Chapter 4
“It’s lopsided.” Emily stood back and watched him reposition the tree in the stand.
The previous night they’d been too tired to mess with it when they’d gotten home from dinner. Paige had awakened them at four in the morning and by the time Clay finally fell back asleep, the alarm went off.
“How’s that?” he asked.
“Better. It’s still tilting to one side.”
“Telling me which side would be helpful.”
“No need to get testy.”
He nodded in acknowledgment because she was right. Sleep deprivation did that to a guy. Made him testy. “That better?”
“Perfect. It’s a good tree.”
“Yeah it is. In a few years, I reckon we’ll be buying ours from Gia’s tree farm.” He liked cutting his own but wanted to support his neighbor. “Want me to put the star on top?”
“Yes, please. We’ll do the rest this evening with the kids.”
He climbed the foot ladder—the tree was a good ten feet tall—and propped a stained-glass star at the top. It was an ornament Justin had made in elementary school and now a McCreedy tradition.
“Justin wants to go with Cynthia to Cal Poly this weekend, allegedly to check out the campus.” He let out a sigh.
“He told me.”
“Should we let him go?”
“How do we not? If we say no, it looks like we’re discouraging his interest in Cal Poly.”
He’d give Justin credit; the kid had outmaneuvered them. “You and I both know what he’s interested in, right? And it has nothing to do with making sure the library or the dorms are up to snuff.”
Her lips curved up because she knew his son as well as he did. “Perhaps you could tell Justin that you were really looking forward to visiting the campus with him and checking out the Ag department.”
Justin wanted to study agribusiness, which made Clay burst with pride. McCreedy Ranch had been in his family since the Gold Rush and nothing would make him happier than to see his boys carry on the legacy.
“He’ll just tell me that he and I can go again. Unfortunately, I know all the tricks. I was seventeen once.”
“I shudder at the thought.” She pretended to shake.
“So we just let him go?”
She shrugged. “I don’t see how we can tell him no. He already thinks we have something against Cynthia.”
“We do.”
“No we don’t, we just don’t think she’s right for Justin.”
“If that’s the way you want to frame it. Works for me.”
“I think we tell him that it’s the holidays, there’s a lot going on, and we’d prefer that he stay home this weekend but leave it up to him.”
Clay got down from the ladder, pulled his wife into his arms, and kissed her. “You’re pretty smart, you know that?”
Paige stirred in her portable crib and belted out a cry that could wake the dead. The girl definitely had some pipes.
Emily picked her up and rubbed her back. “You hungry, sweetie?”
She sank into a chair, unbuttoned her blouse and fed Paige, who ate hungrily. Watching Emily nurse their daughter never failed to clog his throat with emotion. He’d been a naval flight officer, fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, when Justin and Cody had been born and had missed their feedings, their diaper changes, and most of their milestones. By the time he retired as a fighter pilot, they’d grown into big boys. With Paige, he intended to be involved every step of the way.
“What are your plans today?” Emily asked.
“Trying to get rid of me, huh?” He sat on the sofa and stretched out his legs. “I’ve got to ride out to the back pasture and check some fences.”
Even though they’d trucked most of the herd to a warmer climate, McCreedy Ranch needed maintenance year around. Because the winters in Nugget were harsh—snowy and cold—he had to make hay while the sun shone. Otherwise, when the cattle came back in spring he wouldn’t be ready. In the meantime, he drove to his properties in the Central Valley and Nevada twice a month to check on the cattle. He also had wranglers living full-time in trailers on the land.
“You don’t want to play hooky? I was thinking we could go to Reno and do a little Christmas shopping.”
“Yeah?” He considered it because there was nothing he’d like better than to spend the day with Emily and Paige. But in the end, responsibility won out. “Tell you what, I was planning to go to Reno this weekend with the boys for just that purpose. Why don’t we make it a family event?” Minus Justin, if he was still dead set on going to San Luis Obispo.
“In that case, I’ll run some errands in town while you work. And I was thinking of having the Shepards over for dinner. That way Maddy doesn’t have to worry about cooking tonight.” With the weather so mild for December, the inn was booked solid. Between that and Emma, Maddy had her hands full.
“Was it me, or was that chili she made last night on the burnt side?”
Emily laughed. “Leave her alone. Maddy tries. Besides, we were there for the company.”
He got up and planted a kiss on the top of Emily’s head. “I’m just spoiled being married to you.”
“Yes, you are.” She grinned. “You know what? I’m going to invite all the neighbors—Lucky and Tawny, Gia and Flynn, and Annie and Logan. I’ll make my lasagna and we’ll make a party of it.”
“Works for me.” God, it was good to see her happy. Last spring they’d had some problems. The pregnancy had caused Emily to spiral into despair over Hope and he’d reacted with the sensitivity of a caveman, accusing her of not wanting Paige. To add even more conflict, Emily’s first trimester had been touch and go.
But they’d worked through it and she’d emerged from her depression, stronger and more joyful than he’d ever seen her. Unlike his first marriage, which had been rocked by his late wife’s infidelity, this one was solid. Clay had never been more in love and life on the ranch had never been better.
Emily handed Clay Paige, so he could burp her and she could button up. It had become a well-honored routine in the last two weeks.
“If you could watch her for a few minutes while I run up and change, then I’ll let you get to your work.”
He didn’t bother to argue that she could leave Paige in the portable crib, unattended. If it gave her peace of mind for him to stand guard over their baby, he’d do it.
“Sure,” he said, and watched Emily mount the stairs, then went in the kitchen to scare up some food before hitting the range.
Paige squirmed in his arms as he pulled leftovers from the fridge one-handed. “You got your midmorning snack, now it’s my turn.”
By the time Emily returned, he’d polished off a generous slab of frittata and the rest of the gingerbread.
“You’re eating again?” she asked.
“Yep, I need to keep up my strength for the breast feeding,” he deadpanned and she shook her head. “You’re all dressed up. I thought you were just going to town.” Besides makeup, she had on one of his favorite sweaters, a skirt, and cowboy boots.
“I finally fit into some of my real clothes. Thank God, I’m tired of elastic waists and looking dowdy.” Another sign that she was happy. When she’d first come to live in the converted barn on the ranch, she’d been too depressed to put much energy into her appearance.
He looked her up and down. “Maybe we should go upstairs and I can take everything off.”
“Sorry, but I’ve got a hot date at the Ponderosa.”
“Yeah, with whom?”
“Sloane wants to talk to me about next year’s Safe-Kids-ID-Kit drive.” Every year the Nugget Police Department helped parents put together boxes of up-to-date information about their children in case one, God forbid, ever went missing. Emily helped organize the program and was involved with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
She took Paige from him and dressed the baby in a thick sweater, booties, and a hat she’d brought down. “We’re off. See you in a few hours.”
“I’ll walk out with you.” He grabbed his cowboy hat off the rack in the mudroom and shrugged into his down vest. “Stop by the post office, okay?”
“Will do,” she said, and put Paige in her car seat.
After she left he questioned the wisdom of sending her to get the mail. ’Tis the season for nut jobs, he thought to himself.
* * *
Emily met Sloane McBride at the Ponderosa. The restaurant was busy for a Tuesday in the middle of winter. The town’s tourism season usually ended early fall due to snowy and icy conditions on the roads. Emily suspected that the unseasonably moderate temperatures—at least for Nugget—were attracting visitors from Sacramento and the Bay Area who wanted to feel the chill of winter without the hassle of putting chains on their tires.
Sloane was Nugget’s sole female cop, which wasn’t saying much because the department only had four police officers total, including Rhys—and Connie the dispatcher. She knew that Rhys had been trying to hire but the remoteness of the area made it difficult to find experienced candidates. Everyone loved Sloane, who used to work for LAPD and wound up moving to Nugget and falling in love with Brady Benson, the executive chef for Breyer Hotels. The two had tied the knot last year and lived in Sierra Heights, Nugget’s only planned community.
The meeting didn’t last long because Sloane got called out on a fender bender near the high school. Emily finished her salad while Sophie and Mariah, the Ponderosa’s owners, took turns fussing over Paige.
“Let me see that baby.” Owen came in from the adjoining bowling alley where he and the rest of the Nugget Mafia played every week. “Looks just like her daddy.”
“You think so?” It was hard to see the resemblance at only two weeks old.
“She’s got his nose.” He bent down to examine Paige’s face. “Yep, that right there is a McCreedy.”
“Is Darla at the barbershop today?” Emily needed to make an appointment. During her pregnancy, she’d stayed away from highlighting her hair because of the chemicals and boy, could she use a touch-up.
“She’s turned the place into a hen party. And her shampoos and fancy products take up so much space I can’t even move in there anymore.”
Those shampoos and fancy products saved the women of Nugget a drive to Reno or having to shop on the Internet. “I thought you were retiring.”
“I’m not old enough to retire,” he huffed.
The man had to be in his seventies. Hey, more power to him, Emily thought.
After lunch, she wandered over to Owen’s and made an appointment with Darla. Then she stopped off at the Lumber Baron to say hi to Maddy and invite her to dinner. She’d already texted the Barlows and Rodriguezes. On her way out of town, she hit the Nugget Market for a few things and stopped at the post office. As she opened the box to get the mail a sense of foreboding swept over her. Please no more strange letters. She nervously sifted through the pile. Bills, catalogs, Christmas cards—and a wave of relief.
She stopped off at Annie and Logan’s new house to check out the progress on the remodel. A crew was up on the roof and she spied Colin Burke in the back, installing new windows.
“Double pane?” she asked.
“Yep. I love these old windows.” He motioned to the ones he’d removed from the farmhouse. “But not too energy efficient. I’ll repurpose the wavy glass for Annie, maybe do some cabinet doors with them in the kitchen.” The carpenter was a furniture maker and an artist. Emily had even used his pine rocking chairs and tables in some of her cookbooks as props.
“Is Annie around?” Emily wanted to invite her to dinner and nail down a couple of details on the cookie swap.
“Nope. She and Logan went to her family’s farm in Yuba City. I think they’re spending the night.”
Well there went that. Emily would have to invite them another time. “The place is looking good.”
“We’re getting there. I know they’re anxious to move in.”
Annie and Logan were living in Gia’s guest apartment at neighboring Rosser Ranch and planning their wedding. Annie was also hoping to open a farm stand in spring. Emily had offered to help Annie set up a cookbook section in the store.
“How’s the baby?” Colin asked, looking into the carrier Emily lugged around because she wouldn’t leave Paige in the SUV.
“She’s great.”
“Cute kid.” Colin smiled.
“Thanks. I’ll let you get back to work.”
“I’ll let Annie know you dropped by.”
“Say hi to Harlee for me.”
“Will do.” He continued installing his window and Emily made her way back to her Highlander.
She came home to an empty house, unloaded the groceries, and got started on her lasagnas. Paige remained satisfied in her carrier, although Emily sensed that she was getting hungry again. Before nursing her, she set the dining room table. One less thing to do before everyone showed up. Wanting to be festive, she chose a green damask tablecloth, a red velvet runner from Williams-Sonoma, and her white Heath dishes. She’d send the boys out later to gather a few pinecones to throw together a quick centerpiece. Nothing elaborate. All her years styling for food photo shoots had taught her how to make a table setting spectacular on the fly. In her business, a good talent to have.
Ordinarily, she would’ve done place cards but this group of cowboys would sit wherever they wanted to, regardless. She went back in the kitchen and gathered her ingredients for garlic bread and a salad, which she’d assemble just before dinner. For dessert, she pulled two homemade pie shells out of the freezer and made an apple filling for one and pecan for the other. Easy peasy.
Paige started to stir. Emily lifted her from the carrier, took her into the family room where she fed and changed her diaper. Around three, she started to wonder why Clay hadn’t come in from the range yet. He usually stopped in for lunch about one, although he’d had that midmorning snack. The man sucked up food like a vacuum cleaner and never gained an ounce. If he didn’t show up soon, she’d try texting him, although cell reception was shoddy in the fields.
The dogs began barking, which usually signaled that a vehicle was coming up her driveway. She carried Paige to the window and peeked out. Justin and Cody were home. She met them in the kitchen, knowing that they’d raid the refrigerator and leave her kitchen a mess if she didn’t intervene.
They both grabbed for Paige and fought over who got to hold her first, which made Emily so happy. While they played with Paige she made them each a quesadilla and asked them to find her pinecones after they ate.
“Did Dad say anything about me going to Cal Poly this weekend?” Justin asked.
“Just that you were planning to go. I was kind of hoping we could all go to Reno together to go Christmas shopping.”
Justin groaned. “Yeah, I really need to get this college thing sorted out. It’s between Cal Poly, UC Davis, and Cornell.”
As good a school as Cornell was, it wasn’t in California, which would make him getting in bittersweet. “Did Cynthia apply to those schools as well?”
“Just Cal Poly. So that’s my first choice.”
Why was she not surprised? “You should choose the best school for you, Justin, and not base your decision on where your girlfriend goes.”
“Cal Poly’s a great school,” he said, a note of defensiveness in his voice.
“It most certainly is. And of course, your father and I would love for you to stay in California. All I’m saying is it’s a big decision.” She squeezed his shoulder. “I’d hate to see you pass up a wonderful opportunity over a girl.”
“Not just any girl.” He grinned, reminding her so much of his father.
“Justin loves her,” Cody said, and rolled his eyes.
“Grow up, Cody.”
“Hey!” She cleared their dishes away. “We’re having dinner at seven so I suggest you both get moving.”
She took Paige from Cody and took her to the family room to put her down for a nap, then checked the window again for Clay. No sign of him. She sent him a text, waited for a reply and got nothing. Just about to send out a search party, she saw him in the distance walking toward the house from the direction of the stable.
She stood by the window admiring him. He’d been the eligible heartthrob of Nugget before she’d come along and snagged him. Tall, dark, blue-eyed, and handsome. Emily suspected women still appreciated that fine form of his. Lord knew she did. After Hope was abducted, her marriage with Drew fell apart. She’d had no delusions—or desire—of ever finding love again, too despondent over her daughter’s disappearance. And then she’d moved to Nugget and it happened. Just like that. Clay—and the boys—had given her a reason to strive for a good life again as opposed to the painful existence she’d been leading.
To this day, she didn’t believe she deserved him or a second chance at having a family. Yet, she planned to hold on to all of it with both hands.
She turned on the nanny cam and went back in the kitchen to finish her preparations before changing for dinner. Clay came through the door into the mudroom, took off his boots, hat, and vest.
“You were out a long time,” she said. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. A tree fell over in the west range and took down a good portion of the fence that faces the road. I wanted to get it fixed before the snow comes. Tomorrow, I’ll take a chainsaw to that tree. There’s got to be a quarter cord of firewood there.”
“Can you get the truck to the spot?”
“Yep. How was town?” He came in, kissed her, and stole a few carrot slices she’d cut for the salad.
“Good. Unfortunately, Annie and Logan are out of town for our little dinner. You should shower and change before the neighbors get here.”
“Will do.” He filched an apple slice, then rifled through the stack of mail she’d stacked on the counter. “Nothing weird?”
“Nope. Thank goodness.”
“I see Drew sent a Christmas card.” He lifted his brows and pulled a face. Clay wasn’t a fan of her ex, which was ridiculous because Drew was one of the best men she knew.
“I’m sure Kristy sent it.” Drew wasn’t the greeting-card type.
“We don’t need to send them one, right?”
She just fixed him with a look. The phone rang and Emily checked to see who was calling.
“It’s the McCreedy Ranch line,” she told Clay, who had already started for the staircase.
“Can you tell whoever it is that we’re closed for the holidays.”
Emily would do no such thing. Christmas was still two weeks away, plenty of time left to sell beef cattle. “McCreedy Ranch, can I help you?”
When no one responded on the other end she said, “Hello. Anyone there?” Emily knew someone was because she heard breathing. Weird breathing, like the caller was struggling to talk. “Are you okay?”
She checked the phone’s display again to see if there was a number, maybe a distressed neighbor in need of help. But all that appeared was the word “private.”
“Hello?” she said again.
“I. Have. Hope,” the caller said, and Emily could feel the blood draining from her face.