Page 74 of The Cowboy's Christmas
“We could always use a hand.”
“I know that you and Les are working on the house, so I could—”
Before he could say, “Stay at the Graff,” Ty said, “Stay in the camp trailer behind the barn. It’s comfortable. I should know. I lived in it for months before Shelby and I got married.”
“Sounds good,” Quinn said with a smile. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
*
She’d done it.The brave thing. Sent Quinn back to his old life.
Savannah bit her lip as she rolled out the last of the cookie dough. The girls had abandoned ship on the fourth batch and had retreated to the living room with Deke to eat warm cookies and drink Kool-Aid that would, without question, challenge her laundry skills.
It was the right thing to do until they figured out who was protecting whom and who was capable of what.
She already knew who loved whom. She loved him. It was the only reason she was able to do what she did, although the whole “if you love something set it free” thing never mentioned hurting like hell afterward.
Better this way. Better that he figures out what he needs, figures out if he can put down roots.
Better that he be the guy he needs to be, rather than the one you wanted to turn him into.
Did she want to turn him into something he wasn’t?
She didn’t know because she’d panicked and sent him away before loving him hurt too much.
After finishing the cookies and cleaning the kitchen, she joined the girls in the living room to play the old time Christmas LPs on the turntable Deke refused to give up. “This guy sings good,” Jessa said as Bing Crosby crooned “White Christmas.” She’d said the same thing about Rosemary Clooney and Gene Autry.
Savannah smiled at her niece, then Deke came in to remind them that Sara was going to call soon. The girls rushed off to put on their Christmas dresses they’d bought with Savannah on their holiday shopping trip, and Deke eased himself into the chair, only he didn’t make his usual face.
“You were right,” he said. “This Barnett guy is going to hurry my healing along.”
“Sorry.”
“No. I understand.”
“I don’t know if I do.” Her words made no sense, but Deke didn’t question them.
A few minutes later the call from Sara came in. The girls chatted away, oblivious to the fact that Savannah was fighting to keep her smile bright and her tone light. Then Deke announced that it was time for Aunt Vannie to have private time with their mom. Savanah was about to protest when Sara said to her girls, “I get to call you again in two days.”
The girls’ faces lit up and after more goodbyes, they followed Deke back into the living room.
“I know this is hard,” Savannah said to her sister, glad that they had a private moment so that Sara could cry on her shoulder if she needed to.
“It is. But it’s what I signed on for.” Sara gave a small sniff. “And it’s the last Christmas we’ll spend this way. Rand will call tomorrow.”
“I have it on the schedule,” Savannah assured her.
“So tell me why you’re sad.”
“What?”
“Jessa said you were sad when you made cookies.”
Savannah had cringed at her niece’s blithe comment, but assumed that Sara hadn’t noticed, since Sophie had then described the special decoration that they’d made for Quinn with the same cookie cutters they’d used for the Christmas cookies.
“It’s nothing.”
“You’re certain?”
That bossy sister voice almost had her confessing, but she got hold of herself. “I am.”
“I’m calling again in two days, and I have ready access to email. You know…just in case you think of something you want to share.”
“Thanks.” But this was something she needed to handle herself.
The problem was that she wasn’t handling it, not very well, anyway, because sending Quinn away had left a bigger hole in her life than she’d expected, a veritable crater. She’d created the crater and she needed to figure out how to deal with it on her own.
