Page 55 of Merry Christmas, Cowboy

It was cold outside; frigid was a better description. She couldn’t remember a time when Last Stand had a colder winter. She shivered a bit as Garrett walked her to a tree lit with hundreds of twinkling lights. A wrought iron bench with delicate circular trim and a wooden slat back sat under the tree. The plaque on the bench indicated the donor, a family who’d lived in Last Stand since its inception.

“Would you like to sit down?” Garrett asked.

She shook her head. She didn’t plan on being out here too long. “No thanks.”

Garrett frowned but accepted her answer. “Nicole, listen. I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted the past few days. I don’t handle being idle very well. The injury stymied my plans and it’s hard for me to sit still. But if I’ve said something, or not said something, that hurt you, I apologize.”

Oh, God. She didn’t know how to answer him. He had it all wrong.

“It’s not easy getting the grinch out of you.”

“Am I that bad?”

“You’re coming along,” she said, honestly.

“Am I?” he asked. “Then what’s wrong?”

She sucked in a big deep cold breath of air. “I, uh, I have a lot on my plate right now. And when you got hurt, it really freaked me out. I realized that I… I cared about you.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“Yes, it’s a bad thing. After what happened with Johnny, I began second-guessing myself, and my judgment. I thought that maybe I was the one who’d made the mistake. Maybe I pushed him when he wasn’t ready. Maybe I’d been so blinded in becoming a bride, that I didn’t really see anything else. I’m not the same woman I was three months ago. And I really believed that I learned something, until I met you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you, Mr. Brown.”

He smiled then, a killer, and she almost lost her train of thought.

“Don’t smile, Garrett.” She realized he still held her hand. She pulled it free of him.

“Okay, fine. I got it. No smiling. But I’m a little confused. I thought you liked a less grouchy me. I’ve been told lately that I’ve changed, but now I’m not so sure she knew what she was talking about.”

“She?”

“Ella, my sister Carrie’s best friend. I guess I’ve never mentioned her to you.”

“Ella was y-your sister’s best friend?” She took a big swallow. Her heart began to beat hard against her chest.

“She and her husband were driving through Last Stand and she decided to look me up. Ella’s pregnant and happier than I’ve ever seen her. She and I met in town and had some laughs. She still has a wild sense of humor. We got to talking about the silly things she and Carrie would get into as kids. It was nice reliving good memories. I guess I need to tell Cody more fun stories about his mom. Maybe I don’t do that enough.”

“Oh.” Nicole bit her lip.

She’d been all wrong about Garrett. Her sense of relief warred with horrible guilt in thinking the worst about him. In being jealous over a completely innocent encounter. When she had no right to be jealous. All they had between them was a pact. To help Cody and to make the holiday fundraiser a gigantic success.

“I, uh, think you should too. Cody would probably love to hear those stories.”

She shivered again, the chill climbing up her entire body and Garrett’s brows furrowed. “You’re freezing in that jacket.”

Garrett removed his coat and put it around her. He brought the lapels closed, making sure it covered her. The lambswool inside his thick suede coat was cozy and warm against her neck and when she looked up, he was so close she could see the dark blue rim circling his irises. “Here you go. That should warm you up.”

“It does,” she said. “Thank you.”

“I just wanted to make sure we’re okay now. You and me. You’ve been so good to us and I, uh—”

“Garrett, it’s all good. We’re fine. I’m sorry you were injured and glad you’re feeling better.”

“Thanks. And what you said just now, about second-guessing yourself? I get that. Ever since my sister died, I’ve been second-guessing myself too. Wondering if I’m getting it right. Wondering if my decisions are the best for Cody. I wasn’t ready for any of this. Who would be, right?”

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