Christmas with the Rancher. Mary Leo

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      But she knew she couldn’t do that.

      “All right! Have it your way. I’ll stay overnight. In the meantime, I have no idea if we can get on another flight out of here tomorrow, but I’ll try.”

      “I’m sure you will. And if you can’t, we’ll fly out the next day or the next. I’m in no hurry.”

      “I have to meet with TransGlobal on Christmas Eve at my office in Chicago with all the paperwork signed. Nothing can get in the way of that.”

      He gave her a dismissive hand wave. “Not a problem. We have an entire week. Seven full days.” And he walked out the door leaving her to doubt herself for agreeing to spend the night in Briggs...where just about anything could happen.

      * * *

      TRAVIS BUSIED HIMSELF with securing a life-size reindeer to the bed of his pickup as Nick approached. He had hoped to get out of there without having to speak to Nick again, fearing he might say something to him he’d regret later. If only that darn reindeer had cooperated and Colt hadn’t partially secured it to the front lawn. When Colt did something, he made sure it was done right the first time.

      Dang him!

      “I’ve got nothing to say to you, Nick. So you might as well turn right around and head back inside and pack.”

      “Now hold on there, son. It’s not how you think.”

      Travis stopped pulling on the rope he was using to secure the reindeer and looked across the truck bed at Nick. “No matter what I think, it’s none of my business. Bella made that crystal clear.”

      “You can’t take what that girl says to heart.”

      “All I can go on is what she says, and so far it’s been nothing but grief.”

      “We need to give her time to readjust to Briggs, to me and to you. Right now she’s still running on big-city time. It’s all she’s known for the past fifteen years. It’s going to take a few days for all that citified haughtiness to disappear.”

      “And how does that work if you two are leaving today?”

      Nick smirked, and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. “That’s been put off.”

      Travis picked up his toolbox from the snowy ground and placed it inside the truck bed next to the reindeer’s head along with the now coiled rope and harness from the roof. He was ready to leave, but he knew Nick had other plans for him, plans he didn’t want anything to do with.

      “How’d you manage that? Tie her to the tree or something? She seemed pretty hell bent on leaving.”

      “Told her I had to read the paperwork before I’d sign anything.”

      Travis opened the door on the driver’s side of his truck. “Great, so that takes a couple hours.”

      “No, you’re not understanding.”

      “I think I understand everything just fine. You agreed to sell your inn to make your daughter happy even if it means you’ll be miserable. I get it. A parent will sacrifice everything for their kids. The thing I don’t get is why you didn’t tell me before I enlisted my family and half the town to help save your inn when you knew all along you were getting ready to sell it. That’s not like you, Nick.”

      “That’s not why you’ve got your spurs in a knot. You’re mad ’cause you had your heart set on spending this Christmas with Bella, like you did when you two were kids. And she can’t get out of here fast enough.”

      Travis always wore his heart on his sleeve when it came to Bella and anyone with half a brain could see it...except maybe Bella. Well, this time he wasn’t going to admit to those emotions. This time he wasn’t going to be made the fool.

      “There’s where you’re wrong. I couldn’t care less if Bella stays or goes. It’s the inn I’m upset over.”

      Travis made himself comfortable behind the wheel of his silver pickup, turned over the ignition, ready to blow this mess. He’d had enough.

      Nick came around to his side. “That’s just it. I’m trying to save my inn, and show my daughter what she’s been missing here in Briggs. I thought a little welcome-home party at Belly Up might help.”

      “The state she’s in, she’d never agree to it.”

      “No need to tell her every detail.”

      “And when are you planning on hosting this little shindig?”

      “Tonight, around eight. It would mean a lot to me if you could be there to sort of help her transition along.”

      “What kind of transition are you talking about?”

      “The kind where she decides to hang around for a spell, rekindle her love for Briggs and realizes this here inn is part of her heritage and can’t be sold...at least not now.”

      “And how am I supposed to accomplish this miracle when she’s so bound and determined to get her way?”

      “Show her what she’s been missing. Country’s part of her soul no matter how citified she might be on the outside. All you have to do is help bubble it up to the surface.”

      “Like that’s even possible.”

      “I have complete faith in you. Besides, you’re my only hope.”

      Travis saw the desperation in Nick’s eyes. The man was like a second dad to Travis and he hated to see him in this pickle with his daughter.

      “I’m not saying I’ll do it or that I’ll show up tonight, but if I do, don’t expect miracles. She’s not the girl who left Briggs fifteen years ago. That girl’s been replaced with someone I don’t recognize. And frankly, I don’t much like.”

      “All you have to do is help me delay her a bit. Remind her of all the good things she loved about Briggs. Get her to lighten up a little. Maybe that’ll change her mind.”

      “There ain’t nothin’ gonna change her mind. She always did have a strong will. Just like her mama.”

      “But she’s got her daddy’s heart. I know it. Give her a chance, Travis. She might surprise you.”

      “She already has,” he said and drove away thinking how he had no intention of showing up at any welcome-home party for Bella Biondi, no matter how sexy she looked in her tight jeans or how much he wanted to kiss those full lips of hers or run his hands... He couldn’t get that woman out of his head no matter what she did or said. She’d made a mark on his soul and there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He simply had to bide his time until she left, and stay as far away from her as possible.

      And that included her darn welcome-home party...at Belly Up...at eight.

      “Dang it all,” Travis said, slapping the steering wheel, knowing perfectly well he could no more stay away from her than a bronc rider could stop himself from riding an ornery, bucking СКАЧАТЬ