Sleigh Bells Ring in Romance Read online

He gave attention to the horses in the barn, checked on a cow the hands had brought in that was acting sickly, then stopped outside the barn to play with the dogs. Unable to find anything else to do and with his knee aching from the cold, he made his way inside the house and removed his outerwear.

  Everywhere he looked, he saw Doris. She’d brought a centerpiece of red and white amaryllis for the kitchen table. She’d hung a garland over the window above the kitchen sink.

  The cookie jar was full of chocolate cookies with a mint candy right in the center. Jess took a handful of cookies and poured a glass of milk, then made his way into the living room. The fir tree stood in front of the window and filled the house with a scent that brought to mind happy Christmas mornings from his past.

  Doris had helped him decorate the tree then artfully arranged several packages beneath it. He knew she’d hid a few there that belonged to Brooke and Blayne. He wondered if she’d come get them or send Blayne to retrieve them. If he felt like venturing over to the Rockin’ G, he could deliver them, but he sure didn’t want to chance running into Doris.

  She’d made it perfectly clear the other night when he’d confessed his feelings for her what she thought about him. He’d even had a ring tucked in his pocket, but she’d cut him off before he could finish his heartfelt proposal.

  He’d planned to spend the afternoon with her then whisk her away for a romantic dinner long before she’d called him that morning and said she wanted to meet him in town for lunch instead of riding in with him.

  How was he to know she’d spend that morning transforming herself from pretty to gorgeous? He thought he’d reacted as any man might when the woman he loved suddenly appeared looking much different than she had the last time he’d seen her.

  In hindsight, he wondered if he’d drooled at lunch as he kept staring at her. It was hard not to with her hair and face all done up. The dress she wore could have been on a body decades younger for the way it glided around curves he didn’t fully realize she still had. And the color of that silky gown had made her eyes shine like jewels — deep blue, rich, and enticing. How was he supposed to resist all that?

  He’d been smitten with her before, but seeing her like that had made something spark inside him he’d assumed died with Julia.

  He loved Doris for many reasons. She gave him friendship and companionship. She challenged him, frustrated him to the point he wanted to throttle her, yet he found her fascinating, invigorating, and enchanting. He enjoyed talking to her, listening to her share about her family and friends, or ask him for his opinion and advice. The sound of her laughter made him smile. When they got into a verbal sparring match, he felt so alive, it was a marvel electricity didn’t spark between the two of them.

  And if he wanted to complete the list, he desired Doris. Perhaps it was silly for a man his age to want a woman the way he wanted her, but it was there, all the same. He loved her, in all the ways a man could love a woman, but she’d turned away from him without a word of regret or an opportunity to reason with her stubborn pride or whatever it was that held her back.

  He knew she cared about him, too. If he wasn’t mistaken, he’d seen love in her eyes many times. Regardless of what she felt, she’d chosen to push him away, again.

  Tired of having his love thrown back in his face, he decided it was time to let his dreams of marrying Doris go. Maybe he’d sell the ranch and move closer to Janet. He couldn’t abide the thought of living in town, but he could purchase a few acres where he could have a few animals and keep himself busy doing… something.

  He could take Pigtails along. The effort to thwart her repeated escape attempts might fill an hour or two of each day.

  The last thing he wanted to do was leave Romance, leave the ranch and a home he enjoyed with friends and neighbors he genuinely liked. But what else could he do? He couldn’t bear to be around Doris any longer. Short of turning into a recluse and never venturing anywhere he might run into her, moving seemed to be the only other option.

  Jess returned to the kitchen, opened a can of soup, and made lunch. He sat at the table and glanced outside, then did a double-take. It was starting to snow.

  Imagine that. Snow on Christmas Eve.

  It had been years since they’d had a snowy Christmas.

  “Well, how about that,” he said aloud, watching fluffy flakes drift down from the gunmetal-hued sky.

  He switched chairs so he could watch it snow as he ate. After he finished his meal and cleaned up the dishes, he returned to the front room, turned on the tree lights, and settled into his recliner. He turned on the television, flipped through a few programs, then found a channel playing Christmas shows. He watched a holiday movie, chuckling at the antics of Ralphie in A Christmas Story, before he fell asleep.

  The sound of someone pounding on the door awakened him an hour later.

  “Coming,” he hollered when the pounding resumed. He swung open the front door to see Blayne standing on the step. “What are you doing over here?”

  “Two reasons. I’m sure you heard Chase Lockhart and Izzy Sutton are getting married today.”

  Jess nodded. “Who hasn’t heard that?”

  Blayne grinned. “Anyway, with all this snow, I’m going to haul my team along with the old cutter sleigh into town to give them a ride to their wedding, but I wanted to attach bells to the harnesses. Do you have an extra set I can borrow? For the life of me, I can only find one set at home. I can’t help but think Grams used them to decorate something, but she’s refused to speak to me since yesterday morning.”

  Jess motioned for Blayne to follow him to the kitchen. “Why is Doris not speaking to you?”

  Blayne stared out the window at the snow continuing to fall. “I may have said some things she took exception to hearing.”

  “Such as?” Jess asked as he pulled on boots and his coat.

  “The other night when you dropped her off, she went to her room and refused to speak to either Brooke or me. We could hear her crying her heart out, but she’d locked the door and wouldn’t open it. The next day, she barely said a word and kept sniffling. She did go sing with the choir at the play, but when Brooke and I tried to talk to her about what was wrong, all she’d say is ‘nothing.’ Yesterday morning, after Brooke left for her shop, I wouldn’t take ‘nothing’ as an answer. She finally admitted she thought you were going to propose and explained how she cut you off. I may have shared my thoughts on the subject in a way she didn’t completely appreciate. She’s got it in that thick head of hers that she’s somehow betraying Gramps if she allows herself to admit she’s in love with you.”

  “I don’t think she’s in love with me or she wouldn’t be so determined to keep me away.”

  Blayne sighed and looked back at Jess. “She’s loved you as more than just a friend for a while, even if she won’t admit it. I know you feel the same way about her. It’s a shame for two people who care about each other as much as the two of you do to not be together. I want Grams to be happy and the happiest I’ve seen her since Gramps died has been the last few weeks when she’s been with you.”

  “I only wish I could convince your grandmother that we’d be good together. That we aren’t betraying Glen or Julia by falling in love again.” Jess tugged on gloves and stepped outside. Blayne followed him to the tack room in the barn where he let him choose two matching sets of bells from the many he had hanging there. “What do you suggest I do?”

  “Well, after I shared my opinions on the matter with Grams, yet again, when I stopped in the house a little bit ago she got so mad at me she stormed out of the house. She said she was spending the rest of the holiday at the cabin.”

  Jess frowned. “That old cabin she and Glen lived in when Doris couldn’t stomach more of your great-grandmother’s nastiness?”

  “That’s the one. We keep the power on out there, and there’s dry wood stacked on the porch. In fact, there might even be some bottles of water from the last time Brooke and I…” Blayne snapped his mouth shut.
/>   Jess laughed and thumped him on the back. “It’s okay, son. I was once a young man with a beautiful bride. Sometimes it’s nice to sneak away from everything.”

  “Yes, sir, it is.” Blayne gave him a studying glance. “Perhaps if you go to the cabin, you can claim another beautiful bride. Grams would have a hard time running away from you out there, especially with all this snow. Maybe you can convince her to see things from a different viewpoint.”

  “Now you’re talking, Blayne.” Jess walked with him to his pickup.

  “I’m hoping you can get her to come back to the house. Brooke and I have a special announcement we want to share with her in the morning. According to rumors I’ve heard, it’s exactly what she asked Santa to bring her this year.”

  Jess grinned and thumped Blayne on the shoulder. “Congratulations, son. When is the baby due?”

  “The end of May. Brooke and I’ve known for a while, but we wanted to wait to tell Grams for Christmas. You won’t say anything to her, will you? I kinda wanted her to be the first to know, but it just seems right to tell you, too.”

  Jess felt warmth fill his heart. “I’m glad you told me and I won’t say a word to your grandmother. I’ll act as surprised as anyone when you tell her tomorrow.”

  Blayne nodded. “Good luck to you. If anyone can talk some sense into her, it’s you.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Jess pointed toward the house. “Your grandma left some gifts here for you and Brooke. Do you want to take them with you?”

  “No. If you can’t get her to let you in the cabin, she’ll have to come get them later.” Blayne gave him an encouraging look. “The best gift I can think of would be to hear that you two are finally going to be together.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. If you run into Santa, put in a good word for me.”

  “Will do,” Blayne said. He waved as he shut the pickup door and then headed down the drive.

  Jess tipped his head up and watched the snow steadily fall. Since it began at noon, several inches had accumulated. He walked around, tamping it down beneath his boots. There was plenty for the runners of a sleigh to glide over.

  With a plan quickly forming in his mind, he hurried to the shed where he kept equipment they rarely used and pushed open the big door. In the far corner was an old sleigh that had belonged to his grandparents. It made for a romantic, cozy ride on a snowy winter night.

  He worked his way around equipment, wondering how he’d get the sleigh pulled out of the shed with so much other equipment in front of it. He’d just yanked off the tarp covering it when he heard the door squeak.

  “What are you doing, boss?” Pete asked as he stood in the large doorway.

  “Preparing to win the fair lady’s heart,” Jess quipped, giving the young cowboy a grin.

  “Then let me get some help. If you want to use that sleigh, it will take more than me and you to get it dug out before spring.” Pete disappeared and soon returned with the three other cowboys who hadn’t left for the holiday.

  While they unearthed the sleigh, Jess hurried into the house and changed into warmer clothes, tucked a velvet box into a deep pocket inside his coat, and zipped it. He grabbed a stack of blankets and snagged a basket Doris had left behind, filling it with food that could serve as their dinner, then he rushed back outside.

  By the time he made it to the shed, the boys had the sleigh out and were using a rag to wipe off thick dust and cobwebs.

  Pete helped him catch two horses he used in parades to pull a wagon. The horses spent most of their time grazing in the pasture, but when they were pressed into service they offered a showy presence. Their dark brown coats were covered with snow as Pete and Jess brushed them off then began harnessing them.

  “You want one of us to go with you, boss? If Vic and Bert spook, I don’t want you to hurt that knee of yours,” Pete said as he fastened sleigh bells around the neck of Bert. He glanced over at Jess and grinned. “Tell me again how the horses got their names?”

  “My daughter was on a big history kick when these two were born. She dubbed them Victoria and Albert, after the Victorian queen and her beloved prince.” Jess fastened a string of bells around Vic’s neck. “So I shortened the names to Vic and Bert”

  “Good names for good horses,” Pete said, patting Bert’s neck as two of the other cowboys quickly fastened the traces.

  “Thank you for your help. If all goes well, I’ll come back with Mrs. Grundy. If I don’t come back at all, it means she’s completely broken my heart and I’ve gone off to end my lonely existence or she’s finally killed me and I’m heels up in a snowbank.”

  Pete shook his head. “That ain’t gonna happen, boss. What woman could resist a sleigh ride on Christmas Eve?”

  “Let’s hope she doesn’t prove to be the exception to the rule,” Jess said, climbing up in the sleigh. He’d already set in the blankets and basket of food. He’d forgotten just how nice the sleigh looked when it was all polished. He’d had it restored as a Christmas surprise for Julia about thirty years ago, but the creamy leather upholstery looked as though he’d only recently had the work done. The black paint of the sleigh, accented with pinstripes of gold gleamed in the fading light.

  “Wait, Jess,” Pete said, running to the shop and returning with a battery operated lantern. “You might need this if you stay out too long.”

  Jess took the light from him and set it on the floor next to the blankets and basket of food. “Thanks, Pete. That might come in handy later.” Jess flipped a blanket over his lap, picked up the reins, and grinned at his men. “Wish me luck!”

  “Go get her, boss man!” one of the men yelled and the others cheered.

  The horses seemed as eager for an adventure as he felt as they pulled the sleigh across the newly fallen snow. Rather than go out to the road, Jess guided the team past the pond and out toward the pasture that connected to the Grundy’s property. From there, it was a short distance to the cabin where he hoped to find Doris.

  He was almost to the gate that separated the two properties when the sound of hoof beats pounding behind him made him look back.

  “I’ll get the gate for you,” Pete said as he rode by then hopped down and opened the gate.

  The opening was barely wide enough to get the sleigh through, but Jess made it. “Thanks, Pete.”

  “Good luck, boss,” the young man called, then closed the gate.

  Jess had no trouble reaching the cabin. By the time he got there, it was almost dusk. Lights glowing from inside the small, snug structure appeared welcoming against the darkening sky.

  The horses shook their manes, setting the bells to jingling as he neared the cabin. Suddenly, the door swung open and Doris stepped outside, wearing an afghan as a shawl around her shoulders.

  She gaped at the sight of the team and sleigh, her surprise turning to a smile before she realized who drove the horses.

  One look at Jess and she spun around, going back inside the cabin and slamming the door. The entire building shuddered from the force of it. Convincing her to marry him wouldn’t be an easy task.

  Jess stopped the horses outside the cabin, covered the basket of food with the blanket he’d used to cover his lap, and stepped onto the porch of the little house.

  “Doris, I’m not leaving until you talk to me, so you might as well open this door,” he said loudly, well aware she could hear him. “If I die out here of exposure to the elements, you’ll go to your grave knowing my death is because of you.”

  “Oh, shush, you overdramatic, big-mouthed blowhard and get in here,” Doris said, yanking open the door and glaring at him.

  “I sure missed you, baby,” Jess said, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a hug before she could step away.

  “I’m not your baby,” she said, but the protest sounded half-hearted at best. She waited a full minute before she pushed against him and he let her go. “What are you doing here?” Her gaze narrowed. “I can only assume my traitorous blabbermouth grandson told you wher
e to find me.”

  “Blayne did stop by and mentioned your whereabouts,” Jess said, closing the door behind him and removing his coat.

  Doris raised an eyebrow at him. “You might as well leave that on because you aren’t staying.”

  “Well, neither are you. Do you really want Blayne and Brooke to remember this as the Christmas you threw a hissy fit because everything and everyone wasn’t fitting into the little boxes of your ordered world?”

  “I’m not throwing a hissy fit, you… you…” Doris appeared to search for a word to describe him and couldn’t find one adequately detestable. She walked across the room and stared out the window that overlooked a pasture full of Angus cattle huddled together against the snow.

  Jess took off his hat and set it with his coat on the straight-backed chair near the door. “You’re lucky I’ve got a tough ol’ hide that isn’t easy damaged by the barbs you keep throwing my way. Instead of fighting me, why don’t you try letting me love you, Doris? You and I both know it’s what you really want.”

  She turned around, eyes brimming with tears and shook her head. “How would you know what I want, what I feel?”

  “Because I know how I feel, the questions I’ve dealt with.” He sighed and moved closer to her, but didn’t touch her, didn’t reach out like he felt such an urge to do. “When I first realized I cared for you, Doris, not just as a friend or neighbor, but a woman who set my heart to thumping like a drum, I felt like I’d cheated on Julia. Like I’d somehow betrayed her and the beautiful life we had together. It took me a while to come around to the realization the betrayal was in holding so tight to my memories and the vows I made to her that I was forgetting that she’d want me to be happy. Whether happiness was from being alone or with a good woman who makes my soul smile, she’d give me her blessing if she could. And I know Glen would do the same. You aren’t betraying him or your vows, or whatever you’ve convinced yourself you’re doing by allowing yourself to love again.”

  Jess took a deep breath and studied her. “You’re afraid, Doris Grundy. You’re afraid of loving me and losing me and that’s what is holding you back more than anything else. We all have to die sometime. I could walk out that door and die five minutes later. We could both be struck down standing here in this cabin. We might live to be a hundred and ten and terrorize Blayne and Janet and their families for thirty more years.”