Chapter Nine
Jessie took a sip of hot chocolate and leaned her head back against the couch, watching the lights twinkle on the Christmas tree in the big gathering room.
After a pleasant Christmas Day with Chase and his friends, one of the nicest she’d had in a long time, she couldn’t sleep. She’d pulled on her robe and shoved her feet into slippers then quietly made her way down to the kitchen. The light over the stove illuminated the kitchen enough for her to prepare a cup of hot chocolate and snitch a star-shaped sugar cookie.
Chase had eaten the cookies with enthusiastic abandon when she’d made them yesterday morning. She was surprised there were any left.
The only thing he’d enjoyed more was the cinnamon bread-pudding she’d made for dessert Christmas Eve. She’d caught him snitching bites of it cold, right out of the pan, before breakfast that morning.
Despite his declaration that he had no interest in getting a Christmas tree, they’d come home with one in the back of his pickup the day he’d taken her grocery shopping. Jessie had plenty of ornaments, which she’d made sure to bring with her. Chase acted as excited as she was when the tree was up and decorated.
He’d been even more excited that morning when he opened her gift to him. When she’d seen the hand-painted set of four ornaments featuring bull riders, she knew Chase had to have them.
With a big smile, he’d hung the ornaments on the tree then handed her a package. She pulled away the snowflake-patterned paper to find a thick fleece blanket that was the same shade of blue as her eyes. The blanket could have been orange with yellow and purple polka dots for all she cared.
The warmth it provided was what interested her. She’d immediately curled beneath the fabric and tossed Chase a grateful smile for the perfect gift.
She’d debated about purchasing more presents for him, but had no idea what to give the man. Wanting to make the day special, she had bought him a stocking and filled it with things like a pair of leather gloves, jerky, and candy.
To her surprise, he’d also filled one for her. He’d done well in selecting her favorite scent of lotion and flavor of candy, as well as a paperback book she’d wanted to read. She wondered if he’d asked Stacey for ideas and decided he probably had.
At least he cared enough to want to buy something she’d like.
Chase had been nothing but kind since she arrived. She knew she should have let him know she’d be at the ranch earlier than he anticipated, but the thought of spending the holiday with her family lent a greater sense of urgency to leave as quickly as she could. The threat of a winter storm wasn’t the driving force behind her early arrival in Hermiston.
In fact, the big storm everyone predicted had turned into a light snowfall on Christmas Eve. Jessie had never watched it snow. She couldn’t get enough of staring out the window and studying the fluffy flakes drifting down through the darkness. Chase had teased her, but he’d stood behind her for the longest time with one hand on her shoulder.
Every time he touched her, she felt like she was weightless and rooted to the floor at the same time. So many conflicting, confusing emotions flooded through her, she couldn’t begin to sort them all out.
She’d never been around a man as masculine and rugged, yet gentle and kind as Chase. His virile presence never failed to leave her thoughts scrambled like the eggs he preferred eating for breakfast. One glance at his muscular chest and she could barely recall her own name.
The thermal and Henley shirts he often wore outlined his muscles in a most disconcerting way. It was even more unsettling when he walked through the kitchen with no shirt at all. Jessie was surprised she hadn’t set fire to something, considering the distraction his form provided.
Chase was more than an incredibly handsome face and gorgeous body, though. He was a tease, enjoying a good joke and looking for reasons to laugh. He also seemed infinitely patient, at least with her.
It was hard for her to be around him, to be in his larger than life presence, and not feel overwhelmed that he was her husband. It might be in name only, but Jessie was completely attuned to him as a desirable man.
In spite of her mixed feelings and tangled thoughts, today had been special. Chase had awakened her by standing outside her bedroom door and singing a rousing rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” then called for her to come downstairs and see what Santa had left for her.
Astounded by both his good singing voice and the fact he’d start the day on such a fun note, she hurried out of bed and rushed to dress before joining him downstairs.
He insisted they open their stockings before eating breakfast. Then they waited until after the big noon meal with Lucas and Lori before opening their gifts to one another.
Jessie had given Lucas and Lori a framed photo of the two of them at the wedding. Ashley had sent her a bunch of photos via email from two of the photographers who’d been there. The image of Lucas and Lori gazing lovingly at each other was one that had made her smile.
She genuinely liked the couple and could see how good they were for Chase. In turn, he was good for them, especially Lucas.
Although she still wasn’t sure putting her life on hold for a year and moving to Eastern Oregon was a wise decision, Jessie felt more at home on Chase’s ranch than she ever had at her apartment.
Chase said he had two other hired hands, but he’d given them a week off to enjoy Christmas with their families. The week leading up to the New Year’s Eve party would be hectic, so he expected them back to work in the morning.
Jessie sighed. How on earth would she make it through the big splashy party Ashley had planned? Glamour had never been Jessie’s thing. She was a simple country girl at heart. What did she know about impressing the press?
She just hoped she wouldn’t embarrass Chase.
In truth, Jessie was looking forward to getting ready for the party even if thoughts of the actual event left her filled with anxiety and dread. She loved planning celebrations, even though she’d never done such a large one or one of such importance. However, she had planned many birthday parties over the years, helped three friends with their weddings, and even hosted a few baby showers.
She’d helped Stacey with any number of themed events and had a multitude of ideas of things they could do to make the New Year’s Eve party special. Ashley would arrive tomorrow morning and together they’d make the party one to remember.
Jessie just hoped it would be memorable for good reasons, not because it was a disaster.
She took another sip of her hot chocolate and burrowed further beneath her new blanket, grateful for Chase’s thoughtful gift. She’d been cold since she arrived at the ranch. No matter how many layers she put on or how high Chase turned up the heat, she just couldn’t get warm. Chase told her it was the change in temperature from her much warmer climate in southern California. In spite of his assurances her body would adjust, Jessie began to have her doubts. She’d been there four days and still couldn’t get warm enough. It probably didn’t help that her clothes were not very winter appropriate either. She’d picked up a heavy winter coat when they’d gone shopping, but the cold cut through her every time she set foot outside.
If it wasn’t for her need to check on Tinsel a few times a day, she would have hibernated in the house for the winter and refused to leave.
The cat had taken to Lucas and Lori much quicker than Jessie anticipated. Part of her felt slighted the fickle feline had so easily adjusted to his new housing situation. Overall, though, she was glad Tinsel felt at home with the Dunham family. In fact, the cat started purring every time Lucas entered the room. He’d pick up the cat and set him on his lap and Tinsel would curl against him, as if that was the one place he belonged.
Jessie grinned in the darkness, thinking she could have emulated the cat by purring every time Chase walked into the room. She found it increasingly difficult to set her focus on anything but her handsome husband.
It was stupid and crazy, but she couldn’t keep her eyes off him. She loved watching him move, hearing his voice, inhaling deep breaths of his enticing masculine scent. A year of being around him was going to tax her in ways she couldn’t even begin to imagine.
Lost in her thoughts of how much she was coming to admire and respect Chase, she gasped when she felt a weight settle onto the couch next to her.
“What are you doing up?” Chase asked, slipping his arm along the back of the couch behind her and scooting a little closer.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I thought some hot chocolate might help.”
His eyes reflected the lights of the tree, mesmerizing her as she held up the mug in her hand.
“Did it?” he asked, wrapping his hand around the mug and taking a sip. He licked his upper lip and smiled at her. “Mmm. That’s good. That is definitely not a packet of mix and hot water.”
“No. It’s my own special recipe,” she said, unable to pull her gaze away from Chase’s face as he took another sip.
“Why couldn’t you sleep, Jessie? Did you not enjoy the day?”
She heard the concern in his voice and hurried to reassure him. “It was a wonderful day, Chase. I had a great time with Lucas and Lori. Lucas tells the best stories.”
Chase snorted. “You say that only because he kept telling all those embarrassing stories about me.”
“I wasn’t embarrassed a bit,” she teased.
“That’s because you and Lori wouldn’t stop laughing. You two just egged on his bad behavior,” he chided.
“But the stories were so funny. Did you two really drive a hay stacker down the freeway headed the wrong direction?”
“We did. Believe me, that is not a moment I want to relive. Lucas and I, and a hundred motorists, were terrorized that day.”
Jessie giggled then grew more somber. “You have nice friends, Chase.”
He nodded in agreement. “I do. What about you? Other than Stacey, do you have any close friends?”
“Not close friends, but I do have other friends. Mostly people I met while I was in college.” Jessie shivered, thinking about how lonely her existence was until she left the farm and went away to school.
Mistaking her shiver, Chase lifted the edge of her blanket and scooted closer to her, pulling her back against his chest before settling the covering over them both. “Are you ever going to be warm again?” he asked, rubbing his hand with tender strokes up and down the arms of her robe.
Too stunned to move away, Jessie briefly held herself stiffly away from him before she leaned into him. The heat of his body and his appealing scent wrapped around her, making her feel almost giddy yet oddly relaxed.
“Did you really enjoy your Christmas?” he asked.
“It was one of the nicest I’ve ever had, Chase. Truly. Thank you for that, for welcoming me into your home.”
His arms wrapped around her and she fought back the urge to release a contented moan.
Unaware of the affect he had on her, he continued holding her, sharing his warmth. “Tell me what Christmas was like for you as a kid. I don’t know anything about your family, Jessie. If we’re going to be married for a year, it might be good if I have some idea of who raised such a sweet, pretty girl.”
She lifted her head from where she’d leaned against his shoulder and looked at him. For several heartbeats, she studied his face before she finally nodded and fixed her gaze on the tree. “My parents always, and only, wanted a son. Unfortunately, for them, I came along first. When I was three, my mother gave birth to my brother and found out she couldn’t have more children. It was probably for the best anyway, because according to Mom and Dad, my brother, Derek, practically walks on water. They essentially forgot they had a daughter as they poured everything into Derek. It hasn’t changed any since we’ve grown up. Derek has been groomed to take over my dad’s farm, but he’s so irresponsible and spoiled, they can’t trust him to handle anything.”
Chase gave her a comforting squeeze and placed a kiss on top of her head. “I’m sorry, Jessie. I don’t know why parents do that, dote on one child and ignore another.”
She shrugged. Long ago, she’d come to terms with the fact that her parents didn’t care about her and probably never would. “It is what it is. I loved the farm, but I was more than ready to leave when I graduated from high school and went to college.”
“What type of farm is it?”
“Part of it is a dairy farm, the other half is strawberries. There used to be an apiary, but when my parents discovered Derek was allergic to bee stings, they got rid of it.” Jessie took a sip of her chocolate then handed the mug to Chase. She didn’t willingly share her drinks with anyone, but she didn’t mind sharing with him. He took the mug and drank deeply before handing it back to her.
“Do you miss farm life?”
Another sigh rolled out of her. “I miss farm life, but not being around my family. Once I was old enough to dress myself, my parents focused all their attention on my brother. Of course, I was expected to help around the farm. I liked working around the dairy cows the best.”
He shifted slightly, sinking further back into the soft cushions of the couch before tucking the blanket closer around her. “I noticed you seem to have an interest in my herd of cattle. Do you ride?”
“A horse?” she asked.
“No, a broom,” he joked.
When she remained silent, he tried to tickle her, making her squirm away from him. Cold air engulfed her as the blanket dropped down, so she settled back against him and he tugged up the blanket again. “I used to love to ride. We had horses all during my high school years. Derek entertained delusions of being a cowboy for a while. He joined the high school rodeo team when he was a freshman, but only lasted one day. My parents sold the horses not long after that.”
“They sold your horse because your brother didn’t want to ride anymore?” His voice sounded incredulous.
“Yeah. It never really mattered what I wanted. The only reason they bought two horses in the first place was because they needed someone to keep an eye on Derek while he rode.” The more she shared her memories, the more they depressed her. Jessie never enjoyed talking about her family. It just opened up wounds that hadn’t completely healed.
“That’s so wrong,” Chase said, hugging her again. “I’m sorry, Jess. What did they say when you told them about moving here?”
A harsh, derisive laugh escaped before she could swallow it. “I took them their Christmas gifts a few days before I left and told them I’d gotten married recently and was moving away. My mother told me to enjoy my vacation and my father warned me to stay out of trouble. I’m not sure they actually heard or listened to me because Derek was there with his new girlfriend.”
Angry on her behalf, Chase’s voice sounded callous when he spoke. “Pardon me for saying so, Jessie, but your parents are blithering idiots. It’s their loss by shutting you out of their lives and if I were you, I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, feeling tears sting her eyes. Desperate to change the subject, she took a deep breath and pivoted her head so she could look up at him in the dim glow from the Christmas lights. “What about your parents? Ashley mentioned you aren’t close to them, but I noticed you seem close to Jack and Amy. And you’ve mentioned your grandmother a few times.”
“Uncle Jack and Aunt Amy have been like my parents ever since I can remember. They are the ones who took me to Boy Scouts and came to all my Little League games. They cheered at every football game, helped me fill out my college applications, and made sure I participated in plenty of fun activities.” Chase grinned. “And Granny is a force unto herself, one we all are afraid to cross.”
Jessie smiled. “I think I’d like to meet her. Ashley said she’s full of laughs.”
“Mostly because she’s a complete loon and doesn’t care who knows it.”
She took another sip from her mug then handed it to Chase. He drained the last of the hot chocolate and set the mug aside. “Granny is pretty awesome. You’ll like her, I think.”
“What about your parents?”
“My parents are…” Chase fell silent, seeming to search for the best words to describe them. Finally, he broke the silence. “Bill and Daphne are very career oriented. I’m not sure why they decided to have me, but Daphne said I ruined her figure and Bill found me to be noisy and distracting. Bill and Uncle Jack are brothers. Granny says if she’d known what a boob my dad was going to turn into, she would have tossed him back and just kept Jack.”
His attempt at humor didn’t make Jessie feel any better. Chase had experienced a childhood as painful as her own. She reached down and squeezed his hand comfortingly. “I’m sorry, Chase. Some people just should not be parents.”
“Agreed.”
Curiosity got the best of her and she couldn’t keep from asking more questions about his family. “Where do they live?”
“Monterey, California. It’s where I grew up. You probably wouldn’t believe that I was a bit of a surf bum for a while.”
She gaped at him and shook her head. “I don’t believe it, although with that sun-streaked blond hair, I can easily picture it.”
He chuckled and forked a hand through his hair, leaving it in a tousled state Jessie found hard to resist. “So you grew up on the beach. What type of careers do your parents pursue?”
“Daphne owns her own real estate company. She’s very successful at it. My father and Uncle Jack jointly own an auto dealership. My grandfather started it back before they were born and both boys grew up working there. When Gramps passed away, Granny let Bill and Uncle Jack take over. Bill is successful at sales and Uncle Jack handles the rest. Aunt Amy works there, too. She manages the office, but I think she mostly keeps the two brothers from killing each other. They are as opposite as two humans can be who come from the same gene pool.”
Jessie tried to envision what it would be like to be in business with Derek and couldn’t even fathom how challenging it would be. Perhaps Chase’s father wasn’t as awful as her brother.
“I take it your parents weren’t very involved in your childhood.”
Chase sighed. “Not at all. They still aren’t involved in my life. They think rodeo is a waste of my time and they both threatened to disown me when I bought this ranch. Frankly, I don’t care if they do disown me. I have no use for their way of looking at life or expectations for me.”
Jessie wondered how, of all the people she could have accidentally married, she ended up with a husband who’d been as wounded by his parents as she had. “Do you ever see them?”
He nodded. “Granny insisted on a big family Thanksgiving at her place. She calls it neutral ground. Ashley guilted me into going. My parents spent most of the day on their phones, working on deals. Who does that on Thanksgiving?”
Sensing he didn’t actually expect her to answer his question, she asked one of her own. “Did you tell them you were married?”
“Aunt Amy mentioned it to Bill. From the scathing text I received, the news wasn’t well received. Granny, on the other hand, is very excited to meet you.”
Jessie smiled, wondering about the woman Chase admired and loved. “I look forward to meeting your grandmother, too.” She studied him for a long moment. “If you grew up in Monterey and hung out on the beach, how in the world did you end up riding bulls as a career and living on this ranch?”
“My mother’s parents had a small ranch in northern California. I spent my summers there and loved every minute of it. My grandparents taught me all about ranch life. When I was fourteen, Grandpa let me ride a horse that he was breaking and I was hooked. He knew someone who raised bucking horses. You could say I was a bit of a thrill seeker and when that didn’t seem wild enough, I moved on to riding bulls. It’s something I enjoyed and was good at. Grandpa sent me to a rodeo school. When I decided I wanted to compete professionally, Grandpa helped me get started. He and Grandma drove all over going to rodeos, watching me compete.”
“Do they still watch you?”
Chase shook his head. “No. Grandpa had a heart attack four years ago and passed away. I came home for the funeral then went back out on the road. A month later, my mother sold the ranch and moved Grandma into an assisted living facility in town. She died six months later of what I’m convinced had to be a broken heart. I’d always planned to take over the ranch, buy it from my grandparents, when they were ready to retire. My mother, who grew up there, hated every single thing about ranch life. I suppose that’s why she fights so hard against my choice of careers.”
“I’m sorry, Chase. It sounds like we both got stiffed in the parent department.”
He planted a kiss on her temple and smiled. “Probably, but this is not appropriate Christmas conversation. We should be jolly and holly and all that jazz, right?” He made another attempt at tickling her sides.
Through sheer force, she held perfectly still, pretending she wasn’t ticklish even though she wanted to squeal with laughter. When he stopped and stared at her, she grinned. “I think you should sing a few more Christmas carols. I enjoyed the serenade this morning.”
“Nope. I’ve reached my performance limit for the day. Why don’t you sing?” he poked her in the side with his index finger, as though he could prod her into singing.
“I don’t think so. The cattle might stampede if they heard me destroying the notes of a beloved holiday tune.”
Together they fell into a comfortable silence. Drowsy, content, and warm for the first time since she’d set foot on the ranch, Jessie closed her eyes and surrendered to her exhaustion.
She dreamed Chase had lifted her in his strong arms and carried her up to her room, tucking her beneath her covers. In her dreams, he kissed her softly on the lips and tenderly brushed the hair off her forehead before whispering, “Merry Christmas, darlin’.”
“Merry Christmas, Chase.”