A Cowboy's Christmas Proposal

“Of course.” Molly nonetheless kept an eye on him as he stomped through the front room and down the hall.

A moment later, she heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Owen and the girls come inside, a cold gust following them.

“Nice.” Owen paused and surveyed the room with its overstuffed sofa, oak coffee and end tables, lamps that resembled lanterns, antique oxen yoke hanging on the wall, and lacy curtains. “Very cozy.”

“There’s a kitchenette with an under-the-counter fridge, a three-burner stove, microwave and sink.” Molly pointed out the various features with pride and satisfaction. The cabins were indeed nice, and she’d contributed significantly to their design. “The sofa is a sleeper with a queen-size mattress.”

“That’s good.” Owen let go of the girls’ hands, allowing them to explore. “I brought a portable crib for Willa. I’m thinking Cody and Marisa can sleep out here while I take the bedroom.”

“I don’t wanna sleep with Cody.” Marisa made a face and glared at the offending sofa.

“But this bed’s special,” Owen said. “It pops out of the sofa like magic.”

Marisa wasn’t mollified. “I want Oreo.”

“Oreo,” Willa agreed and dropped onto her bottom in the middle of the floor.

“Their dog,” Owen told Molly. “She sleeps in the girls’ room on Marisa’s bed.”

“I’m sorry. Only service dogs are allowed at the ranch.” Molly admired his patience with these three. They were a handful.

“Wow!” Cody exploded from the bathroom. “Daddy, come look. The tub is huge.”

“Each cabin comes with a built-in two-person spa tub,” Molly explained to Owen. “And an enclosed courtyard in back for privacy.”

“I’m intrigued.” His gaze caught hers and lingered.

Molly glanced away first but not before her heart gave an unexpected leap. Really?

She checked Owen’s left hand for a wedding ring before she could stop herself. There was none, not that she cared.

“Daddy!” Cody insisted. “Come look at the bathtub.”

“I’m hungry,” Marisa complained from the kitchenette where she was opening every lower cabinet and drawer within her reach.

“I’ll leave you to get unpacked.” Molly seized the chance to escape and inched toward the door. “Let me know if there’s anything you require. Extra towels or pillows. Assistance connecting to the complimentary Wi-Fi.”

“Can we ride the horses?” Cody asked.

Owen reached out and tousled his son’s hair. “We noticed the stables.”

Molly gave an apologetic head shake, neatly slipping back into guest relations mode. “I’m afraid Moses and Amos are for carriage and hayrides only. But Powell Ranch is a half mile up the road, and they rent horses by the hour for trail rides and lessons. There are also plenty other family-friendly activities in the nearby area. They’re listed in the binder.” She pointed to the coffee table. “Hiking trails and the OdySea Aquarium. There’s even recreational bull riding at the Poco Dinero Bar and Grill.”

“I’ve heard about that,” Owen said. “Maybe I’ll take a spin.”

“You’ve rodeoed before?”

“In my previous life. Before I became a marketing rep for Waverly Equine Products.”

That was interesting. Despite his Western dress, Molly hadn’t pictured him riding bulls. Must be the pressed jeans. She’d pegged him as more of a weekend cowboy.

“Daddy was a champion,” Cody announced. “He has gold buckles and trophies.”

“I’m impressed.”

“I made a living at it.” Owen shrugged. “For a while.”

“What happened?”

“Complications,” he said. “Mostly these three. Their mom didn’t like me being on the road every week.”

“Understandable.”

“The funny thing is I wound up traveling just as much with Waverly. Which is why I quit. More time to spend with this motley crew. It’s also why I agreed to help out Uncle Homer for a month. I plan on getting sick of their company.”

“You’re not working?” Molly immediately wished she could take back the question. “I’m sorry. That was rude of me to ask. And none of my business.”

“It’s all right. I’m not embarrassed. The fact is, I need to make some changes in my life, and now I have the chance. Don’t suppose you’ve heard of any places in the area hiring a former senior marketing rep who doesn’t want to travel much?”

“Afraid not.”

“I guess the good news is I brought my laptop and you have complimentary Wi-Fi.”

Molly reached for the doorknob, more eager than ever to be on her way. “If you’ll excuse me, I have about a hundred tasks waiting for me at the house.”

“We’ll be along shortly.”

She barely heard his reply as she shut the door behind her and trotted down the steps. At the bottom, she wiped her brow.

“That was close.”

Owen was a charming man and potentially hard to resist. But going all soft inside at a man’s admiring glance had landed Molly in trouble before, causing her to fall blindly in love and miss the obvious indicators of trouble brewing.

Besides, Sweetheart Ranch and its success were her priorities. She owed her grandmother that and more for giving her a second chance. Now wasn’t the time to act on any romantic sparks. Especially with a man who had his own important priorities that included taking care of three young children and finding a new job.

* * *

MOLLY STOPPED AT the clubhouse on her return from Owen’s cabin, making sure all was in order for the open house. When her cell phone suddenly started playing Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” on her way out the door, she jumped. Grandma Em returning her calls. Finally! With fumbling fingers, she whipped out her phone and answered.

“Grandma. Where are you?”

To her dismay, a sob caught in her throat—from relief and from sorrow at her grandmother’s abandonment. Not that her grandmother had abandoned her exactly. In the same way her father hadn’t exactly abandoned Molly when he’d died soon after her twelfth birthday. Still, she felt a keen loss whenever someone took off without warning and tended to react emotionally.

“In Flagstaff,” Grandma said. “We stopped for gas.”

“Okay.” Molly’s voice sounded small.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. Please don’t think I bailed on you.”