Christmas Baby: A Baby Under the Tree / A Baby For Christmas / Her Christmas Hero

“About what?”

“Not letting you have the bed.”

“Don’t give it another thought. I fall asleep watching TV all the time, so when I bought that sofa, I made sure it was comfortable.”

Yes, but would it have hurt to let him stretch out on the bed beside her? Sleeping together didn’t mean they had to have sex.

Had to?

Yeah, right. Making love with Shane Hollister would be a privilege, not a chore.

As the sweet memories of their one night together rose to the surface, tempting her, taunting her, she tamped them down the best she could. Those were dangerous thoughts for a woman who didn’t want their relationship to be complicated.

Maybe she should just wait and see what the day would bring.

“I’m making hotcakes and bacon for breakfast,” Shane said, turning back to his work. “I hope that’s okay. I also have cereal in the pantry and yogurt in the fridge—if you’d rather have something else.”

To be honest, she would prefer to eat something lighter than pancakes, something with fewer carbs and less sugar. But how could she tell him that when he’d tried so hard to surprise her this morning?

So she said, “Hotcakes sound great. I’ll have cereal and fruit tomorrow morning.”

“All right.” He turned the fire down on the bacon, then reached into a drawer for the egg beaters. “Would you like some coffee?”

“I’ve cut back on caffeine, so I’ll just have a glass of orange juice, if that’s okay.”

“Of course. It’s in the fridge.”

She made her way to the kitchen area, opened the refrigerator and scanned the full shelves until she found a carton of OJ.

“You know,” Shane said, while she carried the juice to the counter and reached for a glass. “I was thinking about something that might be fun to do today. How would you like to ride out to the lake? We could pack a lunch, maybe do some fishing.”

“Sure.” She’d had a good time when they’d strolled down Main Street last night. And being outdoors on such a lovely summer day was very appealing.

As she poured the juice, she asked, “Do I have time to shower before breakfast? I’ll make it quick.”

“Take your time. I can keep everything warm.”

Less than an hour later, after they’d eaten breakfast and made a lunch of turkey sandwiches, grapes, chips and bottled water, they climbed into Shane’s pickup and drove across town to the lake.

On the way, Shane pointed out the Brighton Valley Medical Center, as well as the new elementary school.

“The older kids have had to take the bus to Wexler for years,” he said, “but that’ll soon be a thing of the past. They’re going to build a new high school next year.”

Jillian nodded, as though he was just making casual conversation, but from the way he was singing the praises of Brighton Valley, she began to wonder if he was trying to sell her on the place.

She almost discarded the idea, then thought better of it.

Was that what he was trying to do? She had a feeling it was.

She stole a glance across the seat at the handsome cowboy’s profile, which was enough to turn a woman’s heart on end.

With an elbow resting on the open window, one hand on the wheel, his eyes on the road ahead and a boyish grin on his face, he didn’t seem to be plotting and planning.

So she turned back to studying the passing scenery, the landscape and buildings.

Sure, the town was quaint and the people she’d met so far seemed nice. It was the kind of place she wouldn’t mind visiting. But Jillian wouldn’t want to move here. After all, her grandmother lived in Houston. And that’s where the university was located.

It was one thing to take off a semester because she was due to have a baby, but there’s no way she’d give up her plan to get a credential or her dream of teaching. Not again.

And there was no way she’d ever leave Gram all alone in the city, without any family nearby.

“Is there any chance you’d move back to Houston?” she asked.

“No, not at this point in my life.”

“Why not?”

He paused for a moment, and she assumed he might be planning to sing the praises of small-town life. Instead, he said, “It’s complicated.”

She wondered if his move had anything to do with the reason he’d left the HPD, but his short, clipped answer was proof that he didn’t want to discuss the details with her.

If that was the case, she’d let the subject drop for a while, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t get the answer to her question, even if she had to draw it out of him—one word at a time.

After Shane parked in the graveled lot by the lake, he left the cooler with their lunch locked in his pickup, then took Jillian on a leisurely walk along one of the many hiking trails.

“It’s really pretty out here,” she said. “I’m glad you suggested we spend the day at the lake.”

“I thought you’d like it.” If truth be told, he hoped that she would see that Brighton Valley had a lot to offer her and the baby. Otherwise, Shane had no idea how he’d ever be able to establish a relationship with his son or daughter.

He might not have embraced the news when she’d first told him she was pregnant, and he might be afraid of what the future would bring, but if he was going to be a father, he wanted to be a part of his child’s life.

When they reached the end of one trail and started toward the lakeshore, he suggested that they find a place to sit for a while. “We can watch people launch their boats and cast their lines. What do you think?”

“I’m game if you are.”

They walked several yards across the lawn to a shady spot under a maple tree.

“How’s this?” Shane asked. “Do you mind sitting on the grass?”

“Not at all.” As she knelt down and took a seat, Shane sat beside her, tempted to stretch out instead.

“There’s nothing better than a day spent fishing,” he said.

Jillian smiled, her blue eyes as bright as the summer sky overhead. “My grandpa would have agreed with you. When he was alive, he loved to fish, and once in a while, he’d even take me along. But I think he actually preferred going out by himself. He used to say that it gave him time to commune with nature and to talk to God.”

“I like being outdoors for the very same reason, although I haven’t fished since I was in my late teens. Maybe that’s why I enjoy working on the ranch. I love the fresh air, the sunshine.”

“Is that why you moved from the city?”