Christmas in Winter Valley by Jodi Thomas

Author:Jodi Thomas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2019-07-23T19:15:34+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

December 19

Maverick Ranch

A LITTLE BEFORE DAWN, Elliot walked toward the dining room and saw Jess sitting all by herself at the long formal dining table. A cup of coffee was in her hand but she seemed to have forgotten it as she turned the pages of a book.

Boxes of Christmas decorations, marked for the room, were stacked on the far end of the table. With a week left until Christmas, the odds were not good that they’d be put up.

Griffin had texted yesterday that they were keeping a close eye over the recovery of Sunlan’s father. Sunlan’s mother had flown in from Europe, causing more trouble than help. It seemed every time she got divorced, she came back to husband number one. Like he was the only real one she’d ever had.

Griffin ended the message by saying he’d love to be home, surrounded by the calm of the ranch.

Elliot had texted back, Me, too. The calm had been shattered and there was no sign of tranquility coming back.

He had to leave soon for the hospital. Right now, no one was running the ranch. Who knew what Creed and Dallas were up to at Winter Valley, all alone in a shack? They’d probably killed each other by now. Two people so different had never walked the earth.

Murder was a possibility if Dallas didn’t get her way, and Creed wasn’t a man to be pushed. Elliot decided he’d probably have to lug the shovel up there and bury them both.

But this morning, as first light sliced into the room, he studied Jess. She continued reading, either totally ignoring him or so lost in the book she didn’t even know he was there. She was his biggest problem of all. If he fired her, the taxes would never get done. If he worked with her, it would be self-inflicted torture. If he didn’t work with her, she’d be in his house twice as long.

The sound of Dani and Tye laughing in the kitchen drew his attention.

But before he could slip away, Jess looked up, saw him and opened her mouth.

“Wait.” Elliot held up one finger. “I have to get coffee before we talk.”

He turned and almost ran into the kitchen. He wasn’t quite ready to deal with his ex-fiancée.

Dani poured his coffee and said simply, “The accountant doesn’t eat much. Must be on a bird diet.” She glanced at Tye and smiled. “Not much of a crowd to cook for this morning. Creed and that redhead are gone. The doc and the kid you brought home are still asleep. My boys haven’t returned from Dallas. The way things are going, I’ll be out of a job in no time.”

“I’ll eat double,” Tye offered as he took an extra biscuit.

Elliot nodded at Tye. “Morning.”

“Morning,” the former rodeo star answered. “How is your brother?”

“I called a few minutes ago. He made it through the night fine, and the duty nurse said he’s complaining about being hungry, so I’m thinking he’s on his way to recovering.

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