by Katie Lane
Ms. Marble came out of the kitchen. “Summer is right, dear. Now hurry up. Cord is waiting.”
Christie really wanted to throw a Carrie Anne temper tantrum and refuse. But she couldn’t let all her hard work on the gingerbread house be for nothing. She needed to get her entry there by noon, and she was going to do it. Even if she had to be stuck in a truck with two arrogant rodeo cowboys.
As soon as she stepped into the alleyway, Danny Ray greeted her with his cocky smile. “Hey there, Christmas Day! You shore are lookin’ good this morning.”
She ignored him and headed for the truck. Cord hurried over to open the front door for her. She accepted his courtesy, but she didn’t acknowledge him. She might have to travel with him, but she didn’t have to talk to him.
Cord didn’t appear to be in much of a talking mood either. On the way out of town, Danny Ray tried to start up numerous conversations, but Cord only answered with one-word responses. Finally, Danny Ray gave up and sprawled out in the back to take a nap. His loud snoring was hard to ignore.
“Good Lord,” she grumbled.
Cord glanced into the backseat. “I guess Danny Ray is still on Wyoming time.” When she didn’t reply, he cleared his throat. “The gingerbread house sure turned out nice. Summer and I strapped it down real good so you don’t have to worry about it falling out.” She hadn’t worried about that until now. She glanced over her shoulder. The house was sitting in a big crate, covered in heavy plastic, and strapped tightly against the back window.
“Jasper made the crate when I told him what we needed,” Cord said. “That man can make just about anything out of wood.” He glanced over at her. “Just like you can make just about anything out of cakes and cookies.”
She glared at him and went back to giving him the silent treatment. Finally, he released an exasperated sigh. “Okay, I get it. You’re still madder than a hornet at me. And you’re right. I shouldn’t have butted my nose in your business. I did a lot of thinking after you slapped me silly and I guess I did have a few selfish reasons for going to Wyoming. The main one being my alcoholism.”
She couldn’t help but turn and stare at him. She shouldn’t be surprised. She’d noticed that he always drank soda at town functions and never stopped by the Watering Hole bar unless Ryker was there. Still, it was a bit disconcerting to hear someone state that they had a drinking problem. It was also admirable. Some of her anger faded as he continued.
“Anyway, it hasn’t been easy to stay away from the bottle. The urge for a drink is always with me, and it’s taken me years to get control over my bodily urges.” She watched his cheeks flush a rosy color and his Adam’s apple slid up and down his throat as he swallowed. “And lately I’ve lost some of that control and it’s kind of scared me.” Was he talking about their kisses? The question was answered when he glanced over at her. “I can’t lose control, Christie. Not even for a beautiful woman.”
She tried to stay angry, but it was hard when Cord was calling her beautiful and saying that she made him lose control. He made her lose control too. But she wasn’t as good at confession as he was.
“I’m not trying to take your control away, Cord,” she said. “I’m trying to get control of my life too. And I was starting to feel like I had it, when you up and”—she glanced back at Danny Ray—“pulled your stupid stunt.”
“Danny Ray knows. I told him after you left about why I brought him here.”
That surprised her. “And he’s still here? I would’ve thought he’d be long gone by now.”
Cord glanced over at her. “I know he did you wrong, Christie, but people do change. I’m not the same person I was six years ago and I’m sure you’re not either.”
It was the truth. She wasn’t the same person. She’d thought she would crumble like an over-baked cookie if she ever ran into Danny Ray again. But she hadn’t. He no longer cast a spell over her. When she looked at him all she saw a man who had been too weak to be a husband or father. A man who was still too weak.
“I’m not interested in getting back with Danny Ray—or any other man. Carrie Anne and I are just fine and dandy on our own. Which reminds me. I don’t want you to pick her up from school anymore. She can come to the bakery with me until Mrs. Miller gets back from visiting her grandkids in Mississippi.”
“Does Carrie Anne know?”
“Yes, and she’s not happy about it. But it’s for the best.”
“The best? For who?” He thumped the steering wheel with his fist. “Damn it, Christie. Can you just think of Carrie Anne instead of your blasted pride?”
Her eyes widened as she stared at him. “I am thinking of my daughter. I don’t want her hurt.” She glanced back at Danny Ray who was still snoring loudly. “Do you actually think this plan of yours is going to work? Take a good look at him, Cord. Take a real good look. He hasn’t grown up at all. He’s still the immature boy I fell head over heels for. He can’t even take care of himself. What makes you think he can be a father? And when he can’t do it, it won’t be Danny Ray who pays for it. It will be my daughter. And I won’t have it.”
He glanced at her, his eyes filled with sadness. “But won’t she pay for it anyway?”
“What do you mean?”
“Take a look in the mirror, Christie. You’re paying for your daddy leaving you right now. You’re paying for it by not being able to trust men. Now, I can’t tell you that Danny Ray is going to straighten up and fly right. But what if he does? What if he sees what a great kid Carrie Anne is and ends up falling in love with her? With that kid of yours, it’s easy to do. It only took her a second to win me over. And if she can win over a stubborn old cowboy, she can win over anyone. Including her daddy. And are you so mistrusting of men that you’re not going to give her that chance? Are you going to keep your daughter from having a father just because you don’t have one?”
She had slapped Cord, but he had gotten even with a wallop that knocked all the wind out of her sails. She stared at him with stunned disbelief, terrified that there might be a kernel of truth to his accusations. Did she have underlying motivations that had nothing to do with Carrie Anne getting hurt? Christie knew she mistrusted men. But was she so mistrusting of them that she didn’t want her daughter to trust them either? She knew in her heart that Danny Ray was still an irresponsible rodeo bum. But just because he would never make a good husband for Christie didn’t mean he couldn’t learn to be a good father to his little girl. And if there was even a chance of that happening, shouldn’t Christie want that for Carrie Anne? Shouldn’t she want her daughter to grow up without all her mama’s hang-ups where men were concerned?
The questions rolled around and around in her head like the tires that ate up the highway. She felt confused and wished she could call her mama for advice. But she couldn’t. She had to figure this out on her own. While she was sitting there feeling lost and alone, Cord reached out and took her hand in his. Startled, she glanced over at him. His soft brown eyes were compassionate and understanding as he rested their hands on the console and interlocked their fingers.
She was still mad at him. Mad at him for meddling in her life. Mad at him for melting her with his kisses. And mad at him for pointing out things about herself that she didn’t want to see. But at the moment, she needed someone to hold on to. They continued to hold hands as the miles rolled past. They only pulled apart when Danny Ray woke and peeked between the seats.
He looked like a little boy waking up from a nap. His hair was mussed and his eyes sleepy.
“Are we there yet?”
Chapter Fifteen
Christie didn’t talk much for the rest of the trip into Austin. And Cord couldn’t blame her. He shouldn’t have gotten on her. He should’ve kept his big mouth shut. What did he know about raising kids? He’d done one helluva job with poor Ryker, and he was trying to tell Christie how to parent? The defeated way she’d looked after he spouted off his careless words had made him feel like a lowdown snake, and he’d been about to take them back when
Danny Ray woke up.
Danny Ray had been oblivious to the tension in the truck . . . and to Cord and Christie holding hands. At least that’s what Cord thought until they reached the fancy hotel and Christie went inside to find out where they should unload the gingerbread house.
“You got a thing for my ex?” Danny Ray asked.
Cord turned to look at him. “What?”
“You got a thing for Christie? I saw you holding her hand.”
Cord gave him the truth. “She was upset and I was trying to comfort her.” He thought Danny Ray would ask more questions about why Christie was upset. Instead, he flopped back in the seat and put his boots up on the console. “Do you think this joint has food? ’Cause I’m starvin’.”
The contest entries were set up in the main ballroom. Cord thought he and Danny Ray would have to carry in the gingerbread house, but two of the hotel staff met them at the side entrance to the ballroom and loaded the crate onto a rolling cart and wheeled it inside. Christie walked beside the cart, nervously keeping a hand on the crate all the way to the table with her slot number. After the plastic was cut off, Cord removed one side of the crate with the crowbar he’d brought and they slid the house onto the table.
He was worried when he saw that some of the decorations hadn’t survived the trip, but Christie didn’t seem upset at all. She opened her purse and pulled out a plastic tube of frosting and set about fixing everything that needed fixing. While she worked, Cord and Danny Ray walked around and took a look at the other entries.
“Damn,” Danny Ray said. “There are some awesome gingerbread houses here. Look at that huge mansion with all those decorated trees and pretty windows. Christie’s little ole boot doesn’t stand a chance in hell against that house.”
Cord thumped him on the back of the head, knocking off his cowboy hat.
Danny Ray scowled as he picked up his hat. “What was that for?”
“You say that to Christie and I’ll do more than thump you. She’s worked hard on that little ole boot and I don’t want her losing her confidence.”
But Danny Ray didn’t have to say anything for Christie to lose her confidence. Once she finished fixing her entry and looked around, she deflated like a helium balloon left out in the sun.
“I told Summer I couldn’t compete with professionals. I told her that I wasn’t good enough.”
“You’re good enough,” Cord said. “You’re a talented baker and twice as creative as anyone here. These other gingerbread houses all look alike. They could be in any contest in the country. But this isn’t just any contest.” He pointed to the huge banner that hung over the doors of the ballroom. “This is ‘The Best Gingerbread House in Texas’ contest. And that right there”—he pointed to Christie’s gingerbread boot—“is a Texas gingerbread house if ever I saw one. Now let’s get out of here and give the judges a chance to figure that out while I take the best gingerbread baker in Texas to lunch.”
They ate at one of Cord’s favorite barbecue restaurants. Over baby back ribs, tender brisket, and tangy potato salad, Christie finally started to loosen up. On one hand, Cord was happy she was no longer worried about the contest . . . or the things he’d said on the drive up. But, on the other hand, he wasn’t real thrilled to have to sit there while she and Danny Ray reminisced.
“Do you remember that little bar we used to hang out at in Cheyenne?” Christie asked.
“Skinny’s?” Danny Ray laughed. “Yeah, I remember it. We closed that bar down more than once, didn’t we?” He winked at her.
Cord tried to keep a smile on his face and his jealousy at bay. But damned if he could stand the thought of what Christie and Danny Ray had done after they closed down the bar.
“And I always had to drive home because you were too drunk.” Christie took a bite of her brisket.
“Now don’t be gettin’ all self-righteous on me. You drank quite a bit too back then. You were always much nicer after you had a few shots of tequila in you. You were also more willing to dance.”
“You were quite a dancer.” She smiled at the memory. There was a smudge of barbecue sauce at the corner of her mouth that she’d missed with her napkin and Cord was having a hard time looking away from that smudge. Or not wanting to lick it off. “You were one of the best dancers in the entire state of Wyoming.”
“Hell yeah, I was.” Danny Ray pointed a rib at her. “And you weren’t so bad yourself. It takes quite a woman to keep up with Danny Ray.”
It took quite a strong will for Cord not to roll his eyes. He quickly changed the subject. Once Danny Ray started talking about himself, it was hard to get him to stop. “Carrie Anne must’ve gotten her love of dance from you, Danny Ray,” he said. “I caught her dancing more than once in my great room before I got furniture.”
Danny Ray stopped eating and stared at him. “The kid likes to dance?”
Cord nodded. “She also got your love of horses. I think once we get her in the saddle, she’ll be a natural.”
“She hasn’t started riding yet? Hell, I was riding by the time I was four.” Danny Ray glanced at Christie. “If she had been living with me, I’d already have her jumping fences.”
The storm cloud that crossed Christie’s face was fair warning of what was about to happen. Before the storm could break, Cord jumped in. “Christie has done a fine job of raising Carrie Anne. Six years of age is plenty soon enough to get into the saddle. Besides, she needs a safety helmet and proper cowboy boots before she can start riding.”
Danny Ray’s eyes widened. “My kid don’t have cowboy boots?”
Cord did roll his eyes. The man just wasn’t smart. Christie glared at him and spoke through her teeth. “When it’s a choice between feeding my child and boots, I’ll choose food every time.”
Danny Ray looked like he’d been hit in the face with a cast iron skillet. “You didn’t have enough money for food and boots?”
“Good Lord.” Christie threw down her napkin and got up. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
When she was gone, Danny Ray shook his head and spoke more to himself than Cord. “She was doing just fine living with her mama last time I checked. I didn’t know she didn’t have enough money to buy my kid boots.”
Cord recognized the look in his eyes. It was the look of a man who was just now realizing his mistakes. He gave him a moment to absorb the information before he spoke the truth that he had learned the hard way. “But you should’ve known. It’s a daddy’s job to know.”
Danny Ray put down his rib and stared at his plate. After a few minutes, he finally spoke. “I know you really didn’t bring me here to saddle break your horse. But maybe there are some other odd jobs I could do for you around the ranch to make some money.” He paused. “I’d like to buy my daughter some boots.”
Cord had wanted to be the one to give Carrie Anne her first pair of cowboy boots. He’d ordered a purple handmade pair from one of his most talented boot makers and the box sat on the top shelf of his closet. But now he wouldn’t be the one giving them to her and seeing her eyes light up with delight.
Her daddy would be.
“I happen to know a man who makes boots,” Cord said. “I think we can strike up a deal.”
After Christie came back from the bathroom, she seemed to notice the difference in the talkative, happy-go-lucky Danny Ray she’d left and the solemn one who now sat there not saying a word. She looked over at Cord in question, but he only shrugged as he got up to pay the check.
On the way out of town, he spotted the Christmas tree lot they’d passed on their way in. He slowed down and pulled into the lot. “I need to get a tree for my tree decorating party. It shouldn’t take me long.” He thought Danny Ray and Christie would want to stay in the truck, but both hopped out as soon as he parked.
“I’ll help you,” Danny Ray said. “I’m good at picking out trees.” He headed off through the rows of firs and pines.
“I need to get a tree for Carrie Anne,” Christie explained. But she didn’t head o
ff on her own. Instead, she stayed with Cord. “A decorating party? I thought it was just going to be you, Ryker, and Summer.”
“You’re forgetting about Jasper and Danny Ray. I can’t leave out my houseguests. And since they were coming, I decided to invite the rest of the Hadleys and Ms. Marble.” He glanced over at her. “I was hoping you and Carrie Anne would come too. I promised Carrie Anne she could put on the star.” She opened her mouth, no doubt to decline, but he held up a hand. “I get that you don’t want anything to do with me, but I need someone to take pictures for my social media. And since you didn’t exactly give me two weeks notice before quitting—which is what any conscientious employee would do—I figure you owe me at least one more night.”
He expected her to argue. Christie never conceded easily. But she surprised him.
“Fine. I’ll give you two weeks notice. And I’ll come take pictures tomorrow night.” She paused. “But only because Carrie Anne should get to spend time with her daddy.” When he lifted his eyebrows, she shrugged. “Don’t look so surprised, Cord Evans. I can admit when I’m wrong too.” She pointed a finger at him. “But if Danny Ray does one thing to hurt my baby girl, there will be no place that either one of you can hide from my wrath.”
He bit back a grin. “Yes, ma’am.”
“I found a beaut!” Danny Ray came around the end of the row, dragging a tree behind him.
The tree was huge, but since the great room had a fifteen-foot ceiling, it would work perfectly. The lot guy cut off a couple inches from the trunk before he helped Danny Ray carry it to the truck.
Christie wasn’t so easy to please. She had Cord holding up one tree after another. If she liked the shape of the tree, she didn’t like the price tag. Finally, Cord had had enough. When she found a shape she really seemed to like, he hefted the tree onto his shoulder and headed to the side of the sales trailer where they were cutting off the ends of the trunks.
“I’m not sure I can afford that one,” Christie caught up with him.