The Rancher's Christmas Baby. Cathy Thacker Gillen

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СКАЧАТЬ was, if their families would leave them alone to do so!

      Amy set her jaw. “If Teddy and I could be sure we’d experience ‘true love’ with others, don’t you think we’d be content to wait? Unfortunately, it would seem the odds are against us finding The One.”

      Susie straightened. “So you’re going to settle for a life with each other instead.”

      Amy didn’t like the way Susie said “settle.” She made it sound as if she were stealing crumbs off another’s plate, instead of sitting down to a full meal. “It’s going to be fine,” she reiterated with as much patience and faith as she could muster.

      Susie stretched and rubbed her lower back. The shift in her posture made her blossoming pregnancy more apparent. Observing, Amy was filled with a mixture of shared joy—and envy. She didn’t like the latter. It made her feel ungrateful somehow. Small and petty.

      “If this is so great, then why don’t you look happier?” Susie persisted, appearing as determined as their parents the day before to make Amy and Teddy come to their senses and undo what had been done.

      Amy took the filled dolly down the ramp and returned with a third empty cart. Gaze averted, she kept her guard up, knowing it would be far too easy to pour out her heart. “I’m stressed out about the holidays.” Which was true, as far as it went.

      Susie’s eyes narrowed skeptically. “You love the holidays.”

      Amy grimaced and loaded the remaining greenery, slated for Susie’s store. “Not so far this year,” she said honestly.

      “Why? What’s going on?” Susie led the way down the ramp, then held the door for Amy.

      Amy pushed all three loaded carts into the storeroom, one after another, then followed Susie to her private office. Because the garden center would not be open to the public for another forty-five minutes, they had time to finish their conversation at leisure.

      Amy sat down in the chair Susie indicated while her sister poured them each a mug of decaffeinated coffee. “Sheryl was put on bed rest yesterday for the rest of her pregnancy. Her mother can’t get in from Chicago to help out until next weekend. Until then, I’ve given Ed time off to care for her and make sure she doesn’t go into early labor again.”

      “Which leaves you with no help whatsoever.”

      “Right.” Amy stirred creamer in her coffee. This, she could talk at length about. “All my part-time college kids are already back on campus, gearing up for exams.”

      “And you’ve got some sort of big delivery coming up, don’t you,” Susie recalled, easing into the chair behind her desk.

      Amy nodded and rested her mug on her thigh. Warmth transmitted through her jeans. “Two hundred six-to eight-foot Christmas trees have to be delivered to the Wichita Falls Civic Association. The money they earn from the sale is going to provide the Christmas celebration for a local children’s home. I’m supposed to deliver them by noon on December 1—which, as it happens, is next Tuesday.”

      Susie unlocked her desk and pulled out the landscape-design-business checkbook. “How many trees are ready to go so far?” she asked curiously, slipping into businesswoman mode.

      Amy grimaced, just thinking about what lay ahead. “Sixty-two.” It wouldn’t have been a problem had her employees been there to help her. But they weren’t, and the task ahead was daunting to say the least.

      Susie paused to sip her decaf and boot up her computer. “So you’ve got one hundred and thirty-eight trees—”

      “To cut and bundle and load on the ranch cargo truck by Monday evening. Plus—” Amy tried hard not to feel overwhelmed as she sipped her coffee “—twelve dozen cookies to bake for the cookie swap tomorrow evening.”

      Susie’s eyes widened. “That’s going to take you forever in that tiny oven of yours.”

      “Tell me about it.” But again, it was for a good cause, since the majority of the cookies were going to the nursing homes in the area, to help kick off their holiday seasons.

      One eye on her computer screen, Susie rocked back in her chair. “Although, I suppose you could use Teddy’s kitchen. He’s got double convection ovens.”

      Amy waved off the offer. “I’ll just do it at my place tonight.”

      Susie stopped typing on the keyboard long enough to ask, “Why?”

      “Because we’re set to stay at my trailer tonight.”

      Susie made a face and referred to the delivery numbers on the clipboard. “Why?”

      “Because we’re alternating domiciles.”

      Susie emitted a short, strangled laugh. “That’s weird.”

      What was it about older sisters—especially older married sisters—that made them think they knew it all?

      “No,” Amy countered, wishing Susie would hurry up with the process of paying her so she could go. “It’s not.”

      Susie printed out the receipt and took it off the printer. She handed it over, giving Amy a knowing look. “You’re keeping one foot out the door. Aren’t you?”

      “I am not!”

      Susie’s skepticism only deepened. She sighed and opened her business checkbook. “Is Teddy going to help you with the trees?”

      Amy hadn’t asked. “He has his own business to run,” she said stiffly.

      Susie scrawled out figures. “Which can only mean you haven’t told him of your dilemma,” she chided.

      Amy quaffed the rest of her coffee, slightly scalding her throat in the process, and stood. “He doesn’t need to help me. I’ll figure it out somehow.”

      Finally, Susie passed the check to Amy. “Well, look, I can’t lend you any help today or tomorrow. But we don’t have any jobs on Monday morning. So how about I send my landscaping crew over to help you with whatever’s left?”

      At last. Something was going her way. “That would be great.” Amy smiled gratefully. “Thank you. I’ll reimburse you for their time.”

      Susie tapped her pen against her chin. “What about delivering the trees? What are you going to do about that?”

      They both knew Ed usually handled any long hauls. With Sheryl so close to giving birth, that would not be possible, either.

      “I’m going to drive the truck up early Tuesday morning,” Amy said.

      Susie looked shocked. “By yourself?”

      “Yes.” Amy stuck the check on the clipboard, on top of the receipt. “I’ll have plenty of help on the other end to unload.”

      Susie stood to walk her out, lacing a sisterly arm about Amy’s waist. “I hope you don’t get stuck up there.”

      Amy tucked the clipboard beneath her arm and rocked forward СКАЧАТЬ