A Very Maverick Christmas. Rachel Lee

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СКАЧАТЬ She was almost positive she could find a pillow and a throw in here, although she’d have a bigger selection in Kalispell.

      That didn’t entice her to pull out. Small things that mattered very little weren’t enough to drag her to a bigger town. Her needs, both psychological and physical, could be met here.

      At least until she decided she needed to move on again.

      Shaking her head at herself, she climbed out and headed into the store. Although it hadn’t been destroyed in the flood last year, some repairs had obviously been necessary regardless, because the store had clearly been freshly painted not that long ago. It was certainly jammed with merchandise. The Crawford family was doing their best to give people a reason to shop locally.

      She didn’t get two steps inside the door before she was greeted by Nina Crawford Traub.

      “Nice to see you, Julie. Can I help you find something?”

      “Groceries, eventually, but I’m looking for a little color to add to my place.”

      “I can help with that,” Nina said cheerfully. “Got a whole bunch of new Christmas stuff in.”

      Which would be useless in little more than a month, Julie thought as she followed Nina. On the other hand, she was wondering if Christmas might hold some kind of key for her.

      Nina finally waved her hand expansively at an area clearly marked out for the holiday season. Thanksgiving items were marked down as the big day was nearly upon them. Christmas colors shrieked from a heaped table and some nearby racks.

      “Christmas tree decorations are in the back.” Nina pointed to her right, then her left. “If you want nonseasonal, look over there. Call if you need me.”

      A pretty impressive display for such a relatively small space, Julie thought as she began to wander around the table. Stockings, pillows, tree skirts, even some holiday-themed costume jewelry. Someone had tried to hit every possibility, including a basket of inexpensive stocking stuffers.

      But nothing struck her. Nothing touched her. Nothing seemed to jar anything within her. Well, if she was going to spend any money at all on brightening the place, she guessed the nonseasonal area would be the place to look.

      She was just fingering a bright blue throw, almost electric in its brilliance, when a familiar voice caused her to freeze.

      “Hi,” said Braden Traub. Then when she didn’t immediately answer, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

      Suddenly galvanized, embarrassed by what might appear to be rudeness, she turned and saw him half smiling at her. “You’re not,” she blurted, once again struck by how attractive he was. He wore a shearling jacket with gloves hanging out of the pockets, jeans and boots. An iconic man most women would drool over. She hoped she avoided that embarrassment.

      “I tore up a couple of shirts over the last week,” he said casually as if he didn’t mind starting a conversation in the middle. “Damn barbed wire. So I’m replacing them. That’s a pretty color you’re looking at there.”

      She glanced at the soft wool fabric between her fingers. “Yes, it is.” Then she made an effort. “I need to brighten my place up a little.”

      “You’re at the old cabin outside town, right?”

      “Yes.”

      “It needs brightening,” he agreed. “I haven’t been in there for a few years, but it needed some back then, too.”

      “Um...”

      “Yes?” he said encouragingly.

      “How could you tear shirts on barbed wire? Did it cut through your jacket?”

      His smile widened. “No jacket. I was dealing with some rolls in the barn and got careless. I’m lucky I didn’t need stitches.”

      “Shirts might cost almost as much.” It pleased her immensely when he laughed.

      “There is that,” he agreed. “And the fact that I was careless more than once. I ought to know better.”

      “I hope they were old shirts.”

      “On their last legs. Are you thinking about decorating for Christmas? I could help you get a tree to your place.”

      She blinked. A man whose own brothers claimed he was a recluse was offering to help her get a tree and bring it to her cabin? Then it struck her they might have been joking. “You and your brothers joke a lot.”

      Surprise widened his dark eyes a bit, then he laughed again as he apparently caught her reference. “Oh, you mean what Dallas said about me being a recluse. Yeah, we joke a lot. The teasing is merciless. That’s the only thing I don’t mind about them all being at their own places now. It’s so dang peaceful.”

      She felt a smile begin to dawn on her own face. “Things can be too peaceful.”

      “Well, sometimes, but they come back often enough to keep me on my toes. I think they’ll all calm down when they have their own little Noelles.”

      “That’s your niece? She’s so cute.”

      “I think so, but I’m biased. Well, let me know if you need help with anything. I’m going to be in town for a few hours.” He started to turn away then paused. “Are you coming to the church to help with gift wrapping for the troops?”

      “I’ve already promised Vanessa I will.”

      “Great. See you there.” Then he paused again. “Unless you’d like to get some coffee when you’re done here?”

      The invitation completely startled her. She’d been asked out a few times since she arrived here and had turned down all the offers. But it felt different to be casually asked for coffee. Part of her wanted to flee, because it was so tiring to conceal all the gaps in her memory, but another part of her wanted to keep looking at him, listening to him.

      Becoming a hermit, she told herself sternly, wasn’t going to do the least thing to solve her problem. In fact, it might hinder her.

      “I’d love coffee,” she answered, hoping her hesitation hadn’t been too noticeable.

      “Great!” His smile widened again. “How long do you need?”

      “Well, I have to pick out...” She stopped herself. Delaying tactics weren’t going to help anything. “I need to grab some groceries. Nothing that won’t keep in the car for a while. Twenty minutes?”

      “Twenty minutes. Just enough time for me to pick and pay for my shirts. See you at checkout.”

      She envied him his easiness, his ability to seem comfortable in his own skin. She often hoped she didn’t look as skittish and frightened as she sometimes felt.

      On impulse, she grabbed the electric-blue throw and a couple of red, glittery Christmas pillows, both with angels on them. Cost be hanged, she thought as she headed over to the groceries. Color seemed imperative now, and it was apt to get more so as the winter deepened and darkened.

      * СКАЧАТЬ