Christmas Gifts: Cinderella and the Cowboy / The Boss's Christmas Baby / Their Little Christmas Miracle

The cake lady was seventy, if she was a day.

Elizabeth shot Jack a look and he bared his white teeth in a huge smile as he laughed.

“Jack!” The old woman threw her arms around him, her tiny frame dwarfed by his large one.

“Hi, Edith. How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. What can I do for you?”

“Tom’s getting married this Friday. I know it’s short notice, but we were hoping you could manage to make a wedding cake for him.”

She looked at Elizabeth for the first time. “Who’s this? Is she the bride?”

Elizabeth had to stifle a laugh. “No! I mean, no, I’m not the bride. It’s Carol.”

“Oh, good.” Edith gave her an assessing once-over. “So who are you?”

“I’m Tom’s daughter-in-law.”

“Reggie’s wife?” Edith asked in horror.

“Reggie’s widow.”

“Oh, poor Tom.” Then she turned back to Jack and her demeanor changed. “So he’s finally going to marry Carol? That’s good. How many people?”

“We figure a couple of hundred,” Jack said.

“What style cake do you want?”

Jack looked at Elizabeth. “That’s your job.”

Elizabeth described it, and was a bit concerned when Edith didn’t write anything down.

“Got it. I’ll have it ready Friday by noon.”

Jack thanked her. “We would’ve given you more time, but he didn’t ask her until last night.”

“A couple of romantics, eh?”

“Yeah, I guess they didn’t want to waste any time,” Jack said with a grin.

“I don’t blame them. They’re not getting any younger.” She gave Jack a smile, and Elizabeth swore she saw the woman bat her eyelashes at him.

Jack stepped back, a fearful look on his face. “I…I’ll see you Friday.”

He got out of the farmhouse before Edith could kiss him goodbye. Elizabeth could only laugh as she followed.

When they got to the truck, he shot her a look. “I don’t think it’s funny. Sometimes that woman scares me.”

She tried to stop laughing. “I’m sorry.” When she sobered, she said, “I’m also sorry for thinking you were dating Edith.”

“Thank you.”

She shrugged. “It’s none of my business anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means that I have no right to be concerned about who you date. You’re a single man with no ties. You can date whomever you want.”

Jack nodded at her comment, apparently in agreement. But the thought struck her as untrue.

It did bother her who Jack dated. But why?

Because she was jealous.

Because she cared about him.

Because, she realized with a gasp, she was falling for him.

When they arrived back at the ranch, Jack went straight to Tom. They had important business to discuss.

Elizabeth followed him and immediately went to Brady, who was sitting on the floor, playing cards with Tom. “Brady, is everything all right?”

“Sure, Mommy. Jenny’s asleep and we’re playing cards.”

“I didn’t know you knew how to play.”

“Grandpa taught me.”

Tom seemed pleased. “Jenny’s upstairs asleep.”

“I’ll just take Brady and go check on her.” Elizabeth ushered her son out of the room. “I’ll let you guys talk business.”

Tom stood up and turned to his ranch foreman. “You look serious, Jack. What is it?”

“Have you booked a honeymoon, Tom?”

From the look on Tom’s face Jack knew he hadn’t even given it a thought.

After checking on her sleeping baby, Elizabeth called Carol.

“Did you talk to Edith?” the bride-to-be asked.

“Yes, and your cake should be beautiful.”

“Thank you so much.” Carol hesitated, then added, “Elizabeth, I have one more favor to ask you.”

“Anything. You name it.”