The Rancher’s Christmas Miracle

by Maya Stirling

  "And then what? If Wyatt and Victoria meet each other on Friday, what're you hoping for?" she asked.

  Josh thought a moment. "I just want to try bring Wyatt out of his shell. He's locked himself away on the ranch, working all the time. Doesn't socialize much. He needs to get his life back."

  Grace could understand why Josh would want to heal Wyatt's life. Having moved on himself, Josh just probably wanted the same for his half-brother. If Josh was planning on remaining at the Munro ranch, it made sense that it should be a happy place for him and Ryan to live.

  Grace nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

  Josh's smile triggered an instant reaction in Grace. Her spirits lifted the moment she saw the way he was beaming at her. She could see how much her help meant to him.

  Then Josh took her by surprise by reaching out and taking gentle hold of her hands. His touch sent waves of sensation up her spine. She was sure her flushed cheeks betrayed the emotion sweeping through her. Josh's gaze softened. She was getting used to seeing him happy. So much had happened since he'd returned. Would she be a part of his future happiness? Right now, she wasn't sure. Some part of her counseled caution. Maybe it was the remnants of the hurt she'd felt when he'd left her three years ago. But, he wasn't going to do that again, she told herself. Surely she could believe that.

  Grace saw Josh's lips open, and she was certain he was about to kiss her again. Suddenly, she heard footsteps thundering in the hallway. Clara and Bethany tumbled into the parlor and skidded to a halt. Wide-eyed, the two girls stared at Josh and Grace. Josh released Grace's hand and sat back. But, it was too late. Grace saw understanding dawning on the faces of both girls. Then, Bethany did the worst thing possible, as far as Grace was concerned. She lifted her hand to her mouth, giggled and stared at Clara who did exactly the same.

  Grace stood as she heard more footsteps from the hallway. Emma appeared at the parlor entrance and halted. "Josh," Emma exclaimed. "I didn't know you were here."

  Josh stood and tugged on the front of his jacket. He glanced at Grace. "I was just going," he announced.

  Emma rested a hand on the shoulders of the girls. "Say goodbye to Mr Munro, girls," Emma instructed.

  Clara and Bethany did as they were told. Josh bowed his head to Grace and then headed for the door. Eager to tell him something before he left, Grace went to the door. Outside, on the porch, Josh hesitated a moment. She could see he was still trying to compose himself. Maybe he was thinking he'd revealed too much of his interest in her.

  "I'll be there on Friday," Grace told him. "We'll all be there."

  Josh nodded. "I look forward to it."

  "Won't I see you before then?" Grace asked. She wanted him to say yes, but after what had just happened she could see reluctance in his eyes.

  Josh's brows furrowed. He glanced over her shoulder toward the inside of the house. "Maybe not. I've got to finish work on that toboggan for Ryan. And I need to help Wyatt around the ranch."

  It sounded like an excuse, Grace told herself. Maybe he hadn't liked the way they'd almost been caught kissing inside the Buchanan house.

  He touched the brim of his hat and smiled hesitantly. And then Josh walked to his buckboard, got up onto the seat, took the reins and drove off.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Friday night came, and when Josh drove up Inspiration's Main Street, it was instantly obvious to him it was going to be a memorable night. The whole street was packed with carriages and buckboards. There was hardly any room to park up his own carriage, but eventually he found a place to leave it.

  Ryan leaped down from the buckboard seat, followed by Wyatt. Josh was glad Wyatt had given in to his continuous pleadings. His half-brother had even made an effort as far as his choice of outfit for the coming evening. Since returning, Josh hadn't seen Wyatt look quite so elegant. But, the dark suit and Stetson looked good on Wyatt. Josh was sure that, if Victoria Baxter was about this evening, she'd be favorably impressed by the rancher.

  The boardwalks on both sides of the street were congested with people. All of the stores were still open, this being a busy night which promised some impulsive buying from passersby. Great efforts had been taken to illuminate Main Street. Lanterns had been placed at strategic points along the whole length of the street. Colorful decorations had been hung on the buildings along the entire length of the street. Josh could hear music coming from somewhere up ahead. He felt the excitement in the air.

  The night air was cold, the sky above town sparkling with stars, and everyone was wearing their warmest clothes. Ryan was wrapped up in the coat and hat which Grace had bought for him. Josh himself wore his heavy jacket, and beneath it he'd made sure to wear a decent-looking gray suit. He figured if he was going to make an impression on Grace he'd have to go all out.

  Josh, Wyatt and Ryan stepped up onto the boardwalk. Josh took Ryan's hand. The little boy's eyes were bright with excitement. Josh figured if he'd been Ryan's age, he'd be excited, too. Main Street looked beautiful. Bright lights; lots of happy people; the sound of many voices; cheerful music floating on the air; the mouth-watering scent of food. It was a riot of the senses.

  Impatient to find out where Grace could be, Josh peered into the crowds of townsfolk on both sides of the street. Frustration flared inside him when he couldn't immediately see any sign of her. It was unthinkable that she wouldn't come tonight, he told himself. He hadn't been to the Buchanan ranch since Tuesday. He'd seen the way she'd looked at him when he'd left. Not wishing to put any pressure on Grace, he'd stayed away.

  Ranch work and making the toboggan had kept his mind off what was happening between himself and Grace. But, every once in a while, during the last few days, his mind had drifted to thoughts of Grace. He realized he was thinking about her for most of the day. Every day. He just couldn't get her out of his mind. Not that he wanted to do that, anyway. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever set eyes on. Elegant, pretty, and possessed of the finest character he'd ever encountered. Grace was perfect in every way.

  Which made it all the more frustrating that she seemed to be holding something back. Of course, she'd been a great help to him since his return. With the challenges of looking after Ryan and with Josh's own painful history. He wasn't sure he'd have been able to cope with life in the last couple of weeks without Grace's assistance. Still, in spite of all that, Grace was definitely holding Josh at arms length. He was beginning to worry that he might never break down the barrier that remained between himself and Grace.

  For the next half-hour, Josh, Ryan and Wyatt walked up and down the boardwalk, taking in the sights of the happiest town in Montana one week before Christmas. Then, the procession started gathering at the far end of the street. Josh, Wyatt and Ryan moved quickly up to that end of Main Street and got in line. The crowd, many dozens of townsfolk, were talking excitedly amongst themselves. Josh continued to scan the faces, anxious to find Grace and her family. Some folks held candles which cast a warm glow across eager faces.

  Then, just as the procession was about to start making its way up Main Street, Josh heard his name being called out. He looked in the direction of the voice. Grace's voice. Josh's spirits lifted when he saw Grace gently pushing her way through the crowd. Behind her he saw, Matilda, Emma and Jake. The heads of Clara and Bethany were just about visible from where Josh stood. Soon, they were pressing in next to Josh, Wyatt and Ryan. Greetings were exchanged and then the procession started to move slowly up the street.

  As the procession began to move, Grace eased herself next to Josh. Every time the crowd moved a few steps forward, Grace would bump up against Josh. He wasn't about to complain about that, he told himself. Townsfolk broke into singing a Christmas song, The First Noel. Josh knew the words and sang out loudly while he gazed down at Grace who sang and smiled up at him. Josh saw Ryan smiling up at him and, even though the boy didn't know the words, he did his best to copy Josh. From both sides of the street, people joined the throng moving slowly up the middle of Main Street. Soon the
crowd was so large it pressed up against the boardwalk. People hung out of windows, watching the procession. Josh even saw some curious eyes gazing over the batwings of the saloon.

  Josh's heart was filled with joy. This was what it meant to experience Christmas in a small town community where everyone just wanted to bring delight into each others lives. Then he felt Grace slip her arm into his. Responding instantly, he held her close against him and gazed into her eyes, seeing the sheer pleasure in those brown pools. She was having a wonderful time, and the evening had only just begun.

  The procession continued slowly up the street until it came to the town hall. Alongside the building Josh saw a vacant lot. He recalled that had once been a saloon. Apparently it had been demolished at some point in the past. Now, there was a clearing between two buildings. Enclosed by a low wooden fence stood a tree. Josh guessed it was twenty feet tall. It had been cut down in a nearby forest, brought into town and sunk into a pit in the ground. It was secured by many long wires extending away from the tree. Small lamps had been placed on the ground, forming a circle around the tree.

  The tree itself was bare. For now, at least. Josh knew that, soon, it would be festooned with the many decorations which currently lay in a heap on the ground in front of the fence. Each member of the procession would take it in turn to place a decoration on the tree. This had been a town tradition for years.

  Josh also knew that, during the next week, until Christmas day, the townsfolk would bring gifts to lay around the tree. Children who lived in town would come to the tree on Christmas day and open the gift presented to them with their families in attendance.

  Josh felt Grace tugging at him. He looked down into her eyes.

  "It's pretty, isn't it," she said brightly.

  He gazed into her eyes and felt sensation sweep through him. Temptation. "I can see an even greater beauty," he murmured. "Right here, in front of me."

  Josh saw Grace's cheeks flush. Her gaze softened and her mouth opened slightly, tempting him to lean even closer. The urge to kiss her was almost impossible to resist. Desire to hold Grace in his arms seized Josh. But, he managed to restrain himself. In spite of the temptation. Despite the astounding beauty of the woman holding onto his arm. He hadn't seen Grace this happy since he'd returned. Witnessing her joy made his heart swell with delight. He realized that all he wanted on life was to bring happiness into Grace's life. He wondered if he would ever get the chance to do that.

  Josh became aware that others, close by, were watching him and Grace. But, he didn't care. Right now, all he wanted was for Grace to keep holding onto him. And for Grace to keep looking at him with her gorgeous brown eyes. He felt as if he was going to sink into the deep pool of her gaze.

  A sudden, sharp noise filled the air. Grace yelled and tumbled against Josh. He held onto her and glanced around at the crowd. Around Josh, people had jumped and screamed. A firecracker had gone off, startling some in the procession. Laughter rang out once people realized what had caused the sound.

  The singing continued for a while longer and then a tall figure emerged from the crowd and stood on a box which had been placed in front of the tree. It was the town Mayor. He proceeded to make a brief speech, thanking everyone for coming to the ceremony. Then he invited children to come forward first so they could choose a decoration and place it on the tree.

  There was a bustle of activity. Josh led Ryan forward and helped him choose a decoration, in this case, a painted plaster cast of a reindeer which was almost the size of Ryan's head. When Ryan's turn came, Josh led him forward and helped him hang the reindeer by a thick thread on a low branch of the tree. Ryan's eyes were bright with pleasure as he stood back and proudly surveyed his handiwork.

  For a few long moments, Josh stood alongside Ryan with his hands resting on the boy's shoulder. From behind him, he heard the sounds of singing as the crowd struck up with another Christmas song. Josh savored the moment, feeling like a parent. Like a true father to Ryan. It was simple experiences like this which made all the hardship of recent times worth it, Josh told himself.

  He looked down at Ryan. "Do you like it?" he asked him.

  Ryan grinned broadly and gazed up to the top of the tree. "It's amazing," he exclaimed.

  Josh nodded and looked at the tree which was fast becoming covered with colorful decorations of every kind. "I agree, Ryan," Josh said quietly. "It's really something."

  When Josh glanced back, he saw that Grace was getting ready with Emma and Jake to lead Clara and Bethany up to the tree. Grace smiled at Josh and then nodded. Josh was sure he was the only person who would have seen the gesture. But, it filled his heart, nevertheless. Grace's approval meant the world to Josh. And nothing would ever change that fact. It had been a perfect start to the evening. Josh hoped it would get even better. And, if he got the chance he was hoping for, he was determined to tell Grace exactly how he felt about her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  "I can see Victoria Baxter," Emma said, leaning close to Grace. "And she's already talking to Wyatt," she added excitedly.

  Grace and Emma were standing by the side of a makeshift dance floor which had been set up close to the town hall. They were surrounded by a crowd of townsfolk. Tables had been set out around the area. Drinks and food were being given out to people. A group of five musicians were currently filling the air with delightful tunes. Laughter rang out. And there, in the middle of the crowd, Grace saw Victoria Baxter and Wyatt, heads close together, trying to make themselves heard about the tumult of sound. Grace smiled. Victoria and Wyatt looked like they were getting on well.

  "Our visit paid off," Grace told Emma.

  Emma smiled. "I wasn't sure if she was going to come," she said. "She didn't seem too sure."

  Grace frowned. "Maybe she and Wyatt have more history together than folks think."

  "Never mind that," Emma said brightly. "They're getting on like a house on fire, now."

  Looking at the couple, Grace had to admit that Emma was right. She recalled her and Emma's visit to the Baxter ranch on the Wednesday. Grace and Emma, having volunteered to be involved in getting things ready for the procession, had used that as their excuse for the visit and Victoria had listened while both women had tried to make the upcoming Christmas procession sound like an event not to be missed. They also tried, and failed, to get Victoria interested in helping with the organization of the procession. But, Victoria had resisted. Firmly.

  Even although the visit to the ranch was brief, Grace immediately got the impression that Victoria Baxter was a strong-minded and extremely pretty young woman. She was well-mannered and spoke with a casual ease. She seemed confident and poised. In some respects, she was an ideal match for Wyatt, since he possessed such a stable and sensible character.

  Sitting in the parlor of the ranch house, Victoria had listened patiently as Grace described some of the tasks they'd need help with. But, Victoria had proven completely resistant to the idea of helping. In fact, at one point she came out and declared, bluntly, that she wasn't going to attend.

  It was then that Grace had played her final card. Wyatt Munro. The instant Grace mentioned the rancher's intention to attend the procession, Victoria's attitude changed completely. Although, she did her best to disguise it beneath a pretense of indifference, Grace could tell that Victoria's interest had been stimulated. One thing had led to another and the result had been that Victoria had agreed to help with some of the arrangements during the coming days.

  During the Thursday and Friday, Grace had learned even more about Victoria Baxter. She was practical by nature and was willing to put herself to great trouble if it meant helping others. Grace wasn't surprised at that last quality in Victoria's character. It was no doubt the result of growing up on a ranch. Also, Victoria had three brothers. Grace herself knew that living on a ranch with brothers forced a young woman to acquire many virtues, not least patience and fortitude.

  Grace saw Victoria laugh at something Wyatt said to her. Grace felt a touch on he
r arm. She turned and saw Josh standing there. She looked around. "Where's Ryan?" she asked.

  Josh tilted his head in the direction of the far end of the dance floor. Grace saw Jake dancing with Clara and Bethany. Matilda was holding Ryan's hands and trying to teach him some dance steps. Everyone looked like they were having a wonderful time.