Christmas Gifts: Small Town ChristmasHer Christmas Cowboy

by Gail Gaymer Martin

  “Christmas is always a good time to think about what God has done in our lives.” He reached for her hand. “It’s a good time to think about His blessings and why He puts us where we are. He took the time to put that baby in a manger; for a reason, not by accident.”

  “So I’m in Dawson for a reason?” The words slipped out, unplanned, she didn’t even know what she meant by the question.

  “Everything is for a reason.” He led her out of the living room but stopped in the doorway.

  She looked up into eyes that smiled. “What?”

  He looked up and she followed his meaningful stare to the door frame and the sprig of mistletoe. “I’ve been thinking about that little piece of mistletoe since we left the house this morning.”

  “Have you?” she whispered and then forced the words a little louder. “Have you?”

  “I have.” He let out a deep breath and leaned. “Because last night, I wasn’t sure if what happened was real.”

  “Last night?” she whispered again. She had to stop that. It didn’t do her any good to sound breathless, to feel breathless, as if she was waiting for something to happen.

  She cleared her throat. “What do you mean?”

  “We’re going to get caught.” He leaned closer. “And I don’t care.”

  She thought she didn’t care either. She just wanted him to kiss her already. She took a step toward him and closed her eyes. She had her own questions about that kiss, the one that had rocked her world by making her feel something she’d never expected to feel.

  “Are you two going to stand out here all day?” Heather laughed after the words interrupted their moment. “Oops, sorry.”

  Travis shook his head. “With this family, a person has to move quick. And if we don’t get in there, we’ll miss out on lunch.”

  Elizabeth really didn’t care if she got lunch. As wonderful as the roast smelled, as sweet as the chocolate hinted at being, the temptation of that mistletoe kept her standing in the doorway of the living room.

  Travis touched her cheek and he winked. His blue-green eyes held hers captive. “You’re beautiful. Even with this twig in your hair.”

  She reached up but he stopped her hand and pulled something from her hair. He held the tiny twig in his hand.

  “How long has that been there?”

  “Back in the field. You must have gotten snagged on a branch.”

  “And you’re just now telling me?”

  “It was cute.” He tucked it back behind her ear and she pulled it loose. “We should go, but do me a favor, okay?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Stay out from under the mistletoe unless I’m the one here to kiss you.”

  “I’ll stay out from under the mistletoe.” Period. End of story.

  Travis followed Elizabeth down the hall to the dining room with its floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the fields. The long table that stretched down the center of the room had been set with his mother’s best china. The two roasts were placed with all the fixings, one at each end of the custom-made table.

  His family stood around the table, each at their place. They always sat at the same place. Today they had left a chair next to him, the chair where Heather normally sat. She had taken Blake’s place next to Jesse. He glanced around, noticed the knowing smiles, the winks, a few giggles from his nieces and nephews.

  Yeah, he’d been set up. Well, being the clown of the family, he knew how to deal with surprises and uncomfortable situations. Make the best of it had always been his philosophy.

  He pulled out the seat next to his. “I think you’re supposed to sit here.”

  “Am I?” She narrowed in on an empty chair near his mother.

  “That’s Jackson’s chair. In case he shows up.”

  “I see.” She sat down and he pushed her chair forward.

  He liked to think he had been saved by faith. Today he was saved by a prayer. Actually, by his dad asking a blessing on the food. For a minute everyone forgot to stare at him, to shoot looks his way. Of course it wouldn’t last.

  “Elizabeth, when do you plan on going home?” Lucky asked as he passed potatoes.

  “I’m not sure. I should go soon. I have a lot to do. I think I should go tomorrow.”

  “If you do, you’ll miss the living nativity at Back Street. Of course, I’m sure they have plenty of nativities in St. Louis.” Jesse passed homemade rolls. “Ours is pretty small by comparison.”

  “I’m sure it’s wonderful.”

  “We have the most wonderful Christmas Eve services at Dawson Community Church.” Mia threw in that piece of information. Travis shook his head and his sister only smiled and flipped long dark hair.

  “Let’s eat and not try to push Elizabeth. She’s had her schedule thrown off by all of this and she probably has a lot to do at home.” His mom ended the conversation and then smiled. “But you really can stay as long as you like, Elizabeth.”

  Travis groaned. It slipped out before he could stop it. More giggles erupted and Mia wadded up a napkin and tossed it at him.

  “Way to be inconspicuous, Trav.”

  “I’m sorry, but you all are too much. I wouldn’t blame her if she called a taxi right now and asked them to get her out of here as soon as possible.”

  “What? Are you saying we’re frightening?” Jesse prodded.

  “I’m saying it’s crazy here and I wouldn’t blame her if she put those hiking boots back on and headed down the road.”

  “Actually, I’m enjoying it here.”

  Her soft words yanked him off his high horse. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  She laughed a little. “No, actually, I was thinking that I don’t have anywhere to go for Christmas.” She looked down at her plate. “That sounds a little pitiful, but with my parents out of the country…”

  “You love us so much you’re just looking for an excuse to stay and be a Cooper for a week or two,” Jesse chimed in, while Travis couldn’t think of a thing to say except that he wanted her to stay a lot longer than a week or two.

  But a guy couldn’t say that to a woman he’d known for a few days. Not even at Christmas, when anything seemed possible.

  “I think you should stay.” His dad finally entered the conversation. “If for no other reason than the fact that I’ve never seen Travis speechless. And also because no one should be alone at Christmas.”

  “I’ll make a few phone calls and if there’s nothing pending in St. Louis, I’ll stay.”

  Travis decided being speechless might be a good thing. If he opened his mouth, he’d probably shove his foot straight in and not be able to pull it free.

  He’d done a lot of that in his life, but this time what he said mattered. He couldn’t explain it, but the woman at his side mattered in a way that no woman ever had. So what he said counted.

  “I’m going to put the lights on the tree.” He had finished his meal while everyone else was busy talking.

  His mom watched him, her expression soft, questioning. He shrugged and walked to the sink to rinse his plate. When he turned, Elizabeth stood next to him. “Want help?”

  He needed help, but he knew she didn’t mean the question to be about his mental state. “There’s pie for dessert.”

  “I’ll save mine for later.”

  He leaned against the counter, they were alone in the kitchen and he remembered that he hadn’t gotten to kiss her under the mistletoe.

  Maybe next time.

  “You know that they’re in there plotting against us, right?”

  She moved to stand next to him. If someone walked in, they’d see the two of them side by side, backs against the counter.

  “Yeah, I know. I’m a big girl. I can handle it.”

  “If you’re sure. They can be pretty determined.”

  “I’m sure they can. So can I.” She smiled up at him and he wanted to forget mistletoe and common sense.

  “Yeah, okay, let’s go find the lights. They should be in a plastic tub i
n the living room. We hauled everything down from the attic earlier.”

  He touched her back as they walked down the hall to the living room. And he didn’t stop her under the mistletoe, not this time.

  Travis stood on the ladder, draping long strands of lights over the feathery branches of the cedar tree. The room smelled like Christmas. A cinnamon candle burned on the mantel and the cedar tree blended with the scent.

  “Hold the lights out and make a trip around the tree. I’ll arrange the lights as you move.” Travis looked down from his perch on the ladder. Elizabeth smiled up at him, at the way he wavered and held the ladder, barefoot and putting a little more weight on his left foot.

  As they worked, she could hear the rest of the family in the kitchen. Dishes clanked, glasses clinked. Laughter and conversation were muffled by the long hallway and the walls between them.

  “They’ll back off eventually.” Travis moved the string of lights and she walked around the tree again. They were nearly to the bottom.

  “It’s okay, they’re not bothering me.”

  “All done.” Travis climbed down from the ladder. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine, why?”

  “You look a little blotchy.”

  She shrugged. “Maybe from the heat in here. It’s warm, don’t you think?”

  “No, it isn’t warm.”

  “Well, I’m fine.” She handed him the end of the lights. “Do you plug them in now?”

  “No, we already made sure they work. We’ll decorate the tree and plug in the lights when everything is done. Let’s find the nativity.”

  “Lead the way.” She itched a little, especially around her throat. Hopefully she wasn’t coming down with something.

  Travis turned to look at her, and then he looked closer. He touched her cheek and pulled back her hair.

  “Elizabeth, you need to sit down.”

  “Why?” Because she was itchy? And hot? “I’m probably just getting a cold.”

  “Hey, Jesse, get in here.” Travis brushed a hand through his hair, not exactly making her feel calm about things. “Now!”

  “Travis, I’m fine.” But she wasn’t. Her throat was getting itchier. Her eyes were starting to water. “Really, I am.”

  And then she fell, straight into Travis Cooper’s waiting arms.

  “Jesse, quick!”

  She could hear boots pounding on tile and wood. She felt Travis lift her off the ground. She didn’t want to miss out on decorating the tree. She wanted to see the nativity and listen as Tim Cooper read the story from the Bible, because that’s what he did every year.

  “Shh, you’re fine.” Travis laid her on the couch, stepping back as Jesse hurried to her side.

  “Heather, get my bag out of the closet.” Jesse had his hand on her wrist and he was talking, but from far away. “Elizabeth, are you allergic to anything?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Have you ever been around cedar?”

  She tried to shake her head. “But it smells good.”

  She tried to draw in a deep breath and it hurt, it wheezed in her chest. She gasped, suddenly afraid, her heart racing.

  “Yes, it does smell good, little sister. Let me listen to your breathing, okay? I’m going to sit you up and I want you to breathe deep.”

  Strong arms lifted her and cold touched her back. She shivered in the arms that weren’t Jesse’s. She leaned against a chest that included a heavily beating heart.

  “Give me the EpiPen, Heather.” Jesse’s voice was deep and close to her ear. “Elizabeth, you’re having an allergic reaction and I’m worried about your breathing. I’m going to give you a shot and get your airway open again.”

  The sting in her hip brought her eyes open again. Jesse smiled and winked.

  “Ouch,” she whispered.

  “Yeah, but not breathing, more of an ouch.” He placed the stethoscope on her back again. “Breathe deep for me, okay?”

  “I’m trying.”

  “Good girl.” He listened again. “Sounding a little better in there. I’m going to give you some Benadryl and I want to keep you on that, just to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

  “And we’re going to get that cedar tree out of here,” Angie Cooper informed them, coming to stand close to Elizabeth.

  “No, you can’t do that.” Elizabeth struggled against Travis, trying to sit up and face the family that had gathered to watch her little show. “I’m fine, and really, the tree is your tradition.”

  “The tree isn’t as important as your health.” Angie sat on the couch next to her. “You’re our guest and we want you healthy and happy. That tree is a thing. It’s a tradition, but it isn’t why we celebrate Christmas.”

  “But it’s so beautiful. I’m just a visitor and I don’t want my presence here to dampen your holidays. I can leave.”

  “Nonsense.” Angie hugged her. “Elizabeth, you will learn that we Coopers take things as they come. We’re always open to change. And that tree is something we do as a family, but the most important thing isn’t that tree. We celebrate Christmas because it is a day to remember the birth of a little baby who would be our savior. The tree can be replaced by one from the store. It’s that simple.”

  “I happen to have a tree in the store shed that we used a few years ago when one of our foster children had cedar allergies.” Tim Cooper was already pulling on his gloves. “And we’ll put the cedar tree out front, lights and all.”

  Travis had walked away. Elizabeth searched for him, needing, for whatever reason, to see him. He stood nearby, tall and a little awkward with a worried expression on his face.

  “She’s probably going to sleep for a little while.” Jesse looked around. “Does someone want to take her upstairs?”

  Travis stepped forward but his mother stopped him. “I bet she’d like to stay down here on the couch so she doesn’t miss all of the fun. Travis, can you get a blanket and pillow from the hall closet?”

  “I’m really okay,” Elizabeth protested.

  Jesse shook his head. “Last time I checked, I’m the family doctor and you’re the lady who didn’t know she was going into anaphylactic shock.”

  “Is that what that was?” She wiped at her eyes. “I feel silly.”

  “Don’t.” Angie moved closer as Jesse stepped away from them. “I’m just glad Jesse was here.”

  “And Jesse is just glad he always carries an EpiPen. I knew that wasp allergy would come in handy.” Jesse packed up his black bag, and then pulled out a box of Benadryl. “You are going to need to go to your family doctor and get a prescription for an EpiPen. In case this ever happens again.”

  “Forever?”

  “Forever. Elizabeth, an allergic reaction without proper treatment can be fatal. We kind of like having you around.”

  Travis reappeared with a blanket and pillow. He unfolded the blanket and draped it over her, sighing a little as he knelt next to her, lifting her to put the pillow behind her head.

  “My turn to take care of you.” He kissed her brow and then whispered in her ear, “But make no mistake, I’m going to get you under that mistletoe.”

  She shivered and closed her eyes. He kissed her cheek and then he was gone, leaving her alone on the couch, wondering how she would ever walk away from this family, and the man who should be the last person she’d want so desperately to keep in her life.

  Maybe it was their faith that drew her to them. Maybe she needed their faith. Maybe that was her reason for being here and maybe it had nothing to do with Travis.

  She breathed deep and even though she hadn’t planned on sleeping, it happened.

  Chapter Eight

  Travis climbed the ladder and placed the star on a pretty decent-looking artificial tree. Most of the decorations had been hung. The lights had been turned on. The only things left to do were the candy canes and a few other decorations. Those had been saved for Elizabeth. She’d been asleep for two hours.

  He stepped down off the ladder and w
alked over to the nativity that his nieces and nephews had set up on the coffee table. The tiny, hand-carved scene had always been his favorite Christmas decoration. It meant more to him than the tree. It meant more than the cookies the women were baking.

  The nativity represented everything he believed about his faith. Without it, Christmas wouldn’t be. All of his rebellious teen behavior would still be in him. There wouldn’t be redemption.

  The nativity scene had something that made it unique. The support beam of the stable looked like a rough, wooden cross. Yeah, that part always got him. From the tiny baby in a manger to the man who gave his life on the cross.

  The whole story of salvation.

  “Uncle Travis, are you going to cry this year?” Jacob, only five, looked up and asked.

  “Of course not.”

  “Looks to me like he might cry,” a sweet, soft voice commented.

  He turned, surprised to see Elizabeth awake. Her face was flushed from sleep, her eyes were bright. She smiled up at him.

  “I’ve been watching them, listening as they tell the story to each other.”

  “Yeah, that’s what we do.”

  “I love your family.” She brushed a hand through her hair. “I know a lot of people, Travis. None of them would have taken me in and then changed everything for me.”

  He sat down on the edge of the couch. “Of course someone would.”

  “No, not really.” She sat up, wiping at her eyes with the edge of the blanket he’d placed over her earlier. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”

  “If it makes you feel better, I do think my family is pretty terrific.” He studied her face. “You’re okay?”

  “I am. I feel a little silly, but I’m okay. When we were in the field I started feeling a little itchy. I didn’t think anything about it.”

  “I noticed.” He smiled down at her. “I thought I might have to do CPR.”

  “Not on your life, cowboy.”

  He needed to go but he didn’t want to leave, not yet.

  “I missed out on the tree.” She stared past him in the direction of the new tree. “It’s beautiful, but I’ll miss the cedar.”