Chapter 14
Dressed in baggy blue sweats, with her hair caught back in a scrunchy, Ellie sat at the kitchen table, sipping her coffee and studying the screen on her laptop. She’d spent much of the week working out the plan to put Merle’s business online. The idea that had begun as a spark had turned into a major project, one that would involve setting up a secure Internet account, photographing the items and writing descriptions, creating a Web page, and inserting links on sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Google, and Amazon.
Getting ready for the launch would take weeks, if not a couple of months. No way would she be able to get more than a start on it before the baby was due. But Merle had been patient and understanding. The sharp old woman also had plenty of business savvy. Her ideas, and her excitement about the new venture, made the work a pleasure.
Ellie was grateful for the distraction. She’d needed it to take her mind off Jubal and the ranch. Every day he’d called her with the same update—no word from Clive Huish. Feeling the worry Jubal was trying so hard to hide had almost undone her.
Now it was Friday morning, the last workday of a week that would end with the annual Christmas parade and the Cowboy Christmas Ball. If the banker hadn’t yet talked his wife into returning Jubal’s ranch, it wasn’t likely to happen. Whatever went down, she would be there for Jubal. But failing to save the ranch would crush him. Ellie had done all she could to help. All she could do now was hope.
She was still gazing at the computer, trying to focus, when her cell phone rang. Her pulse skipped as she reached for it. But the caller wasn’t Jubal. It was Jess.
“Hi, Ellie.” Her sister-in-law was upbeat as usual. “Are you good for a girls’ lunch today? My friend Kylie will be in town for some shopping. Since her husband and kids will be home with the baby, she wanted to get together and catch up. She says she could use a break. Something tells me you could, too. So what do you say?”
Ellie hesitated, thinking of the work she had to do. But she did need a break, and the company would cheer her. “Sure,” she said. “Can I meet you somewhere?”
“I’ll pick you up around noon,” Jess said. “Glad you can make it.”
Ending the call, Ellie glanced at the time. It was almost eleven. She’d get cleaned up now, then work until Jess arrived. Her mother was watching TV and surely wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on Beau.
Half an hour later she was showered, dressed, and ready to go. She was back at the computer when she heard voices from the living room. Jess had come inside to greet her mother-in-law. They were visiting when Ellie came in with her coat. For an instant she felt a flicker of envy. Ben’s wife was glowing with the joy of her pregnancy. Why shouldn’t she be? She had a husband who adored her, a town and family waiting to celebrate her little one. Ellie faced nothing but an uncertain future here. Could she really build a life in a place where she’d never wanted to be, with a man who still had every reason to turn his back on her?
Jubal seemed to want her, but he hadn’t said he loved her or asked her to marry him. Had he thought about the challenge of raising another man’s child? When faced with that reality, would he get cold feet? How could she blame him if he did? She’d be a fool not to expect it.
“You girls have a nice time.” Clara smiled from her rocker, where her hands were busy crocheting a baby sweater with soft, variegated pink and blue yarn from Merle’s shop.
“You’re welcome to come with us.” Jess had her keys out and was starting for the door.
The crochet hook paused. “Thanks, but I’ll be better off here, where it’s warm and cozy. There’s supposed to be a storm blowing in later today.”
“Thanks for watching Beau.” Ellie glanced at her dog, sprawled in his favorite spot under the Christmas tree.
“No trouble at all. He’s good company. My, but he does love that tree.” Clara returned to the sweater and her TV talk show.
* * *
Kylie was holding a booth at Buckaroo’s when Ellie and Jess arrived. The place was busy at this hour with people stopping by for lunch.
“I hope you don’t mind,” she said. “I ordered an extra large Hawaiian pizza and Diet Cokes for us when I got here. Otherwise, we’d have to wait, and I don’t have much time.”
“You told me you had all afternoon.” Jess took a seat, making room for Ellie to slide in next to her. Their drinks were already on the table.
“I know.” Kylie laughed. “But Shane phoned me just as I got here. The baby threw up on the couch, Hunter and Amy are in time-out for fighting, and he got a call from the neighbor that a section of the east fence is down and needs to be put up before any cows wander out. Poor man. I’ve got time to eat, but then I really need to get home and free him from kid duty.”
“You’ve got to hand it to him.” Ellie had been told how Kylie, a military widow with two children, had come to Branding Iron two years ago and married the handsome, single rancher. “Being a stepfather to two teenagers can’t be easy.”
“Oh, I know,” Kylie said. “But he’s come through like a champ. Hunter and Amy adore him. Their father was hardly ever home. They love having a full-time dad. Shane’s even petitioned to adopt them.”
“Wow, that’s great!” Jess glanced at Ellie. “But you’ve had some adjustments, too, Kylie. Going from army wife to ranch wife must’ve been a challenge.”
“You mean all that ropin’ and ridin’ and brandin’?” Kylie’s blue eyes twinkled with laughter. “Who’s got time for that? I’m raising a family with the man I love. That’s a full-time job. I wipe those big muddy boot prints off the kitchen floor and count my blessings.”
The pizza had arrived. Ellie helped herself to a slice. Here she was, sharing lunch with two city women who’d come to town, married Branding Iron men—with children in the mix—and made it work. And now they were talking to her about it. This couldn’t be a coincidence. Maybe it was time she called them on it.
“Why do I get the feeling I’ve been set up?” she demanded.
“Set up? By us?” Jess was all big-eyed innocence.
Kylie laughed. “All right, but give us a break, Ellie. We want the best for you. Anybody with eyes in their head can see how things are between you and Jubal. Now don’t deny it. You’ve been seen together all over town.”
“We understand that you have your doubts about staying,” Jess said. “We just wanted you to see that it’s possible to be happy here, even on a ranch.”
Ellie forced a chuckle she didn’t feel. “You might be able to convince me. But since Jubal’s gun-shy, it won’t make any difference. I hurt him when I walked away ten years ago. Now I’m back here, and about to have my ex’s baby. Any man would have cold feet.”
“I saw the way he looked at you that night we trimmed the tree at your mother’s,” Jess said. “Believe me, nothing about that man was cold.”
“And don’t sell Jubal short,” Kylie said. “If Shane can take on two snarky teenage stepkids, Jubal shouldn’t have trouble accepting a sweet little baby, especially with that little girl of his needing a mother.”
“Enough!” Ellie drained her Diet Coke and set the glass down a little too hard. “I wish I could believe you two schemers, but nothing’s going to happen. There are too many . . . complications. The subject is closed.”
“We’ll see about that.” Jess gave her a knowing wink. “This story isn’t over yet.”
They finished the pizza and pooled their cash to leave on the table. After Kylie had rushed off, Jess and Ellie walked across the parking lot and climbed into Jess’s SUV.
“I’m sorry if we crossed the line, Ellie,” Jess said. “It’s just that we all want you to stay. Ben and I—we love the idea of our little ones growing up together. Clara needs family around her. And you’re going to need us. What kind of support system will you have if you take your baby and go off to some big city? Even Kylie—she really likes you and wants to be your friend.”
“None of this has anything to do with Jubal,” Ellie said.
“It doesn’t and it does.” Jess turned at the corner and headed up the street toward home. “We want you to be happy and loved. We want you to have a family of your own. That’s the way it should be.”
“That’s what I thought I was getting when I married Brent.”
“Brent was a jerk. But sometimes life gives you a chance at something better. It happened to me. It can happen to you.”
Ellie sighed. “Let’s put this discussion on hold for now, okay? With the baby almost due, I won’t be leaving for a while. In fact, I’ve even taken on what might work into a job.” She gave Jess a quick rundown of her plans for Merle’s business.
“What a great idea.” Jess pulled into the driveway and stopped to let Ellie out. “Merle’s a sweetheart. There’s another reason for you to stay in Branding Iron.”
“No promises, okay? And thanks for the break.” Ellie climbed out of the SUV. With a farewell wave to her sister-in-law, she trudged up the sidewalk to the porch steps.
She was about to open the front door when her cell phone jingled. Fumbling in her purse, she caught it on the third ring. The caller was Jubal.
“You heard?” Ellie asked, her pulse slamming.
“I did.” He sounded all right, but not jubilant. “It’s a yes, but with conditions.”
“Conditions?” She gripped the phone, barely aware of the chilling wind and the snowflakes swirling down beyond the porch roof.
“Two conditions. The first is that I sign a release, promising to treat this whole mess as if it never happened. As a witness, you’ll need to sign it, too.”
“That’s no problem, as long as you get your ranch back,” Ellie said. “What’s the other condition?”
“Since my father never repaid the loan, they want their five thousand dollars plus interest—not on the original terms, thank heaven, but at the usual bank rate, compounded. Since it’s been four years, I’ll be paying them back about seven thousand.”
Ellie stifled a gasp. She knew that Jubal had spent almost everything he had paying off his father’s debts. She could spare the money, but she knew better than to offer. Jubal would never take it.
“Can you come up with that much?” she asked.
“I haven’t got it, but I can get it. Huish actually offered me a bank loan—he just wants this thing cleared up. But that would leave a bad taste in my mouth. I never want to do business with that bank again.”
“Can you hold out for less?”
“And give Huish’s wife time to come up with more demands? It’s not worth taking a chance.” Jubal cleared his throat, betraying his emotion. “There’s another way. One of my neighbors wants to buy that buckskin quarter horse of mine—he’s registered and worth a good price. I’ve offered him a discount for cash up front. We’ve agreed on fourteen thousand—a bargain for such a well-trained, young cattle horse. I’ll miss him, but the money will be enough to pay off the ranch, give Gracie a good Christmas, and buy myself a cheaper horse in the spring.”
“So it’s done?” Ellie sank onto the seat of the porch swing, her legs too unsteady to support her.
“Almost,” Jubal said. “I’ll be selling the buckskin this weekend. Monday we’ll sign the paperwork and transfer the deed. When it’s done, I’ll be able to breathe again—and I hope you’ll be ready to celebrate with me.”
“Of course I will.” Ellie felt a flood of warmth. He wanted to be with her and share this happy time.
“Will you be at the Christmas Ball tomorrow night?”
“I’m afraid so. I was going to stay home, but my mother made me a dress. What can I say?”
She sensed his smile as he spoke. “I promised to take Gracie. But I hope you’ll save me a dance or two.”
“Good grief, Jubal, I’d look like a hippo on the dance floor. I hope you’ll settle for some friendly conversation.”
“As long as it’s friendly.”
“And promise me you won’t laugh at my dress. It makes me look like a big, flowered, overstuffed chair.”
“You’ll look beautiful—and I’m guessing I won’t have any trouble finding you. See you at the dance.”
After the call ended, Ellie lingered on the porch swing, watching the snowflakes. Everything was going to be all right, she told herself. Silas would have her car done soon. Jubal would get his ranch back. She would have a beautiful baby girl after the holidays. And somehow, the relationship between her and Jubal would work out as it was meant to. That was the way things happened in romance novels. Why not in real life for a change?
She was long overdue for a happy ending.
* * *
By Saturday morning the snow was four inches deep and still falling. Jubal dressed at dawn and trudged out to the barn. Nugget, his beautiful buckskin gelding, was in his stall. After feeding and watering all three horses, Jubal took a brush and groomed Nugget’s smooth buff coat until it gleamed.
Prentiss Hansen, his neighbor on the far side of the highway, would be here at 8:00 with his trailer to take the horse away. Jubal knew that Nugget would have a good home with a caring owner, but it was still hard to let him go. He’d never had a better cattle horse than the tall buckskin. But the cash from his sale would save the ranch, with enough left over to last until spring and maybe buy another horse—not as fine as Nugget, but good enough for working cows.
Gracie had cried when he’d told her that Nugget was being sold. To cheer her, he’d promised to take her to breakfast at the B and B, and then to the Christmas parade in town. They would leave as soon as Nugget was loaded, the bill of sale signed, and the payment locked in the old iron safe that had belonged to Jubal’s great-grandfather.
Tonight they’d be going to the Cowboy Christmas Ball in the high school gym. Gracie, who hadn’t gone to the ball since the loss of her mother, was beside herself with excitement. She could hardly wait to show up in her new dress and take part in the Old West games and dances that had been planned for the children.
Jubal was looking forward to the party, too, since Ellie would be there. Now that he wouldn’t be losing his ranch, he couldn’t put it off any longer—it was time to lay his love on the line. He needed to let her know that he wanted her—baby and all—in his life. He would do it tonight. If she made a fool of him again, so be it. He had everything to gain and nothing to lose but his pride.
Leaving Nugget in the stall, he walked out into the falling snow. The cold flakes melted like tears on his skin. Life had its hard times—so hard that they broke your heart. All you could do was take the good things—good times, good people—and hold on tight for as long as you could.
From the direction of the highway he heard the sound of a truck engine. A moment later, Prentiss Hansen’s heavy-duty pickup rolled up the lane, towing a horse trailer.
It was time to say one more good-bye.
* * *
Jess had offered to pick up Ellie and Clara for the Christmas Ball. Ben, as usual, had volunteered for patrol duty. With so many families at the ball, and so many empty houses with presents under the tree, it was prime picking for anybody with burglary on their mind. So Jess, who’d been put in charge of ticket sales and had to be there early, would be going without him.
The snow had been drifting down all day. By now it was more than six inches deep. But not even a snowstorm could stop the Cowboy Christmas Ball. As Jess drove her SUV to the gym, Ellie thought of Jubal driving in from the ranch with Gracie. The roads would be snow-packed and slick. But the old truck had good winter tires and four-wheel drive. Stop worrying, she scolded herself. Next thing you know, you’ll be turning into your mother. But maybe that was natural.
They entered the high school and hung their coats in the hall. Jess, with her red hair and still-tiny waist, looked stunning in the forest green velvet gown that had once been Ellie’s. Clara wore the same lace-trimmed blue dress she’d worn to the ball for years. And Ellie . . .
“Goodness, Ellie, those colors are lovely on you.” Jess’s compliment fell a little flat. “Those big pink flowers are—”
“I believe they’re cabbage roses,” Ellie said, fingering one of the pink and fuchsia blooms that decorated the crisp, ivory chintz fabric. “At least they’re as big as cabbages. And at least there are enough of them to cover me. That’s saying a lot.”
Clara had gone into the gym ahead of them, so Jess felt free to laugh. “Come on,” she said, linking her arm through Ellie’s. “You’re always so elegant. Whatever you’re wearing, people will think it’s the latest Paris fashion.”
Walking into the decorated gym was like stepping back in time. The same old strings of lights and tinsel hung between the basketball hoops. The tree in the center of the floor wore the familiar decorations. The Badger Hollow Boys—the Nashville band that had been coming to this celebration for years—was warming up to play all the old-time country songs that people loved and expected to hear.
Only Ellie had changed. The carefree girl who’d had boys scrambling for a dance with her was a woman now, about to become a mother. As for the boys, there was only one man for her— and when he walked through the door with his little daughter, he was the only man she would see.
It was early yet, with people just beginning to arrive. Many of them brought donated food for the buffet table at the far end of the gym—cheesy potatoes, hams and barbecued ribs, fried chicken, mac and cheese, salads, biscuits, pies, and cakes.
Ellie sat next to Jess at the ticket table. They’d be handling the first shift, when the most people would be coming in. Jess would be collecting cash and making change for people paying at the door. Ellie would be taking prepaid tickets and rubber-stamping hands. When the rush thinned out, someone else would take over, freeing them to eat and relax.
By the time the band struck up the opening tune, a steady crowd was pouring in. The Cowboy Christmas Ball was a family affair, and even babies were welcome. Kylie was there with her handsome husband and their lively brood. Silas, Connie, and Katy were already filling their plates at the buffet table. Jess’s mother, Francine, dressed as a saloon girl in red satin, was on the arm of her steady beau, the man who owned Hank’s Hardware. Ellie greeted several of the women who’d been at her baby shower. But there was no sign of Donetta Huish or her husband.
With crowds streaming in, Ellie had become too busy to watch the door. She was collecting tickets when a deep baritone chuckle caused her to look up.
“So they’ve put you to work.” Jubal stood there, grinning down at her. Freshly shaved, combed, and dressed in a Western shirt with a leather vest, he looked like a movie hero. Gracie stood next to him, her grin matching his. In her new blue dress, with her hair French braided, she looked so adorable that Jess wanted to reach out and hug her.
“I’ll catch you two later,” Ellie said.
“We’ll hold you to that.” Jubal was counting out cash to give to Jess, who gave Ellie a playful nudge under the table as she stamped his hand.
“See, didn’t I tell you?” she whispered as he and Gracie headed for the buffet table.
“No comment.” Ellie laughed, grateful that Clara had talked her into coming. She had high hopes for the rest of the evening.
After the rush of the first half hour, only a few people were trickling in. Clara came over to sit at the ticket table and take care of the latecomers. By then the dancing had started.
“I’ll keep an eye on your mother and see that she gets some food,” Jess said. “You go enjoy yourself. That’s an order.” With a playful wink, Ellie sashayed across the floor toward the buffet.
Jubal had risen from the table where he and Gracie were sitting. Walking toward Ellie, he held out his hand. “I was afraid you were going to be busy all night. Come have some dinner with me. Gracie’s eaten, but I wanted to wait for you.”
“Thank you.” Ellie took his hand with a smile, feeling like Cinderella at the ball. She might look like an overinflated balloon, but Jubal was the handsomest man in the room, and the proud way he walked made it clear—he wanted everyone to know she was with him.
He pulled out her chair. As she took a seat, Gracie grinned at her from across the table. “Hi, Ellie. I like your dress. Did you bring Beau?”
“Not tonight. With so many people here, he could get lost or scared.” She’d left the little poodle snoozing under the tree. Hopefully, by now, he was familiar with the house and wouldn’t mind being alone. Otherwise, she’d be coming home to ripped pillows and scattered newspapers.
“I want to square dance with the other kids,” Gracie said. “They’re doing it across the hall. Is that all right?”
“Sure,” Jubal said. “I didn’t know you could square dance.”
“All the kids can. We learned in school.” She darted off toward the hall.
“Remind me to thank your mother,” Jubal said. “That pretty new dress has given Gracie the confidence to have fun tonight.”
“She’s a great kid, Jubal,” Ellie said. “You have every reason to be proud of her.”
His jaw tightened, as if holding back emotion. “You must be hungry,” he said. “I’ll fill our plates. Anything special you’d like?”
“It’s all good. Just not too much. I have to go back to the doctor next week and get on that scale. You don’t want to know how much I weigh.”
“Stop worrying about it, Ellie. You’re the most beautiful woman here tonight.” He turned away, walked to the buffet table, and came back with two plates—his loaded with a working man’s portions, hers lighter but still more than she could eat. She nibbled at the fried chicken, salad, and cheese potatoes, too keyed-up to be hungry.
“Did you sell your horse?” she asked, knowing he’d planned to.
“He went this morning. Damned good horse. Wish I could’ve kept him. But at least I can pay off the ranch now.” The glow of Christmas lights cast his eyes in shadow. “I’ve learned that about life. Even when you want to hold on, the good things tend to go—you, Laura, the animals I’ve loved, even Gracie. God willing, she’ll grow up and go off to make something of herself.”
“Or maybe she’ll stay here in Branding Iron and start a family of her own.”
“I’d like that. But only if it would make her happy.” He laid his fork down. His hand captured hers on the tablecloth. “Dance with me, Ellie.”
“Jubal, I don’t think—”
“I know you said you didn’t want to. But it’s been a long time. If this is our one chance to do it again, I don’t want to miss it.”
How could any woman say no to that? Rising with effort, Ellie accepted his arm. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. The lights were low over the dance floor, and the band was playing an easy Texas two-step. She could do this, she told herself as Jubal’s sure hand found the small of her back. He had to hold her at arm’s length. Still, after the first few steps, there was a sweet familiarity in the way their bodies moved together. The years fell away as they blended into the swirl of dancing couples. She looked up, met his dark blue eyes, and gave him a smile. His hand tightened on her back.
“See, it’s not so bad, is it?”
“No, but it’s not quite like high school.” Ellie remembered how they used to dance close, her head resting against his cheek. That would be awkward tonight.
“We can’t go back, Ellie,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t go forward. That’s why I’m asking you to stay—at least long enough to give you and me another chance.”
Ellie’s throat tightened. She’d been wanting to hear those words from him. But there were so many unanswered questions, so many fears that something would go wrong. “We’re different people now,” she said.
“We were a couple of crazy kids back then. But we’ve both faced tough times and grown up. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“What about the baby?”
“Little babies are easy to love. If things worked out, I’d welcome a bigger family. So would Gracie. I’d even take in that fool dog of yours. But this isn’t a proposal. I don’t need a yes or no. All I’m asking for is time.”
Ellie’s pulse quickened as his words sank in. This was exactly what she’d hoped to hear—no pressure, no promises, just the chance to enjoy each other and work things out. It was what they both needed. And this time it felt very, very right.
She was about to reply when she felt an odd tightening sensation, low in her body.
“What is it?” he asked. “Did I say something wrong?”
She’d stopped dancing. “No. I’m feeling a little strange, that’s all. Maybe we’d better—”
Her words ended in a gasp as a warm, wet cascade gushed down her legs.
“Ellie?”
She clutched his arm, her fingers digging into his sleeve. “My water just broke. I need to get to the hospital.”