by Deb Kastner
He should have waited until after her big Kickfire debut, so he could do his promo work for her and she could bask in her success.
As it was, he’d ruined everything. She was doing all her work alone. And now, by taking her away from the store just as she was about to put up her Christmas decorations and put the finishing touches on her Kickfire display, he’d made things even worse for her. Today, she might be thinking only of Stella, but Black Friday was going to come out swinging and she wouldn’t be prepared.
What kind of woman made the kind of sacrifices Alyssa made? She was justly angry and feeling betrayed because of the way Cash had treated her, and yet when push came to shove, she hadn’t given it a second’s thought before stepping up to support him and Baby Stella.
Alyssa was one of a kind. She put her whole heart into everything she did, from caring for her family to keeping Emerson’s Hardware afloat. She’d successfully courted the Kickfire brand.
And she’d opened her heart to him.
He hadn’t realized just how much until they’d shared a kiss, but then, he hadn’t realized the strength of his own feelings until then, either.
And now, watching his baby sleeping in her crib and Alyssa lightly snoring on the hospital bed, he finally knew what true love was.
This was what he wanted. Alyssa. Stella. A family to whom he could commit every bit of his love and protection. He hadn’t done a good job of guarding Alyssa’s heart, mainly because he’d been the one she needed defending from.
But none of that changed the fact that he was in love with her and wanted to spend his life with her.
He didn’t know if she could ever really forgive him, but if anyone had the capability to find forgiveness in her heart, it was Alyssa.
He couldn’t fix the past. But the more he thought about it, the more he started to think that maybe, just maybe, he might be able to change her future.
First thing in the morning, he had a couple of very important phone calls to make.
In the meantime, sweet Baby Stella had awoken and needed to be changed and fed. And as her daddy, it was now his privilege to care for all her needs.
* * *
The following morning, a lawyer visited and, as Sharee had promised, presented Cash with the necessary paperwork to give him full custody of Stella. He didn’t even have to take a paternity test. Sharee wasn’t fighting Cash at all.
Even so, Alyssa was relieved when the documents were signed and sealed, and a nurse came by with their release papers. The hospital provided Cash with a big bag of goodies to take home with him and Sharee had provided a car seat.
He still resided in a cabin at Howell’s Bed and Breakfast, and his mother was on her way to meet her new granddaughter. But since Sharee hadn’t given him any hint of what was to come, he wasn’t prepared to bring a newborn home. And since it was Thanksgiving, no stores were open.
“I’ve got enough diapers and formula to last me a month,” he said, “but where am I going to put this little one to sleep?”
“Let me stop by my friend Rachel’s house. She runs an in-home day care and has a number of cribs and bassinets. I’m sure she can loan us something.”
Cash kept expressing how grateful he was for her assistance, not just with the bassinet, but for coming with him to the hospital the day before and staying with him until he could bring Stella home.
She was happy to do it. She really was.
Watching Cash with Stella made it all worth it. She’d been so angry with him when he’d told her about Aaron, but after a while, she realized that most of those emotions came more from being piqued that he hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her earlier, and not because what he’d done was unforgivable.
She’d seen him grow and mature in the past few months. She’d worked with him every day, watched him struggle with his alcoholism and come through it victorious, even during the worst times. She’d watched his strength of character as he tried to be the best person he could be for his daughter. And maybe best of all, she’d seen him return to the faith of his childhood and become a man of God.
And she loved him for it.
She loved him.
Her feelings had crept up on her and caught her by surprise, but once the words had gone through her mind and settled on her heart, she knew for certain.
She was in love with Cash, and with Baby Stella. She’d once thought she might not ever have a family, especially after her own family imploded.
But now there was Cash and Stella and the possibility of something lasting.
She just didn’t know how to express her feelings to Cash. Or when.
Right now, it was all he could do to be a daddy. She didn’t want to overwhelm him by pressing him to make decisions that concerned her.
She wasn’t even sure he still felt the same about her. They’d connected in an amazing way when they’d kissed, but much had happened since then.
Thanksgiving turned out to be a quiet, joyful time in the Emerson household. Her father was looking—and acting—especially well. Almost his old self. Alyssa didn’t know what was responsible for the change, but she was happy for him.
Cash’s mother, June, was a quiet, lovely woman who doted over Stella and engaged her father in conversation.
Eddie and Cash yapped on and on about his ranching work, and Alyssa realized for certain that he would never be back to help her run the store. Emerson’s Hardware simply wasn’t his path. She couldn’t fault him for finding something he loved.
But that did leave her in a pickle. She would once again be working the store alone. And though she promised herself she wasn’t going to worry about the Kickfire debut, she couldn’t completely purge it from her mind as she, her brother and father, Cash and June played board games well into the evening while Stella was passed from lap to lap. Everyone wanted time with her, even Alyssa’s dad. They shared a lot of talk and laughter, and she just couldn’t find it in her heart to break away.
Her alarm rang at 3:00 a.m., way too early for any sane person to get up. But she hadn’t even started decorating the store for Christmas, much less prepared the Kickfire display for its debut.
Cash had said the other day that he’d been ready to pick up his last check and leave. Hopefully that had changed now that he had Stella, but she didn’t know if she’d see him today or not, what with the Kickfire publicity.
By the time she’d showered, blow-dried her hair and put on a little makeup, a half hour had passed. She must be nuts to be trying to save Black Friday from utter failure.
Still half-asleep, she decided to walk to the store, hoping the crisp early morning air would help get her brain cells moving. Once Cup O’ Jo’s opened at nine, she’d get a large cup of coffee, but in the meantime, she had a ton of work to do.
As she approached the store, she was surprised to find the light on. Had she left the light on when she’d rushed off with Cash?
But wait. That wasn’t just the store light blaring out onto the dark street. It was soft, blinking colored lights—Christmas lights—in the window.
She peered into the window display, utterly stunned. Half was the large nativity scene, couched in hay, all the statues placed with care.
On the other side of the window, the shelf was covered with fluffy white cotton, and on top of that, a clever display of boots and hats. One male mannequin was dressed in Kickfire’s best white chambray shirt and blue jeans and the female mannequin sported an equally impressive Western outfit.
Whoever created the scene had posed the mannequins so it appeared as if the female was throwing a snowball at the male and he was ducking so he wouldn’t get hit. Serendipity rarely got snow, but the display was a work of art, and tears of gratitude flowed down Alyssa’s cheeks.
She had no idea who did this for her, never mind when or how.
How did they even get into the store? She distinctly remembered locking the
door behind her when she and Cash had taken off for the hospital.
And really, how had anyone known what she’d needed?
She let herself into the shop and simply marveled. Inside, the Kickfire display had been set and was ready to go. Decorations were already up and shining with Christmas spirit. There was a Christmas tree in the far corner. She merely had to put money in the register and she was ready to go for Black Friday.
She spent the next two hours making sure everything was stocked and fronted and that her store was looking the best it could, but the truth was, there wasn’t much for her to do. The shop had been meticulously cleaned. There wasn’t a speck of dust to be seen and the floor looked not only well swept, but mopped, as well.
At six, she heard keys in the lock and turned to find Cash letting himself in, Baby Stella asleep in the infant car seat.
He looked around and whistled.
“Wow. This is even better than I imagined.”
“When we talked about the Kickfire debut, you mean?” she asked.
“Er—yeah, that.”
She narrowed her gaze on him. “Why do I think there’s more to this than you’re telling me?”
He just grinned and shrugged.
At eight she turned the sign from Closed to Open, and customer after customer stopped by to see the new Kickfire products and express their excitement of having the new line sold in Serendipity. Fancy pranced around interacting with the customers, acting like the store mascot she was. The kittens had been adopted, all except Maus. Alyssa found it adorable that Cash had become so attached to the little black fur-ball.
Jo was one of the first to enter, and it didn’t take much to get the whole story from her. Cash had called her and asked her to head up a committee to make sure Emerson’s would be decorated and prepared for the Kickfire debut.
A little buzz around town and there were plenty of volunteers who offered to help.
“Many hands make light work,” Jo told her.
“Yes, but how did you get in?” she wondered aloud.
Jo smiled widely. “Your father stopped by to do the honors.”
“My father?” Alyssa didn’t know whether to be excited or alarmed by the news that he’d come to the shop.
“It’ll be a slow process, but I think he wants to come back to work, at least part-time.”
“That’s wonderful,” she exclaimed.
Considering she thought the end of the world was coming this morning, things had certainly turned around. Now, if she could just find Cash and get her personal life in order, everything would be perfect. She glanced around the store, but apparently he’d slipped out when she hadn’t been looking.
“He’s already left town, love,” Jo told her, guessing her thoughts as she glanced around.
“I guess he isn’t going to be the face of Emerson’s and Kickfire,” she said, discouragement obvious in her tone.
“Oh, no. It’s not that. Quite the opposite, in fact. He’s visiting a television studio with Martin and Pete. He’s going on the local news to show off all your fancy new duds and talk up Emerson’s Hardware.”
“Really?”
“I think there’s going to be a big spread in Rodeo Times magazine, as well,” she said. “Martin actually thinks this thing with Kickfire is just what Cash needs. If Martin has his way, Cash probably won’t be returning to Serendipity in the near future. He’ll be back on the pro rodeo circuit after this.”
“Oh.”
Alyssa’s heart plunged into her stomach. Of course he would. That had been the plan all along. When it came time to cowboy up and be a daddy for Stella, he was right there. Now it was time for him to provide for her by doing what he knew—rodeo.
“Cash’s mom will be watching Stella for at least the first couple of months while Cash works. From what I hear, she’s thrilled to be a grandmother.”
Alyssa forced a smile to her face. “I’m glad for her—for all of them. Stella is a precious little blessing.”
Jo studied her for a long time before agreeing.
“It looks like Kickfire is a huge success,” Jo added. “With or without Cash sponsoring it. Although I’m sure that man’s handsome face won’t hurt.”
Though she didn’t say so, Alyssa privately disagreed. Today wasn’t exactly a success. Everything would be different without Cash. Alyssa’s heart would ache for his handsome face, his good heart and his sweet Stella for a good, long time.
Maybe always.
Chapter Thirteen
Alyssa had no idea why the church Christmas committee had chosen her to play Mary in the live nativity this year. There were much younger, much prettier young ladies who could do it.
But for some reason, they’d picked her—and they’d insisted on it. So on Christmas Eve, she dutifully donned the white dress and royal blue wrap and made her way to where the life-size crèche had been set up just outside the church.
The committee had gone all-out this year. There were several of Rowdy Masterson’s sheep milling around, along with a donkey and a large tan dog that Alyssa guessed was supposed to be a camel. She’d never read any nativity accounts that had included dogs.
Several little boys were dressed as shepherds, while the little girls preferred angel costumes. Seth Howell’s boy Caden even had a drum and was pounding out an uneven rhythm with his sticks.
Alyssa carefully seated herself on the hay bale behind the crèche, which she assumed had been placed there for her. People had started gathering for the service and everyone had an interest in what was going on in the live nativity scene, which in previous years had gone wild in any number of ways, from a young shepherd freaking out over the sheep he was supposed to be herding, to a particularly outgoing angel who thought she ought to have the sole speaking part.
Tonight, the only thing that appeared to be missing was a baby to play Jesus and, ironically enough, Joseph. It was bad enough that the town probably thought she couldn’t catch a husband in real life without being stood up when she was playing the mother of God.
Alyssa was grateful when Jo rushed up with a baby in her arms. Traditionally, the role of Jesus went to the newest baby in town, but Alyssa didn’t know of any, at least not newborn, as the baby placed in her arms clearly was.
She glanced down and took a good look at the baby.
It couldn’t be.
But there was no doubt. Even if her eyes didn’t show her the truth, her heart confirmed it.
She was holding Stella in her arms.
And that meant—
“Sorry I’m late. I had some trouble with my costume.”
Cash.
He was back. But why?
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” she admitted.
“No? But I thought it was traditional for Serendipity’s newest resident to play the role of Jesus.”
Newest resident?
“It is, but—you’d have to live here for her to be considered a resident.”
“Exactly. The Howells have kept my cabin for me for the time being, and as you know, my mom is staying with me for a couple of months—just until I get my bearings as a father. But I’m hoping to be looking for a family home soon.”
Alyssa didn’t even know what to say to that, and she wasn’t even sure she could speak if she tried.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned through Aaron’s death, it’s to treasure each day that God gives us. Each moment is so precious. That’s why I’m here. To ask your forgiveness.”
“Done.” Alyssa didn’t even have to think about it. “Life is too short to hold a grudge. Besides, when you remain angry with someone, it only hurts you, not the person you’re mad at.”
“You are an amazing woman, you know that?”
She flashed him a wry grin. “Is it the costume?”
“Well, Mary was an amazing wo
man, too, but I’m talking about you.”
Alyssa’s heart swelled until she thought it might burst. “You are perfect for Joseph. Strong and protective.”
He stepped one foot onto the hay bale and leaned on his cane. “It’s the shepherd’s hook, right?”
She laughed. “It’s a bit more than that.”
“Speaking of costumes, I think you forgot something. Yours doesn’t look quite right.”
“It— What did I forget?” she stammered.
“Hang on.” He yanked up his robe until he could reach the front pocket of the jeans he was wearing underneath. He dug around for a moment and then grinned as he held out a diamond ring between his thumb and forefinger. “Here we go. I specifically remember in the story that Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph. So, what do you say?”
She wasn’t certain she could say anything. Her throat closed around her words. But finally, she managed a chuckle. She pressed a kiss to Stella’s forehead and laid her on the soft hay in the manger.
“That depends. Am I speaking as Mary or as myself?”
His gaze widened. “Will it make a difference in your answer? I don’t mind saying I was kind of hoping not.”
“Well, let’s see. Mary said yes to Joseph, right?”
He groaned. “You’re killing me here.”
Stella gurgled and wriggled in her swaddling blanket.
“Now see? You’ve got Stella all antsy, too. So, tell us, Alyssa Joan Emerson. Will you marry me and make us a real family?”
“But what about rodeo?”
He shook his head. “What about rodeo?”
“I thought you were going back. I heard Martin was pleased with the Kickfire shoot.”
“Yeah, for about five seconds, until I told him I was only doing it for you and had no intention of returning to rodeo. Which reminds me. I know your dad is talking about coming back to work part-time, but I was wondering if I might get an application for employment. I’m looking for something long-term and stable. You know, something that a married man with a family would do?”
She pressed her palm to his chest and felt his heart thumping wildly.