A Last Chance Christmas

“Then you’d better join in,” Pete said. “Jack is big on getting everybody out on the floor for at least a few numbers. He’s currently teaching all the kids. I guess you could say he’s the Last Chance’s dance master. If I hadn’t been able to two-step, I’m not sure he would have let me marry Sarah.”

“And we’ll have live music, Ben. A couple of our ranch hands play guitar.” Sarah brightened as if inspiration had just hit. “Did I hear you playing a harmonica earlier tonight?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’ll bet Trey and Watkins would love to have you add your harmonica to the mix, if you’re willing.”

“Uh, well...sure.” Ben looked pleased. “I’d like that. Sounds like fun.”

Sarah clasped her hands together. “I do love parties!” Then she beamed at Molly. “I’m so glad you could be here for this one. I wish we could magically transport your whole family up here, too.”

“Me, too, but then you’d have to knock out a couple of walls.”

“True. Your family’s even bigger than ours. I’m losing track of who’s who in the Gallagher clan. I remember you and your brothers very well, but I can’t tell you the names of their wives and kids without looking it up.”

“I know, and I’ll be better about sending emails and pictures from now on. I’m the one the family has put in charge of doing that. What a shocker.”

Sarah took another drink of her coffee. “I don’t know that we have anybody in that role. We should, though. Now that we can connect online, we should all be better informed about each other.”

“We can work on that, but I hope you and Pete are serious about flying down next spring. My folks would love it.”

“Oh, we are,” Pete said. “I haven’t been to Arizona in years. I’m stoked about going.”

Sarah took a deep breath and pushed back her chair. “And I’m ready for bed. We have a big day tomorrow. The rest of you can stay here as long as you like, but I’m thinking Mary Lou has the right idea. Time to turn in.”

“Yeah, it is for me, too.” Pete stood. “But you kids are welcome to hang out here for awhile. Mary Lou won’t mind if you help yourself to more coffee and dessert if you clean up after yourselves.”

“I’ll just finish what I have in my cup,” Ben said. “It’s great stuff. Then I’ll be off to bed, too. It’s been a long day.”

“I’m sure, driving on those icy roads.” Pete tucked an arm around Sarah’s waist. “See you both in the morning.”

Sarah said good-night, too, and then Molly had her wish, to spend some time alone with Ben. Once Pete and Sarah were out of earshot, she spoke, but kept her voice down. “Rosie Padgett said you were an artist with saddles, and then I knew what you were really here for.”

Ben turned sideways in his chair and gazed at her. “That was nice of her to say, but I sure as hell didn’t think it through when I suggested you should call them. I guess it never occurred to me that you’d call now, before the birthday party.”

She mirrored his position so she could look at him as they talked. “I probably wouldn’t have if Sarah hadn’t encouraged me. As you could probably tell, I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear what Rosie Padgett had to say.”

“I know, and I didn’t think about the fact that if your cousin had ended up at Thunder Mountain, then your aunt...well, I can’t see that being a good thing where she was concerned.”

“No. But he wasn’t there, so that leaves the mystery unsolved. I wonder if I should leave it alone and imagine they’re doing well but have no interest in reconnecting with their family.”

“That could be the truth. You might not have been aware of problems between your aunt and your grandparents, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any.”

She thought about that for a moment and finally shook her head. “I get what you’re saying, and I suppose anything’s possible, but Grandpa Seth and Grandma Joyce were kind, gentle people. According to my dad, Aunt Heather was a happy person until she hooked up with Rance Marlowe. Then she got pregnant with Cade and...well, there’s never been a divorce in my family.”

“Wow, that’s unusual.”

“I know, and most people who hear that assume it’s because problems were swept under the rug. I think it’s because they were brought out in the open and dealt with. Heather was the big exception. When she had problems with Rance, she cut off communication and hid their troubles from everybody.”

“And you’re worried about how that turned out.”

“Yes. I thought we’d all be better off knowing the truth, but now I’m not so sure.”

Ben sighed. “Well, I don’t have any advice. My knowledge of family dynamics is sadly lacking.”

“Why?”

He met her gaze and smiled. “I should have known you’d ask that. Which means I shouldn’t have made the remark in the first place. Sorry. I’d rather not get into it right now.”

Although his tone was friendly and he was doing his best to be polite, she felt a brick wall go up. She couldn’t blame him. They’d met a few hours ago. Just because she’d blabbed some of her family information didn’t mean that he’d want to do the same. “That’s fine. Let’s switch topics.”

He polished off the last of his coffee. “To what?”

“The saddle you brought here. Where is it?”

He laughed. “You know, I’ve only been around you for a little while, but somehow I knew you’d ask that question. Now that you know about the saddle, its whereabouts is driving you nuts, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I guess I can trust you.”

“You can. I wouldn’t ruin this surprise for anything.”

“It’s in the far back corner of the tractor barn under a blanket.”

“Who’s seen it?”

“Jack, Gabe and Nick. That’s it.”

She gave him her most winsome smile, the one even her brothers had never been able to resist. “Please take me out there. I want to see it, too.”

5 (#ud2e81383-0de4-558a-a32b-52d63b4f7047)

BEN SHOULD HAVE seen this coming. Molly was the most inquisitive woman he’d ever run across, and now that she’d learned about the secret present for Sarah, of course she’d want to see it. She’d want to be one of the privileged few who knew what was coming when the saddle was presented tomorrow evening.

And the fact of the matter was, he wanted to show it to her. He was proud of that saddle and after all three Chance brothers had given it a thumbs-up, he felt pretty confident that Molly would like it, too. Still, he needed to think of the logistics.

He considered what they’d have to go through. “It’s damned cold out there. I’m sure the temperature’s dropped considerably since I was out, and it was freezing, then.”

“I know. We’ll bundle up and go fast.”

“It’s snowing.”

“Not very hard. A few flakes. The shoveled paths should still be fine if we go right away. Please?”

That smile of hers was something. It made her eyes light up and put a cute little dimple in her left cheek. He felt like kissing her, but her glasses would be in the way so he didn’t act on the impulse. Besides, she’d asked him to take her out to see his saddle, not kiss her.