Her Christmas Family Wish

“Excuse me.” Wyatt set down the washcloth he’d been wetting under the kitchen tap and answered the call. “No, that doesn’t sound good,” he agreed with a frown. He asked a few more questions, obviously about a sick animal, then said, “It could be contagious, but I can’t tell for sure without seeing him, and I’m afraid I can’t get away right now.”

Ellie waved her hand to catch his attention.

“Hang on a moment, will you, Mark?” He put his hand over the receiver, a question on his face. “Yes?”

“Why don’t you go do your job? I’ll stay with Cade. I had nothing special planned for this evening anyway,” she added, then thought how pathetic that sounded.

“I couldn’t ask you to do that, Ellie.” Wyatt shook his head.

“You’re not asking. I’m offering. And I’d really enjoy spending some more time with this little guy.” She dabbed Cade’s cheek, and he sneezed. Seeing Wyatt’s dubious look, she insisted. “Actually I was hoping you’d let us stay long enough to work on Gracie’s school project.”

“Oh?” he frowned.

“She’s got to collect some pinecones for art class. I noticed you have tons scattered along your driveway. We could collect them and take Cade for a walk.” She nodded when he just kept looking at her. “Go ahead. Take the call. It sounds serious.”

“It could be.” Wyatt had an obvious internal debate with himself, but it was equally obvious that he wanted to go. Finally, he nodded just once, then said into the phone, “Okay, Mark, I’m on my way.”

Ellie smiled as he hung up. “Now, where’s the stroller?”

“On the porch. You’re sure about this?” He paused in the act of reaching for his hat. “You’re not just trying to make me feel better or something?”

“Trust me, seeing your lovely ranch does not make me feel pity for you. Jealousy maybe. Look.” She pointed outside to her daughter, suddenly a little too aware of the handsome vet standing beside her. Gracie ran around the yard with the puppy following. “I haven’t heard her laugh like that for ages.”

“Glad I could help.” Wyatt slapped on his hat. “She must have her father’s eyes,” he said when the child looked up.

“No. Gracie has her mother’s eyes.” Ellie shook her head when he blinked in surprise. “I’ll explain later. Go.”

“I don’t know how long I’ll be.” His worried gaze rested on Cade.

“We’ll be here.” She smiled when he looked at her. “I’m a nurse, Wyatt. I can take care of him.”

“Of course. Thank you, Ellie,” he said. He kissed Cade’s head, then hurried out the door. A moment later his truck roared and he took off, a plume of red dust following.

“Mommy? Where did Cade’s daddy go?” Gracie frowned, the puppy forgotten for the moment.

“Wyatt is a doctor for animals. He went to help them. He’ll be back in a little while. Meanwhile, let’s put the puppy in the pen and go for a walk to find those pinecones you need for school.”

“Is Cade coming?” her daughter asked.

“Of course. Cade likes looking for pinecones,” Ellie said as she went to take the child out of his high chair.

“How do you know?” Gracie’s head tilted to one side, giving her the look of a curious bird. “Did his daddy tell you?”

“No. It’s just one of those things mommies know.”

As she picked up the baby and turned, her gaze fell on a huge portrait above the sofa. She walked over to study it.

Wyatt’s wedding picture. He looked young and very happy, his dark eyes shining. The woman beside him was petite, her black hair upswept in a chic style. Even in the photo her love was obvious as her gaze locked with her new husband’s. She wore a fancy, fluffy gown that looked very expensive. Taryn & Wyatt was engraved on a small silver plate along with a date.

Today’s date.

Ellie gulped. Why had she come here today of all days, on their wedding anniversary? She was an interloper. Cade began protesting, and she glanced down, suddenly aware that this child was hers, Taryn’s. She should be here comforting him, caring for him, sharing him with Wyatt.

“Come on, Gracie,” she called suddenly. “Walk time.”

Please, help me, Ellie prayed as she walked the children down the tree-covered lane, pausing here and there so Gracie could collect her cones. I get carried away sometimes by my dream, by wanting what I can’t have. Please, help me find a new dream, Your dream.

Just before the spot where the lane joined the highway, Ellie paused and turned, the ranch spread out before her. It was a home for a family, but it could never be her home or her family. That dream had died the day she’d told her fiancé she would never be separated from her young child.

On that day Ellie had also realized that the dream she’d carried in her heart since childhood, a dream to be a mom to the kind of loving family her parents had given her and her sister, Karen, was just that—a dream. Her parents were gone, Karen was gone. All that was left of the Grant family was Ellie and Gracie.

And that had to be enough.

Chapter Three (#u72a93ccc-2571-51d8-b038-7304b9edc7dd)

Gracie has her mother’s eyes.

With his animal patients well on the road to recovery, Wyatt’s mind was free to puzzle over Ellie’s words as he drove home. Wasn’t Ellie Gracie’s mother?

He pulled into his ranch, surprised by the warm glow he felt at seeing the house lights on as if to welcome him. He stood outside and paused a moment. In the twilight nothing looked amiss, as if this was a well-run hobby ranch instead of a work in progress. Still, Wyatt doubted his father would approve.

Inside the back door he inhaled the savory aroma of simmering beef. His stomach growled in response. Ellie walked toward him, a welcoming smile on her face.

“Hi. How’d things go?”

“Fine. The animal is recovering nicely.” He liked the way she’d bundled her silvery curls on the top of her head, leaving her pretty face and wide smile free for him to admire. “Everything okay here?”

“All quiet on the western front,” she said. “Cade zonked out a while ago.”

“I’ll just go check on him.” Wyatt washed first, then entered Cade’s room, smiling at the sight of his boy curled up and snoring. His heart squeezed almost painfully tight as he smoothed a hand against Cade’s dark head. “I love you, son,” he murmured. He drew the blanket tighter, his heart welling with thankfulness that God had entrusted this small being to him. “Sleep well.”

“I hope you don’t mind that I put Gracie on the bed in your spare room,” Ellie said when he returned to the kitchen. “I thought that way we wouldn’t disturb her, and you can eat in peace.”

“Very thoughtful, thanks. Speaking of eating... What is that tantalizing smell?”

“Oh, just some stew I made from that beef you had in the fridge.” She lifted a dish from the oven. “I hope that’s okay?”

“Yes, but—it’s very kind of you to go to all this trouble.” He licked his lips, slightly embarrassed when he realized Ellie was watching him. As her gaze held his he felt the intimacy in the room ramp up.

“I’m guessing you’re hungry.” Ellie’s wide smile brought a sparkle to her gray eyes like sunshine glinting off a granite rock.

“Starving.” He took out a plate and Ellie filled it with beef, potatoes and green beans.

“I made some biscuits, too.” She set them beside his plate.

“Biscuits?” He licked his lips. “I haven’t had those for ages.”

“Go ahead and eat. I’ll make some tea,” she said and immediately set the kettle to boil. “Do you cook?” She sat at the end of the breakfast bar, not far enough to break the friendly feeling but enough to give Wyatt some room.