Mistletoe & Marriage: Snowbound Cowboy

He wasn’t used to anyone worrying about him. “Okay.” With a nod he followed her into the warmer kitchen. The table was adorned with candles and three place settings.

“Hi, Boone.” Jesse came over and took his hand, leading him to the seat at the table. “Mom made stew for supper. It’s my favorite.”

Amelia placed her hands on her hips. “Hey, I thought you liked my macaroni and cheese best.”

The boy nodded his head. “I like that, too. I like everything you make.” He turned to Boone. “Mom’s the best cook. She makes pies for the diner in town. Everybody loves them.”

“Jesse,” she warned. “Stop bragging.”

“I’m only saying what’s true, Mom. Even Mrs. Hoffman at church said so. She told my teacher, Miss Claire, that Mom’s a good catch.”

Amelia gasped. “Jesse Thomas Hughes you’re not supposed to listen to other people’s conversations.”

“But I didn’t, Mom. They were talking right to me.”

Boone tried hard not to smile as a blushing Amelia came to the table. She avoided his gaze as she placed the soup tureen in the center, then went back for the basket of rolls.

She sat across from Boone. “Enjoy this meal, because if this storm keeps up, no one will be eating anything but canned soup.”

“Are we going to be snowed in for Christmas?” The boy looked worried. “And what about Izzy’s puppies?”

Amelia spooned up a bowl of stew for Boone. “She’s not on her own, we’re here to help if she needs us.”

Boone took the warm bowl. “Thank you.” He looked at Jesse. “I think she can handle it.”

“Have you ever seen puppies born?” Jesse asked Boone.

“No, but I’ve helped with calves and foals. Believe me, mamas know what to do.”

Jesse gave his mother a curious look. “Mom, did you know what to do when I was born?”

Even in the dim light, Boone watched another blush cover Amelia’s face. “Well, not everything, but I had Aunt Kelley and Gram Ruby with me. And the doctor, of course.”

Still looking bewildered, the boy picked up his spoon. “Do I get to help Izzy, too?”

Amelia placed a napkin on her lap. “Well, I’m not sure.”

“It depends on Izzy,” Boone jumped in. “She might just want to do it all by herself.”

“Is that why Mom put a big box in the closet?”

Boone nodded. “So Izzy can have some privacy.”

Before Jesse could ask another question, Amelia spoke up. “Let’s say grace so we can eat.”

Jesse took his mother’s hand, then held out the other to Boone. It had been a long time since he had much to pray about, but maybe it was time he started. He took the boy’s hand, then reached across the table for Amelia’s. For a second he allowed himself to think about a home and family.

Amelia liked the feel of Boone’s large hand. Too much. The man was little more than a stranger. That alone sent up warning signals. She definitely couldn’t let herself romanticize the situation. She let that happen once, not again. She had a lot more at stake this time than to be foolish enough to allow some good-looking cowboy turn her head.

She glanced at her son as he talked with Boone. It didn’t take much to get a five-year-old’s attention. Especially since all he’d ever wanted was a father.

“Are you going to be here for Christmas, Boone?”

“Not sure, son. I’m hoping to be back in Texas by then.”

“What about your job?” Amelia asked.

His gaze shifted to her as he raised his spoon. “It’s temporary. I’d always planned to head back home someday.”

“Texas,” Jesse said. “Do you have kids there?”

Boone shook his head. “No family to speak of. Not anymore.”

The boy’s eyes rounded. “Then why not stay here? You can work for Mom and Aunt Kelley.”

“Jesse,” she said in her best warning tone. Her son had to stop this. “You know we only hire hands during calving season.”

“But, Mom…”

Boone stepped in. “It’s a nice offer, son, but I’m going to buy my own ranch, in Texas.”

“Oh…” Jesse didn’t hide his disappointment.

Amelia felt a twinge of the same. She glanced at Boone to find him watching her. Her breathing grew heavy as she locked on his mesmerizing gaze. This was crazy. She’d only just met the man and suddenly she was wanting him to stay around.

Boone turned back to her son. “You see, Jesse, I’ve been wanting one particular place for a long time, and now I have a chance to buy it.”

The boy looked thoughtful. “Hey, you could buy a ranch in Montana.” He turned to his mother. “Right, Mom?”

Hours later the house was quiet as Boone stretched out on the double bed, staring out into the darkness, trying to sleep. But the words that Amelia Hughes spoke earlier were still swimming around in his head:

Boone’s place is in Texas, and ours is here in Montana.

He knew it shouldn’t bother him, but it had. He’d never had much as a kid.

Years ago, Hank and Jolene Gifford hadn’t been much more than day laborers until they scraped enough money together to buy some land of their own. With their old truck loaded up, their son and all their worldly belongings, they arrived in West Texas and their first home.

Many nights, he’d slept in the bed of the pickup until the house was built. His mother took a job in town to help them survive as his father ran a small herd. Boone had worked hard as a boy and continued as a man, building the family ranch.

Their hard work finally paid off until the day he lost both his parents in an accident. He couldn’t run the place without his dad.

Now at the age of thirty, he was getting a second chance. Nothing was going to keep him from his dreams this time.

He stood, went to his duffel bag and found the manila envelope tucked under a pair of his jeans. He knew what was inside without even looking. All Russ Eldon’s personal effects. Everything his friend had wanted to give his son.

Boone sighed. Coming here wasn’t supposed to be so complicated. He’d planned to hand over everything to Amelia Hughes and just leave. Instead he was trapped here in her home, and he was feeling things for the woman he had no business feeling.

He needed to get out of here and fast.