Christmas in Winter Valley
Page 24
“The Collins place is forty miles away and the roads are slick. I’m not sure it’ll be above freezing for a while.”
“I know.”
She looked so pretty he fought the need to tell her she was as cute as a bug...again.
“Drive safe.” He grinned. “I’m still dreaming about that date we’re going to have. As soon as I can, I plan to take you dancing.”
She tilted her head like she always did when she didn’t quite believe him. “You’re not going to tell me to stay home? Or demand to come along to protect me? Or try to tell me how to drive?”
“I’m not. You know how to drive, and I know you’ve got an important job to do. By the way, I think you’re a grand vet. The best around.”
“All right, Cooper, I’ll see you later.”
As she walked toward to the barn where they’d stored her Jeep, Coop pulled out his cell and dialed the number on the card in his pocket.
“Hello, Johnson Sanders here.”
“Johnson, this is Cooper Holloway. I’ve been wanting to call and tell you thank you.”
“For what, Holloway? All you did was waste my time.”
“I’m sorry about that, but I’ve been thinking, you were right. Hayley is dumb as a rock. In fact, I’m wondering why a smart guy like you would even want to be seen with her. You can do better. A medical doctor, or a brain surgeon maybe. You know, someone who makes six figures right out of college. You should leave Hayley to one of the dumb cowboys who lives far out in the country.”
Johnson’s tone changed. “I think you may be right. Why should I chase after a woman who isn’t smart enough to realize what she has in a man like me? I’m on my way up, and she’d probably slow me down. Thanks, Holloway.”
“Anytime. Oh, by the way, I’m that dumb cowboy who plans to marry her.”
He clicked the phone off as Hayley pulled up in the Jeep.
“Coop, any chance you’d like to come along to keep me company?”
“I’d be honored. I’ll get my hat.”
As Hayley waited in the Jeep, Elliot stepped out with Cooper’s hat and said the strangest thing. “Little brother, you’re the smartest man I’ve ever met.”
Cooper glanced at the open window by Elliot’s office chair and realized his brother had been listening. “I plan to be.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
December 24
CHRISTMAS EVE CAME with laughter and love filling the ranch headquarters. Cooper couldn’t stop smiling as he watched from the landing. Every woman in the house had told him to stay out of the way.
Tatum brought him a chair. “I figured you’d need this.”
“You’re right.” Cooper leaned his crutches against the railing and lowered himself into the chair. “I seem to be a speed bump downstairs.”
Tatum sat beside his chair and stared down at the crowd. “Reminds me of an ant bed.”
“Me, too. I never liked decorating the tree and all that stuff, but it looks interesting from up here.”
“Can I ask you something?” Tatum didn’t look at Cooper.
“Sure, kid. Anything.”
“Can I really stay here? Forever, I mean. Is this the place I get to land?”
Cooper nodded. “When you grow up, you might want to move away, maybe marry or find a job you love.”
“Nope. From what I see, Holloways stay planted. I plan to follow the tradition.”
Cooper looked down at his brothers. “It seems that way, and you are a Holloway now. You’ll have to give up being a mountain man, and when we go up to the shack, it may not look the same. Dallas wants to decorate it. Near as I can tell, Dallas pretty much gets what she wants. She’ll tell Sunlan, who’ll tell Elliot, who’ll tell me to ride up and rebuild.”
The boy didn’t look too interested in the details. “I got another question.”
“Ask away.” Cooper had already figured out that the questions never ended.
“I know I belong to Griffin and Elliot and you, but do you mind if I call you Dad?”
Cooper thought, for a moment, that his heart might explode. “I wouldn’t mind at all, but I think we should shake on it.”
The boy jumped up and offered his hand. “See you later, Dad.”
For a while Cooper just sat in his chair on the landing and watched. He figured he was the luckiest man alive.
He smiled down at his sister-in-law. Sunlan finally made it home. Funny how he didn’t even know her two years ago, and now, the family wasn’t whole until she was home. Her father was still in the hospital, but Sunlan’s mother was taking care of him. Griffin claimed his father-in-law would either be driven mad by Sunlan’s mother or remarried to her by the time he left the hospital.
Elliot and Jess kept disappearing. They’d talked the preacher in town into coming out Christmas morning to marry them among the trees. Even if it was snowing the family planned to ride out to where the evergreens grew. Cooper had suggested that they wait until spring, but Elliot said he’d waited long enough. So Coop guessed he’d be riding out with the preacher in Dani’s ATV.
Dallas’s shout filled the great room as she insisted that Creed was hanging the last of the garland backward.
Cooper grinned as the foreman paid no attention to her.
“Jonathan Creed, you’d better listen to me.”
“Jonathan?” all three brothers said simultaneously.
“And if I don’t?” Creed said in a low voice, though everyone in the room still heard. He stepped off the ladder. “I don’t like to be told what to do, Dallas.”
“Well, then, you’ll be sorry when the entire garland falls down on you,” Dallas answered as she turned her back to him.
When he stomped toward her, she took off running and laughing. They were out the door before anyone thought to speak.
Tatum walked over and closed the door. “Where do you think they’re going?”
When no one seemed to have an answer, Tye stepped up. “They’re probably out feeding the horses.”
Cooper barely heard Dani as she whispered to the cowboy, “That seems like a great idea.”
The world was changing, and Cooper couldn’t stop smiling. He watched Hayley dancing with the baby and remembered how he’d said that one day he’d dance with her before he asked her to marry him. He wanted to be able to stand on two feet in front of her before he asked. He wanted it to be perfect. That was important to a woman.
An hour later all was ready. The tree looked beautiful and the room was an explosion of red and green. Everyone said good-night and headed off, knowing that they’d all be down early to open presents.
Cooper was the only one who didn’t call it a night. Hayley had said good-night to the group, but not to him. He’d hoped for a good-night kiss, but it hadn’t happened. She had to know how he felt about her. Hell, everyone on the ranch knew.
As he limped around, turning off the lights, he saw her standing on the stairs. She was in a cotton nightgown with her hair in braids.
“You forget something, honey?”
“No. I remembered something. Remember when I saved your life you said that you owed me one?”
“I do. Any favor you ask. If someone is bothering you or you’re afraid, I’ll be there.”
“Good. Will you marry me?”
Cooper frowned. “Is that guy bothering you again? He’s not frightening you, is he?”
“No. I’m afraid I might lose you.”
He raised his hand to her cheek and smiled. “You won’t lose me, Doc. You’ve got me for as long as you want me.”
“How about life?”
Kissing her softly, Cooper whispered, “I have a feeling that won’t be long enough.”
* * *
ISBN-13: 9781488085888
Christmas in Winter Valley
Copyright © 2019 by Jodi
Koumalats
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