighty fine.

  "To what do I owe this visit?" Grace asked.

  Josh lifted a brow. "I didn't know I needed an excuse to come see you."

  Grace felt her cheeks flush turn pink. She played with a loose stand of hair which was hanging by the side of her face. She saw Josh's eyes narrow as he watched her coiling the hair around her finger.

  "How have you been?" he asked, slightly awkwardly, she thought.

  Dragging one booted foot across the wooden porch floor, Grace shrugged. "I've been busy getting ready for Christmas. Ma likes me helping around the house." She peered at Josh. "And you? What have you been doing?"

  "I've been working on Ryan's toboggan," Josh announced. "Well, not just me. Wyatt was helping me."

  "I didn't know Wyatt could do things like that."

  Josh nodded. "Turns out he's good at carving wood. Just what I need." Josh's brows furrowed. "Although, he did storm out on me after I spoke to him about a few things."

  "What kind of things?" she asked. She could see that something was bothering Josh.

  "I told him about how I paid respects to my pa," Josh said. "He was pleased about it." He shrugged. "Once I explained to him why I'd done it."

  "That's good," Grace said relieved that some of the previous ill-will between Josh and Wyatt seemed to have been fixed.

  "But, he didn't like it when I asked him about something else," Josh said.

  Grace shivered. "You want to come inside and tell me?"

  Josh nodded and Grace led him into the house. They took their seats in the parlor. Emma, the children and Matilda were busy in another part of the house. Jake was out working with the ranch hands. The fire was blazing, filling the parlor with welcome heat. She was pleased she was alone with Josh. She could hear the sounds of Hettie working in the kitchen. She wondered how long it would take for the housekeeper to come into the parlor and offer Josh some tea.

  "So what annoyed Wyatt so much he had to storm out?" Grace asked.

  "Two things. He's still reluctant to return to church," Josh said. "Wyatt still feels the pain of my pa's passing." Josh frowned. "I think he's still angry at God."

  Grace shook her head. "I could see that when I spoke to him the other day. He didn't want to listen to me when I tried to explain that the Lord sends us trials. And that we do best when we accept them and increase our trust in God." Grace sighed. "But, I'm afraid he couldn't see it my way."

  Josh nodded. "That's what I thought, this morning. It might take him a while to come back. But, I'm hopeful he will."

  Grace narrowed her eyes. "What was the other thing?"

  Josh smiled. "Do you know Victoria Baxter?"

  "Victoria?" Grace thought for a moment. "Why, sure, I do. She lives with her family out on the ranch south of Inspiration."

  "Seems like she and Wyatt were stepping out together, during the summer," Josh said.

  Grace thought a moment, trying to recall if she'd seen Wyatt and Victoria together. But, she couldn't recall having seen evidence of their friendship. "That's funny. I never saw them together," she told Josh.

  He smiled. "Maybe Wyatt kept it a secret." Josh shook his head. "That's always been Wyatt's way."

  "I'm sure Victoria wouldn't have done that. If there was anything serious going on between her and Wyatt," Grace suggested. "You know how quickly gossip travels in Inspiration."

  "I remember how it was when you and I were stepping out together," Josh said.

  Grace felt her face flush an even deeper shade of pink. Courting might have been a better word to use, she told herself. Because that was how she had described her time with Josh Munro. It had been a courtship, even if no-one had used that exact word.

  Apparently seeing her discomfort, Josh immediately backtracked. "You're right about gossip. I'm sure someone must have known about Wyatt and Victoria."

  "So, why is is important?" she asked.

  Josh leaned closer. "That's where you come in," he said. "I want you to do something for me."

  "Me? What am I going to do?" Grace asked.

  Josh glanced toward the open parlor door. Noises were still coming from the kitchen. He looked like he didn't want to be overheard. "It's going to be difficult."

  Grace felt butterflies tumbling in her middle. This close to her, Josh's presence was intense. She caught his scent, a mixture of leather and soap. His gaze softened slightly. His expression was suddenly familiar. It was the way he looked at her when he wanted to deepen their connection. As always, when he was this close to her, she felt her heart quicken and sensed a sudden lightness in her body.

  "I'd like you to come with me to the Christmas tree ceremony in town on Friday night," Josh said softly.

  Grace gazed at Josh. Had he just invited her out on a public date? The ceremony was a big event in Inspiration. A procession of townsfolk would make their way up Main Street to where the large Christmas tree had been erected next to the town hall. There, songs would be sung, and everyone would take turns decorating the tree. It was an annual event every Christmas. And, of course, she and Josh had never attended it together. As a couple. But, that was what he was asking her to do. To be his companion for the evening. She thought for a long moment, unsure how to respond.

  As if answering her objections, Josh added: "I'll be bringing Ryan, of course."

  Grace nodded. "Of course you will. He'll love that."

  "And, I'll be making sure that Wyatt comes, too," Josh declared. She looked into his eyes, seeing a mischievous look there. "That's where you come in. If you could make sure that Victoria Baxter is there, too, it would make a beautiful night even more wonderful." He winked at Grace. "If you know what I mean."

  Grace pouted. "Are you trying to get me to be a matchmaker? Because I can think of someone in town who's better at that than I am."

  Josh's brows rose. "Who would that be?"

  "Sophie Cameron."

  "The sheriff's wife?" Josh asked.

  Grace nodded. "She just about married all my cousins off. Sophie's the expert when it comes to bringing couples together."

  Josh shook his head. "But, if you did it, Wyatt wouldn't be suspicious. Coming from Sophie, it'd probably scare him off. I'm not sure Wyatt's interested in matrimony."

  Hearing Josh mention marriage, Grace couldn't help wondering if Josh himself still had his mind set on finding a wife. Grace was sure Josh had his sights set on her. Maybe this was all an elaborate way of getting her to agree to step out with him again. She wondered what folks would think when they saw her and Josh together at the Christmas tree ceremony. Would they think she and Josh had turned back the clock? Would the gossip be about her and Josh, instead of Wyatt and Victoria?

  "Will you help get Wyatt and Victoria together?" Josh asked.

  Grace frowned. "I can't promise that I'll be able to get her to come."

  Josh shook his head. "I'm sure you can find a way of persuading her."