Jingle Bell Baby

The snow was falling fast and deep as Jessie slowly drove the familiar route home. Her small white farmhouse was just a few miles outside of town but she had rarely recalled the ride taking so long. As she guided the Jeep over bumpy, snow-covered roads, she could see the police car’s headlights shining steadily a short distance behind her. She thought of the baby, secure in her basket in the back seat of Clint’s cruiser—and she thought of Clint—and tried to ignore the odd little glow inside her.

The Jeep fishtailed as she turned into the long driveway and she steered hard to avoid skidding into a pine tree. Finally the vehicle lurched to a stop, the front end sunk into a hip-high drift.

She sighed and rested her head on the steering wheel for just a second before turning off the engine. She would have to do some digging to get this heap on the road again, but right now she had more important business to tend to.

Jessie hopped out, then glanced back to the police car that had pulled up behind her. Clint was already reaching into the back seat for Daisy’s basket. He was quickly at Jessie’s side, his long legs gliding effortlessly through the deep snow.

“You go ahead and open the door,” he said.

Jessie trekked up to the door and got it unlatched, Clint following close behind. He stumbled into the house, holding out the basket like a fullback coming over the fifty-yard line.

“This baby could sleep through a tornado,” he said. “Where do you want her?”

“In the living room will be fine for now, I guess.” Just behind him, Jessie peeked inside the basket as he carried it into the living room and set it down near the Christmas tree. Daisy was still, miraculously, sound asleep. Jessie reached in and arranged the blankets around her.

“Don’t start fussing over her too much now—she’ll wake up,” Clint whispered as he crouched down next to her.

“Do you think she’s okay in there? Maybe I should make a little bed for her from a dresser drawer or something,” Jessie whispered back.

“She looks pretty snug as is. I wouldn’t move her. You’ll put her in your bedroom tonight, while you’re sleeping, right?” he asked.

“Of course I will—” Jessie turned to him, wide-eyed and indignant. “As if I’d let this little girl sleep down here all by herself.”

“All right. Just checking,” he whispered back with a hint of laughter under his voice. “No more questions, promise. I know you’ll take good care of her.”

She would indeed. That was certainly no lie. She’d take the most excellent care of this baby, even if she had to stay up all night staring at her like a loyal watchdog. What she didn’t know about baby care Jessie was determined to make up for in dedication.

“Tell me something, Jessie,” he whispered. “When you got up this morning, did you ever think you’d find something like her under your tree?”

Jessie glanced at him, but made no answer. He had a teasing edge to his voice that Jessie would bet one didn’t hear too often. She looked down at the baby again and made a tiny adjustment in Daisy’s blanket.

“To tell you the truth, she’s exactly what I asked Santa to bring me.”

“You must have been a very good girl this year,” he replied.

She gave him a questioning sidelong glance, then looked back at the baby. “What are you expecting in your stocking this year? A lump of coal, I’d bet.”

“Sounds about right,” he admitted with a nod. “But I do have my memories.” His wicked grin made her heart skip a beat.

She smiled despite herself, but didn’t dare stare into his eyes for too long.

“She’s a miracle, isn’t she?” Jessie said, turning the conversation back to the baby.

“She is, indeed.” Clint nodded, his gaze moving from the baby back to Jessie. Had he done the wrong thing by letting her take this baby home, even for one night? The expression on her lovely face was enough to move even his old battered heart. How was it that she wasn’t married with a houseful of kids of her own? This lady wanted a baby—a baby and all the trimmings. All the things that he could never give a woman.

And he had wondered why he was even thinking in that direction. It had to be the baby that had put him in this strange mood. He knew how a child, a sweet little baby girl like this one, could so easily steal your heart. And he knew the pain of losing one.

“Well, everything seems to be under control,” he whispered. “I’ve got to go.”

Abruptly he stood up. Jessie stood up, too, wondering about his abrupt change of mood. She had just been about to offer him coffee, but it was probably better that she hadn’t, she decided. She had to admit that now that he was leaving, she felt just the tiniest bit nervous about being alone with the baby.

Get a grip, she urged herself. You can’t admit now that you don’t know beans about taking care of her.

Besides, it was probably better that he was leaving. This dark, strong, mercurial man genuinely unnerved her. Still, she wondered why, while half of her was willing him to go, the other half was already wondering when she’d see him again.

“So, what happens next?” Jessie asked as she followed him to the door.

“Someone will come by tomorrow and pick up the baby. I guess they’ll call you in advance for directions and such. You’d better give me your number,” he added and took a small pad and a pen out of his jacket pocket.

Jessie gave him the number, silently registering that the someone who would call and come for the baby wouldn’t be Sheriff Bradshaw.

“Oh, and you’d better save all her blankets and the clothes that she’s dressed in. We’re going to need all of that for the investigation.”

“Investigation?”

“We’ve got to try and find her mother, or whoever it was that wrote that note,” he explained, sounding very much like an officer of the law, Jessie thought.

“But whoever left her doesn’t want her. It says so right in the note,” Jessie said. “Daisy wouldn’t be returned to someone who doesn’t want to take care of her, would she?”

The note of concern in her voice touched a nerve. The woman certainly had a point, but he sure as hell didn’t make the rules.

“It will be up to the court to decide,” he said simply. “That is, if we find her mother, or some other relative.”

“And if you don’t find anyone?”

“Then she’ll be adopted. There are thousands of couples waiting to give a baby like that lots of love and a good home,” he assured her.

Thousands of couples. The phrase echoed in Jessie’s mind. Sometimes it seemed that the world was designed like Noah’s ark; you couldn’t get anywhere if you weren’t traveling in a twosome.

“Yes, I guess there are,” she said quietly. Then in a brighter tone, she added, “Just one more thing before you go, Sheriff—”

“Yes?” he answered sharply, pinning her with a definite “what is it now?” look.

“Merry Christmas,” she answered.

“Right—Merry Christmas,” he replied gruffly. “You’ve been a great help with this situation. Thanks.”

“No thanks necessary,” Jessie replied lightly. “Thanks for trusting me with her.”

“Well, don’t think I’m not going to check you out before the night is through,” he warned her in a half-teasing tone.

“Oh?” Jessie’s eyes widened. Then she laughed. “Well, let me know if you find out anything interesting. A woman likes to live up to her reputation.”

He didn’t answer. He just stood staring down at her for a long moment, his gaze floating over her hair and eyes, lingering on her mouth. Jessie felt something passing between them that was positively electric. He was going to lean down and kiss her. She felt as if she could barely breathe. Jessie looked up at him, meeting his gaze. Her lips parted. She held her breath…

But he didn’t. He stepped back, and pulled open the door. “Good night,” he said abruptly. And without waiting for her reply, he stepped out into the falling snow.

Jessie watched from the doorway as he walked down the path to his car and drove away. He was a puzzle, wasn’t he? A tempting puzzle for a woman attracted by that kind of man.