The Rancher's Christmas Match

“He carried me inside,” Allie informed him. “He seemed nice. Even if my mom did think he had been—”

“That’s enough,” Rebecca held up a hand to cut her daughter off.

“I wouldn’t suggest a long trip anytime soon,” Carson said as he returned to the topic of Allie’s health. “Let her rest up, and if you’re staying in town, I’d like to see her in a couple of days.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

Jack cleared his throat. “Where are you staying, Rebecca?”

She avoided his clear gray eyes, the eyes of a concerned parent. Why did that come to mind? And why did it bother her so much? She’d ceased missing her parents. She’d given up on any type of normal relationship with them. The last time she’d called her father, Pastor Don Barnes, he’d told her he didn’t have a daughter.

Who was she kidding? His comment had hurt. It had opened up the wounds she’d buried at eighteen when he’d disowned her. It had ached deep down because he didn’t want to meet his granddaughter.

And yet here she was, in Oklahoma and a short drive from where she’d grown up. Because even if family wanted nothing to do with her, she wanted to know they were nearby. If something happened, she wanted to know they had someone close.

She’d come to Hope to talk to Jack about the business opportunity he’d advertised nationally. Jack West was offering people free rent if they would commit to keeping their business in Hope, Oklahoma, for one year. But first he had to approve the business and the business plan.

“I thought we would have our meeting, and then I would drive to Tulsa and stay with a friend.”

“We can discuss where you’ll stay while we’re going over your business plan,” Jack continued. “We may need a few days to look over your business and I’m afraid the hotel in town is booked up. There’s a festival in Grove and the entire area is overrun with visitors. Which we aren’t going to complain about.”

“I’ll find us a place.” She smiled, looking over at Allie.

Jack’s attention slid to the girl and he winked at her. “I think you all should stay right here on the ranch.”

“We couldn’t,” Rebecca replied. Allie loved animals and anything country. But they couldn’t stay here.

“I don’t see why not,” Jack continued. “You have a briefcase that I’m sure contains a business plan. And I have a shop looking for a new owner. The only way I can connect you to that shop is if I have an opportunity to look at what you have in mind. If you need an opinion other than mine, that you need to stay put for a while, I think Carson has already given it.”

“I don’t want to take advantage of your generosity,” she told him.

“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot,” Jack said softly. “If staying here makes you feel uncomfortable I’m sure we can find somewhere else for you to stay.”

She had to be a grown-up about this.

The dog, Maximus, pushed his golden head against her leg. She stroked the soft fur and found courage. But hadn’t she been drawing on that same courage for the past year? The death of her aunt had been a difficult blow.

It had taken courage to sell their salon and leave Arizona. It had taken more courage to return to Oklahoma, where she knew she’d meet her past head-on.

For Allie’s sake she needed to make this work. For Allie she would do whatever it took. With that in mind she lifted her gaze to find Jack West watching her, his expression kind. She nodded, accepting the offer. “We’ll stay.”

Allie let out a weak shout and the dog quickly returned to her side, snuggling against her, his head resting on her shoulder. She ran a hand down his back and the dog pushed even closer.

“But we don’t want to put you to any trouble,” Rebecca added.

Jack waved off her concerns. “We have plenty of space. There’s a nice couple of rooms in the women’s dorm.”

Kylie West came in the room and laughed. “‘Women’s dorm’ is a fancy way of saying that there’s a garage that’s been remodeled and turned into apartments.”

“Nice apartments,” Jack countered.

Kylie inclined her head. “I’ll agree with that. I lived in one of those apartments for several years.”

“You don’t live here?” Rebecca asked.

“Carson and I built a house just down the road.” Kylie pulled a chair close to Rebecca’s. “There are a dozen people living on this ranch, plus family. I promise you won’t be an imposition. And it looks like Maximus is begging your little girl to stick around.”

“Thank you,” she said to Jack. “I really do appreciate this. And thank you, Dr. West, for coming over here.”

“Please, call me Carson. And if you have luggage, I’ll help get you moved to your rooms.”

Jack’s head jerked a bit as he nodded, but his smile remained bright. “And if Kylie doesn’t mind, she can take you on out to the garage and introduce you to the other ladies.”

Moments later, Kylie led Rebecca and Allie out the back door of the ranch house and across the lawn to a garage turned living quarters for the three women who lived on the ranch. There was nothing garage-like about the structure, Rebecca realized. The garage doors had been removed and the building included a covered patio.

Inside, it appeared that Jack West had designed the building with a purpose. The doors were wide, for wheelchairs, the floors were hardwood, the furniture sparse with plenty of room for easy access to the living areas and kitchen.

For the next few days they would call this place home. Allie had already hurried to the windows that overlooked stables and fields. Rebecca sighed because she knew that in three days it would be difficult to tear her daughter away from Mercy Ranch.

And it wasn’t just the ranch that would make Allie want to stay, it was the people. Especially a slightly off-balance cowboy with an easy smile and gray eyes that hinted at pain.

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

Isaac ran a brush down the horse’s side as Ted, the Australian shepherd, snoozed on a bale of hay. Shorty stomped when the brush hit a ticklish spot. Isaac moved the brush to the animal’s back. He didn’t normally get distracted when taking care of livestock. Clearly, he knew better than to daydream while working with a horse. Even a horse like Shorty that he’d spent a good amount of time with. In the business world, Shorty would have been his partner. They’d moved a lot of cattle together, he and Shorty. They’d spent long days riding fences, doing repairs, and they’d even won a few events in cutting horse competitions.

But he was distracted. Because he’d woken up this morning to the memory of Rebecca Barnes and her daughter. He’d actually smiled as he made his morning eggs and toast. Because she’d been unexpected and had a streak of courage that he guessed most people overlooked.

Some would have called it foolishness, to approach a stranger, ask for his keys and then offer him a ride home. If he ever saw her again he’d warn her not to do that. She was fortunate that he really was just a guy needing a ride home.

If Jack gave her a building, Isaac guessed he would be seeing her again. She’d be in town, maybe around the ranch. They would be in one another’s lives.

“Is the horse ticklish?” a small voice asked from behind him.

He nearly jumped out of his skin. A grown man wouldn’t want to admit that to just anyone, but considering that whoever had said it giggled at his reaction, he wouldn’t stand a chance at denying. Doing his best to appear composed and tamping down the grin that tugged at his mouth, he faced the girl, who stood inside an empty stall, a scrawny, gray tabby kitten in her hands.

“Yep, horses are ticklish.” He pushed his hat back to get a better look at her. “You feeling up to snuff today?”

“I don’t know what that means, but I think it means I’m good. I always am. After.” Her lips drew in as she contemplated him. “Are you up to snuff?”

He laughed. “Yeah, I am.”

“Your dad says you sleep off the headaches. Does that help?”

She had a lot of questions for a little girl. The questions were bigger than she was, but he guessed with her seizures she had a maturity most nine-year-olds didn’t possess.

“Yeah, it helps. I drink tea and I sleep. Usually when I wake up I’m better.”

“Is it because of the scar on your head?”