Yuletide Lawman by Renee Ryan

Author:Renee Ryan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

Caleb gave Ellie a mock salute. Focused and intent, she was a little scary and utterly adorable. He liked this side of her, liked it a lot.

“Here’s a red one,” Hannah said, raising her little hand in the air.

He took the ornament. “Ready for this, pumpkin?”

“Ready!” Head down, she dug into the pile once again and pulled out another red decoration.

For the next few minutes Caleb worked with his daughter on their side of the tree, top to bottom as Ellie had instructed. When the branches were sufficiently adorned, they moved to their right.

Another few minutes passed and they shifted again. Soon, they were back where they’d begun. They started the whole process again, this time focusing on the blue and the gold ornaments.

After the second pass, Caleb stepped back to admire their handiwork.

“Five minutes,” yelled Mayor Pritchett from his perch on the church steps. “You only have five minutes to finish decorating your assigned tree.”

Ellie poked her head around the now full branches. “How you two doing on your side?”

“Nearly done.” Caleb handed the last decoration in their pile to Hannah, then picked her up and perched her on his shoulders. Giggling, she placed the handmade snowflake on a bare branch near the very top of the tree.

“All right, let’s have a look.” Ellie and Grace came around to their side of the tree. In silence, the four of them studied their creation.

Caleb tried to be objective. He really tried. But he just couldn’t pull it off. Their decorations might not be the best made. In fact, some were actually rather poorly done. Yet every paper ornament, snowflake and star, every lopsided cloth doll constructed out of cotton batting, had been fashioned by his daughters’ tiny hands.

“It’s perfect,” Caleb declared.

“Can we take it home?” Hannah asked.

Caleb started to respond, but Ellie beat him to it. “These trees remain in the center of town for everyone to enjoy all season long.”

Two identical scowls formed on the girls’ faces. “Oh.”

Ellie placed a hand on their tiny shoulders. “Not to worry. We’ll recreate everything again on our tree at home.”

Home, the word had rolled off Ellie’s tongue naturally, leaving Caleb wanting...something...more.

“One minute,” came the final warning from Mayor Pritchett.

“All that’s left is to put the angel on top.” Ellie reached into the bag and pulled out the last decoration.

He recognized the Wainwright family tree topper.

“Will you do the honors?” Ellie asked, the ornament stretched out in front of her.

An image flashed in his mind, a memory from another Christmas, when he’d lifted Ellie onto his shoulders so she could put the angel atop the tree. After he’d set her back on the ground she’d peered up at him as if he was her hero.

He’d felt strong that day, special, as if he mattered.

“Thirty seconds.”

He took the tree topper from Ellie. Their fingertips brushed lightly during the handoff. It was nothing more than a brief touch, but he suddenly yearned for something he could never have. Something he feared only she could provide.

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