Falling for a Cowboy for Christmas: A Sweet Western Holiday Romance by Elysia Strife

Author:Elysia Strife [Strife, Elysia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“Honey, where have you been? We’ve been trying to call you.” Justice’s mother set a casserole on the dining table and waved her inside.

Justice took off her coat and removed her boots. “It's been a long time since I used the first aid skills they taught us in high school softball, but I had to help someone tonight. They're at the hospital now. I meant to step out to say hi to Kati. She made me some truffles.” Justice set the bag on the counter, opened it, and motioned the others in the house to help themselves to the goodies. “But I got distracted while I was outside. I apologize for not answering my phone.”

It wasn't entirely the truth, but it wasn't quite lying either. Justice hated that she had to twist her words and remove the context of the Warrens. And knowing what she did about their feud made it seem all the more ridiculous. But she hadn't quite processed what she'd read or figured out how she planned to tell her family. She wasn't even sure they'd listen.

“Before you eat,” her father remarked. “Can you take a look at this math for me and tell me what you see?”

She glanced at his ledgers on the desk in the office beside the entryway and pointed to a discrepancy. “You added these incorrectly, and that gave you a deficit in this column.”

“Can’t you two do that after dinner?” her mother asked.

“That was all I needed, thanks, kiddo.”

Justice motioned for her father to lead the way to the table. He took his place at the head, and Justice sat between her brother and sister while their spouses sat across from them with Charity's son between them. Justice smiles over the table at Obadiah.

“So, great news,” Candor said with a smile. “Our Christmas surprise is that we’re expecting our first child!”

Justice smiled at her brother, but her words of congrats were lost among the others. His wife, Phoebe, blushed and thanked everyone. Charity got up and hugged her, then switched seats and held her son while they chatted about kids.

Her mother joined the conversation while Candor, her father, and Theo discussed fatherhood.

It was an unexpected turnaround that left Justice isolated for the entire meal.

She felt a tap on her knee as she finished her food and prepared to get up.

Justice lifted the tablecloth and found her nephew smiling up at her.

“I sit with you, JJ?”

“Sure can, buddy.” Justice hauled him up into her lap. He stole a few bites of her remaining food before snuggling against her and falling asleep.

Justice motioned to her sister that she was moving them into the living room. Her sister smiled and kept talking with Phoebe. So Justice reclined on the sofa and covered her and little Obadiah with a blanket. Pulling her phone out of her pocket to switch it to silent, she saw a message from Brodie.

Brodie: Barrett is okay. He didn’t break his back but bulged a few discs. He’ll be in pain for a few months while he heals, and he won’t be the same again.

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