I sank onto a bench to extract my boots and peel off soggy layers. My pathetic jean jacket mocked me as I rubbed my arms and shivered. The moisture had soaked clear through to my UNLV sweatshirt.
“Hey, Liz.” Benny bounded in and sat on the bench across from me.
“Hey.”
“You look like a snowman.”
“Feel like one too. This storm’s crazy.”
He grinned. “Welcome to Montana.”
I hung my pathetic winter gear and headed upstairs. Benny followed.
“What did you do today?” I asked.
He wrinkled his nose. “Mom made me play with Addie to keep her out of trouble. I wish Rawson was back so he could take a turn.”
So did I. Chance, bless his heart, didn’t have that Rawson equine instinct I sorely needed, and Bart still hadn’t hired a replacement.
Benny bounced on his feet. I’d kind of hoped to be left alone so I could crash for the night, but it didn’t look like that would happen.
“Want to come in and talk?”
His grin turned mischievous, reminding me of his brother. “I’d love to.”
I gestured him into my room, but he shook his head.
“Ladies first.”
I entered, but stopped when I noticed a coat rack blocking the path next to my walk-in closet. A burgundy coat hung from a peg with a big card and bow attached to it.
“Ben, do you know anything about this?”
He ducked his head. “Open it.”
I pulled the large envelope off, noticing that the rungs of the rack were shaped like tree branches. A glittery pear hung from one of the pegs. Extracting the card, I read its message.
On the first day of Christmas,
Please accept from me
A Patagonia in a pear tree.
--Your True Love (Kermie)
My eyes widened as I set down the card and touched the sleek jacket. The tag revealed it to be a Patagonia ultralight down hoodie. I squeezed the soft material.
“Try it on,” Ben said.
“This can’t be for me.”
“It’s in your room. Come on. I want to see it on you.”
As I donned the beautiful jacket, I marveled at its light weight. But what was Rawson thinking? “I don’t have money to buy your brother a gift like this.”
Ben made a goofy face. “He didn’t do this so you would give him something back. He did it just ’cause he likes you.”
I stared into the mirror, not knowing quite what to think.
“He’s worked his butt off so he could do something nice for you. Even Dad’s been impressed. I heard him say so to Abe yesterday.”
I knew that too. This morning I’d put on my big girl panties and asked Bart if he could reassign Rawson back to me. I’d become alarmingly behind with only Chance to help out. But he denied my request, saying his son was doing an excellent job with the cattle, and that he’d hired the guy I met on my flight back at Thanksgiving to work with me. He would start next week.
I paced in front of my bed. “I can’t accept this.”
Big tears welled up in his eyes. “Rawson’s put a lot of thought into this. Don’t throw it back in his face.”
As I sank onto my comforter, Ben wrapped an arm around me.
“He just wanted to show you how he feels.”
I bit my lip as I studied the puffy texture of the jacket. “Did he pick it out himself?”
“Yeah. I took screen shots of all the jackets on the site and texted them to him. He doesn’t have reliable internet at the cattle house. He said this one screamed your name.”
“And who’s the mastermind behind this idea? Did you come up with Patagonia in a pear tree?”
“I wish. It’s clever, huh? Rawson wanted you to have a warmer coat for winter and thought Patagonia was a whole lot more practical than a partridge.” He grinned. “The coat rack is Mom’s, so I’ll need it back, but I found the pear in her craft room. I bet she won’t miss that.”
I swiped at my eyes.
“Are you upset?”
I shook my head. “This is so nice. Thanks, Ben.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank your true love…or Kermie, Mustache, Bubble Gum, or whatever code word you have for him.”
I laughed and gave into the urge to tousle his hair. “You’re as crazy as your brother.”
After Benny left, I pulled out my phone and sent a text to the man who made me feel more emotions in ten minutes than I’d felt in my whole life.
Me: Patagonia in a pear tree. Very clever.
Rawson: Miss Piggy beauty tip #2: Never let your frog outdress you.
I laughed into my hand, but then frowned. You shouldn’t have spent so much money.
Rawson: What would be the fun in that?
Me: Seriously, this is way too expensive. Don’t waste your money on me.
Rawson: Don’t tell me what to do. Kirk out.
I stared at his response. Was he mad? Frustrated? Tired? I sent one last message to determine his mood. Were you out in the storm?
Rawson: Kirk in again. Yes, I was. Stupid cows have to be fed.
Me: You must be freezing.
Rawson: I have a good coat. So do you now. If you want to join me breaking ice on ponds and throwing straw out for the cattle, just say the word.
Me: No thank you.
Rawson: Chicken.
Me: Cluck cluck
Rawson: Smart chick
Me: I’ll pray the storm ends soon.
Rawson: Sweet chick
Me: Night, Stash.
Rawson: Night Hot chick
Shaking my head, I curled into my pillow and hugged his down coat to my chest. I couldn’t wait to wear it. No longer would I have to wear three sweatshirts underneath my bedraggled jean jacket. Now I’d look better than my frog. I closed my eyes and snickered. For such a dumb guy, he made me laugh a lot.
Chapter 54
Bentley
Lizzie’s barking laughter filled the room and made me grin. I only wished Rawson could be here to enjoy it with me. It seemed unfair that he’d put so much of himself into each of these gifts, yet couldn’t be here to see her reaction. Liz had been blown away by each new present…and sometimes disgruntled when they were pricey. But Rawson wanted things perfect—and once he figured out what each gift would be, he couldn’t be swayed. He told me to spare no expense and to pay for overnight shipping on everything he had me order.
“This is incredible!”
I grinned as she studied the canvas I’d painted to resemble cows and milk maids. Her true love, who was named Stash on today’s card, had given her eight maids a milking. Rawson had brought a few gifts back from town, and among them had been eight candy Cow Tales. He asked me to paint a picture of the rest and to attach the candy in the proper places. It took me a whole night, but I thought the painting had turned out sweet.
“This is my favorite so far. Thanks, Ben.”
“Stash commissioned it for you.”
She laughed. “I know.”
This had to be the cheapest gift so far, since Cow Tales cost a quarter and I’d refused to let Rawson pay me for my contribution.
“No dawg. I’m your brother,” I told him when he tried to hand me two hundred dollar bills to pay for my time.
“I know, but this is crazy good. I’d be a lowlife scum if I didn’t pay you.”
“Keep it. If you want to get me something, I could use new paints. I’ll make a list of colors I need.”
He accepted that compromise.
As I watched Lizzie’s excitement, I couldn’t help thinking about the rest of the week’s gifts. Sunday she received two turtle doves, which consisted of a box of chocolate turtles and a bag of Dove dark chocolates. Monday he gave her three French pens…and I do mean authentic French pens. They cost $99 before shipping. On Tuesday, she received four calling cards. She almost had a stroke on Wednesday when she found five gold strings lying on her dresser—a set of gold chains from Miller’s Jewelers in Bozeman. Thurs
day was six geese a laying—a bunch of stylish goose down pillows for her bed. And yesterday’s surprise was a salt water aquarium with seven fish a swimming. My favorite was the eel I’d picked out. Yet today’s two dollar gift made her squeal the loudest. I think the fact that it was homemade and cheap made her super happy.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it!” She wrapped me in a hug.
I glanced at the open suitcase on her bed. “You need help packing?” She was flying out tonight for Christmas break.
She shook her head. “I’m almost done.”
“I’ll miss you.”
She tousled my hair, an annoying habit she’d fallen into after watching my brother do it to me. “I’ll miss you too, Ben. Too bad I can’t stuff you in my luggage and take you with me. Maybe you could get my mom off my back so she doesn’t set me up on blind dates.”
“She makes you date blind people?”
Lizzie seal-barked, making me lose it. When we gained control of our laughing boxes, I hugged her goodbye and told her to think of me when she dated her blind men. That set us both off again, and I had to leave her room clutching my side.
Chapter 55
Liz
Christmas Eve had been a festive occasion at my sister’s home. Her two darling girls, Krista and Katie, reenacted the Nativity as Mom took pictures and fussed over their costumes. Holidays were grand affairs for Eileen Ruthersford. She lived and prepared for them for months. Since it kept her from nagging me, I loved them as well.
Refreshments had been placed in my charge. I’d made homemade eclairs and a gorgeous vegetable tray in the shape of a Christmas tree. Mom had wrinkled her nose at it, but I thought it possessed creative flair. Benny would’ve loved it…Rawson too.
I leaned back into my pillows and closed my eyes. Each of that clever cowboy’s unique gifts had chipped another hole in the protective walls of my heart. His witty texts pushed the rest of the rubble out of the way. When I flew home, I figured his gifts would end. He’d already spent a small fortune; no one could fault him for stopping at eight instead of twelve. But the gifts continued.
My first night home I received a delivery from a harried-looking UPS man. Inside had been a card saying my true love had given me nine stars a dancing. The package contained seven seasons of Dancing with the Stars and two other videos—Dirty Dancing and Singing in the Rain. He’d signed the card from Bubble Gum, making me laugh.
The next day I received another delivery from the same exhausted-looking man. This package contained ten lords a leaping, consisting of all three Lord of the Ring movies, Lord of the Flies, and six racy romance novels with Lord in the title. The covers made me blush, so I hid them in the bottom of my laundry basket. He’d signed that gift from Lord Cootie Catcher.
Day eleven brought poppers popping—eleven bags of Pop Rocks. His ingenious gifts left me wondering why he spent all his money on me. I was just plain Lizzie. He was handsome-as-heck Rawson Law. He could be on the cover of one of those steamy romance novels he’d given me, while I was pretty much invisible.
A ruckus outside made me roll off my bed. “What in the world?” I muttered as I lifted the slats of my blinds.
Flames danced on my front lawn.
“Elizabeth!” Mom yelled from downstairs.
Hurrying down, I ran into Daddy.
“Come outside,” he said with a huge grin. “This is amazing.”
He led me out behind Mom. “Who is this secret admirer of yours?” she asked.
“Just a friend.”
She huffed at my generic answer, but it was true. Rawson was a friend who apparently didn’t mind spending an exorbitant amount of money on me.
I stopped as my eyes adjusted to the dark. Twelve shirtless Polynesian men in grass skirts formed a half circle around us. Tiki torches illuminated their muscular frames. One of them chanted, and in unison they began beating an island Christmas rhythm on their drums. I clapped as I put Rawson’s last gift together in my head. Twelve drummers drumming.
The Polynesian group danced and did syncopated drum numbers as our neighbors all crept out to watch their top-notch performance. After they left, I deflected my parents’ questions about my admirer. Pleading exhaustion, I hugged Dad and went to my bedroom to be alone with my thoughts.
Stopping in front of my full length mirror, I wondered again what Rawson saw in me. I was tall and thin, not curvy. My hair was obnoxiously curly, and since I knew he hated it in a ponytail or bun, I usually sported those just to spite him. I didn’t wear much makeup. My clothes were usually dusty and worn. My hair was dirty blond…my eyes a boring brown. There was absolutely nothing special about me. So why did he try so hard to impress me? Was it because I was hard to get?
I knocked my head with my hand. “Duh.”
Rawson Law was used to getting what he wanted, so when he dangled a carrot before me and I didn’t bite, I suddenly became a challenge his ego must knock down.
My phone dinged with a text. I glanced at my clock to see that it was midnight.
Rawson: On this real day of Christmas, I wanted to wish you goodnight. We all miss you here, but me most. Dream of Santa and pistachio ice cream. I’ll dream of pralines and cream. -Your true love ReBeL
I laughed at how he worked his initials into Rebel. A second one chimed.
Rawson: I know it’s late, so don’t reply. But you could send me an emoticon…preferably the smiley face kind.
I sent him a bunch of happy, laughing emoticons. They perfectly reflected my mood this early Christmas morning.
Chapter 56
Rawson
As I waited once more for Lizzie to arrive at the airport, I couldn’t help but grin. I was certain I could convince her to be my girl tonight. My twelve days of Christmas gifts had softened her. At least, that’s what I hoped. She hadn’t dated anyone else since agreeing to hang out with me on a casual basis. But with the new guy working with her as of ten days ago, I didn’t dare leave anything to chance. I wanted commitment.
When Liz walked through the double doors without a goofy cowboy escort, I grabbed her and spun her around. “Hey, gorgeous.”
She pulled back with a huge grin. “You made this the best Christmas ever. Seriously. Tongan drummers?” She laughed. “No one has ever done anything so nice for me.”
I squeezed her hand. “Then it’s about time someone did.”
When we stopped at the luggage carousel, she pulled out a present from her carry-on bag. “Sorry it’s late. I feel bad I didn’t do more.”
I tugged her around to face me. “But you have.” When confusion lines creased her brow, I explained, “You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s not—”
“Truly, Liz. Before I met you, I was the most miserable man on earth, but since you came into my life, I’ve had reason to smile and laugh and be grateful for each day. That’s the greatest gift ever.”
Her expression screamed doubt, but she didn’t argue. “Open it.”
In the middle of the airport, I ripped off paper and pulled the top off the box. I chuckled when I saw a Star Wars license plate frame that read, My other ride is the Millennium Falcon. There was also a decal for my window that had Yoda’s face with the words: Pass you I will.
I grinned. “You know me well.”
“It’s not much, but I—”
I pressed a finger to her lips. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
When her gaudy pink luggage slid down the chute, I dragged it behind me and took her hand. I helped her into the truck before situating her girly gear behind the seat. It was snowing and I didn’t want it to get wet. Hopping inside, I patted the middle spot.
“Are you ready to be my girl yet?”
She scooted over without a fight and gifted me with one of her dimpled smiles. “I guess.”
“You guess?” I huffed. “Don’t sound so excited.”
She giggled as she fastened her seatbelt. “Yes, I’ll be your girl.”
I wrapped my arm around her as I pulled away from the curb. “That’s better.”
She snuggled against me, and a grin split my face the whole way home. The storm had intensified by the time we pulled into the garage. I knew it’d be dicey getting over the pass, but didn’t want to end our time together. I needed a few more minutes.
Helping her out, I draped my arm around her. “Let’s get you inside and warm you up with some hot chocolate. It’s a chilly one tonight.”
Dropping her suitcase at the bottom of the stairs, I steered her into the kitchen and set her on the counter.
“No peeking.” I turned my shoulder so she couldn’t see me creating the concoction Damon and I had discovered as freshmen. “You have to give me a kiss if you want me to reveal the secret ingredients.”
“I know it has Hazelnut flavoring.”
“You can try to make your own, but it won’t taste as good.”
Pouring the frothy cocoa into mugs, I brought them over and set them on the counter. “Wrap these legs around me, baby.”
I pulled her dangling legs around me and nestled into her. Her still-red cheeks turned even brighter as she met my gaze from beneath long lashes. We sipped from our mugs at the same time. The golden flecks in her eyes seemed to burn as the edges of her lips tipped upward.
“Oh, my. This is even better than last time.”
“Just say the word and the secret will be yours.” I leaned in to kiss her brow. “I’ve missed you like crazy.”
“I missed you too.”
“It’s going to be pure torture being so close, yet so far away. Every time I’m on the Cat, I’ll want to go AWOL from the herd and zip home to hold you in my arms.”
Between Hope & the Highway Page 23