The Maverick's Snowbound Christmas by Karen Rose Smith

Author:Karen Rose Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-11-23T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

For a few moments, Eli thought Hadley was going to be honest with him and tell him there was something between them that other people would notice and maybe even talk about. But he saw the exact moment when she decided that wouldn’t be a good idea...that being too vulnerable around him wasn’t even a possibility.

Taking a step back, she acted as if he hadn’t even asked the question. “This is attractive,” she said, turning toward Jonah’s office. She took a few paces toward the steps. “Coming?” she asked.

He gave her a long, steady glare. “You didn’t answer my question.”

This time instead of evading him, she responded, “I don’t think that’s a conversation to have in the cold on a public sidewalk.”

“Meaning we’ll have that conversation sometime in a warmer spot?”

“We’ll see,” she said, and he knew she meant it.

Apparently she still hadn’t made up her mind about him, though what there was to decide he didn’t know. He suspected Hadley Strickland didn’t give her trust easily, and he wanted to know the reason why. She’d been right. That definitely wasn’t a conversation for a public sidewalk.

He led the way up the steps to the porch, and she followed him. After he opened the doors into the foyer, he immediately spotted his brother sitting at a desk to the left in his office.

From the doorway, Eli asked him, “Are you busy?”

“Not too busy for you,” Jonah said, standing. “This is a surprise.”

“Jonah, I don’t know if you know Hadley Strickland.”

Hadley stepped up to shake Jonah’s hand and studied Eli’s brother, who was six feet tall with dark hazel eyes. As usual, he was wearing a dress shirt and jeans with his boots.

“I think we’ve met in passing,” Hadley said. “I’ve admired your wife’s mural at the resort more than once.”

Eli wasn’t surprised. Everyone in Rust Creek Falls knew of the mural that depicted the history of the town. Vanessa’s painting graced the lobby of the restored Maverick Manor.

“I’ll tell Vanessa you’ve admired it,” Jonah said. He addressed his brother again. “And how are you enjoying living in your new house? Are you finally settled in?” He looked at Hadley. “This guy bought his furniture piece by piece. It took a while for him to get it furnished.”

“I wanted to be comfortable,” Eli protested. “And I am.”

“It’s a beautiful house,” Hadley said.

“You’ve seen it?” Jonah asked with a raised brow.

“Hadley’s a vet,” Eli explained. “Amber had her foal and a little trouble. We also found a cat and a kitten, so I took them in and she came in to check on them.”

“You have pets?” Jonah rolled his eyes then shook his head. “I shouldn’t be surprised. There wasn’t any doubt you’d put down roots here.”

“And now you have, too,” Eli pointed out. Jonah had spent years in Denver, till he met Vanessa.

“Yes, I have.”

“I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else,” Eli confided, but then he remembered how his desire to stay here to ranch, to appreciate the land, had separated him from the woman he thought he’d loved.

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