The Maverick's Holiday Surprise

“I’m fine. After Jamie’s done with Henry, I’ll take Katie up and give her a bath.”

After goodbyes, Hudson walked Bella outside to his truck. He went around to the passenger side and opened the door for her. “Need a leg up?”

Oh, no, he wasn’t putting his hands around her waist and giving her a boost into the high truck. She could just imagine those long fingers and those big hands and the warmth she’d feel through her jacket...

Quickly she assured him, “I’m used to boosting myself up onto a horse. No problem with a truck.”

Fortunately she was telling the truth. Clutching her purse and the photo album she was going to show Jazzy and Brooks, she hopped onto the running board and slid inside. Hudson closed the door for her, and she wondered if he was this chivalrous with every woman. Rumor had it he wasn’t seeing anyone in town, but he could have a long-distance relationship with someone.

Once he was inside the truck and they were on their way, she felt she had to make conversation. Dusk had already fallen, and the inside of the cab seemed a little too intimate.

“Is the rescue ranch far?”

“Just about a mile from here.”

“You said you’re staying on a ranch.”

“The Lazy B.”

“That’s a big spread,” she said. “Any horses?”

“Oh, yes, some fine ones. Clive, the owner of the spread, has a good eye. He has two quarter horses, an Arabian, a Tennessee walker, a horse who pulls the buckboard and a Thoroughbred that was supposed to be racing but wasn’t real successful at it. She’s a beauty, though.”

“Do you have a favorite?”

“I do. The Arabian, I have to admit it. I’m used to quarter horses for cutting cattle and rodeo training. But that Arabian has eyes that can see into your soul. She seems to intuitively know what I want to do next, with a flick of the rein, with a slight pressure of a boot. Amazing, really.”

“What’s her name?”

“It’s Breeze. Clive found her at the rescue ranch. Someone had abandoned her. After Jazzy worked her magic and got her back into shape, the mare actually trusts humans again. Clive named her Breeze because she runs like the wind. She knows her name now. At least, I think she does. She comes when I call her.”

After a moment, he asked, “What’s your horse’s name?”

“How do you know I have a horse?”

“You said you liked to ride. So my guess is, Jamie has one just for you.”

“Her name’s Butterscotch. I ride her in the mornings when I can.”

“I can almost picture her. Flying blond mane?”

“You got it.”

Horses were an easy conversational gambit for them. Horse lovers were like any animal lovers. Talking about the beautiful creatures created a bond.

After a bit of silence, Bella decided to be a little bolder. “So what life did you leave when you dropped in here to take care of Just Us Kids?”

He glanced over at her, maybe to gauge how much she wanted to know. She could see his profile by the light of the dashboard glow. She imagined he could see her face only in shadow.

“I was helping a friend in Wyoming who’d bought a ranch. He needed help with the start-up.”

“I imagine traveling place to place, you meet a lot of people.”

“I do.”

“Do you make friends easily?” From what she’d seen, he did. But she wanted to know what he’d say.

“I find something to like in most people. That allows for friendship, especially if I go back to a place more than once. It’s really hard to keep up a friendship once you leave. I know the tech age is supposed to make it easier, but friendship still requires commitment.”

He was right about that.

“Have you ever been committed to a woman?” she asked. She supposed that was one of the better ways to phrase it.

“No. Never anything serious,” he answered with a shrug. “How about you?”

That was the problem with asking questions. The questionee thought he should return the favor. “Not lately,” she said nonchalantly.

“Did you leave someone behind at college?”

“No. I really had my mind on my studies, so I didn’t date.”

He seemed to mull that over, and she wondered if he’d ask more about her past.

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.