Trusting the rancher wit.., p.8
Trusting the Rancher with Christmas, page 8
“Was she really a runaway bride?” Paige chose a chip loaded with sour cream and shredded chicken.
“She ran from the historic church in the square.” Evan pointed down the street, toward the spot. “Turns out her groom, suffering cold feet, was already inside the Owl.”
Paige glanced at Evan. “Did the couple ever get married?”
“They did.” Evan started the truck and switched on the heat. “Whatever Boone and Sam told them worked.”
“That’s sweet.” And another reason she liked the cowboys.
“Boone and Sam are good people,” Evan said. “They mean well and have big hearts.”
“But?” Paige asked.
“But being in love isn’t the answer for everyone.” Evan tossed his cowboy hat on the back seat and scrubbed his fingers through his hair.
Paige studied her nachos. “You don’t believe in love?”
“Sure, I believe in it.” Evan flicked his hand toward the bar. “Look at Wes and Abby. How can you not believe in love when you see them together?”
Abby and Wes shared what Grandma Opal and Grandpa Harlan had shared. A real-deal love story. The precious kind of love that required care and attention. Paige’s energy was directed at her career and always advocating for animals.
Besides, Paige had a list of everything she did not want in her next relationship. Although, right now, she was too selfish about her single status. And not the least bit eager or excited about another relationship. “I believe in love too, but that doesn’t mean I want to fall in love myself.”
“Exactly.” Evan helped himself to another chip. “But it’s hard to explain that to some people.”
“I get it.” Yet she wanted to know if he’d ever been in love before. And what exactly had happened to change his views on love? But that required trust, both to ask and answer. And opening up cued that relationship chatter. It was enough to know that they both agreed on love—neither one of them wanted to find it. “Tell me about Dr. Gibson and your cows.”
“Dr. Conrad Gibson is hard to describe.” Evan wiped his fingers on his jeans and picked up his phone. “He’s one of the best I’ve seen with the animals. Thinks outside the box. Actually, he lives his entire life outside the box. He makes a lasting impression.”
“I like him already,” Paige said.
“Let’s jump right in, then.” Evan waved the phone at her. “Dr. Gibson is waiting for our call.”
Seconds later, Dr. Gibson’s face filled the screen. “Ryan, my nurse this afternoon, showed me how to turn on this video thing.”
“Now you can see what we see too.” Evan adjusted the phone on the dashboard.
“I can see now, but I still can’t get my hands on my sick patients. That matters, Evan.” Dr. Gibson sat up straighter in his bed. “Now, tell me you got the vet.”
Evan glanced at Paige. “She’s right here beside me.”
“Put her on,” Dr. Gibson hollered. “Put her on.”
Evan handed the phone to Paige and completed the introductions.
“Paige, we’ll get to the specifics about you later, I promise. I want to know more.” Dr. Gibson’s finger tapped the screen, blurring his face. “But for now, we need to focus on the cows. This thing is spreading too fast, and we have to get ahead of it. Do you have a pen and paper? Write this down.”
Evan handed Paige a pen; she handed him the phone. She folded the paper to-go bag flat. “I’m ready.”
Dr. Gibson listed off vitals he wanted and at what times. Symptoms he wanted verified and double-checked. And other nuances he wanted her to look for on every part of the cow from the head to hooves to throat. Paige finished her notes and glanced at the phone screen. “How did you get hurt, Dr. Gibson?”
“A bull stomped... Never mind all that. What’s important is getting you out to those cows real quick like. I need you recording and reporting.” A shuffling scratched over the speaker and the camera view became that of Dr. Gibson’s hospital ceiling. “I can’t see you anymore. Now, go get me the information I need to diagnose and treat. You know what I need. Call me back when you have it.”
The screen went blank. Evan dropped his phone in the console. Paige buckled her seat belt.
Evan pulled the truck away from the curb and headed out of town. “I’ve got a clipboard and paper in the house. Where do you want to start?”
“With Macybelle.” Paige worked on finishing her lunch. “Then we move on from there.”
Several hours and two dozen cows observed and examined later, Paige realized several important things. Evan had a really good eye for what was happening with his cattle. He managed a sizable cattle ranch with skill, competence and passion. She really liked working with him. And it was the first time since she’d arrived in town that she’d felt truly at ease.
Paige climbed out of the UTV and nodded toward the small bungalow behind the main farmhouse. “Does your mom live there?”
“No, Mom lives in the main house with us.” Evan whistled. Rex slipped through the fence posts and ran toward him. “She has her own wing. The guesthouse is empty.”
“Do you rent it out?” Paige took in the small front porch, with the rocking chair and side table. Perfect to sit and savor that first cup of coffee. If a houseguest was into that sort of thing.
“We used to rent it out when I was a kid.” Evan knelt and rubbed his hands over Rex’s back. “Hasn’t had a long-term tenant in years, only guests every so often. Friends and family of neighbors who don’t have enough room at their own places.”
“Would you be open to a guest now?”
“Who?” Evan asked.
“Me. It makes sense.” Probably only to her, but she’d started down this path and had to see it through. “I need to be close to the cows. It’s not a short drive from Abby’s place downtown.”
Evan looked both thoughtful and resistant to the idea.
“What if you have an emergency?” Paige pressed. “If I’m on the property, I can react faster.”
“It’s not a big place.”
“I’m one person,” she countered. “I don’t need much room.” But she wanted a reprieve. Even a small one from Christmas. It wasn’t too much to ask, was it?
“It’s real simple,” he said. “Nothing fancy.”
“That’s how I live in the city.” She spent most of her time at the clinic. It was more of a home than her town house.
“The heat isn’t always reliable,” he warned.
“I’m from Chicago. This isn’t cold.” She pointed to the chimney on the bungalow. “And besides there’s a fireplace.”
He tilted his head and studied her. “Don’t you want to be with your family?”
Yes. No. She felt disloyal even considering staying with Evan and not her cousin. “I’ll still see them every day. And they know I’ll worry less if I have quick access to the cows. And I won’t intrude on your family time either. You have my word.”
“Did you always want to take care of animals?” he asked, neatly pivoting the conversation.
“Dr. Lawrence Trevino came to my house and healed my cat. After that, I only ever wanted to be just like him.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I used to make my grandparents stop for every injured animal on the side of the road. I had to know if there was something I could do.”
“They always stopped?” He tapped his hat farther up his forehead as if he wanted to see her better.
“Every single time.” She smiled and welcomed the memories of her grandparents. “Grandpa Harlan even put together a first aid kit of sorts for me. I added to it over the years. They never complained, even on long car rides when I made the trip that much longer.”
“What about your parents?” His voice was curious, but not pushy.
“My father died when I was a little older than Riley.” Paige touched her chest and the ache anchored between her ribs. “My mom worked two jobs as a nurse. She cared about her patients the way I care about animals. She understood me.”
“Sorry about your dad.” Sympathy was easy to spot in his gaze. “My father passed away five years ago. They say time heals, but it still stings.”
“And at the most unexpected times.” Like inside Abby’s house, surrounded by so much Christmas. Abby lived Christmas the same way Paige’s dad had: all-in. Over-the-top. And bursting with cheer. Paige wanted her cousin to never lose that light inside her. And Paige didn’t want to risk casting any shadows. Abby should have the Christmas she always wanted. If Paige could stay at Evan’s, maybe then the memories of her dad wouldn’t still hurt.
“Paige.” Evan watched her. “You can stay in the guesthouse.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
PAIGE OPENED THE front door of the guesthouse and gaped at the tall ladder filling her view. She crossed the small porch and squeezed around the ladder. Her gaze lifted from the scuffed work boots on the lower ladder rung to the pair of jean-clad legs, past the thick winter jacket to a familiar pair of intense blue eyes.
She wanted to rub her own sleep-filled eyes and climb back under the comfy down comforter in the inviting and charming guesthouse bedroom. “Evan.”
“Good morning.” His voice was entirely too cheerful. His gaze entirely too alert.
The sun had risen less than ten minutes ago and was still struggling to turn up its brightness dial. At the first scrape against the roof and the shuffling noises outside the bedroom window, she’d stumbled out of bed and down the stairs to investigate. She’d been expecting one of the ranch dogs to be on the porch or even a brave ground squirrel. But not Evan.
She wasn’t sure what she required to face the disarming cowboy at dawn. But she was quite certain it was more than her fuzzy slippers and flannel pajamas. She crossed her arms over her chest. “What are you doing?”
“I’m decorating.” He reached up and clipped a strand of icicle lights to the hooks attached to the gutter.
“Why?” Paige ran her hands up and down her arms to warm her cold palms. Clearly, she couldn’t escape Christmas.
“Riley.” Evan stepped down several rungs and leaned his elbows on the top of the ladder. Closer now, his gaze was less direct and more thoughtful. He spoke with affection. “Riley would light up the pastures if I let her. My daughter believes Santa cannot find us all the way out here in the country unless we are lit up brighter than the galaxy.”
Riley had already been in bed when Paige had arrived last night with her suitcase and laptop. The kind little girl had left her unicorn stuffed animal on the queen bed in the guesthouse to keep Paige company. Paige tipped her chin toward the guesthouse. “What about the new wreath on the front door? Is that a Santa requirement too?”
“That’s a welcome from my mom with Riley’s approval.” Evan studied her from beneath the brim of his cowboy hat. “Christmas decorations are much more than simply lights. And Riley lives by the rule more is always better.”
Exactly like Paige’s cousin. Paige was several miles removed from downtown and Abby’s Christmas-bonanza house, but clearly the Christmas spirit wasn’t willing to be left behind. But Paige was on the property to be Dr. Gibson’s eyes and ears. To collect and record bovine data. Not decorate guesthouses, cuddle with neon-colored unicorn stuffed animals and get involved in the Bishop family’s traditions.
She should go inside, get dressed and get to the cattle. Instead, she watched Evan finish hanging the strand of faux icicles, as if he was the one she was supposed to be putting her eyes and ears to.
“You aren’t allergic to the smell of fresh-cut fir, are you?” Evan rubbed his gloved hand under his chin. Worry colored his expression.
She could sneeze and nod. End all of this with a falsehood. But the idea settled poorly within her. Much like eating raw bell peppers always hurt her stomach. She shook her head. “No tree allergies.”
“Are you allergic to Christmas in general, then?” Evan continued to string up more lights along the porch roof.
“No, it’s not that.” She wasn’t allergic to the season. She just rarely participated in it.
Evan stepped off the ladder and almost into her. His gaze skimmed her face, intense and perceptive. “You told me your father passed when you were little. You never mentioned when.”
“December.” Paige’s voice faded in the chilly morning air. “My dad would’ve loved all this. Christmas was always his favorite time of the year.”
“But it’s not yours.” Evan nodded and ran his hand through his hair.
Evan was the one person who’d recognized that in her right away. He was little more than a stranger, yet he looked at her as if he already knew her. Already understood her. Already cared about her. That wasn’t possible.
She gathered her hair into a ponytail. Put herself back together. Surely her thoughts would fall in line now too.
“We can take the lights down.” Evan held out his arm as if reaching for a solution. “I can tell Riley there’s a problem with the outlet.”
“You would do that? I’m...” Not family. Not even an invited guest. She’d persuaded Evan to let her stay in the guesthouse. She wasn’t there to participate in their family life. But she wouldn’t ruin anything for them either. “No. You can’t do that. How many more icicles were you going to hang?”
“As many as Riley wants.” An apologetic wince worked into the edges of his gaze as he said, “She’s the boss.”
The boss shouted a good morning, waved to Paige and pulled a red wagon behind her. Riley wore candy-cane-striped fleece pajamas, fur-lined pink boots, and a sunburst smile. That warmed Paige faster than a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
“I got lots more lights from the garage, Dad.” Excitement spilled from the little girl like an overflowing park fountain.
Evan slanted his gaze at Paige. Hesitation slowed his words. “I’m not sure Ms. Paige wants more lights.”
Riley pulled her wagon to a stop and rubbed her nose. “Don’t you like the lights, Ms. Paige?”
“I do.” Paige touched her forehead as if rummaging for the right words to help the little girl understand. It shouldn’t be so complicated. In fact, she shouldn’t have gotten involved. “I just don’t want you and your dad to go to so much trouble.”
“It’s no trouble, right, Dad?” Doubt tempered the hope in her subdued voice.
Paige cringed. She was about to disappoint this precious little girl who loved her pet cow. What she really wanted was to celebrate Macybelle’s full recovery with them. Still, she felt slightly queasy, watching Riley’s enthusiasm deflate over holiday decorations.
“Can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing than spending the morning with my favorite girl.” Evan swept Riley off her feet and into a bear hug. Within seconds, Riley’s giggles erupted into the cool morning air.
The little girl laughed wholeheartedly with every part of her. The genuine sound swirled inside Paige and drew her closer to the pair as if she wanted to take part. Paige set her hand on the ladder and kept herself in place. It wasn’t her moment to share. Still, she couldn’t quite look away from the adorable father-daughter pair.
“Now, about these lights.” Evan held Riley in his arms and turned toward the guesthouse. “We don’t want to blind Ms. Paige with too many. That wouldn’t be very nice.”
Well, bringing a bah-humbug attitude to this family would be more than not nice. Mean wasn’t something she ever wanted to be. Paige picked up an icicle strand from the pile on the porch. “But Santa has to be able to find us out here so he can drop off all those presents he has. And I heard it’s a lot of presents.”
That sunshine returned to Riley’s face. She wiggled out of her dad’s arms and dropped to the ground. “Then you’ll help us hang more lights, Ms. Paige?”
Paige zipped Riley’s puffy jacket under her chin and smiled. “I need five minutes to change into warmer clothes.”
“I’ll watch over Dad,” Riley announced. “And make sure he hangs the lights right.”
Evan chuckled. “I think I’m handling this part just fine.”
“But it has to be perfect, Dad.” Riley’s hands landed on her hips. “Then Ms. Paige and I can have the best Christmas ever.”
That was a tall order. Paige wasn’t sure she could claim she’d ever had the best Christmas ever. She had great ones and not so great ones. And she was leaving soon. She’d miss out on seeing what Riley’s best Christmas ever looked like.
A sliver of regret poked at Paige. She dismissed it and concentrated on the real reason she was at the ranch. And it wasn’t to have holiday fun with the Bishop family as if she belonged. “I’ll be quick.”
Paige hurried toward the front door. The cinnamon sticks, pine cones, and berries tucked within the fresh branches of the wreath caught her attention. She stopped and inhaled. The scent of cinnamon, citrus and pine reminded her of Grandma Opal’s simmering homemade potpourri that used to infuse every room in their house. She inhaled again, more deeply this time. Her shoulders relaxed and her tension unraveled as if she’d stepped inside her grandmother’s welcoming embrace.
Behind her, Riley asked her dad if he had called “her” yet. Then quickly asked if “she” had called back already. Evan’s brusque response, a simple, succinct “not yet,” caught Paige off guard. It was at odds with the doting dad who’d woken up before dawn to continue decorating the entire property for his daughter. And it was a reply, but not a clear answer.
Upstairs in the bedroom, Paige pulled on a pair of fleece-lined leggings, added several layers that she could remove if she got too warm working with the cows and puzzled over Evan’s reply to Riley. She couldn’t help it—she was curious. Paige wanted to know who the mysterious she was. She wanted to know why Evan had evaded his daughter’s questions. It was so unlike him.
Unlike him? Now she was behaving as if she knew him better than she possibly could. Her relationship with Evan had to remain professional, even if Evan had been beyond considerate. Even if Evan could be someone she might’ve been interested in. Her energy belonged to her furthering her career now. Another personal relationship would only drain her. And she couldn’t afford that.
