The Maverick's Holiday Surprise. Karen Smith Rose

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      To her relief, he flipped on his turn signal and they veered down a lane to the ranch. “Brooks could move his practice out here, but he prefers to keep it in town.”

      Since darkness had fallen, Bella couldn’t see much except for the floodlights on top of the barn that glowed over their surroundings. There were at least three barns and a house that looked like a typical ranch house but was much newer. It appeared big for two people, but maybe Brooks and Jazzy were planning on having a large family. Bella felt that stab of pain again that was never going to go away. It was one regret that haunted her.

      Apparently divining her thoughts, Hudson explained, “Brooks and Jazzy plan to fill this house with kids. But they also have a first-floor suite set up for Brooks’s dad when he’s ready to move in with them one day.”

      “Then they must have a wonderful sense of family,” Bella said, thinking about her absent brothers and sisters and whether she and Jamie would ever see them again.

      When Jazzy opened her door to them, Bella admired her natural beauty right away. She was slim in skinny jeans and a tunic sweater. But her smile was wide as she welcomed them. She didn’t hesitate to give Hudson a hug.

      “It’s good to see you again.” She held out her hand to Bella. “It’s nice to meet you.”

      “And you, too.”

      Bella handed the photo album to Jazzy. “I thought you might want to look at these. I don’t have a professional portfolio, but I keep an album of the best ones.”

      “I can’t wait to see them,” Jazzy said. “Come into the living room. I fixed a few snacks. Brooks is out in the barn. He’ll be in shortly.”

      Bella quickly glanced at the cheese tray, the biscuits that looked warm from the oven, jam and butter for those, and a fruit platter, too.

      “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

      “It’s no trouble. Brooks and I often don’t eat till much later. I have something simmering in the slow cooker. I grab a snack with him when he gets home, and then we go out to the barns for a couple of hours. Rescue horses need a lot of kindness, soft talk and gentle touches. That takes time.”

      “Do you have help?” Bella asked.

      “Some part-time help. There are also a group of kids from the high school who mount up service hours for working here. They learn from the horses, and the horses learn from them.” She motioned to the food again. “Help yourself. I can’t wait to take a look at these.” She positioned the album on her lap and began turning pages. After a few pages, Jazzy glanced at Hudson. “You were right. She has a good eye—for scenery, for animals and for kids. That’s a winning combination.”

      Just then Brooks emerged from the kitchen. “I came in the back way,” he said, “so I could wash up. Hey there, Hudson.”

      Hudson introduced him to Bella.

      “Look at these,” Jazzy said.

      “Before I even look, I can hear it in your voice. You like them,” her husband guessed.

      She just smiled at him and handed him the album. Bella lifted her camera, pressed a button and showed Jazzy photos she hadn’t yet had printed. They were the same ones Hudson had seen of the triplets and of Jamie’s ranch.

      “Those are unedited,” Bella told her. “I play with them a bit when I have time—cropping, adding a little light, studying them with black-and-white effects.”

      “I can see that with these,” Brooks said, motioning to the album. “I think we should hire you.”

      Jazzy nodded and named a sum Bella could easily accept.

      “I’d like a day with perfect weather,” Bella said, and they all laughed. “Well, near perfect,” she amended. “Do you mind if we do a last-minute shoot? I’ll keep checking the weather day to day and, when I can get free, I’ll text you to see if it suits you. Is that okay?”

      “That’s fine.”

      Now that business was taken care of, they snacked and talked, and Bella felt she really liked the couple. It was easy to see that they were deeply in love, as well as passionate about their work.

      After she and Hudson left and they were in the truck, she said as much to him.

      “You’d never believe they married for convenience’s sake, would you?” Hudson asked.

      “You’re kidding.”

      “No. It had to do with Brooks’s dad and him letting his son into the business. Then his father had health problems, and Brooks felt marriage was the only way to convince his dad to slow down.”

      “But they have more than a marriage of convenience.”

      “Oh, yes, they do. Jazzy and Brooks will be the first ones to tell you that they thought they were marrying for convenience, but they were really marrying for love.”

      Bella and Hudson didn’t talk after that, and she wondered if they were both thinking about what he’d said. She couldn’t remember much about her own parents’ marriage, but she believed they’d been in love. She remembered them holding hands. She remembered them kissing when they thought their children weren’t looking. But she’d never know that kind of love. Men wanted children, and she couldn’t have them.

      Back at the ranch, she’d thought she’d just hop out of Hudson’s truck and that would be it. But no, he was being chivalrous again. He came around to her side and opened the door for her. He even took her hand to help her out. That was the first they’d touched all evening. His fingers seemed to burn hers. And when she was on the ground, she looked up at him, confused by all of it. They walked side by side to the front door, then just stood there gazing at each other.

      “It was nice,” he finally said, “sitting there with Jazzy and Brooks, talking like we’re friends.”

      “Yes. Most of my friends are single women.”

      “They really liked your photos. This could be just the first of many assignments. Word gets around, you know.”

      “It would be fun to take photos to pay bills. I can also save some money for college.”

      “No splurging?”

      She could hardly think straight looking into Hudson’s eyes. “No splurging,” she said softly.

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