A Grand Teton Sleigh Ride: Four Generations of Wyoming Ranchers Celebrate Love at Christmas (29 page)

She started the ignition and turned up the heat, rubbing her hands together. Granted, she’d left a message last night, inviting him back out to look at what she was doing for his grandmother’s teapot. But since he hadn’t called her back, she started to worry. And it wasn’t just that.

She hadn’t stopped thinking about how she had unintentionally embarrassed him by thinking he was one of the art gallery employees, when it turned out he was something much different. Daddy had played on that, of course. Though she’d tried to apologize to Ty, clearly that hadn’t been enough. She’d run the guy off.

Hayley glanced in the rearview mirror. When the traffic was clear she pulled from the curb. She hoped Ty didn’t think she was a stalker or anything, but she really wanted to make up for last week. She’d already looked up his grandmother’s address and now debated whether or not to follow through with her plan. Meeting the woman would go a long way in helping Hayley create this piece. Though it really wasn’t the best way to conduct her little test of commissioned work, she wanted this to be perfect.

For Ty.

He seemed like a thoughtful and kind guy. After all, who would put so much thought into a gift for their grandmother, thinking about it weeks ahead of time? She hadn’t been able to get the image of him at the potter’s wheel out of her head. Boy was he awful, but she hadn’t had the heart to tell him. Besides, it took a lot of training. She hoped he would come back to practice. At the very least, he was supposed to teach her to ski. She would probably be awful at
that
.

She smiled to herself.

Steering through Jackson, she passed by the Aspen Hill Cemetery, onto Pine Drive that curved around the base of Snow King Mountain. She drove slowly up the steep road, reading the addresses until she found the cozy cabin, tucked back in the woods. Pulse hammering, Hayley pulled into the abrupt driveway that spiraled down to the cabin. Fortunately, she didn’t see Ty’s vehicle. She hadn’t thought about what she’d say if she ran into him at his grandmother’s.

Coming here had been impulsive and lacked any sort of good judgment. At least she could admit that about herself. She could admit she’d made a mistake.

Hayley shifted into reverse to back from the drive. A knock on her window startled her. Looking at the older woman standing on the other side of the glass, she shifted into P
ARK
and lowered the window.

“Can I help you?” the woman asked.

Hayley’s throat constricted.

“Are you lost?” The woman’s eyes crinkled with concern.

“No, actually. Um … I was hoping to meet Ty Walker’s grandmother. I’m Hayley, by the way.” She left off the Covington name, just in case the name set the woman off. Some folks didn’t necessarily like the cattle ranches, namely Covington Ranch.

“I’m Clara Walker, Ty’s grandmother. It’s nice to meet you, Hayley. Would you like to come in for some coffee or hot cocoa and get warmed up?”

Hayley spotted the bucket of pinecones in the woman’s hand and smiled. “I’d love to.”

Maybe this hadn’t been a bad idea, after all.

Half an hour later, Hayley finished her third cup of hot chocolate, her mind reeling with all that Clara had told her about Ty. She’d been right about him—he was definitely a good guy. And she already had in mind what she would create for his kind and friendly grandmother.

“Clara, please promise me you’ll keep our meeting between the two of us. I don’t want to mess up my surprise. I hope I haven’t been too presumptuous in coming here.”

“Nonsense. I’m glad to know my Ty has met a sweet girl like you. Of course, this will be our secret, but you won’t mind if I invite you to join us for an evening meal now and then, will you?”

Definitely, Clara’s statement was presumptuous. Hayley and Ty weren’t there quite yet, if they ever would be. Hayley hoped she hadn’t overstepped by coming here, but Ty would understand—he had a soft spot for his grandmother. Surely he couldn’t fault Hayley for wanting more information to make her present the best it could be.

“Of course not. But has Ty even mentioned me?”

“He’s let on that there might be someone special, dear. He is never one to give me too much ammunition, you see.” She chuckled.

Hayley found the sound endearing. She was a family girl, and could see that family was important to Ty, as well.

“Hayley, I don’t think I got your last name.”

Here goes. “Covington.”

Clara’s eyes widened slightly. “As in …”

Heat warmed her cheeks. “Covington Ranch.”

Clara pressed her fingers over her mouth just as Hayley’s cell phone rang.

Hayley glanced at the caller ID.

It was Ty.

Hayley answered, his grandmother watching. Awkward.

“Hey. I can stop by this evening to see your work, if that’s good for you,” he said.

Y
ou’re getting the hang of that pretty quickly, considering this is only your third lesson.”

Hunching over the lump of clay spinning on the wheel, Ty pressed down to center it, Hayley’s compliment pleasing him more than it should. Funny. He never thought that helping the girl with her pottery that day in the gallery would have led to him creating his own. But Hayley did so much more to the pieces than throw and shape them on a wheel. She etched images into each piece then glazed the images different colors. It still blew his mind.

The lump of clay now spun asymmetrically, pulling his attention back. He knew she’d been generous with her compliment.

“Here, let me help.” She got in close to help him center the clay.

He smiled. Maybe he’d left it a smidge off center on purpose. Her blond hair tickled his nose, so he backed away to give her space. How many times would he get it wrong before she was on to him? She dropped more water on the clay to keep it moist and worked it back into position.

Hayley released the mound and moved away for him. “It can take awhile, but I think you’re doing better than most.”

Ty went back to work, but he’d much prefer watching her etch those drawings onto the teapot she was creating for his grandmother. The piece was much more whimsical than he’d seen in any of her other work. Somehow, she’d known exactly what to do. How had she gotten it right? Ty couldn’t have done better if he’d been a master potter.

He went back to work on the potter’s wheel. He’d mostly agreed to learn as a way to make Hayley happy, but he found that he enjoyed being creative, something he didn’t realize was inside. Of course, he enjoyed spending time with her, though he’d hesitated after that first meeting. Ty liked her and, deep inside, figured she was the kind of girl he’d want to have a future with. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see that happening with Hayley, well, because he was a nobody ski bum. Her father would never allow it. Ty was surprised that Hayley had persisted in inviting him back, persisted in her idea to make a gift for his grandmother.

Hayley cleared her throat, and Ty slowed the wheel, glancing up to meet her gaze. His insides jumped around. Not good.

“What do you think?” She lifted up the teapot.

“My grandmother will love it.” Ty slid from the perch at the potter’s wheel, wiping his hands on a towel, and moved closer.

“Really? You think so?” Delight danced in her crystal blues.

Ty loved the darker flecks in her irises, but he pulled his gaze from her eyes and looked at the teapot. Didn’t she see how talented she was? Surely she understood that, especially with people buying her work at the gallery.

He peered at the intricate carvings, wanting to run his finger over them, but that would ruin them at this stage. Wanting to run his thumb over Hayley’s soft cheek, and without thinking, he did just that. “Yes, really. This is a special gift for her.”

His voice sounded husky, and he shook it off, putting distance between them. Inappropriate. Hayley didn’t want that from him. Somehow, the two had become fast friends, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it, considering they were an unlikely pair with such different backgrounds.

“I’m glad you like it. I hope she will, too.” Hayley’s whisper told him she’d been caught up in whatever passed between them, too.

“Then you should be there when I give it to her on her birthday.” Ty grabbed a clean towel on the table behind Hayley and wiped at her cheek. “Sorry, I left a smudge.”

She laughed. “You mean to add to hundreds of other smudges.”

Hayley stood close to him now, her sweet, smiling lips so near. Ty cleared his throat and stepped back. “I should get going.”

“But what about your pot? You haven’t finished.” Hayley’s disappointment rallied him.

“Okay, I’ll finish this piece before I go, but you have to do something for me.” As if she hadn’t done so much already.

“What’s that?”

“You wanted me to teach you to ski. That was our deal. Now, you’re teaching me pottery and you’ve created that amazing teapot for my grandmother, and still I can’t get you on the slopes. We’re expecting some big snow this weekend, before Thanksgiving. Will you be around? Or do you and your father go somewhere for Thanksgiving?”

“Family comes in from all over. My sisters and their families. Aunts, uncles, and cousins. I’m not the boss in the kitchen then, but I’m around to help. They won’t start arriving until a day or two before Thanksgiving. What about you?”

“I’ll be in town, waiting to ski with you.” He winked, noting her cheeks colored again.
Easy, Ty
. That’s not what this was about. Was it?

Hayley is out of your league
. He struggled to care about that hurdle.

“I still can’t believe you’ve never been skiing and you live in a skiing mecca.”

“Yeah well, I live in an art mecca, too.” She laughed. “As long as my schedule isn’t filled up with ranching chores, maybe I can make it up there, but I’ll need ski clothes and gear.”

“I can help you with that.”

“Thank you. I just … I’ll admit I’m a little scared.”

“Scared? Of what?”

Hayley released the clip keeping her hair out of the way and shoved the long tresses behind her shoulders. Ty fought to focus on her words.

“Of making a fool of myself out there.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. Besides, with so many people on the slopes, and plenty making fools of themselves, you’ll have anonymity.”

She angled her head.

“Nobody will know or care who you are.”

And then it hit him, was that what she was worried about? Being seen with Ty Walker on the slopes?

Hayley dumped what was left of her coffee in the sink and finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes she’d left earlier in the morning. She’d finished breaking the ice so the animals could drink and made sure the hands were putting out fresh hay for the horses they hadn’t sold off. Daddy had seen to the cattle.

Boots stomping in the mudroom told her he’d returned, and she’d hoped to be out the door before he set her to work on something else. She was beginning to feel like she’d been playing too much with Ty, instead of working the ranch. But he made her laugh and smile. Made her happy. He appreciated her pottery. She’d been thrilled when she’d seen his admiration over his grandmother’s teapot. Delighted with the question she’d seen in his eyes—how had she gotten the teapot right?

The piece was much different from all her others. She’d etched in cutesy pinecones. But she’d gone to meet his grandmother and seen that she enjoyed crafts. Had seen the pinecone crafts the woman created. Hayley had fashioned a teakettle just for Clara. She’d keep the fact that she’d already met his grandmother a secret for now, but how could Ty not be suspicious?

Daddy had already removed his coat and dusted off the snow when he came into the kitchen and grabbed a mug of coffee. “It’s frigid out there. Best stay close to the ranch today.”

Anxiety kicked up her pulse. She thrust her hair behind her ears and cleaned out the sink. “As a matter of fact, I thought I’d head into Jackson.”

“I’ll drive you.”

Hayley gasped. She turned to face her father. “I’m okay. I know how to drive in this, remember?” Ty had called earlier and offered to pick her up, but she hadn’t thought Daddy would be back.

“I don’t want to worry about my girl.”

Hayley considered how much to tell him and decided to give him the whole story. “Look, Daddy. There’s going to be some fresh powder on the slopes.”

He stared at her, long and hard. “What did you say?”

Leaving the kitchen to head back to her room and get ready, she just shook her head, and he followed. Now that she thought about it, it did seem a little ridiculous she hadn’t tried the sport. “I know you think skiing is a waste of time,” she said, “but I’d like to try it just once.”

Her disrespectful tone mortified her. When had she ever spoken to Daddy this way?

When Daddy didn’t follow her up the stairs, guilt squeezed her heart. She turned to stare down at him standing at the base of the steps. Hayley couldn’t take it anymore, she ran down the steps to her father and hugged him. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s that Ty, isn’t it? He’s the one who’s influencing you.”

Hayley released Daddy and took a step back onto the stairs. “I’m not a child. I work hard for you, here at the ranch. There’s no harm in me having some fun once in a while. I like Ty. He makes me laugh. And …”