Secret-Santa Cowboy: The Buckskin Brotherhood

by Thompson, Vicki Lewis

  Earlier they’d cleared the path and a spot in front of the pit with the Gator’s snowplow attachment. Battery-operated lanterns were in place to light the way from the bunkhouse kitchen door. Rafe had brought the Adirondack chairs over from the cottage where Kate had been storing them for the winter.

  In the kitchen, Jake and Garrett were making dinner with some help from CJ. Like old times, having everyone pitching in to create a Brotherhood event.

  Nick crumpled up newspaper and arranged kindling on top. “Don’t know if anybody’s mentioned that the rest of us are planning to spend the night at the bunkhouse.”

  “You are? Even CJ?”

  “Isabel begged us to take him off her hands for the night. His hovering is driving her nuts. Lucy, Millie and Kate are going to hang out with her.”

  “Poor CJ. I’d probably be in the same shape.” An overnight was happening. That killed his plans with Fiona tonight, but if the Brotherhood was gathering, he’d be there. “So when did you guys decide this?”

  “It was a spontaneous thing. Jake thought it seemed lame to initiate Garrett into the Brotherhood and then everybody takes off. He and Matt decided to stay. Rafe went along with the idea and I decided to do the same. CJ didn’t want to, but we convinced him the women would have a good time together. We don’t expect you to do it, though.”

  “But I will.” He set several logs on top of the kindling and stacked the rest near the fire pit.

  “Garrett doesn’t want you to.”

  “Why?” He straightened and looked at Nick. “Is he mad at me?”

  “No. He’s rooting for you. He said you’re making good progress with Fiona and you should go see her again tonight, keep the ball rolling.”

  “I appreciate that, but if the Brotherhood is doing an overnight, I—”

  “You’ll be here for the ceremony and you can stay for a drink around the fire pit afterward, but then we’re kicking you out.”

  “What if I refuse to go?”

  “We’ll make you chug a root beer float.”

  He laughed. “I can’t understand everybody’s obsession with those things. The return trip to the dinosaur museum was terrific, but why you guys rave about those floats is beyond me.”

  “I’ll bet Fiona loves ’em.”

  “Nah, she’s smarter than that.”

  “Gonna go see her tonight?”

  “It doesn’t feel like the right choice, bro. We don’t have these gatherings like we used to. I don’t want to miss it.”

  “That’s the other thing I meant to tell you. Matt suggested we schedule a monthly overnight. The Babes do it. Why shouldn’t we?”

  Leo smiled. “Just not on the same night.”

  “Actually, it should be. That way we’re available if they get themselves into a snarl.”

  “Good point.” He chuckled. “There have been snarls. Anyway, I like the idea of setting up a schedule, making it a regular thing.”

  “Feel better about going to see Fiona?”

  “I guess. I was figuring on inviting her to Christmas dinner.”

  “Whoa, that’s bold. I thought she wanted to keep your relationship in the dark, so to speak.”

  “She does, but she should be at the dinner. She was the Operation Santa elf. If we didn’t have such a complicated relationship, Henri would have invited her by now. She told me as much today.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that. Watching the video with everybody is a treat. Fiona shouldn’t miss out, but after what you’ve said, I’m not sure she’ll agree to it.”

  “Me, either, but I’ll at least ask, let her think about it.”

  “I wish you luck.” Nick glanced at the logs stacked next to the fire pit. “We’d better haul more wood out here. I have a feeling we’ll keep that fire going for a while.”

  Leo followed him back to the wood pile and loaded up. “Hey, I wanted to ask you something about the initiation. Matt’s using Henri’s iPad to show the video of Charley, right?”

  “That’s what he said.” Nick sorted through the pile and chose a few massive logs. “These should burn a while.” Hoisting them into his arms, he headed back toward the path.

  “Has he checked the temperature range of that thing?” Leo fell into step beside him.

  “He did. Two nights ago the iPad wouldn’t have worked out here, but we’ll be at least ten degrees warmer tonight. It’s a short video. Should be fine.”

  “Do you remember it?”

  Nick exhaled. “Yeah.”

  “It’ll be intense, seeing it again.”

  “That’s another thing Matt suggested. It wouldn’t be so intense if we’d watched it a few times since the funeral. But we haven’t. Henri’s seen it a bunch of times. Matt thinks we should watch it every year.” He added his wood to the pile Leo had started.

  Leo stacked his on top. “Maybe we should. Doesn’t help us this time, though.”

  “But it’s the right thing for the initiation. Garrett needs to see it.”

  “Yep.” Maybe he did, too. He could use a dose of Charley’s wisdom.

  Nick surveyed the wood supply. “That should do it. Let’s go get some chow. I’m starving.”

  “Wow, really? That’s so unlike you.”

  The meal was a boisterous affair fueled with jokes and bottles of hard cider. Leo only drank one bottle with dinner, pacing himself. He needed to be alert tonight.

  While the rest of the Brotherhood worked on cleanup, he volunteered to walk the path and turn on the lanterns. He couldn’t say he was looking forward to the video. He’d almost said something to Garrett about the emotional impact so the guy wouldn’t be blind-sided.

  Except it likely wouldn’t affect Garrett that much. He hadn’t known Charley. Leo gazed up at the sky full of glittering stars and took a deep breath. “Hey, Charley, am I doing the right thing, asking Fiona to Christmas dinner? Henri says I am.”

  An owl hooted nearby.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” He headed back into the kitchen. Cleanup was over and everyone was tugging on jackets and hats.

  Matt picked up Henri’s tablet and started for the back door. “Let’s do this. Garrett, you’re with me.”

  Garrett hesitated. “You’re not going to blindfold me?”

  Matt turned back. “Why would I?”

  “I thought that’s what usually happened in this kind of deal.”

  “Then I guess it won’t be your typical initiation ceremony. No blindfold. No secret handshake, no—”

  “I’ve always thought we needed a secret handshake.” CJ glanced around. “Anybody else want one?”

  “Not me.” Rafe settled his hat on his head. “One more damn thing to remember and sure as the world I’d forget what we decided and do it wrong.”

  “We don’t need one, anyway,” Nick said. “Secret handshakes are for when you’re spread out over the state, or over the country, maybe even over the world. It’s a way to recognize who’s in the group and who isn’t.”

  “Yeah, okay.” CJ grabbed his hat and his phone. After glancing at it, he tucked it in his jacket pocket. “I still think it would be cool.”

  “We’ll take it under advisement,” Matt said, “for when we go global.” He opened the kitchen door and walked down the cement steps to the cleared path.

  Normally it would be a noisy procession, but tonight nobody spoke. When they reached the fire pit, Matt asked Garrett to light the bonfire. It caught right away, which Leo took as a good sign. An easel stood nearby. Matt set the tablet on it.

  Leo glanced at him. “Lucy’s contribution?”

  “She made me promise we’d return it in the condition we got it.” His breath created puffs of fog. “Garrett, this video speaks for itself, or rather, Charley speaks for himself.” His voice got a little thicker with those last few words. He coughed and cleared his throat.

  Leo stared at the ground. From the corner of his eye, he caught his brothers doing the same.

  Then Matt soldiered on. “We lost him to a massive
heart attack four years ago.” He swallowed, but when he continued, his tone was stronger. “He was a mentor, friend and father to us, and we formed the Brotherhood as a tribute to him. That’s why we decided our creed would be What would Charley do?”

  Garrett nodded. “Easy to remember.”

  “Tough to follow,” Jake said.

  “Very tough,” Matt said. “Charley set a high bar. But when we succeed in living up to his example, I think he knows.” He tapped the screen and Charley’s beloved face filled it.

  Leo sucked in a quick breath as grief hit him hard. Charley’s smile creased his tanned cheeks and crinkled his eyes until they were almost closed, but the sparkle peeked through. He looked so happy and vital, so damn real.

  Hey, there! Don’t see the point in doing this, but Henri seems to think I’m mortal like everybody else.

  Charley’s warm, gruff voice reached deep into Leo’s chest, wrapped around his heart and squeezed. Could he take this? He glanced at his brothers. Lots of blinking going on.

  Making a video about my philosophy sounds presumptuous to me, but that woman’s persistent as hell. I love that about her.

  Leo gulped.

  So here goes. The Golden Rule still fits most any situation, in my book. Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you. Be truthful. Be kind. Be fair. Keep your word. Basic stuff. I didn’t invent any of it.

  And for God’s sake, don’t take yourself too seriously. Look for reasons to laugh, especially at yourself, and you’ll find a million of ’em. Don’t get so busy that you forget to look at the mountains or the sunrise. Life is beautiful. People are beautiful. Count your blessings and love one another.

  He glanced off camera. Henri? Is that enough?

  Henri’s words were too faint to understand but clearly she’d reminded him of something.

  Oh, yeah. Have a hell of a good time! Every damn day! I sure do!

  The video ended.

  The crackling of the fire blended with throat clearing and coughing. Leo scrubbed both hands over his face. They came away wet. Pulling his bandana from his back pocket, he wiped his eyes.

  Matt took a shaky breath. “Garrett, think you want to join us in living up to Charley’s legacy?”

  “Yes, I do.” Garrett’s voice wasn’t all that steady, either. “It’ll be an honor. Charley must have been a fine man. I wish I’d known him.”

  “I wish you had, too.” Matt offered his hand. “Welcome to the Buckskin Brotherhood.”

  Chapter Twenty

  “A touch more, Fi?” Eva held the bottle poised over her wine glass.

  “Sure. Thanks to Jared, I don’t have to drive home.”

  “Same here.” Beth held out her glass for a refill. “Remember last year? Christmas Eve? Good thing we didn’t have to drive anywhere that night.”

  “Oh, my God.” Eva made a face. “Mistletoe martinis. Wicked good, but they put you under the table before you know what’s happening.”

  “And while you were sipping mistletoe martinis, I was in Thailand with my folks. It’s hard to believe there was a time I barely knew you guys.”

  “Isn’t that the truth?” Eva gazed at her. “You hadn’t opened the shop yet, right?”

  “I decided to wait until after the New Year so I could have one more vacation with my parents. I’m glad I did, but now that I’ve experienced Christmas in Apple Grove, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

  “I can’t either.” Beth settled back in her chair and sipped her wine. “Especially now that Eva has this fabulous house. You’ve inspired me with the amazing decorating job, girlfriend. The little Victorian village on the mantle, especially. And the vintage ornaments on your tree.”

  “I love it all,” Fiona said. “The pine boughs, the wooden Santa and sleigh, the stockings, the teddy bears, the holiday throw. If I’d grown up with this version of Christmas, I’d be a fan.”

  “You can thank Winifred Barton. All I added were the fresh pine boughs and the tree, of course. Since I’d been here for Christmas tea several times, I tried to get it as close as I could to how she had the place decorated.”

  “Where did she store the rocking horse?” Fiona had been eyeing the sweet little wooden horse ever since she’d arrived. “That couldn’t have fit in any of the boxes.”

  “It does when you take it apart. It’s sturdy, too. A kid could ride that thing.”

  Beth laughed. “Then you and Nick need to get busy and make a kid.”

  “That’s definitely on the table.”

  Fiona sent her a teasing glance. “I hope you moved the candlesticks first.”

  Eva blushed. “That isn’t what I meant.”

  “But I’ll lay you odds they’ve made whoopee on this table, Fi. Look at her face.”

  “Whoopee, yes, if you must know. But not babies. Not yet. I’m old-fashioned enough to want a wedding first.”

  Beth’s eyebrows rose. “Is that an announcement of impending nuptials?”

  “Nope. But Nick’s got something up his sleeve. He keeps looking at me and smiling.”

  “He’s always done that,” Fiona said. “He’s besotted.”

  “I mean he’s smiling more than usual. Like he has a secret.”

  Beth nodded. “It’s that time of year.”

  Fiona glanced at her. “Do you think Jared might—”

  “Not at this stage. We still haven’t figured out if we’re going to live together. I love my little apartment and he loves the ranch. That makes it complicated.”

  “I understand.” Eva’s gaze took in the areas she’d lovingly decorated. “Luckily, Nick wanted to move here. If he’d suggested building a place on Buckskin land like some of his brothers have…”

  “He wouldn’t do that,” Beth said. “He knows how you feel about this house. Jared’s not pushing me to move out to the ranch, either. I’m looking forward to spending Christmas Day there, but I’ll look forward to coming home again, too.” She glanced over at Fiona. “That reminds me, are you still going to the graveyard on Christmas?”

  “I am.”

  “You have to text me if you see anyone, especially if you recognize the person.”

  “Me, too,” Eva said. “Can you text us both? I’ll be at Henri’s house with the Buckskin gang, but I’ll check my phone.”

  “Which is the other thing I meant to ask you, Fi,” Beth said. “If you’re going to stake out the graveyard at dusk, what about Christmas dinner at the Buckskin?”

  She blinked. “What about it?”

  “Operation Santa. I was invited last year because I was the elf. Didn’t I tell you about that part?”

  “If you did, I spaced it.”

  “It’s not the dinner so much as the video they show after the meal, the one from the kids’ parents. It’s so sweet.”

  “That’s when they watch it? I knew about the video but no one’s contacted me about dinner.”

  “Well, this year was different, since Leo took over from Ben, so maybe that’s why you haven’t heard anything.”

  “I’m guessing that’s exactly why. I’ll bet people are confused about whether to ask me or not.” She looked at Eva. “Have you heard any talk about the video or dinner?”

  “No, but I’m the new kid in the Buckskin gang. I don’t always get the scoop. Want me to ask Nick?”

  “No. I’ll talk to Leo about it. I’d love to see the video, but—”

  “You’re afraid being with Leo in broad daylight will turn you into a blithering idiot.” Eva looked sympathetic.

  “Yep.”

  “I personally don’t think that would happen,” Beth said gently. “But if going would stress you out…”

  “It would. You should have seen me when we had dinner at the Moose. It was pathetic.”

  “Probably not as bad as you think it was,” Eva said, “but since then you’ve spent hours with the man. Can’t you come at it from that perspective?”

  “What a great idea. When we’re with the Buckskin gang and I’m feeling tongue-t
ied and awkward, I’ll just picture him naked. What could go wrong?”

  Eva choked down her wine and grabbed a napkin to blot her mouth. “Yeah, don’t picture him naked.”

  “They served liquor during Christmas dinner,” Beth said. “You could—”

  “There you go. I’ll be the elf who got smashed on Christmas. Why didn’t I think of that?”

  “Talk to Leo,” Eva said. “Maybe he’d wear the Santa suit if you asked him.”

  Fiona grinned. “Because that wouldn’t be weird. I love both of you for trying to come up with solutions, but I think I’ll just skip the dinner, assuming I’m invited. Way too much stress involved at this stage of our relationship. Maybe Leo can get me a link so I can see the video on my computer. I’ll talk to him about it tonight.”

  * * *

  Eva had made a Yule log for dessert. Fiona had never tasted one and instantly fell in love with the rolled chocolate cake, creamy mousse and dark chocolate frosting that mimicked the texture of bark. “I’ve been missing out on Yule logs all these years, too.” She scraped the last of her portion from a vintage china plate with a holly and ivy design. “Christmas is rapidly becoming my favorite holiday.”

  “Especially in Apple Grove,” Beth said. “This town does Christmas right.”

  “Sure seems like it.” Fiona’s phone pinged. She’d tucked it beside her hip so she’d catch a text from Leo. “Excuse me a minute.” She glanced at the message. “He’s at my apartment. I guess that means Nick will be home soon.”

  “Actually, he’s spending the night at the bunkhouse.”

  “He is?” She stared at Eva. “Why?”

  “Brotherhood gathering. He said they’d decided it was appropriate since they were inviting someone in for the first time ever.”

  “Then why is Leo at my apartment?”

  “Because he likes being with you?”

  “Well, sure he does. I like being with him, but that shouldn’t outweigh his connection with his brothers.”

  “I guess you can talk to him about that issue, too.”

  “Don’t worry. I will.” His decision unnerved her. They’d only spent two nights together. What was he thinking?