The Christmas Ranch

“But the Ranch is hemorrhaging money, sis. Money we just don’t have. Last year it was the stupid motor on the rope tow that had to be replaced, the year before that the roof on St. Nicholas lodge. The liability insurance alone is killing us.”

Hope frowned. “But Travis loved it. You know he did. Uncle Claude loved it! It was his life’s work. He loved everything about Christmas and found the greatest delight in his life by helping everyone else celebrate the holidays. How can you just close the door on all that tradition?”

“Uncle Claude is gone now. So is Tr-Travis.” Her voice wobbled a little on her husband’s name and Hope felt small and selfish for pushing her about The Christmas Ranch.

“It’s just me, Mary and Celeste—and Mary isn’t as young as she used to be and Celeste works fifty-hours a week at the library in town. That leaves mostly me and it’s all I can do to keep the cattle part of the Star N functioning without Travis. We wouldn’t have survived harvest and round-up if Chase Brannon hadn’t stepped in to help us and sent a couple of his guys on semipermanent loan, but he’s got his own ranch to run.”

“I’m here now. I can help. I want to help.”

“For how long this time?”

The question was a legitimate one. Hope didn’t know how to answer. She had finished her teaching obligation in Morocco and had been actively looking around for another one, but at this point her plans were nebulous at best.

“I don’t have anything scheduled. I can stay through the holidays. Let me run The Christmas Ranch. You can focus on the cattle side of things at the Star N and I’ll take care of everything on the holiday side.”

If she thought her sister would jump at the chance for the help, she would have been disappointed. Faith only shook her head. “You don’t know what you’re saying. It’s more than just wearing an elf costume and taking tickets. You haven’t been here during the season in years, not since Claude expanded the operations. You’ve got no experience.”

“Except for the five years I spent helping out when I was a kid, when we all pitched in. Those were magical times, Faith.”

Her sister’s expression indicated she didn’t particularly agree. Faith had never much liked the Christmas village, Hope suddenly remembered.

When they had come to Cold Creek Canyon and the Star N to live with Mary and Claude so long ago, they had all been traumatized and heartbroken. Three lost young girls.

Their father had died on Christmas day. The next year, Claude had put them all to work in the concessions stand at what was then only the reindeer petting zoo and the Christmas village with the moving figures. Her older sister had been reluctant to help, and never really wanted much of anything to do with it. She had only agreed after Claude had continued to hint how much he needed her help, in that gentle way of his.

No wonder she had been so quick to close the attraction at the first opportunity.

“Well, I thought they were magical times. I love The Christmas Ranch. I can make a success of it, I swear.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about. Thanksgiving is next week. There’s simply no time to get everything ready in a week and a half!”

She didn’t know why this was so important to her but she couldn’t bear the idea of no Christmas Ranch. Only at this very moment did she realize how much she had been looking forward to it this year.

She opened her mouth to say so but a flurry of movement in the doorway distracted her. Her aunt appeared, with Barrett close behind.

Her heart squeezed when she saw that it did, indeed, look as if Mary had been napping. The graying, old-fashioned bun she always wore was lopsided and her eyes were still a little bleary. Still, they lit up when they saw her.

“Oh, Hope, my darling! What a wonderful surprise!”

Mary opened her plump arms and Hope sagged into them. This. She hadn’t realized how very much she needed the steady love of her family until right this moment.

She could smell the flowery, powdery scent of her aunt’s White Shoulders perfume and it brought back a flood of memories.

“Why didn’t you call us, my dear?” Mary asked. “Someone could have driven to the airport to pick you up. Even one of Chase’s ranch hands. Did you fly into Jackson Hole or Idaho Falls?”

“I actually flew into Salt Lake City last night and bought a pickup truck near a hotel by the airport. I figured I would need some kind of four-wheel-drive transportation while I was here anyway and I didn’t know if you had any extra vehicles around the ranch.”

“We could have found something for you, I’m sure. But what’s done is done.”

Hope didn’t mention the noisy engine or the fact that it now was missing most of the passenger-side window.

She made a mental note to find some plastic she could tape up to keep the elements out until she could take it somewhere in town to have the window replaced.

“How long are you staying?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Fae and I were just talking about that. What would you say if I told you I would like to run The Christmas Ranch this year.”

For just an instant, shock and delight flashed in her aunt’s warm brown eyes, then Mary glanced at Faith. Her expression quickly shifted. “Oh. Oh, my. I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I don’t think you have any idea how much work it is, honey.”

She had lived on her own all over the world. She could do hard things—and maybe it was time her family accepted that.

“I know it will be, but I can handle it, I promise. You won’t even have to lift a finger. I’ll do all of it.”

“But, my dear. The reindeer. The sleigh rides. It’s too much work for you.”

The reality was daunting. A tiny little voice of doubt whispered that she didn’t have the first idea what she was getting into but Hope pressed it down. This was suddenly of vital importance to her. She had to open the ranch. It was a matter of family pride—and belief in herself, too.

“I’ll figure something out. I might not be able to do everything, but even a limited opening is better than nothing. Please. Just let me do this. It’s important to me. I have such wonderful memories of The Christmas Ranch, just like everyone in town who has been coming here for years.”

Aunt Mary was plainly wavering—and in the long run, the Star N was still her ranch and she ought to have final say. Her aunt glanced at Faith, who was pounding the pizza dough so hard it would be a miracle if she didn’t pummel all the gluten right out of it.

“The decision to cancel the whole season was a huge disappointment, and not just to me,” Mary admitted. “You wouldn’t believe the comments I’ve been getting in town.”

Hope decided to press her advantage. “It’s our civic duty to keep it open this year, don’t you agree? Why, it wouldn’t be the holidays in Pine Gulch without The Christmas Ranch.”

“Don’t go overboard,” Faith muttered.

“Please. Just give me the chance. I won’t let you down.”

She could see her sister was wavering. Faith let out a deep sigh just as her niece Louisa skipped into the kitchen.

“Mom, there’s a strange pickup in the driveway. It’s kind of junky,” she said, then stopped when she spotted Hope.

“Aunt Hope! Hi!”

“That’s my junky pickup in the driveway. I’ll move it.”

“What are you doing here?” her niece asked as she gave her a big hug.

“Guess what? She’s going to run The Christmas Ranch!” Barrett exclaimed. “We’re going to open after all!”

“Really?” Louisa exclaimed. “Oh, that would be wonderful!”

“We haven’t decided that yet,” Faith said firmly. “Children, go wash up for dinner and then you can set the table. I’m about to throw the pizza in. Aunt Celeste will be home any minute and we can eat.”

“I’m so glad you’re home,” Louisa said with another hug.

At least a few members of her family were happy to see her. Celeste wasn’t here yet but she and her younger sister had always been close—of course, she thought she and Faith were close, yet her older sister fairly radiated disapproval and frustration.