Harlequin Special Edition, Box Set 1 of 2 by RaeAnne Thayne

Author:RaeAnne Thayne
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781459293717
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

While Kayla seemed to be resisting Trey’s efforts to get closer to her, he also knew she had a hard time saying no to anyone who asked for help. The elementary school production was a case in point. So instead of asking her if she wanted to take a trip into Kalispell to go shopping with him, an invitation that he suspected she would politely decline, he stopped by the ranch the next day and said to her, “I need your help.”

Not surprisingly, she responded, “With what?”

“Christmas shopping.”

“I’m sure you’re perfectly capable of shopping.”

“You’d think so,” he acknowledged. “But the truth is, I suck at shopping even worse than I do at wrapping.”

She managed a smile. “I’m not sure that’s possible.”

“It is,” he insisted. “I never seem to know what to buy, and on the rare occasion that I have a good idea, I end up with the wrong size or color.”

“That’s why vendors introduced gift receipts.”

“We had a deal,” he said, reminding her of the bargain he’d extracted from her in exchange for keeping her identity as the Rust Creek Rambler a secret. Not that he would ever have betrayed her confidence, but he wasn’t opposed to using the leverage she’d given him to spend more time with her. “And I’ll buy you lunch.”

She sighed. “You’re right—we had a deal. You don’t have to bribe me with lunch.”

“You’ll earn it,” he promised, as she followed him out to his truck. “I have a couple of things for my grandparents, but I’ve just found out that Hadley and Tessa are coming to Rust Creek Falls for the holidays, and I don’t have a clue where to start finding something for either of them.”

“What about your parents and your brothers—are they coming, too?”

He shook his head. “Not this year.”

“Isn’t it strange, not being with your own parents for Christmas?”

“Not really,” he said. “Because when we were kids, we were always at Grandma and Grandpa’s. It would seem stranger to me not to be here.”

“I guess that makes sense,” she agreed. “Okay, tell me about the cousins you need to shop for.”

“They’re Claire’s older sisters. Both of them live in Bozeman. Hadley is a twenty-nine-year-old veterinarian who never turns a stray away from her door. Tessa is a twenty-seven-year-old graphic designer and movie buff.”

Half an hour later, they were at the shopping center. She moved with purpose and though she claimed not to have anything specific in mind, she assured him she would know when she found what she was looking for. Since he honestly didn’t have a clue, he was content to let her lead the way.

For Hadley, she found a set of glass coasters with etched paw prints that somehow managed to be both elegant and fun. For Tessa, she found a book of iconic movie posters that he knew his cousin would love. As they exited the bookstore, he couldn’t help but be impressed by her efficiency.

“I bet you’re one of those people who has all of her shopping and wrapping done by the first of December, aren’t you?” Trey asked her.

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