Page 64 of Christmas with the Cowboy
“I feel like baking,” she said.
“I would have thought you’d gotten enough of that preparing for the library bake sale.”
“Never enough,” she said, tucking her cookbook under her arm. “I’m going to Grandma’s. She’s got all the good ingredients.”
They left the house together, parting ways when Daniel waved to Reed from where he was hooking up the stock trailer.
“I’m going to get the mare,” he announced. “I told Lex I was hauling yearlings for a friend yesterday, so she shouldn’t suspect.”
Reed very much doubted that his daughter would suspect that her grandfather driving away with the stock trailer meant she was getting a horse, but he kept the thought to himself. Instead, he asked the obvious question.
“So how exactly are you going to smuggle the mare home under Lex’s nose and keep her out of sight?”
“Easy,” Daniel said as he connected the trailer’s electric cord to the truck. “I’m keeping her at Trenna’s for a couple of days. I’ll leave the trailer there and pick the mare up when I go out to feed on Christmas morning.”
It made sense. Trenna only lived a few miles away. She had the small enclosure behind her house, which would be perfect for an overnight stay. And, of course, his folks had no idea about what had happened between them. He hoped.
“Good plan,” he said.
“I thought so,” Daniel said. He patted the side of the truck.
“Henry and I won’t be able to get to the north fence today,” Reed said. “The snow’s too deep.”
He and Daniel’s colt had had some hard rides through the snow, the result being that Boomer was a much calmer boy, and Reed felt better about his dad getting on him. Maybe he would be the next Ralph.
“Boomer’s coming along.”
“I knew he would,” Daniel said matter of factly.
Reed knew horses, too, but he hadn’t been so certain. “How’s that?”
“Ralph was pretty much the same.”
“I thought he’d been a lot calmer.”
Daniel leaned on the frosty truck bed. “No. But I got him when you were distracted by other matters. Trenna and whatever trouble came your way.” His dad smiled. “You and Ralph had your moments when you were young, but you both came out trustworthy and reliable.” He smiled. “You know what they say.”
Reed shook his head.
“The wildest colts make the best horses.” In response to Reed’s skeptical look, his dad added, “It takes patience to wait for the wild to wear off. Some people don’t have it.” His lips twitched at the corner. “I’m just glad your mom did.”
*
Trenna left beforeDaniel Keller showed up with the horse with which he was surprising Lex on Christmas morning. To be on the safe side, she locked Bruno in the house so that horse could settle in without having to contend with a roaring dog.
Frankly, coming home from Dawn’s soiree to see the mare was going to be the high point of her evening. She figured if she arrived early and helped, no one would complain if she left at nine, instead of ten, which was the official end time of the party. Not that it would end there. Dawn’s parties rarely did.
As she pulled up to the lodge, she was struck by how much she’d prefer being home admiring Lex’s tree than to be here, playing the game. But she was going to play nice. Make Dawn happy.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Dawn said as Trenna came in through the side door. Three women she didn’t know were laying out trays in preparation for canapés and small desserts. In the living room, in the corner farthest from the giant stone fireplace where guests would no doubt linger, another woman was setting up a bar. Trenna had no doubt that the traffic patterns had been studied and planned in advance. Dawn was very good at what she did.
“Do you have something for me to do?”
“Talk to me and keep me from getting nervous.”
As if. Dawn was a master hostess.
“Anything else?”
