A Love Inspired Christmas Bundle: In the Spirit of...Christmas / The Christmas Groom / One Golden Christmas

Two or three times today she’d turned to ask Jesse’s advice about something before remembering he was gone. Funny how she’d never needed anyone before other than Sushi and the Lord, but Jesse had changed all that. And she wasn’t sure becoming dependent on her hired hand was such a good idea.

Turning the water tap, she filled a glass and drank deeply, thirsty even though the early November weather was cloudy and cool with the promise of rain hanging like a gray veil over the land. In the back of her mind, she faintly registered a rumbling in the distance but paid little mind. After washing and drying her hands, she headed to the refrigerator.

She had one hand on last night’s chicken and rice when the screaming began.

An adrenaline rush more powerful than an electric shock propelled her into action. Faster than she thought possible, Lindsey bounded into the bedroom, unlocked the gun case, removed her rifle and rushed out into the yard, loading the weapon as she moved. An occasional mountain lion roamed these hills.

Peering in the direction of the screams, Lindsey stopped…and lowered the gun.

Jade stood halfway down the gravel driveway, frozen in fear, screaming her head off. Directly in front of her, Sushi lay on her back, feet in the air, groveling for all she was worth.

With a feeling somewhere between relief and exasperation, Lindsey stashed the rifle on the porch and loped down the driveway.

What was Jade doing here? Where was Jesse? And when would the child realize that Sushi was her friend?

“Sushi, come,” she called. The German shepherd leaped to her feet, shook off the dust and leaves and trotted to Lindsey’s side. Pointing to a spot several yards away from the terrified child, she commanded, “Stay.”

The dog obeyed, plopping her bottom onto the dirt, tongue lolling, while she watched Jade with worried eyes.

Jade’s screaming subsided, but the harsh sobs continued as Lindsey went down on her knees and took the little girl into her arms. She had a dozen questions, but now was not the time to ask them. Soon enough she could discover why Jesse had not picked up Jade at school as he’d planned.

“Jade, listen to me.” Pushing the tangled hair, damp with tears, back from Jade’s face she said gently, “Stop crying and listen. We need to talk like big girls.”

Jade gave several shuddering sobs, scrubbing at her eyes with her fingertips. “The dog was going to get me.”

“That’s what we have to talk about. Sushi will not hurt you. Look at her. She’s sitting down there begging for you to like her, but she won’t even come near you unless I tell her to.”

“She ran at me. I saw her teeth.”

“She was smiling at you. You’re part of her family now and she was excited to see you. That’s how she behaves when I come home from someplace, too.”

“It is?” Wary and unconvinced, Jade glanced from Lindsey to Sushi and back again.

“Sure. Every time you come home, she whines to be let out so she can play with you. It makes her very sad that you don’t like her.”

Jade’s expression said she was thinking that over, but still she clung tightly to Lindsey.

“Where’s my daddy?”

“I’m not sure, sweetie. He was supposed to pick you up at school.”

The little girl’s small shoulders slumped. “He’s probably dead.” And she burst out crying again.

“No, Jade, no.” Please God, let me be right. Don’t let anything else happen to this child. The loss of her mother had completely destroyed her sense of safety. “Your daddy is running late and didn’t get back in time. He’ll be here soon, and while we wait, you and I can have a dress-up tea party.”

Lindsey could see she scored some points with the idea so she pressed the advantage. “Sushi wants to come, too. She even has some dress-up clothes.”

Jade found that amusing. A hesitant smile teetered around her mouth. “Really?”

“Absolutely. All my Sunday-school kids invite Sushi to their tea parties because she’s such a nice dog, so she has a hat, a boa and a fancy vest to wear.”

“She might bite me.”

“No.” Lindsey said firmly. “She will not.” Sliding Jade to the ground, she took the child’s hand. “Come on. I’ll show you.”

Sushi waited right where she’d been told to stay, eagerly thumping her tail at the first sign of movement in her direction.

Jade pulled back. “Uh-uh.”

Lindsey sighed, but relented and swept the little girl into her arms. “Okay, then. I have another idea.”

She carried Jade to the house. A bewildered Sushi remained in the driveway as commanded.

“Stand here inside the house where you can see Sushi and me through the glass door.” Lindsey took a piece of leftover chicken from the fridge. She’d planned to have the meat for supper, but helping Jade begin the process of overcoming this phobia was far more important. “Watch what a good girl Sushi is and how she loves to play, but she always minds me when I tell her to do something. Okay?”

Nodding and wide-eyed, Jade stood inside the door, her face pressed to the glass while Lindsey stepped onto the porch and called the dog. When Sushi arrived, skidding to a stop at her owner’s command, Lindsey spent several minutes putting the animal through all her obedience commands. Extremely well disciplined, Sushi even resisted the piece of baked chicken, though Lindsey knew the meat was her favorite treat.

Then she played with Sushi, petting her, tossing sticks that the dog retrieved, scratching her belly.

Finally, Lindsey lay down on the porch to show her total trust of the dog. Sushi responded by plopping her big head onto Lindsey’s chest with a delighted sigh that made Jade laugh.

Sitting up, Lindsey rotated toward Jade. “See what a good girl she is?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Would you like to pet her?”

“Uh-uh.” But Lindsey could see that, for once, she wanted to.

Confident they’d made progress, Lindsey relented. “Maybe next time?”

Leaving Sushi on the porch, Lindsey dusted her clothes and came inside. She peeked at the yellow teapot clock hanging over the cook stove. Jade had been here at least thirty minutes and still no sign of Jesse. Refusing to worry, she internalized a little prayer, and turned her attention to occupying Jade. The little girl didn’t need to fret about her daddy even if Lindsey was.

“I’m starved.”

“Me, too.”

Using her best imitation of an English lady, Lindsey said, “Shall we prepare tea and dine?”

Jade giggled. “Can we dress up too? And you can be the princess and I’ll be the queen?”

“Lovely idea, my queen. Right this way, please.” Nose in the air as befit royalty, she led the way to the huge plastic storage bin in her bedroom closet where she kept a variety of thrift-shop and novelty-store play clothes. Jade, getting into the spirit of the game, followed suit. She fell upon the container, carefully lifting out one garment after another, exclaiming over each one as if the clothes came from Rodeo Drive.

In no time, she’d chosen outfits for both of them and they traipsed on plastic high heels, boas trailing, into the kitchen to prepare the Oklahoma version of high tea.

“Let’s make fancy sandwiches first. Later, we’ll do cookies.”

“Do you have Christmas cookie cutters?” Jade shoved at her sun hat, repositioning the monstrosity on her head. Bedecked with more flowers than Monet had ever painted, the hat tied with a wide scarf under the child’s chin. Lindsey thought she looked adorable.

“A bunch of them. We can use them on the sandwiches if you want to.”

“Cool. Do you gots sprinkles too?”

“Oh, yeah. I have tons of sprinkles. All colors. But let’s not put those on the sandwiches.”

Jade giggled. “For the cookies, silly. I want to make Daddy a big red cookie.” Her face fell. “I wish my daddy would come. I’ll bet he’s getting hungry.”

“He’ll be here soon,” Lindsey said with more confidence than she felt as she spread the sandwich fixings on the table. “Tell you what. Let’s say a little prayer asking Jesus to take care of him and bring him safely home.”

She hardly noticed that she’d referred to her own house as home for Jesse and Jade. Semantics didn’t matter right now.

“Okay.” To Lindsey’s surprise, Jade closed her eyes and folded her little hands beneath her chin. Even though Jesse shied away at the mention of God, someone had taught this child to pray.

Closing her own eyes, Lindsey said a short but heart-felt prayer.

“Amen.”

Jade’s shoulders relaxed. “Jesus will take care of Daddy, won’t He?”

“Yes, He will. And He’ll take care of you too.” She smeared mayo on a slice of bread, handing it to Jade to layer on the meat and cheese. “Did you know you have a guardian angel who is always with you?”

Shaking her head, Jade licked the mayo off one finger.

“Well, you do. Everybody does. But God has very special guardian angels that take care of children. Jesus loves you so much He tells your very own angel to keep watch over you day and night.”

“Even when I’m asleep?”

“Yes.” She chose an angel from the pile of cookie cutters. “That’s why you don’t need to be afraid of anything—ever. Your angel is always here, looking after you.”

Jade took the metal angel, studied it, and then pressed the shape into a sandwich. “Does Daddy have a guarding angel?”

Lindsey smiled at the mispronunciation. “He sure does.”

“Can I save this angel sandwich for my daddy?”

“Of course you can. We’ll make enough of everything so he can eat, too, when he gets here.”

That seemed to satisfy Jade, and Lindsey wished she were as easily comforted. Where was Jesse? Leaving Jade alone was so uncharacteristic of him. Had something happened? In the weeks of their acquaintance she’d grown fond of him, fonder than was comfortable, and the thought of something happening to him was unspeakable.

Agitated and filled with self-recriminations, Jesse stormed across Lindsey’s yard, hoping with everything in him that Jade was here. He couldn’t believe he’d gotten so busy, so deeply enmeshed in the stacks of court records that the time had slipped away and he’d forgotten to pick Jade up from school until she was long gone. What kind of lousy father was he anyway?

Sushi bounded out to meet him, a good sign. His spirits lifted somewhat, though he’d feel better if the German shepherd bit him. He deserved to be punished. For all his searching, he hadn’t found a bit of useful information; not one single reference to any transaction between Charles Mitchell and Les Finch.

The day as gray as his mood, Jesse mounted the porch—and heard singing. A husky adult voice that sent an unexpected shiver of pleasure dancing along his nerve endings blended sweetly with a higher, childish melody.

Relief flooded him. Jade was here. Pausing at the open door, he could see the two through the glass. They were in the kitchen at the table, their backs turned, singing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” while they worked at something.

He squinted, leaning closer. What kind of get-ups were they wearing?

With an inner smile, he waited until they finished their song before pecking lightly on the door. Two heads swiveled in his direction.

“Daddy!” Jade dropped something onto the table and clambered off her chair. She ran toward him, nearly tripping over a long, white dress that looked suspiciously like a well-used wedding gown. Taking a moment to hike the yards of wrinkled satin and lace into one hand, she stumbled onward, lime-green high heels clunking against the wooden floor.

Mood elevating with every step his baby took, Jesse opened the door and stepped inside the living room.

“My, don’t you look beautiful,” he said.

But Jade was having none of his compliments. She got right to the point. “The teacher made me ride the bus ’cause you didn’t come.”

“I’m sorry I was late, Butterbean. Your teacher did the right thing sending you to Lindsey where you would be safe and happy.”

“Where were you? I got scared. I thought you were dead like Mommy.”

A searing pain cut off Jesse’s windpipe. Of course, she’d think that. That’s why he always made a point of being exactly where she expected—to allay her well-founded fears.

Lindsey appeared in the living room. “Your daddy is here now, Jade, and he’s just fine.”

“Jesus took care of him the way you said.”

A serene smile lit Lindsey’s eyes. “Yes, He did.”

Jesse didn’t know what was going on with their talk of Jesus and decided not to ask. He looked to Lindsey, grateful for her care of Jade, but not wanting to tell her where he’d been. Wearing a hat with peacock feathers sticking out the top, and a rather bedraggled fake fur stole over someone’s old red prom dress, she looked ridiculously cute. If he hadn’t felt so guilty, he would have laughed.

“I’m sorry for putting you out this way.”

“Jade is no problem. But we were a little concerned about you.”

Exactly what he didn’t need—Lindsey’s concern, although he knew it was there, felt it day in and day out as she carefully avoided subjects she’d discovered were painful or taboo. Always, that gentle aura of peace and inner joy reached out to him.

“I had some personal business to handle which took much longer than I’d planned. Somehow the time got away from me, and by the time I rushed over to the school…” He lifted his hands and let them fall.

“Well, you’re here now.” Lindsey smiled that sweet, tranquil smile that changed her face to a thing of beauty. Jesse tried, but failed, to resist the pleasure that one motion gave him.

And then she made things worse by asking, “Are you hungry?”

An unbidden rush of warmth filled him from the inside out. Coming to this house and this woman was starting to feel far too natural and way too good.

“Come on, Daddy. Come see. We’re making a tea party, and I’m the queen.” Skirts sweeping the floor, Jade led the way into the kitchen and lifted an odd-shaped bit of bread from the table, thrusting it at him. “I made this guarding angel for you.”

“Tea, huh? And an angel sandwich.” He took the offering, examining the small figure with all due seriousness. “Sounds delicious. Anything I can do to help?”

Lindsey nodded toward a plate of fresh fruit. “You could slice up the apples if you’d like.”

“Lindsey.” Jade’s plaintiff protest drew both adults’ attention. She eyed her father skeptically. “He can’t come to the tea party without dress-up clothes.”

An ornery gleam flashed in Lindsey’s brown eyes. “She’s right, Dad. Tea requires formal attire.”

Before he could object on purely masculine grounds, Jade rushed off, returning with a purple boa, a tarnished tiara, and a yellow-and-black satin cape. “Here, Daddy, you can be king.”

Lindsey laughed at the pained expression on Jesse’s face and in return, received his fiercest glare of wry humor.

“I’ll get you for this,” he muttered under his breath as Jade dressed him, carefully twining the boa around his neck before placing the crown on his head with a triumphant—if somewhat crooked—flourish.

Lindsey wrinkled her nose at him and adjusted her stole with a haughty toss of her head. “Mess with me, mister, and I’ll find you a pair of purple plastic high heels to go with that dashing feather boa.”

Jesse surprised himself by tickling her nose with the aforementioned boa. “I’m the king, remember. Off with your head.”

She laughed up at him, and he realized how much smaller she was than he, and how feminine she looked in a dress, even a silly outfit like this one. Out of her usual uniform of jeans and flannel, she unsettled him. Lindsey was a pretty woman as well as a nice one.

One more reason he needed to find the answer to his questions and get out of here. He couldn’t get attached to a woman he’d eventually have to hurt.

For all his searching today, he’d found no record of this farm or the transaction between his stepfather, Les Finch, and Charles Mitchell. If he didn’t find something next time, he’d be forced to ask the clerk for information, a risk he hadn’t wanted to take. Asking questions stirred up suspicion. Someone was bound to want to know what he was up to. Sooner or later, word would filter back to Lindsey and he’d be out of a job and out of luck. Discretion made for a slow, but safer, search.

Lindsey whacked his shoulder with her boa. “Are you going to slice that fruit or stand there and stare at my glorious hat?”

Her humor delighted him. “The hat does catch a man’s eye.”

Lindsey and Jade both giggled at his silliness. Even he wondered where the lightheartedness came from. He’d had a rotten afternoon, but the warmth of this house and the company of these two females lifted his spirits.

Taking up the stainless-steel knife, he sliced an apple into quarters. “What kind of sandwiches are we making?”

“Baloney and cheese.”

“Ah, a gourmet’s delight.” Placing the apple slices on a plate in as fancy a design as he could manage, he plucked a few grapes and arranged them in the center.

Lindsey clapped a slice of wheat bread on top of the meat and cheese. “And afterwards, we’ll make sugar cookies.”

“With sprinkles,” Jade chimed in, her face a study in concentration as she pushed the metal cutters into the sandwiches.

“Jesse, why don’t you arrange the fancy sandwiches on this plate while Jade finishes cutting them. Then we’ll be ready to eat.”

They were only sandwiches. Bread, baloney, cheese and mayonnaise. He could do this. Looking at his beaming child instead of the Christmas shapes, Jesse made a circle of sandwiches on the platter.

“What about the tea?” Jade asked.

“Oh. The tea!” Lindsey clattered across the floor in her high heels, opened a cabinet and removed a quart fruit jar. “I hope the two of you like spiced tea.”

“Hot tea?” Jesse asked doubtfully.

She dumped a healthy amount of the mixture into a blue ceramic teapot. With a twinkle in her eye, she admitted, “Spiced tea tastes a lot like apple cider. Grandma taught me to make it. It’s a conglomeration of tea, orange drink mix, lemonade and a bunch of yummy spices.”

“Sounds better than hot tea,” he admitted, pointing an apple slice at her before popping it into his mouth. “Maybe I can stand it.”

Lindsey sailed across the floor and tapped his hand with the spoon. “Even the king has to wait until we all sit down together.”

“Meanie.” He snatched a grape. At her look of playful outrage, he laughed and snitched another.

She stopped dead, spoon in one hand, silly hat tilted to one side in rapt attention. “Jesse,” she said, her smoky voice breathy and soft.

“What? Am I drooling grape juice?”

“You laughed.”

He opened his mouth once, closed it and tried again. Sure he laughed. People laughed when they were happy. The realization astonished him. He’d laughed because he was happy. When was the last time he’d felt anything even close to happiness?

“I won’t do it again.”

“Oh, yes you will.” All business and smiles, she shouldered him out of the way. “Go get that little card table in the laundry room and set it up. Jade will put on the table cloth and centerpiece while I finish our tea fixin’s.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted, slung his cape over his face in a super-hero imitation and did as he was told.

By the time the table was ready and they’d sat down to dine on the odd little meal, Jesse had gotten into the swing of the tea party. Wearing a get-up that would make his rodeo buddies howl, knees up to his chin, he reached for one of Jade’s raggedy cookie-cutter sandwiches.

“Let’s bless the food,” Lindsey said, folding her hands in front of her.

A worried expression replaced the glow on Jade’s face, and nearly broke Jesse’s heart. Seated across from him at the small square table, she looked from Lindsey to him, waiting. Jesse did the only thing he could. He bowed his head, closed his eyes, and listened to Lindsey’s simple prayer. When he looked back into his daughter’s face, he knew he’d done the right thing. Playing the hypocrite for fifteen seconds hadn’t killed him.

Stunned to realize he not only hadn’t been bothered by the prayer or the other Christian references, Jesse chewed thoughtfully on the most delicious baloney and cheese sandwich he’d ever tasted and watched Lindsey do the same. He wondered at how time spent with her had changed him, easing the prickly sensation that usually came at the mention of God. Most of all he wondered at how easily Lindsey Mitchell, the lone pioneer woman, had become a part of his and Jade’s lives. Considering how dangerous that was for him, he should toss down his Santa sandwich and run. But he knew he wouldn’t. Lindsey’s gentle female influence was so good for Jade. He tried to be a decent dad, but there were things a little girl needed that a man never even thought of.

“Tea, your highness?” Lindsey said to Jade, holding the pretty teapot over a dainty cup.

“Yes, your princess-ness. Tea, please.” Pinky finger pointed up—he didn’t know where she’d learned that—Jade lifted the poured tea and sipped carefully. “Delicious. Try it, Daddy.”

“That’s ‘your daddy-ness’ to you, queenie.” Taking a sip of the surprisingly tasty tea, Jesse relished the sound of his child’s giggle.

Yes, Lindsey was good for her. And as disturbing as the thought was, she was good for him, too.

Taking a sandwich from the serving dish, Jade said, “I think Sushi wants this one.” She handed the food to Lindsey. “Will you give it to her so she won’t be sad?”

Jesse couldn’t believe his ears. Jade was worried about upsetting the dog? Capturing Lindsey’s glance, he asked a silent question with his eyes.

Brown eyes happy, Lindsey only shrugged and said, “We’re gaining ground.” Getting up from her chair, she started toward the door. “Come with me, Jade. You can watch from inside.”

When Jade followed, Jesse couldn’t be left behind. He had to see this with his own eyes—if he could keep his tiara from falling down over them. Sure enough, Jade stood inside the glass door, a tentative smile on her face, while Lindsey stepped out on the porch and fed the dog.

If Jade overcame her fear of dogs, he’d almost believe in miracles.

Lindsey must have noticed his bewildered expression because she laughed.

“Doubting Thomas,” she said to him, then leaned toward Jade. “Did you see the way Sushi wagged her tail? That means thank you.”

Holding onto her flowered hat, Jade pressed against the glass and whispered to the dog. “You’re welcome.”

When Sushi licked the door, Jade jumped back, almost stumbling over her skirts, but at least she didn’t scream.

“Sushi gave you a kiss, Butterbean,” Jesse offered after he’d swallowed the thickness in his throat.

“Uh-huh. I saw her, but I didn’t want a doggy kiss. I’m the queen.” Resuming her air of royalty, she lifted the tail of her dress and clomped to the kitchen. “Can we make cookies now? It’s almost Christmas.”

Lindsey, satin skirts rustling, peacock feather flopping, followed behind Jade like a cartoonist’s version of a royal lady-in-waiting. “You’re right. Christmas will be here before we know it. Guess what your daddy and I are doing tomorrow?”

Jesse had a sneaky feeling he didn’t want to know.

The gap in Jade’s mouth flashed. “What?”

“We’re going to put up the decorations and get the Christmas-tree lot ready for visitors.”

“Yay! Can I help? Can I decorate a tree? Can I put up the angel?” Jade wrapped her arms around Lindsey’s red-satin-covered knees and hopped up and down. “Please, please, please.”

Jesse’s stomach sank into his boots. The day he’d dreaded had come. The Christmas season was upon him.

Chapter Six

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” blared from a loudspeaker positioned over the gate that opened into the Christmas-tree lot. The smell of pine mingled with the musty scent of Christmas decorations brought out of storage this morning. Though the temperature was in the high thirties, Jesse stripped away his jean jacket and hung the worn garment on the fence next to Lindsey’s red plaid one.