Just a Little Christmas Read online

  “As I recall, you said something along those lines ten years ago. ‘Find yourself another girl to marry—a girl who’ll be happy sharing your life.’ ”

  A little smile played around her lips. “I did say that. And you found one. Are you afraid to try your luck again?”

  Turning away from her, Jubal stared into the glowing bed of coals. He’d loved Laura, but theirs had been a practical kind of love, steady and solid, nothing like the breathless highs he’d known with Ellie. Lord, he’d never find anything like that blazing teenage passion again—and probably shouldn’t try. He wasn’t a high school kid anymore. At his stage in life, a homemade supper on the table and a warm bed at night ought to be enough.

  But even that was more than he could offer a woman now.

  “Well?” She was still looking up at him, waiting for his reply. As Jubal searched for a clever retort, something snapped inside him.

  “Blast it, Ellie, don’t push me!” He sank onto the couch, cursing under his breath. “This isn’t a good time to ask!”

  “What is it, Jubal?” The weight of her hand on his shoulder was no more than the brush of a bird’s wing. But he felt it in a deep place where no one but Ellie had ever touched him.

  He’d sworn to keep his troubles to himself, but the story came spilling out—his father’s mismanagement, his plans for the ranch, and the shocking discovery he’d made at the bank.

  “The work I’ve done, the debts I’ve paid off, the things I’ve gone without—worse, the things Gracie has gone without. It’s all been for the sake of a miserable piece of land I don’t even own.”

  “You’re sure?” Ellie’s dark eyes were wells of sympathy—the last thing Jubal wanted from her. He was already wishing he’d kept quiet. Now it was too late for that.

  “I checked the deed in the recorder’s office. This ranch belongs to some outfit called Shumway and Sons Property Management. My father signed away the property the year before he passed. I might’ve paid more attention, but it happened right after Laura’s accident. I was dealing with other things.”

  “And your father could do that? Sell the property without your signature?”

  Jubal remembered then that Ellie had gone to law school. “The ranch was part of a family trust,” he said. “As long as he was alive, my father, as trustee, had control. Yes, he could sell it or give it away or whatever the hell he wanted to do with it.” Jubal raked his fingers through his hair. “Sorry, I’m still in shock. I know I’ve got to fight this. But right now I don’t even know who or what I’m fighting. I’ve tried to learn more about the new owners, but it’s like they don’t exist—or maybe don’t want to be found.”

  “That makes sense if they did something illegal to get the land.”

  “I’ve thought of that. But I’ve got no proof. I’ve got nothing.”

  “What I don’t understand is why you’re still here. Why hasn’t the new owner evicted you and taken over the ranch?”

  Jubal exhaled wearily. “I’ve thought about that, too. The best explanation I can come up with is that they’re holding the property as an investment, hoping that, for whatever reason, the value will go up. If that’s the case, it would be to their advantage to have somebody working the place.”

  “What about property taxes?”

  “They’re set up on autopay from the ranch account. And they’ve been paid every year. Evidently the new owners have no problem with my taking care of those.”

  “That’s monstrous, Jubal.”

  “It’s business. And I didn’t invite you in to talk about it. It’s my problem, not yours.”

  “Gracie doesn’t know?”

  “I’m hoping I can clear up this mess without having to tell her we’re homeless.” He stood, holding out his hand to help her up. “Come on, it’s time you were getting home. I’ve burdened you enough.”

  She took his hand, her fingers silky smooth against his roughened palm as he pulled her to her feet. “I haven’t forgotten what you told me about Gracie,” she said. “Believe me, I understand. I don’t want to hurt her either. I’ll try to distance myself.”

  “Thanks.” He walked her to the door and lifted her quilted jacket off the rack. As he held it open, so she could slip her arms into the sleeves, her subtle fragrance rose from the fabric—not perfume, only Ellie, creeping into his senses just as he remembered.

  Her shoulder-length hair was twisted up and anchored with a clip, exposing the nape of her graceful neck. The urge to lean close and press his lips to her soft, white skin was so powerful that he almost groaned out loud. But he managed to control himself as he pulled the jacket up into place. “I’ll walk you to your car,” he said. “The front steps could be slippery.”

  “Thanks, I wouldn’t want to take a tumble.” She let him balance her as they crossed the porch. Partway down the steps, her foot slipped on an icy spot. With a little gasp, she pitched forward. Catching her shoulders, Jubal managed to stop her fall, but the move swung her around hard to face him.

  For a heart-stopping moment, they froze, her parted lips a finger’s breadth from his. It would be so easy, so tempting to kiss her, Jubal thought. But he knew better. One kiss would never be enough. Give in to his urges, and he’d be walking into a minefield of trouble—more trouble than he needed.

  He found his voice. “Are you all right, Ellie?”

  She nodded. Something glimmered in her eye. Was it a tear or just the reflected light from the porch? “Just a little shaky, that’s all,” she said.

  “Will you be all right to drive home?”

  “I’ll be fine as soon as my nerves settle. I could’ve had a bad fall just now.”

  “Here, take my arm again.” A dry wind had sprung out of the west. It whipped tendrils of hair around her face as he eased her down the remaining steps, saw her to her car, and opened the door. She slid her body carefully behind the wheel and fastened the seat belt low on her lap.

  “Thank you for catching me.” The car’s dome light cast her face into stark light and shadow. She looked pale and tired, he thought.

  “Be safe. Call me if you need anything. I mean it.” Jubal closed the door. With his back to the biting wind, he watched as she turned the sleek car around and drove out of the gate. Had he overstepped, inviting her to call him? She’d looked so vulnerable that he’d felt the need to say it. Not that she’d ever take him up on it. She had family to take care of her, including a brother who was the county sheriff. Forget it, Jubal told himself. Ellie would be fine.

  But something else was gnawing at him. By the time her taillights vanished down the lane, he was already regretting what he’d revealed to her about the ranch.

  Why hadn’t he kept his mouth shut? His problems were nobody’s business but his own. But tonight the story had come pouring out of him. Now Ellie knew about the trouble—and if she mentioned it to anybody, the story would soon be all over town. And even if she didn’t, it would color what she thought of him.

  In the old days, he’d shared almost everything with her—his clashes with his father, his desire to improve the ranch and make it more productive, and his worries about the future. Back then they’d been more than just teenage lovers; they’d been good friends who could talk for hours about anything. Maybe that was why it had felt so natural to open up with her.

  But it was no way to impress a sophisticated woman like Ellie. Maybe he should’ve put on an act—told her how well his plans were going and how much money the ranch was bringing in. But Ellie was no fool. One look around the place, and she’d have known it was all a lie. But even that would’ve been better than having her feel sorry for him.

  Turning, he headed back up the steps and went inside. Tonight he would spend more hours online, searching for whatever he could find in the way of county records, tax lists, complaints to consumer agencies, trust laws—any clue that might lead to something he could use. So far he’d found nothing. But he couldn’t afford to give up. There was too much at stake—including his future a
nd his daughter’s.

  Christmas was only a few weeks off. If he couldn’t find a way out of this mess by then, there wouldn’t be much to celebrate.

  * * *

  After checking both ways for oncoming headlights, Ellie pulled onto the main road and headed back to town. At this hour there was little traffic, but then, Branding Iron wasn’t exactly known for its night life.

  Clouds had darkened the face of the moon. Vaguely nervous, she switched her headlights to high beam and turned up the radio, which was still playing Christmas music. “Here Comes Santa Claus” boomed out of the BMW’s state-of-the-art speakers. She tried singing along, as she had with Gracie, but soon gave up and switched the radio off. She wasn’t in the mood. Her thoughts were with Jubal.

  Seeing him tonight, talking like friends, had brought back the memory of old times and how good things had been between them. But they were different people now. She was about to have her ex-husband’s baby. He was a single father struggling to save his ranch. The idea of anything more than friendship between them—if even that—was unthinkable.

  So why had the thought crossed her mind?

  She remembered the night of her high school graduation—the night Jubal had proposed. He’d been her date for the senior party, and afterward they’d driven out to one of their favorite spots, a wooded rise overlooking the moonlit sweep of the open plain. She’d already been admitted to the University of Texas and planned to leave for Austin that summer to find a job and, hopefully, an apartment with roommates before school started in the fall. It was an option Jubal didn’t have. His only choice was to stay in Branding Iron and help his father work the ranch.

  They’d snuggled and kissed. Then, to her surprise, he’d taken a small velvet box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a diamond engagement ring. The stone was tiny, but Ellie had known it had probably drained his meager savings to buy it. She’d been moved almost to tears, but even before he spoke, she’d known what her answer would be.

  “Say you’ll wear this and come back to me, Ellie,” he’d said. “I know you want an education, but for however long it takes, I’ll be waiting for you. There’ll never be anyone else for me.”

  Then she had broken his heart.

  Something flashed in front of her—a deer, then another one, leaping into her headlights. Her foot groped for the brake. No way to stop in time. Instinctively she wrenched the wheel to the right. The car swung onto the graveled shoulder and kept going. Like a slow-motion nightmare, it careened down into the low barrow pit and crunched to a cornerwise stop against a steel fence post.

  Chapter 6

  Ellie groaned as the shock wore off. The car was motionless and oddly slanted. Through the windows she could hear the howl of wind. Tree branches, bare of their leaves, lashed against the night sky.

  The baby! Panic surged through her as she laid a hand on her belly. A healthy thump eased her fear. Thank heaven she’d read that article about how to wear a seat belt during pregnancy.

  The accident had happened so fast that her memory was a blur. She recalled seeing the deer and swerving off the road. Then there was out-of-control motion, a sharp lurch, and a crash. Except for where she’d ended up, it was hard to believe it had been real.

  She moved her hands, her arms, and legs. Everything seemed to work. But the sense of unreality lingered, as if she were about to wake up and discover that she’d been dreaming.

  With luck, maybe her car would be all right. The air bags hadn’t deployed. But the engine had stopped and the vehicle was tipped at a low angle toward the passenger side. The headlights were still on, so at least the battery was working. Maybe, if the car would start, she could manage to back out onto level ground and drive home.

  After turning off the lights to save the battery, she shifted into neutral, switched the ignition off, then on again, and cranked the starter. The powerful engine purred to life. So far, so good. Everything was going to be fine, Ellie told herself.

  Shifting into reverse, she floored the gas pedal. The engine roared. Wheels spun, tires screamed. The car didn’t budge. With a sigh, she turned off the ignition and sank back in the seat.

  Now what? It made sense to get out and look at the damage. But if she wanted to get out of the tipped car, she would have to push the door open and hold it against the wind while she crawled upward to get out. Ordinarily that wouldn’t have been a problem. But with the added bulk of her belly, she could easily fall to the ground or get stuck partway. And even if she could make it out, what could she do except look? With bitter wind whistling around the car, her best option would be to stay inside and call for help.

  Nine-one-one would get her the dispatcher in Cottonwood Springs, who would probably relay the message to Ben or one of his deputies. Sooner or later, somebody would show up. But she wasn’t hurt, just stuck. And what if answering her call kept the responders from somebody’s real life-or-death emergency?

  Jubal was minutes away. His truck should be able to pull her car back onto the road. Things were still touchy between them, but there was nothing to do but swallow her pride and call him.

  Her purse had fallen against the far door. Unfastening her seat belt, she reached across the seats, grabbed it, and fumbled inside for her phone.

  As her fingers closed around it, the reality of the crash hit like a thunderclap. Dropping the phone in her lap, Ellie pressed her hands to her face. Her body shook as her nerves unraveled.

  * * *

  Jubal was at his computer, searching state corporate records for Shumway and Sons, and finding nothing, when his cell phone rang. His pulse skipped when he saw the caller ID.

  “Ellie? Is that you? Are you all right?” He could’ve kicked himself for sounding so anxious.

  “More or less.” She didn’t sound all right. He could sense the fragility in her voice. “I ran my car off the road to keep from hitting some deer. Now I seem to be . . . stuck.”

  “Where are you?”

  “A couple of miles past the turnoff.” She was making an effort to sound calm. “I can start the car, but it won’t budge. I should probably get out and look at it, but it’s cold, and I don’t know if I can climb out by myself.”

  “Do you smell gasoline?” A picture flashed through Jubal’s mind—Ellie’s BMW exploding in flame with her trapped inside. “If you do, get out now.”

  There was a moment of silence. “I don’t smell anything.”

  “And you’re not hurt?”

  “Not as far as I can tell.”

  “Then stay put. I’ll be right there.”

  “Oh—bring a tow chain if you’ve got one.”

  Jubal ended the call and went for his keys and coat. He’d need to tell Gracie he was going. It would be a shame to disturb her, but he couldn’t risk her waking up to find him gone. Even a note could be missed.

  Leaning over the bed, he nudged her shoulder. She stirred and opened her eyes.

  “Honey, I’ve got to go out for a while. Ellie just called. She’s having car trouble. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Is Ellie okay?” She pushed onto one elbow.

  “She’s fine. Just stuck. Go back to sleep.”

  Gracie lay back on the pillow and closed her eyes. She was accustomed to staying alone when Jubal was out during the calving season or when other ranch emergencies called him away at night. In case she needed to reach him, she had a cell phone by her bed. She would be fine.

  Jubal buttoned his coat and shoved a pair of leather work gloves in the pockets. After locking the front and back doors, he went out to the shed and loaded the tow chain into the back of his truck. The rest of his tools, along with a good flashlight, were already there. Moments later he was flying down the graveled lane toward the main road.

  By now it was almost 9:00, the dark roadway all but empty of traffic. After making the turn, Jubal slowed the truck and drove at a crawl along the right-hand shoulder of the road. Ellie had mentioned she was only a couple of miles past the turnoff. He should
be able to find her in the next few minutes.

  As he drove, the memory of another accident rose in Jubal’s mind: the twisted heap of wreckage that had been Laura’s car, the sirens, the flashing lights, the ambulance . . .

  Ellie had told him she wasn’t hurt. But what if she was? What if something had happened to her baby? Jubal’s jaw tightened as he spotted the dark shape of the BMW below the road. He stomped the brake hard. Grabbing the flashlight, he jumped to the ground and strode down the slope. The cold wind raked his hair and whipped the old sheepskin coat, which had been his father’s, against his body.

  As he approached, the driver’s side window rolled down. The flashlight beam took in the tipped car and Ellie’s pale, frightened face. “Are you all right?”

  “Fine . . . I think.” Her voice was unsteady but she managed a feeble smile. “Thanks for showing up. I’ll need a hand getting out of this car.”

  “Come on.” Setting the flashlight down, he opened the door, bracing it against the wind. Clutching her purse with her right hand, she offered him her left. He pulled as she squeezed out from under the steering wheel, worked her feet around to the opening, and climbed out onto the grassy slope. Her quilted jacket was too thin for the weather. As the cold wind struck her, she shivered.

  “Here.” Jubal shrugged out of his sheepskin coat and wrapped it around her. She was still shaking. He felt a little shaky himself. Only now did he realize how scared he’d been for her.

  Without conscious intent, his arms went around her. Still quivering, she nestled close. Years had passed, but holding her felt as natural as it had in the old days. Even with her rounded shape between them, she seemed to fit in all the ways he remembered.

  He ached with the urge to bend his head and warm her chilled lips with his. But that would be a bad idea. He and Ellie had traveled too far, in opposite directions, to go back to where they’d once been.