A Texan Returns

The other option—that he give in to the attraction that hadn’t ever gone away—wasn’t a good alternative. Not if he wanted to be on his best behavior for the next week.

Chapter Two

Toni carefully pulled apart the blinds on her front window and looked at the wooded lot surrounding the community center across the street. Wyatt stood in the midst of white wire reindeer pieces, the kind wrapped in tiny clear lights. He appeared frustrated and a bit lost, hands on his hips, shaking his head. He probably hadn’t assembled Christmas decorations in years, if ever.

The McCalls had always been the type to have tasteful pre-assembled decorations. They did not have a herd of white reindeer who bobbed their heads or tossed their antlers side to side. They had one evergreen wreath on their front door, which was surrounded by red lights twined in a garland with silver-and-gold balls. Very subtle and tasteful.

Wyatt wasn’t subtle, although whenever she’d seen him in person or in a photo, he’d been dressed appropriately. Today he wore a weathered brown leather jacket and leg-hugging faded jeans with heavy work boots that she was surprised he owned. A brisk wind blew through his sun-streaked hair and gave ruddy color to his perpetual tan. He looked good. Too good for her peace of mind. She didn’t want to think of Wyatt as her former boyfriend. That era was long past. He was here to do a job. She already had two jobs to do, as mayor and business owner. No, she was better off thinking of Wyatt only in terms of now.

Toni sipped her hot tea and wondered what type of holiday lawn decorations graced Wyatt’s Carmel, California home. Something modern and stylish, if he had any decorations at all. He was, after all, a bachelor. From what she’d read, he traveled a lot. He still did daredevil stunts at times. He lived a fast, full life.

Her life wasn’t fast, but it was certainly full. Busy. With the new projects going on in town—which she had certainly hoped and worked for—her remodeling company kept her on a demanding schedule. She’d come to the point where she had to make a decision about running for office again. There had been some talk, she’d been told, that a few people thought her two jobs overlapped too much.

She dropped the blinds and shook her head. She wouldn’t think about that right now. Today was Tuesday and she had a city council meeting tonight. During the day she and her crew would be on the site of her first joint venture. She was converting the old hotel across from the train station into six condo units, with retail and public areas as well. The project was ambitious and exciting, funded by Christie Crawford with a little help from Toni’s brother, Leo, who owned the local hardware store.

Toni looked out the window again just in time to see Wyatt throw a deer head to the ground. Oops. He was getting frustrated, and an unhappy Wyatt would not be good for Brody’s Crossing or for himself personally—just in case anyone was watching or listening. She set her mug on the windowsill, grabbed her fleece jacket and ran out the door.

WYATT STARED AT THE REINDEER parts in disgust. A simple task had turned into a morning of frustration because someone hadn’t kept the directions or the original boxes. The five reindeer had been disassembled and stored in a big discarded refrigerator box. He’d already spent an hour untangling their wire antlers from their spiky legs. If he hadn’t promised the community center director that he’d use these specific reindeer, of which she was so proud, he’d chuck the whole lot in the Dumpster and buy some new ones at the Wal-Mart in Graham.

“Need help?”

He whipped around to see another object of his frustration—albeit from a very different source—stop on the other side of the reindeer pile. “Spying on me, Miss Mayor?”

He thought he saw some guilty color in her cheeks, but it might have just been the cool, damp wind whipping through the bare limbs of the cedar elms.

“No, but I did notice you working on the Christmas decorations,” she replied, folding her arms across her chest.

Yep, she’d been spying on him.

“I’d be better off buying new reindeer and hiring a professional to put them together.”

“That wouldn’t be in the spirit of your return to Brody’s Crossing, would it?”

“Maybe not technically, but it would be the fastest way to get the decorations up and running.”

“Fast isn’t always best.”

“You’ve got that right, babe,” he said with a big grin. Sure enough, he’d irritated her.

She rolled her pretty brown eyes and tightened her arms. “I thought you’d grown up in the last fifteen years.”

“I’ve grown a little. Would you like to check me out?”

Toni threw up her hands in defeat. “I was going to offer to help, but now I’m going back to my house. You’re impossible.” She spun around and marched away.

“Hey, what about these reindeer? I could use some help.”

“Get the instructions off the Internet,” she shouted as she crossed the street. “I heard that you’re a whiz at that online stuff.”

Wyatt shook his head and chuckled. Toni might have grown up and he might have moved on, but they still had something buzzing between them, he thought as he went back to sorting reindeer parts. The question was, with such a short stay in Brody’s Crossing, did he want to find out whether the buzz was a good one or if it might be bad for both of them?

WYATT ENTERED THE CAFÉ for lunch with Louisa and Cassie. He still wore his work clothes from the reindeer challenge, which he’d conquered at last. The small herd of critters were now bobbing and swaying away in the yard of the community center.

“I see an empty spot,” Cassie said, guiding them down the aisle between the old-fashioned counter and stools and the red vinyl booths. Wyatt brought up the rear, taking time to look around at the people having lunch. He recognized a lot of them. Some didn’t look any different, but a few of the men had lost their battles with baldness and one or two of the ladies had gained a few pounds since he’d last seen them.

“Why, Wyatt McCall,” a plump middle-aged lady called out as they passed.

He took a moment to realize this was Clarissa Bryant, owner of the beauty shop on the main street in town. His mother didn’t frequent her shop, saying it was a hotbed of gossip. Which meant she thought the ladies were talking about her.

“Hello, Mrs. Bryant. How are you?”

“I’m just fine. It’s good to see you back in town.”

“Glad to be back.”

“Just in time for the holidays. I think we’re going to have the best Christmas yet.”

“I’m not sure how long I’ll be staying, but I’ll be here for the parade on Saturday for sure.”

“I hope you can stay,” she said with a sparkle in her eye, “but only if you keep yourself out of trouble.” She nudged the lady next to her, also middle-aged but not as flamboyant.

“Venetia, do you remember when the Settlers’ Stroll was attacked by wild Indians?” Mrs. Bryant asked the other lady.

“That was something to see,” Venetia replied, “not that I’m looking forward to it again.”

Wyatt smiled and shrugged. “You never know, but I suspect all the wild Indians in the region have been tamed.”

The ladies laughed. “Wyatt, this is Venetia Williams, who works at my shop, and you remember Caroline Brody, of course.”

“Yes, ma’am, I surely do,” he said. She was the mother of his best friend in high school. “How are you, Mrs. Brody?”

“I’m doing just fine, Wyatt. Working part-time in James’s law office.”

“And how is Mr. Brody?”

“He’s doing real well. He had a mild stroke and retired from the hard work, but he’s keeping busy at the ranch. You should come out and see us. James lives over his office with his wife, Sandy, but it would be like old times if everyone could come out to the ranch.”

“Yes, it would. I’ll have to do that. I was going to see James later, or tomorrow maybe. The mayor’s keeping me busy at the community center.”

“We heard,” Clarissa said, giving credence to his mother’s claim that the beauty shop was the place to hear gossip. “Myra Hammer said you were busy putting up those lighted reindeer.”

“Yes, ma’am. They’re just about ready.”

“Don’t forget the lighted Christmas trees,” Venetia reminded him. “You can’t have the reindeer without the white trees.”

“I’ll be sure to ask about those,” he replied. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d better get to our booth before the ladies order without me.”

“Good to see you, Wyatt,” Mrs. Brody said.