A Heartfelt Christmas Promise

by Nancy Naigle

  “I love you, Daddy.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you. And you too, Vanessa. Thank you so much.”

  “You two have fun,” she said.

  Luke turned and looked at Vanessa as if it were the first time he’d noticed her standing there. His face paled and then his cheeks reddened as he muttered, “Ooh, man.”

  She watched him visibly gulp.

  “I think I owe you an apology,” he said to Vanessa.

  “Me?” Vanessa was completely confused. “I don’t understand. I don’t think we’ve met.”

  “I didn’t know you were staying in town when we met.”

  “We haven’t met.”

  “Not formally, but…” He raised his arms out to the sides and squawked.

  The falcon! “You!”

  “I was kind of poking fun with you a little. Okay, well, a lot. I thought you were just some out-of-towner passing through.”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “Sorry. Sometimes I get carried away,” Luke said. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “That is not what a father wants to hear. In fact, have I shown you my gun collection?”

  “Sir?”

  Misty grabbed Luke’s hand. “I think Vanessa will forgive you sooner than my dad will.”

  “I’ll be a complete gentleman, sir.”

  Vanessa nodded to Misty. Every daddy’s job.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Mike watched from the door as Luke helped Misty into his Carolina-blue Ford pickup. “Never did like UNC blue,” Mike said.

  “Be nice,” Vanessa said.

  “That was me being nice. At least he’s driving a Ford.” He swept at a tear on his cheek, pausing when he realized she was watching him while sweeping a tear from her own. “Must be contagious.”

  “Highly.” She dabbed at the corner of her eye. “She really looked beautiful.”

  “Exactly like her mother.” His voice grew quiet. “Man. It’s not easy to see her grow up.”

  “I can’t imagine. I’ll say this, though: If I’d ever had a daughter, I’d be awfully proud to have one as bright and caring as yours. You’re doing something right.”

  He shrugged as he walked back inside and closed the door behind them.

  “Thanks for letting me help her. I was kind of like her when I was her age. I was a little awkward.”

  “That’s hard to believe.”

  “Oh, I was. I had this whole fashion business and it was pretty successful too for a fourteen-year-old, but even though people thought I had great fashion sense and bought things from me, they made fun of me.”

  “Kids can be mean.”

  “Don’t I know it,” she said. “You never forget that stuff.”

  “Misty looked so grown tonight. I take it that was your dress she was wearing.”

  “It is.”

  “You always pack a fancy dress no matter where you’re going?”

  “Of course I do. It’s a little black dress. You can dress it up. Or down. Never mind. You don’t need to understand. But it saved you tonight.”

  “It did. I owe you for that. Thank you so much. I don’t know how you did it. She was a mess when I was trying to talk to her.”

  “Yeah, she was pretty upset, but she was right. That dress was a disaster.”

  “That situation needed a woman’s touch.” He lifted his hands in front of him. “I don’t have that. When I first lost my wife, I knew I was in over my head. The women of this town helped me like you wouldn’t believe, but that was a long time ago now. I thought I had everything under control. We have routines. But now, dances. Boys. Working. It’s a whole new game.”

  “It’s got to be easier here, though. I mean, Fraser Hills. It’s Americana. The wide-eyed American dream without all the complexities and drama of the city.”

  “We get our share of drama here, too,” he said. “I don’t just mean tonight’s meltdown either.”

  “You mean like big bad corporate lady coming to town?”

  “There’s that.” He looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. “But you’re not really that big and bad. I’m glad you’re here.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Still can’t believe it. Thanks for taking all those pictures. If I’d have made Misty stop and pose for all of those, she would’ve killed me.”

  “Yeah, figured I could take that one for you.” She followed him into the living room. The house was clean and comfortable. The only personal photos in the room were of Misty and horses. Nothing with Mike and his late wife in them.

  “I guess you’re not seeing someone, else they’d have been here tonight. For all this.”

  “Yeah. No. I don’t date. Haven’t. Not even once since Olivia died.”

  “You said that was a long time ago.”

  “It was.” He pushed his palms together. “No one could ever love me like she did. I’m not always that easy to get along with.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “Oh, it’s true. I like my way.”

  “I can understand that.”

  “No one serious in your life either?”

  “Nope.”

  “Never married?”

  “Nope.” She tilted her head. “Someone did almost ask me before I left to come here, but we both knew it wasn’t for the right reasons. It wasn’t love.”

  The word “love” seemed to hang there between them.

  “Love is the only reason to get married,” Mike said. “You deserve someone special.”

  “I never experienced that. Well, not until this small-town guy took me to a parade. Made me chicken stew. Even made me wear some of it.”

  “That was an accident.”

  “Rescued me from the snow. Maybe it wasn’t in that order. He was nice. I really like being around him. He’s not like anyone I’ve known before.”

  “Sounds like the perfect man.” He stood there smiling for a long moment. “I’m glad you’re here.” He rubbed his hands together. “Would you like something to drink?”

  “You mean, like water?”

  “Or hot chocolate? A glass of wine? I’ve been told I have some very nice wine.”

  “Yeah. I’d like that.” She sat down. “Wine would be nice.”

  He went to grab a bottle of wine from his stash, and came back carrying two. “I don’t know much about wine. Thought I’d better let you pick.”

  She took them both, then tapped her fingernail on the label of one of them. “This one for sure.”

  Over a glass of wine, Vanessa listened intently as he talked about Misty and how she’d grown up with the horses, and how he’d gotten started working with the giant Percherons.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you about the sponsorship. I noticed it on the side of Santa’s wagon.”

  “Porter’s?”

  “Yeah, I don’t know that we’ll be able to continue that unless it’s already set aside and funded somewhere that I don’t have access to. I looked into it earlier this week and there’s nothing on record as being paid out for a sponsorship of any level.”

  “I’ve been getting them every year.”

  “May I ask you to pull an old check for me so I can track it back to the right accounting?”

  “Yeah. That’s no problem. You’ve done a good thing here in Fraser Hills. I’m sorry I misjudged you at first.”

  “Just doing my job.”

  “I don’t know. I got the feeling that maybe what you came to do, and what you’ve done, might be two slightly different things. I’m usually a pretty good judge of things like that.”

  “Let’s just leave it at things worked out the way they should have, and I’m really glad I was the one sent here for this project.”

  “Fair enough.”

  She took a long sip of wine. “How’s Scooter?”

  “That is the strangest puppy we’ve ever had, and we’ve had our share of pups around here.”

  “Can I see him?”

  “Sure. Let’s go get him. That�
��s assuming he’s where I left him.” They walked outside. The night was clear. A million stars shone across the inky black sky.

  “It’s beautiful out here.”

  “It is.” He liked the way her hair shimmered. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

  She took in a deep breath. “I understand that more now. It’s like my heart even beats slower here.”

  “That’s good,” he said. “Right?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe?”

  He caught her hand, and held it as they walked to the barn. He opened the side door, and flipped the switch. “I love being out here at Christmas. The colored lights dress up this old barn. It’s my favorite place.”

  Something skittered around the corner, and Scooter came running out like Tom Cruise in that iconic dance scene in Risky Business. He slid to a stop, then let out a yap.

  “Scooter!” He ran right over to Vanessa. She stooped down and he climbed into her arms and started kissing her face. “Oh my gosh. They should have puppies in every office across the country. There’d never be a stressful day.” She hugged the puppy and stood up with him in her arms. “I love this wittle guy,” she said while rubbing noses with him. “So cute.”

  “He’s a mess. I think I’ve finally figured out why he keeps getting out. He and Big Ben are practically inseparable.”

  “The horse?”

  “Yes. Crazy, right?”

  Before she could answer, she turned to look behind her. “What’s all that ruckus?”

  “Laying hens.”

  “Oh, yeah. Eggatha Christie and Oprah Henfrey? I heard about them.”

  “To name a couple.” He started walking down the alley toward Ben’s stall. “Follow me.”

  The puppy wriggled out of her arms and ran ahead of Mike.

  “What’d I tell you?” Then Mike put out his arm to stop her and they watched as Scooter climbed up onto a bale of hay, then onto the equipment box and into the stall through the feed-access door, dropping in to the floor. “I’ve been wondering how he was doing that.”

  “That’s crazy.” She followed Mike to the stall. He opened the gate and went inside, then led Ben out into the alleyway.

  “This is the first Percheron I ever bought with my own money. Until Ben, all the horses I owned had been bred through the horses on our farm.”

  “He’s so big. Aren’t you intimidated?”

  Mike shook his head. “No.”

  Scooter sat in the doorway watching as Mike told Vanessa about the horses. “My family once owned about all this town,” he said. “Porter’s. The horses. We had quite a carriage business for years. Ran most of that out of the warehouse where you’re staying. Slowly family members died, their craftsmanship not carried on by the next generation. Everyone wants what’s new, I guess.”

  “Not you?”

  He shook his head again. “Give me the simple life. A comfortable home. Honest day’s work. A town full of people trying to do the right thing. Family has always been everything to me.”

  “So, Buck? How does he fit into all of this?”

  He jerked his head around. “What do you know about that?”

  “I don’t. I mean I know he and Misty are related, but I haven’t figured out how all the pieces fit together.”

  He turned and walked Ben back into the stall. “They don’t.” Mike stroked the side of the horse’s neck with the flat of his hand. His back still to her. He really didn’t want to get into that tonight.

  A chill rushed in.

  Suddenly, repeated barking broke the awkward moment.

  “That doggone puppy. He’s going to get his fool self killed.” Mike muttered under his breath as he marched toward the big barn door. The barking continued, and Vanessa caught up to him when he got to the barn door.

  He raised a hand in the air to keep her quiet as he stepped outside. The group yip howl was unmistakable. He ran back inside and grabbed a rifle from the top of a rack. “Get back. Stay right there.”

  A long drawn-out growl preceded the next bark.

  “Coyote,” Mike said over his shoulder. “That must be what had the hens acting up earlier.”

  Mike had his rifle up and aimed when he heard the familiar heavy footsteps coming from the barn. The coyote took off.

  Inside, Vanessa was backed up to one of the stalls, and Big Ben was standing in the doorway. He let out a loud whinny and pawed his foot.

  Scooter ran past Mike inside the barn covered in mud. He ran a lap around Ben and then saw Vanessa and crouched as he raced for her like she was the finish line.

  Mike put the rifle away, then led Ben back to his stall. “He’s lucky Ben scared that coyote off.”

  “Is it just me or does Scooter look awfully proud of himself? I think he thinks he single-handedly handled that situation.”

  “He’s covered in mud.” Mike watched the puppy place a muddy paw on Vanessa’s coat.

  “Aren’t you proud?” she said playfully.

  “He won’t be proud when he ends up being that coyote’s dinner.”

  “Don’t listen to Mike,” Vanessa teased. “Seems like this little guy did okay with the help from his friends. I think you’ve found Rein’s replacement. She loves these horses, and at least one of them is very fond of him.”

  “You actually might be on to something.” He looked at her all covered in mud. She’d never looked more beautiful. “I guess it’s a season of change in Fraser Hills.”

  “The good kind,” she said.

  He’d never been a real fan of change, but he wasn’t about to argue with her.

  The sound of a truck in the driveway broke the silence between them.

  “I think Misty’s home,” Vanessa said.

  “Bring that little guy with you. He’s going to need a bath.” He grabbed a hand towel from a stack next to the work sink and tossed it her way. “I think I’m going to owe you another dry clean on that coat.”

  “You do seem to always be making a mess of me.” She wrapped the towel around the puppy as she walked toward the house.

  They watched quietly as Misty and Luke said their goodbyes. Mike felt the vein in his neck pulse. Thank goodness that kid hadn’t tried to kiss her good night. He wasn’t sure he could’ve taken that tonight. There was way too much going on in his head right now.

  She went in the front door and Mike and Vanessa snuck in the back. Mike started the water in the mudroom for Vanessa. “You can give a puppy a bath, right?”

  “Might as well. I’m as muddy as he is,” she said with a laugh.

  * * *

  Vanessa managed to get Scooter clean, but she got soaking wet in the process. By way of reward, she got about a thousand kisses so she wasn’t about to complain. She towel-dried him, which he thought was a big game.

  She wasn’t sure if Mike would appreciate her giving Scooter free run of his house, so she carried him from the mudroom back to the living room. As she stood in the hallway, she overheard him and Misty speaking.

  “You didn’t have to worry one bit about Luke. You know he’s just a big clown. There’ll never be anything like that between us. We’ve been in every grade together. He’s more like a brother, only nicer.”

  “I’m your father. I’m supposed to worry about things like that.”

  “For the record, it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if you decided you might be a little attracted to Vanessa. Why don’t you come up with a reason for her to wear this little black dress with you one night? You’re so busy helping me live my life you’re forgetting to live yours, Daddy. I’m a big girl. I’m going to be okay.”

  “Don’t you worry about me.”

  “But I do, Dad. And I like Vanessa. She’s nice. And smart. And I saw the way you look at her.”

  “She’s going back to Chicago soon. I’m glad she came into our lives, but, Misty, everyone does not come into our life forever. Sometimes they just come through when we need an extra hand. I’m glad she was here for you tonight.”

  “Me too, Daddy.” Sh
e put her hand on the handrail. “Good night.”

  Scooter took Vanessa’s pause as a cue to spring for freedom, which he did right into the middle of the hall, leaving a wet skid across the wide-plank hardwood floor.

  “Scooter,” she called, pretending to have been chasing him from down the hall. “I’m sorry. He’s slippery.”

  “It’s okay. Let him run. I’m not putting him back out in the barn damp. He’ll find somewhere to snuggle down in here for the night.”

  “I guess I’d better get going too. It’s late.”

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah. Long day. The drive to Greensboro. Canceled flight. Crash. Dog rescue.”

  “Daughter rescue.”

  “That part was my pleasure.”

  “Thanks for coming.”

  She started down the walkway.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  “Of course. Small town. Right?”

  “Yeah. It is.”

  She drove home with nothing on her mind except what it would be like to live in this town. To be a part of its fabric. She’d miss these people. She parked Buck’s truck and sat there for a moment in her thoughts.

  From here, she could see Buck and Anna sitting across from each other in the chairs in front of the fireplace. Anna was laughing, and the tree twinkled through the front windows, giving off its own kind of joy.

  “Joyful. That’s what I feel. Joy.”

  She got out of the truck and walked to the house. She tried to slip in the front door quietly, hoping not to interrupt Anna and Buck’s evening.

  “Vanessa? Is that you.”

  She stopped in midstep. Busted. “Yes. Disaster averted. Misty looked beautiful in my Chanel. She had no idea how snazzy she looked. I think Mike almost had a heart attack she looked so pretty, but she came home happy.”

  Buck nodded heartily. “I’m so glad you were there. Olivia is looking down here on this. I know she’s thankful for you tonight.”

  Olivia?

  “I’m glad I was able to help.”

  “Come sit,” Anna called out.

  “No. I smell like wet dog. The puppy almost got eaten by a coyote. I had to give him a bath. Long story. Anyway. I’m beat. It’s been one long day.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay? You didn’t hit your head in that crash, did you? I don’t think you’re supposed to sleep if you might have a concussion.”