The Rancher’s Unexpected Gift Read online

  She'd moved to the desk, lifting stacks of file folders to dust beneath, when movement from the doorway startled her.

  "Who"—the stack slid from her fingers at the startling sharp voice—"are you?"

  She tried to grab for it, but the stack slipped out of her reach. She watched it tumble in slow motion, scattering papers and folders across the floor at her feet.

  "I'm so sorry," she stammered.

  "What are you doing in here?" Cash demanded, striding into the room.

  "Cleaning," she said as she squatted, reaching for the nearest paper. What a disaster. Papers had escaped from their folders, and she had no idea what order they should be returned to.

  "Stop," he ordered. "I'll fix it."

  He knelt over the pile from the corner of the desk, effectively blocking her in.

  "I'm really sorry." She left off trying to pick up the papers when he gave her a scathing glare.

  But she had to try to fix this.

  He flipped over a sheet of paper, put it on top of the desk.

  "If you tell me what you're looking for,” she said, “I can help set them out."

  His frown only grew deeper. He didn't look up from his sorting. "This is confidential correspondence."

  It wasn't like she'd asked to sit here and read it.

  She shifted, not knowing whether she should attempt to climb over the desk and finish dusting, or keep trying to help. He didn't seem to want her help.

  "I think it'd be best if you left," he said. "Does Mallory know you're in here?"

  Mallory had sent her!

  Delaney stifled the sharp reply that wanted to escape. Be discreet. Apologize. Grovel.

  No doubt Mama would be at the groveling stage right now, but dropping the papers had been an accident. Delaney swallowed the defensive words rising in her throat.

  "I'm not finished with the room." She made a lame gesture at the overfull trashcan.

  He pulled the rest of the pile into his huge hands and stood. "Yes, you are. I've got things to do. And now a mess to clean up."

  "So do I," she said under her breath.

  His head came up sharply. Uh-oh. Had he heard her?

  "I'll be quick,” she said. “You won't even notice I'm here." She put the most conciliatory tone possible in her voice. She clasped her hands in front of her to hide their trembling. This was a disaster.

  "No."

  Her pulse pounded like a drum in her ears at his curt answer.

  "Mr. Trudeau—"

  "Get out."

  He still wasn't even looking at her, and now her temper sparked. "Sir—"

  "Get out. Unless you'd like to be let go."

  Her temper fired hotter. "It's Christmas Eve. You'd fire me on Christmas Eve over an accident?"

  He turned his back to her, bending over the desk as he continued to sort the papers.

  Think about Evan.

  Furious tears burned behind her nose. Her mind raced frantically. What would Mama do? Mama would've never lost her temper in the first place. Would never be in this position.

  Oh, crap. Crap, crap, crapity crap.

  "Sir, I really—" need this job.

  "We're done here," he said, his back still to her. "Don't come back."

  Just thinking about the humiliating events of the afternoon sparked Delaney's temper anew.

  What right did he have to fire her? As far as she was concerned, she’d worked for Mallory.

  Plus, she hadn't been doing anything wrong. She'd been following Mallory's orders, for goodness sake!

  So what if she'd knocked over a pile of papers. That was fixable. Nothing was ruined.

  And the fact that he didn't even remember...!

  She could practically feel steam rising out of the top of her head. Thinking about Evan, about her careful plan for the evening, didn't help either.

  Cash was just behind her. Pulling in closer, if the tingles up her spine were any indication.

  "Who're you looking for?" He was close enough that his words brushed her ear with warm breath. He didn't touch her again.

  "Your sister."

  Why had she blurted that? The second they ran into Mallory, Cash would discover her true identity.

  But a glance over her shoulder showed Cash's eyes narrow before his expression cleared. "Not sure you'll find her tonight. She's a woman on a mission."

  What did that mean?

  "Maybe I can help you."

  I don't need your help.

  The words were right on the tip of her tongue, but for some reason she didn't reject his offer outright.

  He was still looking at her with blatant interest. Nothing predatory like the sleazy guy from earlier. Just open interest.

  And the memory of how cruelly he'd treated her earlier was still bouncing around the inside of her head.

  Along with an idea.

  A really crazy, far-fetched idea.

  He'd made her feel so powerless, so small.

  What if she could make him feel the same? Get revenge?

  It wasn't a charitable thought.

  It wasn't something she'd normally ever consider.

  But she was worn out. Exhausted. Angry. And it was Christmas Eve.

  She wasn't even sure if she could pull it off. She was already shocked that Cash couldn't see through her flimsy disguise—bangs brushed back into her hair, really?—and she'd never purposely tried to make somebody fall for her.

  But as she imagined him pulling her in for a goodnight kiss and then rebuffing him, laughing in his face... an evil, Grinch-like laugh bubbled up from somewhere inside her. She barely contained it.

  He deserved it after how he'd treated her.

  And she deserved the satisfaction, didn't she? For all the times she'd been invisible.

  She'd never tried to be coy before. But she tilted her head and let herself gaze at him as if she were just as interested as he was.

  She saw the subtle surprise that widened his eyes and then the warmth that sparked there.

  "I'll find Mallory later. Are you going to ask me to dance?"

  Cash didn't know the reason for Delaney's abrupt about-face, but a moment later she was in his arms on the dance floor, and he didn’t care what had changed her mind.

  She was curved in all the right places, and he felt on fire where his hand touched her waist. He clasped her other hand, resisting the urge to pull her closer. The musical quartet played a mellow version of Silver Bells. His new favorite song.

  "I know you didn't grow up in Sawyer Creek," he said. "Where are you from?"

  "I grew up in Galveston."

  "A beach babe."

  Her nose crinkled adorably. "Not really. My family—we didn't have a lot of time to lounge on the beach."

  The song changed to something even slower—a rendition of Silent Night—and he used the opportunity to snug her closer in his arms.

  She didn't resist.

  Her head tilted to one side as she looked up at him. "What was it like, growing up on the Double Cross?"

  He didn't even have to think about it. He'd had a movie-perfect childhood and he knew it. "It was great. I learned to ride when I was three. Do you ride?"

  She shook her head.

  "What? You live in Sawyer Creek and don't ride?"

  "I can ride a bike, a motorcycle, even a unicycle," she said proudly. "But I don't know one end of a horse from the other."

  He chuckled. "I'd bet you'd figure it out real quick. We should go sometime. Riding."

  She shrugged, her attention caught by something across the room. Her glance slid away, over his shoulder for a moment, which allowed him to gaze at her face. She had one freckle by the corner of her mouth. He had the strongest urge to kiss it.

  "My dad took my mom horseback riding for their first date," he said.

  Her gaze returned to his, a shadow passing behind her eyes.

  His stomach tumbled, and he wondered if maybe he shouldn't have brought his parents into the conversation. Some people weren't comfortab
le talking about them.

  He was fine, though. He rarely got caught by an unexpected wave of grief anymore.

  "We should go riding sometime," he said again.

  A tiny line appeared in the middle of her forehead. "I thought you were moving to Austin."

  His surprise must've shown on his face. He'd been keeping the move under his hat—or so he’d thought.

  "Mallory," he mumbled. His sister had a big mouth.

  Delaney flushed, that delicate skin on her collarbone turning pink. "Don't blame her. I... Sometimes I overhear things. I don't gossip," she said quickly.

  Her flush spread faster.

  She intrigued him.

  He wanted—needed to see her again.

  "My plans in Austin aren't a lock," he said as the music ended. It must be the end of a set, because a new song didn't immediately start up.

  Around them, couples separated and clapped for the musicians.

  He let her go, his hands experiencing a strange feeling of emptiness, a wrongness that traveled all the way up his arms.

  Her eyes skittered away. Was she still looking for Mallory? Whatever she needed, he wanted to help her. Then she would be free to focus on him.

  It was purely selfish, but he didn't care.

  He felt alive again, because of Delaney.

  "Yoo-hoo! Ca-ash."

  He felt Delaney pull away at the same time someone called for him. He reached out and snagged her hand before she could disappear into the crowd.

  This time, she didn't demand he stop touching her, though he could feel tension radiating through her.

  He turned to face Mrs. Jefferson and her husband, an older couple who'd been friends with his parents.

  "Hello, dear." Mrs. J bussed both his cheeks with a kiss, her cloying perfume settling over him in a cloud. "The light dusting we were supposed to get is turning into a blizzard, so I thought we'd better come say hi and then skedaddle."

  The older woman patted his shoulder and moved back so that Mr. J could shake his hand.

  He felt Delaney's tension in the clench of her hand. Was the snowstorm worrying her?

  He let her go only to shake Jefferson's hand quickly, then reclaimed her hand. Where her fingers had been curled against his before, now her palm was damp and limp.

  And he was being rude. He'd get the introductions over and when the couple left, he'd reassure her about the roads. If conditions were bad, she could just stay the night here.

  They could talk all night long. Get to know each other. Even take advantage of the mistletoe Mallory had strung strategically throughout the house.

  Problem solved.

  He felt the corners of his mouth lifting as he inclined his head to her. "Do you guys know Delaney?" He suddenly realized she still hadn't given him her last name. But he also didn't want to make things awkward for her. "Delaney, Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson were friends of my parents."

  Mrs. J wore a look of confusion.

  "We're acquainted," Delaney said quickly. She tried to tug her hand away, but he didn't let go.

  Mrs. J's eagle-eyed gaze honed in on their connected hands. Delaney seemed to shrink under the piercing gaze.

  "I didn't realize you were working tonight, dear," Mrs. J said.

  "I'm not." Delaney responded tightly. The tension she'd carried when he'd first come upon her in the ballroom returned.

  What was going on? Working? Was she a caterer or something?

  "I really have to—" Delaney pulled hard enough that it was going to cause a scene if he didn't let her go.

  He released her hand.

  Felt her slip away even as he stayed rooted in place because of the manners his mama had trained into him.

  "Cash, do you know who that is?" Mrs. J asked.

  He shrugged. "Some friend of Mallory's."

  Mrs. J shook her head slightly. "No, she's—"

  "Larry just texted me.” Her husband looked up from his cell phone. “Bridge over the Coon Creek is slick as all get out. We gotta get home."

  Mrs. J nodded but looked back to Cash, concern written all over her face. "Talk to Mallory before you dance with that girl again."

  What?

  He didn't know what was going on, but he didn't let anyone butt into his personal life.

  He also wouldn't make a scene. He made himself smile politely, and the couple took their leave.

  He spun on his heel, scanning for Delaney.

  Who, of course, had disappeared.

  Chapter 3

  Delaney stood in one of the six guest suites. She'd left the light out. She hadn't been cleaning in here today, which meant her wedding ring wasn't in here.

  She'd just needed a place to hide, and the bedroom had been just down the hall from the party.

  What was she doing?

  Being an idiot, obviously.

  She'd allowed herself to get distracted. By Cash.

  What had she been thinking, trying to prove something?

  All she'd proved was her own idiocy.

  The way he'd held her during those two dances... The way he'd looked at her!

  It was heady, having that much intensity directed at her.

  We should go riding sometime.

  Her grand—hasty—plan to humiliate the man had been forgotten because of his smoky gaze. She'd been lapping it up like a thirsty puppy. Flattered by his interest. Considered saying yes to his invitation to go riding.

  Until the Jeffersons had approached and reality had crashed around her.

  Do you know Delaney?

  Why, yes. She cleans our house. Scrubs our toilets and picks up the trash we’re too lazy to pick up. Does the jobs no one else wants to do.

  She'd run before her little charade was revealed. She'd wanted to humiliate Cash, but the joke was on her. Now he'd know just who he'd been holding in his arms. Who he’d been smiling at as if she were the only person in the world.

  And she was the one suffering humiliation. Again.

  She shouldn't have let herself get distracted. She'd forgotten the one thing that mattered.

  Get the ring.

  Get out.

  Forget about Cash and the warmth in his eyes when he'd looked at her.

  The bedroom door opened, a rectangle of light spilling on the floor.

  For one heart-pounding moment, she had the wild thought that Cash had come to find her. Would he confront her again, kick her out?

  But it was a slight woman who slipped into the room, closing the door behind her.

  She didn't turn on the lights.

  Delaney knew the room's layout and had stationed herself across from the hallway door, nearer the bathroom.

  She heard movement, the other woman's dress rustling. Then a small cry.

  Whoever it was had knocked into the bed. Delaney knew the sharp metal frame beneath the fluffy coverlet, because she'd banged her knee on it before.

  "Ouch. Are you okay?" Delaney asked.

  There was a beat of silence.

  "Yeah. I'm f-fine." The woman's voice broke.

  Delaney felt a stirring of compassion.

  She stepped to the attached bathroom and flipped on the light, lighting the room peripherally.

  Sometimes the overhead light was too much. Didn't she know it?

  The woman sniffed, hiding her face in her hands. Poor soul.

  Delaney stepped into the bathroom, Sierra's pinchy heels tapping on the tiled floor. She retrieved some tissues from the box where she'd artfully folded the top tissue two days ago.

  When she returned to the bedroom, the woman was still right where she'd been before. The soft light illuminated a stunning red dress and heels.

  But the dejected set of the other woman's shoulders told it all.

  "Th-thanks," she whispered when Delaney handed her the tissues.

  Red Dress sat on the end of the bed, dissolving into tears.

  Crud. Had Delaney made things better or worse?

  She couldn't just leave. Not when somebody was hurting badly enoug
h to leave in the middle of a party. Not when someone was crying like this.

  Because a stranger had once sat next to her when Delaney had had her own meltdown.

  She sat on the end of the bed next to Red Dress, who couldn't seem to stop crying.

  She waited, like the stranger had over a year ago. Prayed that her presence was a comfort.

  When Red Dress's tears slowed, Delaney asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

  Red Dress mopped her face with the tissues. "I d-don't think so." She hiccuped.

  "Can I call someone for you? Your husband? Or boyfriend? Sister? Mom?"

  Red Dress laughed through her tears, the sound slightly hysterical. "None of those."

  Delaney didn't say anything as Red Dress took several deep breaths. She'd calmed considerably.

  "I'll be all right," Red Dress said.

  Delaney got a better look at her blotchy, makeup-smeared face but didn't recognize her.

  But she recognized the dejection in her expression. Had seen it in the mirror earlier this afternoon.

  "Is it man trouble?" Delaney asked gently.

  Red Dress gave another teary laugh. "That obvious?"

  Delaney sighed. "Just a feeling. I'm having some of that kind of trouble myself."

  Seriously, what had she been thinking trying to get close to Cash? He'd proved earlier in the day that they were too different to get along. He'd never even looked at her when he'd fired her.

  He’d looked at her when he'd danced with her tonight, but that had only confused things.

  "Why does it have to be so hard?" Delaney thought aloud. "Actually, my situation is kinda my fault."

  Red Dress sighed. "The man I've been in love with for months just told me about a friend he wants to set me up with."

  "Ouch. That sucks."

  But Delaney couldn't help wondering. "Did he name this friend, or was it more like, 'I've got this friend...'" She shifted on the bed. "Just curious."

  "The latter." Red Dress wiped beneath her eyes with the tissue.

  "I don't know your situation," Delaney said, "but this could be a situation where your guy was talking about himself."

  "What?" She couldn't be imagining the note of hope in Red Dress's voice.

  "Is there any reason he might not want to come on too strong?"

  Red Dress considered. "I nanny for his son."

  "Aha." Someone deserved happiness for Christmas. Why not Red Dress? "Maybe he wanted to broach the idea without you knowing it was him, to feel things out. Then if you said no, it wasn't an outright rejection."