A Daughter for Christmas Page 3

  And what would happen if those fault lines were pressured?

  * * *

  Tanner stood quietly in the middle of the lane, his hands in the pockets of his jacket. He had gloves, but he always forgot to wear them when he wasn’t working. The sounds of the farm seeped into him. The cows with their soft, low voices, the horses nickering to each other as they settled in for a chilly fall night.

  The chickens were long asleep with early nightfall. They’d be waking up with the sun and Devin would gather their eggs for breakfast and for selling at the farm stand tomorrow morning.

  The sounds and rhythms of the ranch were as familiar to him as his own heartbeat, but even here, change was inevitable. He’d been alone here two years ago, trying not to lose the farm in a rapidly changing market. Garrett had been in town, working to get his law practice off the ground.

  Then Devin returned home. A couple of months later, Lacey surprised Devin with a copy of their marriage license and a sonogram photo of the twins. Next Garrett moved home and became an unexpected daddy to a newborn baby girl named Charlotte. He brought Abby into their lives and then later married her.

  With every change came challenges. Especially for Tanner, it seemed. For so long his focus had been confined to himself: to his work and his grief. Survival. Stretching beyond that was painful. Worth it to see his brothers so happy. But still not easy.

  Tanner spun slowly around. Their family—and their farm—was expanding like crazy. The twinkle lights on Eve’s porch glimmered through the trees. Now it seemed their family’s world was expanding to include Eve and her daughter, Alice.

  Lacey being out of commission was a big deal if they decided to go ahead with the Christmas party for foster families—and he didn’t see how they could backtrack now. Since Eve had volunteered to help, he’d be spending a lot of time with her and little Alice. The idea made him apprehensive.

  She was beautiful, confident and friendly. He wasn’t much for social graces. This collaboration had the potential to be a huge disaster.

  He turned back toward home. It would be fine. He would manage, because that’s what he did. But sometimes he wished the Lord would let him get comfortable, just for a little while.

  Chapter Three

  Eve thumped a balloon into the air for Alice, who chased after it. She whacked it, and it went sailing into the air again. Hilarious laughter followed, interspersed with sharp barks from Sadie. Eve ran for the balloon again, nearly losing her balance to keep it from hitting the ground.

  It was a cold, clear morning and Alice’s cheeks were bright pink under her winter-white hat. Her eyes were shining, and the smile on her face made every sacrifice Eve made to get her to this point worth it.

  Quit the job she loved to run a home-based business? Sure. Move to a different state to live on a ranch? No problem. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to see that smile on her daughter’s face.

  Eve tapped the balloon again. Sadie leaped into the air to nose the balloon higher. Alice squealed, and Eve collapsed in laughter, the balloon floating softly to the ground as Alice piled on top of Eve. Sadie circled them, barking wildly.

  Tanner, driving a small ATV, pulled up in front of the cottage. “Hey, neighbors.”

  Eve climbed to her feet, brushing dry grass and leaves off her jeans. Alice hid behind her legs. “Morning.”

  “Sorry to interrupt the fun.” He stepped out of the ATV and reached back for a small box. “I stopped by to ask a little favor. Well, kind of a big one, actually.”

  “Bigger than volunteering to help with a huge Christmas party?”

  He hesitated, but that slow smile started at the corner of his mouth. “Depends on how you feel about sleep.”

  “What’s in the box, Tanner?” Eve gave him a suspicious look and crossed her arms.

  In answer, he pulled back the square of fleece that covered the top of the box. Inside, curled together, were two tiny black puppies. Their eyes weren’t even open yet.

  “Oh, Tanner. Where did they come from?” She reached inside and picked up one of the little pups, bringing it up to her neck. When the cold air hit it, it immediately began to cry, bumping its little nose against her face.

  “Devin found them in a pillowcase at the farm stand this morning. Someone dropped them off overnight. We got them warmed up and fed, and they seem to be okay.”

  “Oh, look, Alice. Isn’t he sweet?” She crouched down so Alice could see the tiny little pup, no bigger than her two fists put together.

  “I called the humane shelter, but their foster homes are all full.” Tanner’s voice trailed off, and she squinted up at him. The sky was bright and she couldn’t see his features, only the silhouette of his leather cowboy hat.

  “You want me to take them? I don’t have any clue what to do with newborn puppies.”

  “It would only be until another foster home opens up. It’s not hard, but I’m not gonna lie, it can be time-consuming.” He reached into the box and pulled out the other puppy, cupping it in his hand. “They’re pretty cute, though.”

  “What do you think, Alice? Think we can help these little babies for a few days since they don’t have a mama? You’ll have to think of names for them.”

  Alice nodded. She leaned forward and whispered in Eve’s ear. “Daisy and Ducky.”

  “You want their names to be Daisy and Ducky?” Eve asked.

  The little girl nodded firmly.

  Eve looked up at Tanner. “Well, there you go. They have names. I guess we’re on the job.”

  “That settles that then. Good job, Alice.”

  When Alice buried her face in Eve’s leg again, Eve just smiled at Tanner. “You have supplies?”

  “Believe it or not, we’ve had abandoned animals before, and I do have supplies.” He handed her the box with the lone puppy, who was whining without his sibling. When she tucked the other one back in, they snuggled together and quieted down. She noted that Tanner had placed a hot water bottle in the box to keep the puppies warm.

  As she took them into the house, Alice and Sadie ran in ahead of her. Tanner picked up a sack of supplies from the floor of the ATV. Inside, he placed it on the kitchen table and pulled things out one at a time. “Milk replacer. Bottles. Old blankets and towels. Baby washcloths. A heating pad, in case you don’t have one.”

  He laid the heating pad on the table, too. “Okay, so, you mix up the milk like baby formula. Just hold their head at an angle and offer the bottle.” He picked up one of the puppies to demonstrate. “They don’t take much at a time, and they stop when they’re full. That’s all there is to it.”

  “That’s great, thanks.”

  He raised one eyebrow. “Don’t thank me. Garrett’s usually the softy in the family. It’s his fault people think we’re an unofficial shelter.”

  “Garrett, huh? And I guess it’s Garrett that’s cuddling that little puppy right now?”

  Tanner looked down as if he was surprised to find he was still holding it and put it back in the box with the other one. He shrugged. “It’s kind of cute, I guess.”

  “We’ll be fine. I’m excited! Plus, I know where to find you if I have questions.”

  He shook his head. “You better watch out. People find out about this and pretty soon you’ll have baby chicks on your front porch and a piglet in your bathtub.”

  Eve grinned. “Wouldn’t be the worst thing that ever happened. One of the reasons we chose to move to the ranch was so Alice could have the kind of childhood kids should have—with all the freedom and open air and learning about life that goes with it.”

  She picked up the box and moved it closer to the fire and plugged the heating pad into the wall. “When’s the last time you fed them?”

  “Right before I came over here. I’m not sure how old they are—we’ll know when their eyes open—but they probably need to eat every two or three hours.” He
cut his eyes at her. “Around the clock.”

  Eve winced. “Now I’m wondering what I got myself into.”

  Walking over to the fireplace, Tanner picked up the poker and stirred the embers back to life. After adding another log, he stepped back and glanced around. “Looks like Christmas threw up in here.”

  “Feeling a little grinchish, are we?” Eve laughed as she looked around. She had to admit that maybe she’d gone overboard. The amount of Christmas she’d managed to hang, tack and drape in this tiny cabin was extreme, maybe even bordering on tacky.

  “Just not as into Christmas as you obviously are.” With a speculative look at the collection of Santas on the mantel, he said, “I can see how it would feel perfect to a kid, though.”

  Glancing around for Alice, Eve saw Sadie’s back end sticking out of the door to Alice’s room, so she knew it was safe to talk. “Alice hasn’t always been afraid of her own shadow like she is now. A few months ago, she was in the class when her preschool teacher was threatened with a gun. The guy fired a few shots. No one was hurt, but Alice was terrified. Not just by the incident—which went on way longer than it should’ve, by the way—but SWAT was involved in the rescue, and it was just a huge traumatic ordeal. She hasn’t talked much at all since then.”

  “I’m so sorry, Eve. Every child deserves to feel safe.” He touched her arm, just the slightest brush of his finger, but the gesture was warm, the contact comforting.

  She nodded, tears springing to her eyes. She dashed them away, annoyed with herself. “Sorry. Thank you for saying that. She’s gonna be okay. She’s already better. It just takes time. But I think the decorations are my way of overcompensating for all she’s been through.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Are you trying to tell me you don’t normally have Christmas spirit to spare?”

  The blush was instantaneous, thanks to her fair skin. “I plead the Fifth.”

  He took a step toward the door. “If you feel okay with the puppies, I’ve got some work to do. I thought I could come back by this afternoon, maybe show you what we had in mind for the Christmas party.”

  “Sure, that sounds good.” She walked him to the door. “I’ll see you later, then.”

  Eve watched him as he swung into the rugged ATV and lifted a hand to say goodbye. He was such an enigma to her. She had no idea what went on in his head. Was it weird that she really wanted to find out?

  She answered her own question. Yes. It was. He was her landlord. Her sorta friend. There were boundaries here, and that was a good thing. For both of them.

  * * *

  For the second time that day, Tanner knocked on the door at the cottage. When Eve opened the door, he stepped inside and took his hat off, surprised to see that she had visitors. “We can do this another time. I didn’t know you had company.”

  “Come on in, Tanner. I want you to meet Henry and Maribeth, Alice’s grandparents.” She drew him farther into the room. “They’ve already met Sadie and the puppies.”

  Sadie was sprawled on the rag rug in front of the fireplace. Henry and Maribeth each had a towel over their lap and each was feeding one of the puppies.

  Maribeth was a pretty fifty-something blonde with a sweet smile. She looked up at Tanner. “They are precious little things. I can’t believe someone would abandon them. Whoever did it should be taken to jail.”

  “Can’t say as I disagree with that.” Henry was a little older than Maribeth and looked like the kind of man who wore khakis and a button-down on Saturday. “Tanner, glad to meet you. I’d get up to shake your hand, but I’m a little busy at the moment.”

  Tanner cleared his throat. “Nice to meet you both. Eve, really, our tour can wait. I don’t want to interrupt your visit.”

  She grabbed her coat and scarf from the hook by the door. “Nope, I’m ready. Henry and Maribeth are going to babysit.” Alice looked up at her mother with a scowl. “Not that you’re a baby, Alice. It’s just what it’s called. Okay, see y’all later. I’ve got my phone if you need me.”

  Tanner followed her out the door.

  She turned around, walking backward toward the ATV. “Whew. I needed to get out of there, and they need some quality time with Alice. On a different note, I think they might be willing to foster the puppies.”

  “What makes you say that?” He slid into the driver’s seat.

  “Their dog died last year, and they’ve been talking about getting another one. This might be just the thing for them.”

  “Are you always trying to fix things for people?”

  She went quiet as she climbed onto the ATV beside him, and he was pretty sure he’d stuck his foot in his mouth. One good reason not to speak without thinking first. “That wasn’t a real question. It’s a great idea, no matter what the reason.”

  “No, you asked, you should get an answer. And the answer is yes, probably, I am. I like making people happy.” She stuck her hands deep into the pockets of her coat.

  It was cold and breezy as they bumped along the dirt and gravel road. Tanner pulled his hat farther down on his head. “I think you’re probably really good at it.”

  “Mmm-hmm.” She flashed him a sideways look. “So tell me about the party. Is this a tradition at Triple Creek Ranch?”

  “No. We had a family picnic here a couple of years ago, but this is the first time we’ve had the Christmas party.” He turned into the drive that led to the new barn. “We figured we’d be finishing up the construction around Christmas, so it would be the perfect time for a party.”

  He stopped outside the large structure and slid off the seat. “We opted for a high ceiling and wide aisle. Most of the horses Devin works with are troubled. Open spaces make it easier for him to manage.”

  “Wow, it’s really beautiful. I didn’t expect this.” She walked into the center of the barn, her eyes on the beams crisscrossing the pretty stained-wood ceiling. “It’s beautiful.”

  Tanner chuckled. “We think so, but we’re partial.”

  “No, it is.” She walked around, nodding to herself. “This could really work well.”

  “Thoughts?”

  “First impressions, really, but we could have the kids come in through that door, stand in line to see Santa and have a photo taken.”

  “Photo?”

  “Definitely. Kids in foster care don’t get real pictures of themselves very often. I could take them, but I bet we can get a photographer to donate his or her time.”

  Tanner nodded. He wouldn’t have thought of the fact that the kids might want a photo. “I’ll ask around.”

  “So, we can have Santa set up in this alcove here. If we really wanted to go big, we could recruit some elves to do balloon animals or face painting while the kids are waiting in line.”

  With a grunt, Tanner joined her in the center of the large space.

  She glanced over at him. “Translation, please. Does one grunt mean yes or no?”

  “Ha ha—you’re hilarious. It’s a great idea, I just don’t know where we would find people like that on such short notice.”

  “Leave that to me.” Eve walked down the aisle in the other direction. “So after sitting on Santa’s lap, the kids walk down this aisle to wait in line for a hayride. Yes?”

  “Hayrides are easy. We already have a tractor and a large trailer.” Finally, something he could handle. The rest of it was making him break out in a cold sweat.

  “There are some fun rental things we might think about if there’s enough money in the budget. Bouncy houses and such. Kids love those, and they burn off tons of energy. I’ll make a note to call around and see if anyone would give us a discount, considering it’s for a good cause.” Her hands were in her coat pockets again. “I’m imagining a bunch of stations—outside if the weather’s nice—like frosting cookies, painting ornaments, making bags of reindeer food.”

  One thing was for sure—sh
e wasn’t thinking small. But he had to be honest, he was kind of into it. “What about pony rides? We don’t have the kind of horses for that, but I know a couple of people who do.”

  Eve whirled on him. “Yes, I love that idea! This is going to be so fun.”

  He blinked. Her cheeks were pink from the cold, her eyes sparkling. As she did a little skip-hop dance, her scarf unwound and dipped nearly to the ground. He stepped closer. “C’m’ere.”

  Giving him a suspicious look, she said, “What?”

  Tanner pulled her scarf—designed with reindeer faces on each end—the rest of the way off and straightened it between his hands. He looped it around her neck and tucked the ends into place so they would stay. “There.”

  It was an intimate gesture, and he immediately knew it had been a mistake to touch her. Her eyes were on his. Green, like the ocean on a summer day. Warm and inviting. Like Eve.

  He blinked and tried a smile.

  She took a step back and walked briskly to the other end of the building. “So, yeah, this is going to work great.”

  Tanner nodded. “The hard part is going to be reining you in.”

  “Oh, you do go on,” she said, and he chuckled. She was irrepressible, and he liked it. He liked her.

  He felt a pang somewhere in the region of his chest. That place that always reminded him he was different, broken somehow by loss. He didn’t have anything to offer to someone like Eve. But for the first time in a long time, he wished he did.

  Chapter Four

  Eve perched on the edge of a large chair in the Coles’ living room. She was reasonably certain the painful item she was sitting on was a Lego, but finding out for sure could be awkward. She wasn’t a particularly neat housekeeper, more prone to creative mess making than cleaning. Even so, her eyes widened as she took in the disaster made by the twin tornadoes named Phoebe and Eli.

  Lacey blew her bangs off her forehead as a ceramic coffee mug hit the floor behind her. She didn’t even flinch. “Hmm. I thought I’d moved all of those out of their reach. I gave up trying to manage the mess. When Devin and Tanner are here, they do damage control. Otherwise, it’s a free-for-all.”