The Rancher's and the Widow's First Christmas by Debra Salonen

Author:Debra Salonen
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781944300463
Publisher: Loner Llama Press

CHAPTER 27

Jenny wasn’t sure if she’d actually heard Tucker’s cry or just anticipated it. In the two and a half weeks that she’d been living at the ranch, she and Sam had discussed the merit of letting him cry himself back to sleep as a way to eliminate the middle-of-the-night feeding, but in all honesty, neither of them could do it. Jenny really cherished the peaceful interlude with her son.

She was out of bed at the first muted whimper. She shrugged on her heavy robe—November had brought with it a couple of light showers and even some frost. Shoving her feet into her alpaca slippers, she dashed through the bathroom to the nursery. Two strategically placed night-lights guided her way.

In the shadows, the white clouds of Sam’s painted-sky ceiling looked like friendly angels smiling down on her. After picking up Tucker—who blinked at her and smiled with such Josh-like charm her eyes misted—Jenny peeked into the hallway. It surprised her that Sam wasn’t on the scene. He often beat her to the punch, sometimes delivering Tucker to her in bed so she didn’t have to get up.

Sam was hands down a gracious host. If Jenny still felt a little tentative about their relationship, she could place none of the fault on Sam’s shoulders. He was a perfect gentleman every evening and spent most daylight hours either in the fields or in his office.

That first Sunday after she’d moved in, he’d invited Jenny’s sisters to a barbecue, which he’d prepared. During dessert, he explained, line by line, his five-year plan, as Jenny had come to think of it.

After what Jenny thought amounted to very little discussion, Kristin and Andi had endorsed Sam’s plan. Ida Jane gave her blessing by nodding off in the lawn chaise.

The following morning Sam had escorted Jenny to his lawyer’s office to sign the papers. They then stopped by the bank to add her signature card to Sam’s checking and savings accounts.

“You’ll need to buy things for the house, for the kids, for whatever,” he’d told her. “Think of this as a job, if you like.”

A job with very long hours, Jenny thought, smiling at her little son. But one I wouldn’t change for anything. She yawned, then after waiting a minute to see if Sam would appear, she strolled to her room and sat down in the padded rocking chair in the alcove. She kept the curtains open at all times to enjoy the panoramic view.

Tucker fussed impatiently.

“I know. I know. Mommy’s slow tonight.” She fumbled with her robe and the buttons of her gown. “It’s because your daddy’s still asleep, and I’m not quite awake.”

Somewhere along the way, Sam had become the twins’ daddy. Jenny wasn’t conscious of making the switch in her mind; it had just happened. And although still a bit conflicted, Jenny accepted it. There would be time to tell the twins about Josh’s role in their lives.

And he was never far from her mind. Or Sam’s, either, it would seem. Just

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