The Cowboy's Christmas Lullaby

* * *

When Marcella arrived, Tessa, the Calhouns’ young housekeeper, nanny and maid all rolled into one, met her at the door.

“Good evening, Marcella,” she greeted warmly. “It’s so nice to see you again so soon. Let me take your coat and bag. Everyone is out back on the patio having drinks.”

Marcella shrugged out of her coat and handed it and her clutch bag to the slender young woman with light brown hair and a gentle face. “Outside? Maybe I should keep my coat. It’s rather cold to be having drinks outside.”

“Orin has built a fire in the fire pit, so I imagine it feels nice and cozy.” She glanced at Marcella. “Wow! You look so pretty tonight. That emerald green dress looks gorgeous with your red hair.”

Feeling more than self-conscious, Marcella glanced down at the simple sheath dress she was wearing. Since her wardrobe was limited to mostly work or casual clothes, she didn’t own much in the way of party wear.

“Lilly didn’t say whether this was going to be a fancy dinner. But knowing her, I decided I should at least wear a dress.”

Tessa laughed as she went to hang Marcella’s coat in a nearby closet. “You know Lilly and Ava, they like to find any reason to dress up. Come along,” she invited, “and I’ll walk with you back to the patio.”

Even though Marcella wasn’t a frequent visitor to the ranch, she’d been there often enough to know her way around the massive three-story house. Yet each time she walked through the opulent rooms, it amazed her that two of her best friends had married into such a wealthy family.

As soon as the two women reached the family room and the sliding glass doors that opened onto the patio, Tessa quickly excused herself.

“I’ll leave you to join the others,” she said. “The kiddos are upstairs with their great-grandfather Bart. He’s watching them until I can take over. Uh—I thought you might be bringing Harry and Peter with you tonight. Didn’t they want to come, too?”

If there’d been a chance of them seeing Denver again, the boys would’ve jumped at the chance to make the trip out here. Otherwise, they’d been content enough to spend the night with their grandmother. “My mother is making them a special treat for dinner tonight.”

“Well, maybe next time,” she said.

The housekeeper hurried away and Marcella let herself through the glass door and onto a large rock patio partially covered by a low hanging roof. As she carefully fastened the door behind her, she heard Lilly’s voice calling to her.

“Marcella! You’re finally here!”

Turning, she found the willowy blonde standing right behind her, and Marcella quickly gave her friend a tight hug.

“Finally here,” Marcella repeated with a light laugh. “You say that like I’m the party honoree or something.”

“Well, you are important to us around here,” she said with an impish smile, then after another quick hug, she curled her arm around Marcella’s waist and urged her across the patio. “Come on and have a seat. It’ll be a while before Greta serves dinner. Want something to drink? Orin has made a pitcher of margaritas if you’d like one.”

“No. I’ll be driving home later. I’ll just have a ginger ale.”

“I’ll get it,” Lilly said. “You go on over and say hello. I’m pretty sure you know everyone here tonight.”

Marcella started toward the group of people gathered around the huge brick fire pit. Ava and Bowie were standing with their backs to the warm flames, while Clancy and his wife, Olivia, were snuggled together on a cushioned wicker love seat. Nearby Rafe, his dad, Orin, and Colley Holbrook, the manager of the horse division, were talking with a man seated with his back to Marcella.

The moment Ava spotted her approach, the tall brunette hurried over to greet her with a swift kiss on the cheek.

“Come over by the fire,” she invited with a happy smile. “Gosh, you’re looking lovely tonight. Where did you get those heels? They’re very sexy.”

Marcella chuckled. “They’re hand-me-downs from Mom. She bought them, then decided they were too risqué for her.”

“Lucky you.”

“Here’s your ginger ale,” Lilly announced as she joined the two women. She handed Marcella the glass of ginger ale. “Let’s go find a seat where it’s warm.”

As the women approached, the men all politely rose to their feet to greet Marcella.

“I think you know everyone here tonight,” Lilly said, then added teasingly, “Although it’s been so long since Clancy and Olivia have shown their faces around here, you might not recognize them. Once they built their house up on the mountain, we can hardly get them down here for dinner.”

Marcella shook hands with the ranch manager and his pretty wife, who worked in the land management division for the BLM.

“Yes, it has been a while,” she said as she shook hands with each of them. “Nice to see you again. How’s your little boy, Shane?”

“More like his grandpa Orin every day,” Clancy teased. “Growing into a real rascal.”

While Orin chuckled loudly, Olivia added, “He’s nearly three years old now and we can’t turn our backs on him, or he’ll be in the barn trying to climb on the back of a horse.”

“He and Austin are two peas in a pod,” Lilly spoke up jokingly. “When those two cousins get a little older, we’re going to have hell to pay.”

Ava put her hand on Marcella’s shoulder and turned her slightly to the left. “You have met Denver, haven’t you? He’s a lot like Clancy—you have to twist his arm to get him here for dinner.”

Denver! The man who’d been occupying her thoughts for the past week was standing right in front of her. The surprise of seeing him very nearly caused her jaw to drop, but she caught herself before that could happen and forced a cheery smile on her face.

“Uh—yes. We have met,” she said.

He extended his hand to her. “Hello, Marcella. It’s nice to see you again.”

Lilly had said this was going to be a simple gathering. What was he doing here?

Hoping she didn’t appear as caught off guard as she felt, Marcella placed her hand in Denver’s. And just like the last time, something in the bottom of her stomach flipped over. Then over again.

“Hello, Denver. How are you?”

A faint smile touched his lips, and as Marcella’s gaze zeroed in on his face, everything around her suddenly faded, except him and the feel of his big rough hand wrapped around hers.

“Fine. Thanks for asking.”

The feel of his gaze slowly meandering over her face was causing heat to pool in her cheeks. And just as she was telling herself it was time to extricate her hand from his and put an end to the strange buzzing in her head, she heard Lilly speak behind her.

“There’s Greta at the door. Let’s go in, everyone. Dinner is served.”

Denver dropped her hand and they both began to gravitate toward the back of the house with the rest of the group.

“Sounds like it’s time to enjoy Greta’s cooking,” he said. “I hope you brought your appetite.”

She’d been as hungry as a horse until she’d turned and saw him. Now her nerves were so scattered she could scarcely think about eating.

Stop it, Marcella! You’re not a teenager with a sudden crush on the cool rebel in senior class. You’re a thirty-three-year-old mother. Far too old to be getting the vapors over a sexy man.

She said, “I haven’t eaten anything since early this morning. So I’m ready to eat.”

“Did Peter and Harry come with you this evening?”