Christmas with the Rancher. Mary Leo

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СКАЧАТЬ 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 horse.

      * * *

      THE SNOW HADN’T let up for two hours straight and Bella’s high-heeled boots were no match for what had accumulated on the ground. She knew better, but hadn’t brought any other shoes with her, never thinking she’d have to walk more than a few feet from her rental to the inn.

      Now, as she made her way through town, she focused on the delightful fact that she had been successful at changing their flight reservations. Takeoff was scheduled for 4:45 tomorrow afternoon and it couldn’t come fast enough for Bella.

      The shops were still open, and Christmas music filled the air as people hustled from one store to another. Moo Creamery still had the life-size heifer standing near the front door. The sparkly wreath around its neck seemed bigger than she remembered with a lot more lights. She preferred the smaller one. It seemed a lot less garish. Inside, every seat was taken with adults and kids enjoying sweet creamy treats. She hesitated for a moment, thinking of how luscious Moo’s ice cream had tasted, and thought about going inside and buying a cone until reason stopped her. She didn’t eat whole-milk products...way too much fat.

      She turned away from the window and continued on toward the tavern. If there was any type of retail slowdown going on in other parts of the country, it certainly wasn’t apparent in Briggs, Idaho. Everyone in town appeared to be spending money freely.

      The four long blocks to Belly Up not only seemed like ten, but she’d nearly fallen on her butt several times. Then there was the inordinate amount of white lights wrapped around every tree, railing and light post. More lights decorated each shop window and doorway, along with wreaths, mechanical Santas, snowmen and reindeer. When she passed the town square, she noted there was a decorated gazebo that hadn’t been there while she was growing up, and the Douglas fir in the middle of the square had grown substantially and now not only sparkled with colored lights and a bright star that adorned the very top, but fist-size brightly colored ornaments hung on almost every branch. She wondered how the town had managed to pay for all of this. It seemed like a complete waste of taxpayers’ money that could be better spent on something practical like snow removal.

      As that reasonable thought zipped through her head, her feet went out from under her and this time she landed hard, right on her butt. She sat there for a moment, trying to catch her breath. Fortunately, there hadn’t been anyone around to catch the embarrassing moment.

      “You might try the appropriate footwear next time,” Travis said as he offered his gloved hand to help her up. He had startled her and her embarrassment only increased now that she stared up at him.

      “My boots are fine. I tripped,” she said, knowing perfectly well she’d slipped.

      When she couldn’t get up on her own, he said, “Are you okay?”

      He looked genuinely concerned...or was that amusement?

      She gazed up at him as he stood under a streetlight looking all sexy hot in his black hat, red scarf and black wool parka. Snow had gathered on his shoulders and on the brim of his cowboy hat as if he’d been out in the elements for quite some time and Bella wondered what he’d been up to. Had he been following her?

      “You might have announced yourself, or were you purposely trying to scare me?”

      “Merely walking by and saw you take a tumble.”

      The smirk never left his face as he leaned over and grabbed her arm.

      For a second she felt that warm, sugary glow she’d felt when they’d shared their first kiss. How he always made her feel special, beautiful, as if she was the most important person in his life. Then the cold seeped in through her thin pants and that warm glow turned into the reality of her butt freezing as she sat on the ground.

      “I’m fine.” She jerked her arm out of his grasp. “I can get up on my own, thank you. No broken bones. But why are you following me?”

      He stood straight again, looking down at her. That sly smirk still caught on his lips. “That would assume you’re worth following, which you are not.”

      “Then why are you here?”

      “To help you up.”

      “I don’t need help.”

      “Suit yourself,” he said with a chuckle and strolled away, leaving her there to deal with the elements and her slippery boots.

      “Of all the arrogant, ill-mannered...”

      She sighed loud enough for him to hear her, but he didn’t turn around.

      * * *

      TEN MINUTES LATER, with her pride still stinging, Bella pulled open the heavy glass door to Belly Up Tavern. The one and only time she’d been inside, it was with her mom on the morning they’d driven out of town for good. It was Christmas Eve morning and Bella had had no idea they weren’t coming back.

      Her mom had stopped in to pick up her final paycheck. Not only had she kept the books for their inn, but she’d also doubled as a bookkeeper for a few of the businesses in town. That extra work had served her well, considering she landed a CFO position at a top company in Chicago a mere six years later.

      Dream Weaver Inn had been her dad’s dream, not her mom’s, and the inn always operated at a loss. Still did, thus the reason it was time to sell the place. Walking into the tavern now, with Christmas decorations hanging from every beam and light fixture only brought the memory full circle. She was finally going to be rid of that darn inn and all the memories that went along with it once and for all.

      She longed to get this thing over with. She’d placate her dad by agreeing to share a meal with him for old times’ sake, maybe share a bottle of red wine, collect the signed offer and they’d be out of town in less than twenty-four hours. If her dad didn’t want to join her then so be it. He could fly out later, alone. She intended to be on that flight out of Idaho tomorrow afternoon, and there was absolutely nothing that would stop her.

      “Surprise!”

      At least fifty complete strangers stared at her seemingly waiting for her reply. At once she turned back to the door to check out who had stepped inside after her, but there was no one. The “surprise” had been for her. She stood staring at all the smiling, happy faces feeling like a deer caught in the headlights, too stunned to physically move.

      Who are these people?

      Then, slowly, as if the picture in front of her began to focus, she could pick out familiar faces and realized the strangers were some of her closest friends from childhood.

      “Oh, my God! You guys,” she said completely dumbfounded by their exuberance.

      She was going to kill her father, who was noticeably absent from the lively group. Probably a smart move on his part considering the anger she felt towards him knowing the “steak dinner” was simply a rouse.

      And she fell СКАЧАТЬ