A Texas Holiday Miracle (11 page)

How sad, Lacey thought. “And your mom?”

He shifted uneasily in his seat. “She died when I was fourteen. I have a half sister who is eighteen years older than me, and instead of seeing me put into foster care, she insisted I live with her and her family. She and her husband, John, already had seven sons, and they accepted me as one of them.”

“Seven sons?” Lacey tried to keep the awe out of her voice, but failed.

“Yeah, seven rambunctious boys in about eight years. Two were born in the same year. Jude was born in January and Phoenix in December.”

“Where do they live?”

“On a ranch not far out of Horseshoe.”

“And they never visit you?” That question might have been out of line, but she couldn’t take it back.

His hands gripped the wheel, his eyes glued to the highway. “I told them not to. I needed my space and they respected my wishes.” He zoomed around a car that he obviously thought was going too slow. “At least my nephews have. My sister, Kate, hasn’t been quite as accommodating. She tends to treat me like one of her boys.”

Kate.
“Kate Rebel?”

He glanced at her. “You know my sister?”

“Um...” She should have kept her mouth shut. Now she had to tell him what she’d done. “No, not really. The day the vet came to put Pepper to sleep, I used your phone to call the school about Emma. I was going to ask you, but you were busy with the vet. I didn’t think you’d mind one phone call. I just happened to see all the missed calls from Kate Rebel.”

He spared her another sharp glance. “You used my phone without permission. Do you even know what the word
privacy
means?”

His reprimanding tone needled her. “Okay. I did it. I’m sorry. Spank me.”

The corners of his mouth twitched. “Do you know you’re a little crazy?”

“Yep. And lovable.”

“And infuriating.”

“But you like me.”

His eyes met hers. “Yes. I like you.”

That was more than she’d ever thought she would hear from him. And it was enough.

Chapter Eleven

Shopping with Lacey was like nothing Gabe had ever experienced. She looked at all the ovens, even the ones that wouldn’t fit her space. Grabbing her attention to focus on what she needed was like catching dust motes in his hand. Impossible. Then, after looking for more than an hour, she decided she didn’t like any of them. At the third store, he’d had enough.

“This is it,” he told her. “You’re picking out an oven that will fit your kitchen and we’re not looking at ones that will not.”

“Maybe,” she said, sliding out of the truck.

He groaned, but followed her inside. He found one that was almost the exact measurements and showed it to her.

“This will do. The measurements are an eighth of an inch off, but I can make it work.”

She pointed to one farther down the aisle. “I like that one.”

He counted to three. “It’s a double oven. You have a single oven.”

“Okay. Don’t get testy.”

He bit his lip. “See. This one has a timer and push buttons. Easy to use.”

“I like that.”

“Good.” He motioned to the salesman. “We’ll take it.” He waited for her to object, but she didn’t. They bought the oven and were soon on their way back to Horseshoe.

“Let’s get an ice cream.”

“No,” he replied. “I can have the oven in by this afternoon.”

She turned in her seat to face him. “There’s no rush. You can do it tomorrow or the next day. I’m not exactly Rachael Ray tied to the stove. You need to lighten up and have some fun.”

“I don’t know what having fun is like anymore.”

“I’ll show you.” She pointed to a Dairy Queen up ahead. “Pull in.”

“No. We can be home in no time.”

“Pull in.”

He pulled in. Rolling into the drive-through, he pushed a button to lower his window. She leaned across him and said to the young girl, “Two medium ice cream cones, dipped.”

“I don’t want one.”

“He does,” Lacey stated, but the girl hesitated. “He does,” she repeated, and the young girl turned to make them.

He was fighting a losing battle, so he gave in. He took the cones and handed them to Lacey while he paid the girl. “I can’t drive eating ice cream.”

“Oh, my, the man who can do everything can’t eat ice cream and drive.”

“It’s not safe.”

“Then find a spot and we’ll eat them here.”

He found a parking space and turned off the engine. She handed him a cone and he ate it like a good little boy. There was blissful silence for a change.

After wiping her mouth, she placed the napkin on the console and turned his rearview mirror toward her. He gritted his teeth.

“There’s a mirror on your sun visor.”

“Oh. You should have said something.”

“You never give me a chance.”

She made a face at him, and then turned to look in the mirror. “My lipstick is all gone. Kiss me.”

“What?”

“Kissing will make my lips red. Don’t you know that?”

“I...”

She caught the front of his sweatshirt and pulled him forward, planting a kiss smack on his lips. For a moment he was caught off guard, but found his lips responding in the most sensual way.

Pulling back, she licked her lips. “Cool and chocolaty. Nice.” She puckered her lips. “Are they pink?”

His lips cracked into a smile. He couldn’t help himself. She was infectious and tempting and drawing him in with her delightful personality.

“You are crazy.”

“See?” She touched his lips with one finger, and he wanted to grab it with his teeth and nibble and... “I made you smile. It helps to be a little crazy and not to take life so seriously.” She glanced at her watch. “Oh, we have to hurry. I can’t be late for picking up Emma.”

It amazed him how she could go from fun loving to responsible. He started the truck, and once again they were on their way home. Gabe felt something different, unusual and welcoming. A sliver of light opened in his heart. He could feel it—warm and comfortable, like sunshine, filling his system with much-needed nourishment. And at that moment he realized he needed a little crazy in his life.

* * *

L
ACEY
WAS
THERE
when Emma got out of school, and they went to the bakery for a snack. She thought she’d give Gabe some time to do what he had to in the kitchen. With her and Emma underfoot, he’d be scowling the whole time. Much like he had been today.

She’d been silly on purpose to draw him out of his serious mood, which he always seemed to be in. And it had worked. He’d smiled for the first time. It was breathtaking to see the change on his face. He’d allowed himself to feel something other than pain. If she had to be silly to accomplish that, then so be it.

At the bakery, Angie laughed about the burned roast, but was glad to hear it was the oven’s fault. Lacey bought kolaches to take home for dessert. Emma was all excited when Lacey told her Gabe was putting in a new oven. She could hardly wait to charge into the house.

Lacey was surprised to see Gabe was almost finished. With some kind of tool, he was tightening the screws to the cabinet.

He wiped a rag over the front of the new appliance. “All done.”

“We have a new oven. Now Lacey won’t burn our food,” Emma said.

Gabe put his tools back into a toolbox. “There’s some sawdust on the floor. I had to shave off some wood to make it fit, but the lip on the oven covers it.”

“I’ll sweep it up.” Lacey went to get the broom out of the utility room.

“The old one is on the patio,” Gabe told her. “I’ll haul it to the dump in the morning.”

She tilted her head. “Thank you, kind sir. And for your reward we’re having fish sticks, macaroni and cheese and kolaches for supper. You’re invited to stay.”

“Thanks, but I’m not really hungry.”

“You’ll come anyway.” Her eyes held his, and for a moment she thought he was going to refuse again.

“Okay, but I want to work on the tree for a while.”

“Deal.”

He paused at the door with the toolbox in his hand. “You know, it’s getting very hard to say no to you.”

“Let’s keep it that way.”

A smile touched his face, and it was so beautiful. It softened those hard lines that were etched by pain and suffering and made him attractive and appealing. Maybe a little too much for her peace of mind. She liked Gabe, but they really had no future. He would soon get his life together. He was already taking steps in that direction, and she would stay here in Horseshoe and raise Emma. There was nothing wrong with them being friends, though. Yet her heart wanted so much more.

“Lacey, did you make my bow?”

Emma’s question brought her back to reality. “No. I haven’t had time.”

“Bailey and I are dressing alike tomorrow and I have to have it.”

“Really?” She stared down at Emma, who obviously thought she could pull rabbits out of hats. Or would that be bows? “You could have told me that earlier.”

“I did. I told you I needed another bow.”

“Okay. I’ll do it tonight. Start on your homework and I’ll get supper started.”

“I want to help Gabe.”

“Not tonight. Gabe is busy.”

“You’re no fun, Lacey.” Emma stomped to the table and crawled onto a chair.

“I’ll have you know I’m lots of fun.” With the broom as a prop she started twerking, twisting her arms and legs in a spastic sort of way. Turning around, she saw Gabe standing in the doorway with a stunned expression on his face.

“Oh.”

“Lacey’s being silly.” Emma came to the rescue.

“I thought she was having a seizure.”

Emma laughed and Lacey frowned.

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m taking the old oven and putting it in the back of my truck. I had no idea I was in for a show.”

“Lacey’s weird.” Emma pulled books out of her backpack.

Lacey lifted an eyebrow, daring him to say one word.

“Hmm.” He walked out, and she sank back against the counter. After a moment, she recovered and started supper.

Gabe came over and ate with them, as promised, but he didn’t stay long.

That night Lacey made the bow, and the next day Emma and Bailey marched into the school dressed alike in their candy cane outfits. They looked adorable.

Lacey didn’t dawdle, though. Since Gabe had helped her yesterday, she planned to return the favor. He had the tree completely cut down—only a stump remained, but branches were strewn all over his yard. He was cutting the branches into firewood.

“Good morning,” he said, turning off the chain saw.

“Where do you want the wood stacked? I’ll help.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“And you didn’t have to install my oven, so let’s don’t argue. Where do you want me to stack the logs?”

He pointed to a place near the house where he had already started a pile. They worked in silence, except for the chain saw. She paused every now and then to watch him. Since the sun was out, he’d removed his hoodie. His black T-shirt emphasized the muscles in his arms. He’d put on a little weight and he looked damn good.

His cowboy boots were worn and dirty and his long hair dripped with sweat. Masculinity with a capital
M.
She had never been more aware of it than she was today.

Lacey was exhausted by the time she had to pick up Emma, but Gabe’s yard looked a little better. There were still branches and debris everywhere, but most of the big branches had been cut up and stacked.

She had a few minutes before she had to leave, so they sat on his deck, drinking water. The weather was beautiful—sunny and in the sixties. A slight breeze ruffled her hair, and she felt relaxed just sitting there with him. She wondered if he felt the same way.

“What are you gonna do with all this wood?”

“Burn it in the fireplace when it gets colder. You and Emma can come over and I’ll make s’mores.”

“You’re inviting us over?”

“Why not?”

“Exactly.” She placed her bottle on the floor. “I’m going to try to get Emma to decorate the tree this weekend.”

“Just take it slow and don’t force her.”

“That’s what all the books say, and I’ve read just about every one, but it’s so frustrating. I want her to believe and to feel the excitement of Christmas like I did as a child. I want her to have good memories. I want her to be a little girl with stardust in her eyes.”

“What does Emma want?”

“What?”

“You keep saying what you want. Ask Emma how she wants to celebrate Christmas. Give her a chance to express her feelings and gradually pull her in. I know you can do that because you’re constantly pulling me in to things I don’t want to do.”

She placed her hands on her hips. “Like what?”

He took a big swig from the water bottle. “Like...making me smile and making me realize that I’m still alive.”

“Poor you.”

“Yeah, poor me.”

She wasn’t offended by his words because there was a slight smile on his lips. And she loved it—loved that he was finally letting go of all the pain. Little by little he was getting better. But when he reached the pinnacle of full recovery, would he still hang around Horseshoe, Texas?

* * *

G
ABE
NEVER
KNEW
what to expect from Lacey. That was part of her charm. She was now in full Christmas mode and totally involved with cooking. Whenever he’d go over to her house, she was either watching cooking shows on TV or reading recipes on the internet. Every night she made something different and he ate with them. She was getting good, and it wasn’t hard to get caught up in her excitement.

If she wasn’t trying a recipe, she was decorating or making pinecone wreaths for the door and the fireplace. He’d helped hold the cones so she could tie them in place on a rounded wire. And he’d helped hold the red plaid ribbon she then wove through the pinecones. She’d added red berries for an extra touch.

She was very good at crafts. There were now a lot of decorations for Emma to put on the tree, but it wasn’t working. The tree still stood, looking lonely and bare, in the living room.

As he returned from his morning jog, he noticed Lacey on the ladder in the front yard nailing Christmas lights to the house. He watched her for a moment, enjoying the view. She wore tight-fitting jeans and a knit top that showed off her figure to perfection. And he was happy to recognize that he found her curves enticing.

He walked up to her. “What are you doing?”

She looked down at him. “Uh...it’s not hard to figure out. I’m going to light this house up like Cowboy Stadium. Emma has to get in the Christmas mood soon.”

“I could say you’re crazy, but I think I’ve covered that.”

“Yes. Crazy like a fox. I have no idea what that means, but I’ve heard it all my life.”

He didn’t feel the need to enlighten her. Lacey was just Lacey—charming.

“The wind is picking up. You need to get down from there before you break your neck.”

“Oh, please. This is what I did in my job. Hang decorations for ladies who wanted everything just right. Believe me, when you have to hang decorations in a ballroom, it takes a tall ladder and a steady hand.”

“I thought you were an assistant.”

“Yes. The person who does things when an employee doesn’t show up for work. The party must go on, you know.”

“I had no idea. All I know is you’re too high in the air for my peace of mind.”

“I’m not getting down until I finish.”

“I’ll go get my ladder and help you.”

“Ah, a man after my heart.”

For the next hour they used a staple gun to secure lights all over the front of the house. It really was going to light up the night. But then, Lacey could do that with just her smile. She scurried down the ladder to turn them on and they gazed at their handiwork.

Lacey clapped her hands. “Oh, Emma has to be excited about this.”

“Yeah. Planes are going to mistake your roof for the Austin airport.”

She poked him in the ribs playfully. “How about some coffee?”

“You read my mind.”

He was very comfortable in Lacey’s house. The more time he spent there the more he wanted to come back. Lacey’s cheerful personality was inviting, and he needed that in his life right now.