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“Dinner’s at six-thirty,” Finn said. “Tuna casserole.”
“Hot damn. I’ll be back in time.” He left them, rounded the truck and climbed in behind the wheel, but he didn’t pull away until the Christmas lights had winked out. Only then did the muscles in his neck and shoulders relax. Disaster averted.
The road into Sheridan had been recently plowed so he made good time, accompanied by the sultry voice of Amethyst Ferguson on his truck stereo. In his opinion she sounded way better than Katy Perry or Taylor Swift, but then again, he could be prejudiced. And he still hadn’t decided what to do about her. Initially he’d planned to send her a text saying he’d be in town for a few days, but then he’d reconsidered.
He’d be busy with his foster family and she’d probably be busy with her folks, too, assuming she wasn’t performing somewhere. If she happened to be out of town that would settle his dilemma, but he couldn’t find that out without contacting her. He’d hate knowing she was here only to discover that family obligations would prevent them from having any private time.
And that’s what he was hoping for. Last summer she’d had a gig at a resort in Jackson Hole and he’d caught her final show. Because he hadn’t seen her since their PG-rated dates in high school, he’d invited her for drinks afterward. Sure enough, they’d reignited the spark and had spent the rest of the night in her hotel room.
The sex had been super hot, but they’d agreed that her budding career, his demanding schedule and the miles between Sheridan and Jackson Hole would keep them from meeting on a regular basis. They’d made no definite plans. If she had another gig in Jackson Hole she’d let him know, and if he paid a visit to his foster parents he’d give her a shout.
But this was a special holiday, not some random long weekend. He hadn’t spent Christmas at the Last Chance in years due to his rookie status at the fire station. Finally he could look forward to celebrating with his foster parents and any foster brothers who showed up.
That could turn into a crowd. Because of the holidays, the Thunder Mountain Academy students had cleared out of the log cabins down in the meadow. Finn and Chelsea had likely claimed one and Jake had figured on taking another one but that left two more plus guest rooms in the ranch house.
Although his foster mom used to make a big pot of vegetable soup on Christmas Eve, she’d told him on the phone that she’d decided to have a buffet this year. But the tradition of opening presents after the meal would continue as always. Christmas Day was filled with card games, basketball on TV, snowball fights in the yard and a turkey dinner. He didn’t want to miss any of that.
On the other hand, he’d thought about Amethyst fairly often during these past few months. He’d downloaded all of her music and played it quite a bit. The prospect of seeing her again affected his pulse rate. Imagining another night like they’d spent last summer sent all his blood south.
Yeah, he had a little fixation going on when it came to Amethyst Ferguson, whereas she might have put him right out of her mind. Besides, she’d mentioned sharing a house with her sister and he’d be at the ranch with a whole lot of people around. The cabins were set up with bunk beds, so even if he invited Amethyst to spend the night with him, it wouldn’t be the luxurious and intimate setup they’d had in Jackson Hole.
He should probably forget trying to connect with her and concentrate on enjoying his first Christmas home in years. While Jackson looked great for the holidays, Sheridan had its own small-town charm. He’d always loved how the old-fashioned lampposts looked when they were decorated. As he’d predicted, the hardware store was still open. The extension cords should be in stock but he wondered if the lights would be picked over. If so, they’d just make do with fewer lights.
He found a parking spot and pulled in. Last-minute shoppers with colorful Christmas bags hurried along the sidewalk. He was glad for an excuse to come into town and be part of the bustling scene. Thanks to his foster parents and his years at Thunder Mountain, he’d learned to love the season.
Displays of gift ideas dominated the front of the store and he paused to look at a selection of smoke alarms. Last time he’d visited the ranch he’d worried that the ones in the house weren’t top of the line. If he bought these for the folks, then he wouldn’t have to announce that the extension cords were his gift and Cade could save face. Matter of fact, he could buy smoke alarms for everyone on his list. An extra one was always helpful and then he wouldn’t have to come back into town tomorrow to Christmas shop.
“Typical fireman, mesmerized by the beauty of smoke alarms.”
He turned around and there stood Amethyst with a smile on her face and a sparkle of laughter in her blue eyes. She wore a red knit cap pulled over her dark hair and a red coat with a furry collar. His heart kicked into high gear and he couldn’t think of a single thing to say.
“Thought you could sneak into town, did you?” There was a teasing note in her voice.
He remembered how she liked to tease, especially in bed. “No! I was going to contact you, but then I thought about your family and how you probably wouldn’t have time, so—”
“I understand.” Her gaze gentled. “I was kidding you. It’s not like we had an ironclad agreement. Christmas is busy.”
“But I’d love to spend time with you.” He couldn’t help saying it. She looked more beautiful than ever and he had vivid memories of how she felt in his arms. He wanted her there again.
“I’d love to spend time with you, too.” The flicker of awareness in her eyes sent an unmistakable message.
It went straight to his groin. “But I don’t know when. Tonight’s out. I just got here.”
“I couldn’t anyway. Family dinner.”
“And tomorrow night’s Christmas Eve. That’s a big deal at the ranch. Maybe you’d like to come out there?”
“That’s a possibility. Our big celebration is on Christmas Day. But I’d need to check with my folks and see what’s planned. You know how it is.”
“Absolutely. That’s why I didn’t contact you. I knew it could be dicey.”
“True, but there has to be some free time.” She brightened. “Maybe tomorrow during the day?”
He was encouraged by her eagerness to see him. “I have some stuff to do with the guys in the morning, but how about tomorrow afternoon? If you’d be willing to drive out to the ranch in the early afternoon, we could—” He thought fast. “Go for a sleigh ride. How about that?”
“Sounds like fun! What time?”
“Let’s say around two. That’ll give me time to get the sleigh hitched up.” And find one somewhere. Thunder Mountain didn’t have one, but surely someone in the area would. A sleigh ride down the snowy Forest Service road sounded like a terrific holiday idea—lots of blankets and maybe some privacy.
“Great. I’ll be there. Listen, I have to go. I saw you walk in here and followed you so I could say hi, but my sister’s coming into town tonight and—”
“Coming into town? I thought she was living with you.”
“Not anymore. I have another woman sharing the house.”
“Oh.” That didn’t help.
“But she’s gone for the holidays.”
That perked him up fast. “Is that right?”
Amethyst laughed. “You should see your face.”
“Sorry. It’s just that—”
“I know.” Merriment danced in her blue eyes. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Maybe we can work something out.” Grabbing his arm for balance, she stood on tiptoe and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth. “See you then.” She turned and left the store.
He wasn’t sure how long he stood there gazing after her while his fevered brain processed her brief but potent kiss and the information about her absent roommate. Okay, so she had to be with her family during the bulk of the holiday, but at some point she’d go home to bed. He’d be with his peeps at Thunder Mountain, but once everyone was sleeping, it wouldn’t matter whether he was there or not.
“Sir, can I help you with something?”
He snapped out of his daze and turned toward the hardware store clerk. “Yes, you sure can. For starters I’ll take...let me see...seven of these smoke alarms and if you have holiday bags to put them in that would be great.” Now that he’d be seeing Amethyst he might as well get her one.
The clerk stacked them into the crook of his arm. “I’ll take these up to the counter. Our store bags have a little holly on them.”
“That’ll do. I also need several outdoor extension cords and whatever LED Christmas lights you have left.”
“We moved all the cords and lights to the Christmas decoration section against the far wall.”
“Thanks.”
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Do you know anyone with a sleigh for rent?”
“You mean like a business that provides sleigh rides? I think one of the guest ranches is offering—”
“No, not the whole ride. I have access to a horse. I just need the sleigh.”
“Then I’m afraid I don’t know anybody. Sorry.”
“No problem. Just thought I’d ask.” He wasn’t worried. Somebody would have a sleigh he could use. Amethyst was in town and eager to spend time with him. Christmas had just become a whole lot more festive.
2 (#ufcc001ab-7ea1-5b22-93af-8c71063a0220)
AMETHYST DROVE TO her parents’ house singing at the top of her lungs. She couldn’t wait to tell Sapphire that Jake Ramsey was in town. Her sister was the only person on the planet besides Jake who knew about that hot night in Jackson Hole. Talking about it, when it might never happen again, seemed like a mistake. Sapphire had promised to keep it to herself.
Ah, but Amethyst had so hoped it would happen again. She had a gig in Jackson Hole for New Year’s Eve and she’d planned to contact him. She’d decided to wait until the last minute, though, in case he was off duty and had a date for New Year’s. What they’d shared didn’t fit in the category of dating and that made it twenty times more exciting.
But she’d been aware that he could meet someone in Jackson Hole who didn’t have big dreams of a recording contract and was willing to work around his shifts at the fire station. Amethyst didn’t want to stand in the way of him getting his happily-ever-after even though she wasn’t in the market.
He hadn’t found anyone, though, or he wouldn’t have asked her to come out to the ranch for a sleigh ride. The boy she’d known in high school and the man she’d enjoyed one scorching night with wasn’t a cheater. Far from it. With his sun-bleached hair, green eyes and firefighter physique he was the all-American good guy.
She was a little surprised that some woman in Jackson Hole hadn’t snapped him up, but since no one had, she hoped to make use of whatever stolen moments were available while he was here. A sleigh ride into a snowy landscape dotted with pine trees and devoid of people was a good start.
Grady Magee’s truck in her parents’ driveway told her that he and Sapphire had arrived from Cody. Amethyst was thrilled for her sister, a talented ceramic artist who’d vowed never to become involved with a creative guy again after several debacles. But Grady, whose recycled metal sculptures had taken the art world by storm, had changed her mind.
Coincidentally, Grady and his older brother Liam had also lived at Thunder Mountain for a couple of years while their mom had recovered from a debilitating car accident. Grady had been at the ranch when Jake had lived there, so as she parked behind Grady’s truck she decided to immediately mention seeing Jake instead of waiting for a private chat with Sapphire. Come to think of it, Grady and Sapphire might be going to Thunder Mountain for Christmas Eve. Maybe she could tag along.
Dinner with five imaginative people at the table was lively. Clearly, Amethyst’s mom, Sheridan High School’s art teacher, and her dad, who’d had his own jazz band for years, had welcomed Grady into the fold. Amethyst could see why.
Unlike the other artists Sapphire had dated, he obviously fed her creativity instead of stifling it. Tonight she was 100 percent herself. Her clothes were vibrantly colored and a hand-carved comb held back her auburn hair to show off beaded earrings that dangled to her shoulders. Best of all, every time she looked at Grady her face glowed, so moving to Cody and working in Grady’s renovated barn must agree with her.
Conversation flowed so fast that Amethyst didn’t have a chance to mention Jake until they were having dessert, chocolate lava cake that was a family favorite.
Grady heaped praise on the dessert. “I could live on this.”
“Me, too.” Amethyst scooped up another spoonful of cake and syrup. “Before I fall into a sugar-induced coma, though, I wanted to tell you that I met Jake Ramsey in town just before I drove here.”
Sapphire’s eyes widened. “Oh, really?”
“Yep.” Amethyst sent her a warning glance. “We bumped into each other in the hardware store.”
“Jake’s home for Christmas?” Grady’s happy smile was one of his many endearing traits. “I didn’t know he was coming back. That’s terrific.”
“I remember Jake from when you dated him,” her mother said. “Nice boy, although he always seemed a little quiet for you.”
“He was sort of shy back then. Not as much now.” She didn’t dare look at Sapphire, who had barely managed to cover a snort of laughter with a cough.
“I haven’t seen him in forever,” Grady said. “By the time I came back from working that pipeline job in Alaska he’d hired on with the fire department over in Jackson Hole. Did he say if he was still at that job?”
“I believe he is.”
“I’ll bet firefighting’s a good fit for him. We used to tease him about his overdeveloped sense of responsibility. He didn’t pull pranks like the rest of us. Anyway, it’ll be great to see him. Always liked the guy.”
Amethyst could feel her mother’s assessing gaze. No doubt she was remembering the gig in Jackson Hole and wondering if there was more to the story than met the eye, especially after Sapphire’s “Oh, really?” comment. Jane Ferguson was no fool and when it came to her daughters she seemed to know when a romance was in the making.
But this time her radar was off because there was no romance. Lust, definitely. But romance suggested a soft-focus ending to the story and Amethyst had no interest in that. She was hoping that a talent scout or someone with connections in the music industry would show up at one of her gigs. With luck, that could lead to a recording contract and a move to LA. Marriage and a family didn’t fit in with that dream.
After the meal Sapphire offered to clean up the kitchen and recruited Amethyst to help for old times’ sake. The minute they were alone she lowered her voice. “So? Did you know about this visit?”
“I didn’t, and when I saw him in town I thought that meant he wasn’t interested anymore. But you know how I am—can’t just let something go. So I followed him into the store to find out for sure if he was deliberately ignoring me.”
“And?”
“He’s still interested.” As she remembered the gleam in his eyes when he’d learned her roommate was gone, she couldn’t hold back a grin.
“Then why didn’t he contact you?”
“It’s Christmas. He has family stuff. I have family stuff.”
Sapphire nodded. “Makes sense. But surely you can work something out.” She peered at her. “You want to, right?”
“You bet I do. You should have seen him standing there looking all rugged in his sheepskin coat and Stetson. Those green eyes are killer. I was ready to attack him on the spot.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“For starters he invited me out to the ranch for a sleigh ride tomorrow afternoon.”
“You mean a sleigh ride or a sleigh ride?” Sapphire wiggled her fingers to make air quotes.
“That’s tough to say with so many people around. Besides, it doesn’t matter. I let it drop that Arlene is out of town for the holidays.”
“She is?” Sapphire clapped her hand over her mouth and glanced at the kitchen doorway. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I think Mom already knows something’s going on.”
“Probably. It’s my fault. I didn’t expect you to suddenly announce that your red-hot lover boy was in town.”
“I wasn’t going to. Then I remembered that he and Grady lived at Thunder Mountain at the same time, so I felt obligated to mention it.”
“Absolutely. Grady’s always thrilled when he gets a chance to connect with some of his foster brothers. Anyway, that’s fabulous news about Arlene being gone.”
“She’s a good roommate. Not as good as you, but we get along and she pays her share of the rent on time.”
“I worried that she’d talk you to death. When I worked with her at the Art Barn co-op she was quite the chatterbox. Sweet, but extremely verbal.”
Amethyst smiled. “She is, but I love her work and she’s given me a gorgeous watercolor of the Bighorns that I put in my bedroom. Whenever she carries on too long, I suddenly have to record another track for my next album and I scoot upstairs to my studio. Like I said, we get along.”
“I’m glad. And she had the good sense to be out of town at a critical moment in your personal life.”
“No kidding. Anyway, I need to go home tonight and put clean sheets on the bed and spruce up the place a little.”
“Like he’ll care. Hey, listen, I know hanging out in a crowd with your studmuffin isn’t optimal, but Grady and I are going over to Thunder Mountain tomorrow night for their Christmas Eve celebration if you want to come along. We could—oh, wait, I just remembered something. There’s a cat. His name’s Ringo. I’ll bet Jake’s forgotten about your allergies.”
“Is Ringo indoor or outdoor?”
“Both. He has a bed in the kitchen. I don’t think he gets on the furniture in the house, but still, you don’t want to go out there and start sneezing your head off.”
