Santa in a Stetson Read online

  The car wound around one more curve in the road lined with walls of dense evergreens covered in snow. Suddenly they came upon a vale nestled between the mountains containing a fabulous western-style ranch house. Smoke curled from the chimney.

  She picked out the barn, the bunkhouses and bungalows, another house, outbuildings, pens and corrals. In the far distance, she saw the stream that crossed the property and beyond it a herd of cattle.

  “We’re home, Katy.”

  “I can see that.” She squeezed the teen’s arm. “I’ve decided the name Circle B doesn’t do this place justice. It should be called something evocative like Cloud Bottom Ranch.”

  Everyone in the car laughed, even the children’s father. He said, “Our ancestors started what was then called the Ayrshire Ranch on just six hundred acres and a little bungalow. They hoped to raise Ayrshire dairy cows, but the experiment didn’t last long.

  “Each generation of Brenners that followed bought other small parcels of land and grew crops. It got renamed the Circle B after my great-grandfather brought in Angus cattle. No one could pronounce Ayrshire properly anyway. He wanted something simple and straightforward.”

  She smiled, remembering the problems people had with names like her kidnapper Antonin Buric and the Skwars families. “Americans do have a way of slaughtering most languages.” Once again, the twins roared with laughter.

  Through the rearview mirror, she felt their father’s gaze. “As the ranch began to prosper, the Circle B stuck, but I must admit your fanciful version captures its true essence. Interestingly enough, the Sioux and Shoshone had two names for this area depending on the season. In winter they called it ‘Walkway to the Clouds.’”

  Kathryn felt a little shiver race across her skin. “How beautiful.” He nodded. “And summer?”

  “Valley of the Flowers.”

  Another Albion Basin. Just like home.

  More stuff fantasies were made of, but she was through with those. Realizing the car had stopped, she undid her seat belt and leaned across to help Allie. “I bet bed sounds good about now.”

  “It does.”

  “I thought so.”

  Matt opened the door for Kathryn while their father picked up his daughter and carried her around the end of the house. Kathryn alighted from the car with her purse. “Thanks, Matt.”

  “Sure.” He opened the trunk to get her parka and suitcase. “Follow me.”

  The two-story ranch house had been constructed of dark wood and local stone. At the back, there was a large covered veranda with picture windows facing an eastern exposure.

  Matt showed her through the door into a room to wash hands and stow boots and parkas. He hung hers on a peg, then walked her down a hall that opened into a vaulted great room dominated by the rock fireplace. On either side were huge, tall picture windows looking out on the mountains. This had to be the heart of their home.

  “I’ll take your suitcase upstairs and be right back, Katy.”

  “Thanks, Matt.”

  The comfortable brown leather couches and chairs with colorful woven throws invited her to curl up. Framed family pictures covered one wall. Her eyes wandered over the floor-to-ceiling bookcase filled with books, games and an entertainment center. Dark honey-colored hardwood floors not covered by oriental rugs gleamed in the firelight.

  She gravitated to the fire’s warmth, eager to look at every photo and examine the titles.

  “Welcome to the Circle B, Ms. McFarland. I’m Noreen Walters.”

  Kathryn swung around. The older brunette woman was probably in her fifties. Hearty-looking. Attractive. “How do you do.” She shook hands with her. “From what I hear, nobody could get along without you and your husband.”

  “That’s nice to know. How’s my girl?”

  “She’s going to be fine, but needs bed rest and liquids with her medication. I’m really superfluous, except for checking her vitals. The one thing we don’t want is to find she’s getting respiratory problems or see her temperature elevate. It’s been hovering between ninety-nine and a hundred since last night. I’m anticipating it will get back to normal by tomorrow.”

  “That little monkey fought her father about her cold.”

  “Isn’t that why they call it the terrible teens?”

  Noreen chuckled. “Do you have children?”

  “No. I’m not married. What about you?”

  A shadow marred her expression. “I had three miscarriages before we came to work for Colton.”

  Kathryn felt her pain. “Now you have two remarkable children.”

  The shadow disappeared. “Yes.”

  “I fear there are times when she thinks she has a stubborn third one.” Her host’s deep voice prompted Kathryn to turn around.

  “You mean four,” Noreen quipped. “You forgot Ed.”

  He smiled, then said, “I think we’ll plan to eat dinner around six. That should give Allie time for a good nap.”

  Noreen nodded. “If you’re hungry now, Ms. McFarland, I’ll send Matt up with a tray for you.”

  “Thank you, but I ate before we flew here. And please…call me Katy.”

  “I will,” she said before leaving the room.

  “While we’re on the subject of names, mine is Colt.”

  It suited him down to the last irreverent tendril curling against his neck.

  Kathryn had discovered that without the Stetson, he had a head of shocking black hair whose ends wanted to wave. The arrangement of hard-boned features made him a striking man. Brows of the same black shade framed his eyes. They were the color of spring grass and looked translucent in the fire’s glow.

  His eyes took swift inventory of her. She could hardly breathe.

  Without conscious thought her gaze drifted over the rest of him. He wore a long-sleeved, plaid flannel shirt in blues and greens. The hem was tucked into jeans that molded powerful thighs. His hard-muscled physique revealed a man who kept fit in the outdoors.

  There was an aura about him, a mental toughness and discipline she’d sensed beneath the male veneer. You didn’t trifle with a man like him.

  Allie knew it. She’d been raised by him.

  Kathryn no longer questioned why his daughter had been afraid to call him from the hospital. Yet her reason for disappointing him had to have been so compelling that she’d been willing to risk it.

  Though the subject hadn’t been brought up by the twins or their father, Kathryn suspected this situation had everything to do with their mother. No one had talked about her or mentioned her, but it was clear Colt Brenner’s woman—whether she’d been his wife or not, whether she was alive or not—was the elephant in the room.

  “I need to take Allie’s vitals. I’ll just get the things I need out of my suitcase.”

  “The twins’ bedrooms are on the next floor,” Colt said. “The upstairs guest bedroom is between them. I’ll show you.”

  She followed him to the foyer and up the staircase to the next floor. He moved with natural male grace. Aware her thoughts were too concentrated on him, she looked around her. The interior was an amalgamation of refined rustic and contemporary design. “You’ve created the perfect mountain home.”

  “Thank you. We used to live in the original house on the property. Now Noreen and Ed live there.”

  He opened the door to her room, which was decorated in earth tones with hardwood floors. She found her suitcase at the end of the queen-size bed covered with a patchwork quilt. After retrieving the bag inside it, she accompanied him to the bedroom on the left.

  Matt was spread across the end of Allie’s queen talking to his sister. It reminded her of the way Kathryn’s brothers sometimes did that with her.

  “Hi!” they said in unison. Matt stood up.

  The sunny room with accents of blue and white delighted her. She moved to the side of the bed and sat down. “Shall we get this over with? Then you can rest.”

  Kathryn listened to her lungs with her stethoscope. They sounded clear. Her blood pressure
was normal. Her pulse was a little fast; that didn’t surprise her. Allie had expended extra energy for the flight.

  She slipped the digital thermometer under her arm. After it beeped she read, “Ninety-nine!” Kathryn flashed her a smile. “You’re going to live.” She could tell her pronouncement relieved Colt.

  Someone had put a pitcher of water and a glass on the side table. She got up and poured a full glass before handing her the pills she needed to take. “Drink all of it.”

  “Okay.”

  After she swallowed them, Kathryn asked, “Have you been to the bathroom?”

  “Dad helped me.” Her brown eyes darted to her father. “Could I call Jen first?”

  He shook his dark head. “She phoned earlier today and I told her you’d get in touch with her tomorrow.” In a surprise move, he reached into her bottom dresser drawer and pulled out a cell phone. “I’ll turn this on in case you need to phone me.” Colt put it on her side table.

  If Kathryn wasn’t mistaken, Allie looked guilty about her phone. She’d obviously hidden it before leaving for Salt Lake. At least the thief hadn’t gotten hold of it when he’d taken her purse. “Is she mad at me?”

  “I think it’s more of a case of her being mad at herself for going along with you.”

  Allie averted her eyes. “I’ll apologize to her.”

  “I think that better include her parents.”

  “I bet they hate me.” Kathryn detected a tremor in her voice.

  “Not their daughter’s best friend,” Colt assured her with a kiss on the cheek. “Sleep tight, honey.”

  Kathryn gathered up her bag and the three of them left the room. Colt turned to her. “There’s an en suite bathroom in your room. After you’ve freshened up, feel free to come downstairs and watch TV or do whatever you’d like. I have work to do, but I’ll ask Noreen to make you coffee or tea, whichever you prefer.”

  “If you have a cola, I’d like that.”

  “I’ll get it for you,” Matt offered.

  “Thanks. I’ll be down in a minute.”

  The second she found herself alone and closed the door, her breath came rushing out. Until just now she hadn’t realized she’d been holding it. There was no one to blame but Colt Brenner for her body’s uncharacteristic reaction.

  Afraid to dwell on thoughts of him, she put her bag down and reached for the phone to call her mother because she’d promised. When her mom didn’t answer, she left a message on her voice mail that she’d arrived safely.

  After she hung up, she saw that she’d received several work messages and one from Maggie. Her pulse raced, fearing something might be wrong. Kathryn phoned her immediately, anxious to hear her sister’s voice. “Kathryn?”

  “Maggie? What’s happened?”

  “Why nothing. I’m driving through Federal Heights right now, but couldn’t wait to talk to you.”

  Kathryn frowned. “About what?”

  “You know what. I was the one who opened the plane door. I stood right behind you when Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome reached for his daughter. My jaw must have dropped a foot. It’s a good thing Jake didn’t see my reaction.”

  Heat crept into Kathryn’s cheeks.

  “Cat got your tongue? I thought so. When you find it, call me back.”

  Click.

  Oh, Maggie. If only it were that simple…

  He was spectacular all right, but there was layer after complicated layer to Colt Brenner, the man.

  On the surface she understood the protective father and successful rancher, yet already Kathryn had picked up on negative vibes he sent out.

  Her radar had been fine-tuned in Wisconsin. She was good at reading what was going on in other people’s heads. She’d had to be after having been passed around to different homes month after month, year after year.

  No one had wanted the little girl who’d been dumped on them at the farm, but they did their duty. She’d been tolerated and taken care of, but she’d been the proverbial rolling stone, gathering no moss.

  The same thing was happening to her now, only this time it was Colt Brenner doing his duty. For his daughter’s sake, he was tolerating Kathryn, taking care of her needs, but he didn’t like being dumped on. Allie’s behavior had placed him in an impossible position.

  Allie had put Kathryn in an impossible position, too!

  What Colt didn’t realize was that Kathryn didn’t like it, either, but she didn’t take his hostility personally. Through years of dealing with similar situations on the farm, she’d learned not to do that because she understood those families had no vested interest in her. She was a temporary encumbrance until the end of the month when she was happily shifted to someone else’s household.

  Her only comfort had come from playing with the youngest children, who were more accepting of her presence in their lives. Unlike the adults, they didn’t see her as an intrusion. She knew Matt Brenner didn’t see her that way.

  During the rest of her stay here, she’d befriend him. If he was still downstairs, she’d ask him to help her do one of those puzzles she’d seen on the shelf. Besides hard work and her fantasizing, books and puzzles had helped save her life growing up.

  IT HAD GROWN DARK on the way back from the lower pasture. Colt had driven there to haul more feed, but as it turned out, the trip hadn’t been necessary. His stockmen had taken care of it.

  He’d used the excuse of work to bolt from the house. Sixteen years ago, he’d been a naive twenty-year-old who’d gotten sidetracked by a woman’s magic and didn’t suspect the ugliness of what it masked until it was too late.

  Never again.

  The lights from the ranch house beckoned him. While he’d been gone, the wind had picked up. It brought snow flurries portending the storm that had moved in over the mountains. On nights like this, he always experienced a warm feeling of homecoming, but tonight he was aware of an added element because she was inside.

  Colt ground his teeth. He wanted Ms. McFarland out of his house and off his land.

  The scene that greeted him as he walked in the great room a few minutes later was so domestic and cozy, it caused an upheaval inside him.

  “Hey, Dad? Come and look! Now that you’re back you can help us put my puzzle of Brett Favre together.” Favre was Matt’s hero. Allie had bought him the thousand-piece version of the pro quarterback wearing his Vikings jersey and helmet after his football banquet. Colt had planned to work on it with the kids this weekend.

  Their guest’s hair gleamed like spun gold in the firelight. She seemed to be concentrating hard. In fact, she didn’t look up as he walked over to the card table Matt had set up in front of the fireplace. For some reason, it set off a rare burst of anger he needed to squelch. “First I need to check on Allie.”

  “Katy did it a little while ago. She was still asleep.”

  A pair of blue eyes flicked his way. They looked as hot as the fire, yet Kathryn’s response was degrees cooler. “You don’t need to be concerned. So far she’s holding her own.”

  He took a fortifying breath. “That’s good to hear. I’ll let Noreen know I’m back so she can put dinner on.”

  “Allie shouldn’t come downstairs before tomorrow. To save Noreen the trouble, maybe you and Matt could take a plate up to her room and eat with her?”

  “What are you going to do?” Matt voiced the question on Colt’s mind.

  “I’ll go up and get her ready, then I have some business to do over the phone. Later on, I’ll come down to the kitchen. But if it will put Noreen out…”

  “Why would it?” Colt blurted before he realized he was sounding terse again. “While you’re here, treat this house as your own.”

  “Thank you.” She got up from the chair. “I’ll help you finish this later, Matt.”

  “Great!”

  Colt tried not to watch her leave the room, but the way she moved on those long legs mesmerized him. It didn’t matter what she wore or the way she did her hair. She was a knockout, but he knew so much more lay beneath
the surface of Ms. McFarland once you got past her initial beauty.

  “She knows almost as much about football as a guy. She says her dad lives for the NFL games.” Was that a fact. “She likes college football better, though. The Utes are her favorite team.”

  “Well, they would be, wouldn’t they? Coming from Utah?” He headed for the kitchen. Matt followed.

  “Yeah, except she says a lot of people like the BYU. They hate each other, especially because the Utes made the BCS twice. Her dad took her to the game they won against Alabama. Isn’t that cool? She said her favorite player was Paul Kruger. He went to the NFL and plays for the Jets.”

  Colt couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard his son this chatty. They found Noreen. “We’re going to eat upstairs with Allie.” He pulled three plates from the cupboard.

  “What about Katy?”

  “She’ll come down for something later,” Matt explained before Colt could get a word in edgewise. “She’s got work to do.”

  “What kind of work?”

  “I don’t know. She helps people.”

  Noreen was waiting for a more substantial answer. Colt started serving up the enchiladas. “Ms. McFarland works for the patient advocacy program at the hospital in Salt Lake.”

  “Imagine them flying her here with Allie. It’s a huge expense.”

  Matt got some sodas out of the fridge. “She says she’s a specialty nurse, kind of like some people have their own sports trainer.”

  Colt had trouble believing any of this had happened. “Have we got everything?”

  “Yup. Let’s go. I’m starving!”

  “Thanks, Noreen,” Colt murmured. “This looks delicious. Isn’t Ed eating?”

  “He’ll be here in a minute. Let’s hope Allie’s hungry.”

  Colt put everything on a tray. Matt brought the drinks and they left the kitchen. At the top of the stairs he saw light beneath the closed door of the guest bedroom. He had to give Katy full marks for doing her job and being unobtrusive.

  When he walked in Allie’s room, she was sitting up in bed with the light on waiting for them. “Hi, honey. How are you feeling?”