The Rancher's Christmas Match

Her heart dropped. This call could go only one way. It would bring back the past. It would bring back the guilt and the pain.

“Okay.” She focused on Allie, who had turned around to watch her. Rebecca waved and smiled, as if the call hadn’t left her cold inside.

“Miss Barnes, Greg Baxter was released from prison one month ago. He’s missed two appointments with me and I have reason to believe he might be in Oklahoma.”

“How did you get my number?” She hadn’t been in contact with Greg in years. Not since he robbed a store, shortly after she’d realized she was pregnant with Allie. She’d been eighteen at the time and Greg had been a mistake. Her attention remained on Allie, who was definitely not a mistake. She was something beautiful from something so ugly and hurtful. Her daughter.

“Your mother gave me your number,” he continued. “Miss Barnes, we have reason to believe that Greg will try to locate you and his daughter.”

“No.” The one word emerged from deep within. “He can’t see her.”

“I understand that. I agree that he should not be in your lives. I want you to understand that there is a warrant out for his arrest. He violated the conditions of his parole and it’s our intention to bring him back to the state of Missouri. This is a courtesy call because I wouldn’t want you to be taken by surprise should he try to contact you.”

“Thank you. I do appreciate that.”

“Miss Barnes, if he does contact you, please phone us. I’ll give you my direct line.”

“I’ll put it in my phone.” She managed to minimize the screen and switch to Contacts. With fingers that felt cold and clumsy she entered the name and number. The call ended. Her world shifted precariously as she considered what it meant to her life, to Allie’s life, that Greg Baxter had been released. She drew in a deep breath and then exhaled. She wouldn’t let him take anything else from her.

Over the years people had told her to have faith, to realize God had a plan. She’d been unable to find faith since the day her dad had told her that Allie’s seizures were a direct result of Rebecca’s sins.

“Mom?” Allie called out, her happy grin faltering.

Rebecca hurried forward, plastering a smile on her face and avoiding eye contact with the man who studied her with a knowing expression.

“We were meeting Mama Llama,” he finally said.

She had to look at him, had to pretend that everything was just fine. Had to prove she wasn’t shaking inside, threatened by the past and the memories.

“Mama Llama doesn’t appear to like you very much,” Rebecca said, pointing to the animal, which had drawn back and bared its teeth at Isaac.

“Yeah, females sometimes take an instant dislike to me. I can’t imagine why.”

“He let me brush his horse,” Allie chimed in. It seemed not all females disliked the cowboy.

“That must have been fun. And where is Eve?”

Allie shot Isaac a worried look and Rebecca pretended not to notice his wink.

“She had to get some work done,” he explained.

Not only had he charmed her daughter, now he was aiding and abetting her. Rebecca pinned him with a look, and like her daughter, he squirmed a little with guilt.

“And she brought Allie to you?”

Allie groaned. “I might have sneaked off while she was on the phone. I saw the horses.”

“Telling the truth,” Isaac said. “Always good for the soul.”

Rebecca held out a hand to her daughter. “We’re going to town for lunch and then we will meet Mr. West at the shop. Isaac, thank you.”

He pushed against the llama as it reached across the fence to nip at his sleeve. The animal came back and grabbed his hat. Allie laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks, and the tension inside Rebecca eased.

Isaac pointed at Rebecca. “Was that a giggle, Ms. Barnes?”

“I’m an adult. I don’t giggle.” Rebecca smiled as he pushed his hat, tooth marks and all, back on his head.

“It most definitely was a giggle. And for that, I’m buying lunch.”

Rebecca tried to object. She seriously wanted to tell him he couldn’t. But before she could respond, Allie had jumped down off the railing, a huge grin on her face, obviously thrilled with the idea.

So she accepted. For Allie’s sake. Nothing else.

Chapter Four (#ub578e4dd-336f-5012-825d-c75366f888e2)

It didn’t take a genius to see that Rebecca Barnes had secrets, and she guarded them as carefully as she did her daughter. Isaac liked that about her, even if it made it difficult to get to know her. Of course, he probably wasn’t the easiest guy in the world to get to know.

He had his own closely guarded secrets and memories. He had plenty of things he didn’t talk about.

As he contemplated her across the table from him, he thought about telling her he understood. He doubted this was the right time. Allie had been questioning her nonstop about Christmas. Once she’d mentioned grandparents, Rebecca had shot her a quick look to quiet her. Jack had noticed, as well as Kylie and Jack.

The five of them were having lunch at Mattie’s Café in town. The proprietor, Holly Jones, had just made it around to their table, passing out samples of a new dessert she’d just invented.

“We need Christmas trees,” Kylie mentioned casually, as she took a bite of the dessert. Her face puckered up and she blinked a few times.

Isaac laughed and Allie hid a giggle behind her hand. He winked at the little girl and they waited as Kylie tried to get her face straight again, smiling across the café at Holly.

“You know she can’t bake a cake,” Isaac whispered. “Didn’t you notice, I put all of mine on Rebecca’s plate?”

Rebecca glanced down at it and her mouth dropped.

Isaac took his sister-in-law’s plate and scraped the remaining cake onto Allie’s. “Holly can’t bake. She thinks she can. She watches those reality cooking shows where they make them put together horrible concoctions like salmon and chocolate. For some reason she probably thought anchovies would make a great dessert. A little lemon, some fish, a dash of poppy seeds.”

“I heard that, Isaac West,” Holly called out from across the room. “You’re a horrible person.”

“Holly Jones, you’re going to jail for trying to poison the good citizens of Hope. There’s no hope for your cakes.”

Allie dissolved in giggles and even Rebecca forgot herself and laughed. Isaac caught himself staring at her. She glowed when she laughed. Her eyes lit up and her smile changed the casual beauty of her face into something extraordinary. If he lived to be one hundred, he would never forget that smile. Kylie elbowed him and he gulped and reached for water. Holly was crossing the room, her brown hair framing her elfin face. Her green eyes flashed with fire. She picked up the plate of cake and placed it in front of Isaac.

“I apologize, Kylie, your lunch is on me. You mistakenly got the cake I intended for Isaac.”

All around them chuckles and laughter filled the café as people realized the joke had been on Isaac. Rebecca took a bite of her cake and smiled at him. “Mmm, delicious,” she said.

“Holly, that just isn’t Christian of you,” Isaac said as he scooped up a bite of the cake he’d put in front of Rebecca. “This is actually edible. It really is lemon. And no anchovies.”

“Fool. It’s lemon and raspberry. I’m tired of you complaining about my inventions.”

“Well, some of them just aren’t that good,” Isaac told her.