Forever Santa Read online

  Trent turned the television off. “What did he say?”

  “Not much,” Gracie sighed. “Even on the way home he wouldn’t talk about it.”

  “His heart’s been trampled, Gracie. He’s a guy. We don’t go around telling people how we feel.”

  “But it might make it easier to deal with.”

  Trent sat on the sofa and pulled Gracie beside him. “Nothing will do that except time. Tracey doesn’t love him anymore. It’s hard for him to accept.”

  Gracie leaned her head against Trent’s shoulder. “I suppose you’re right.” She watched the lights in the Christmas tree sparkle against the decorations they’d hung.

  She thought about the tree that had stood in the corner of her mom’s home. Each year her mom had wrapped the tree in lights before Gracie arrived home for Christmas. They’d hung the decorations together, laughing as they remembered the story behind most of the baubles.

  After her mom died she’d bought a fiber optic tree. She’d hung the decorations on her own, pretending her mom was with her. But it hadn’t helped ease the bone-deep loneliness inside her. Until last Christmas she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed a real tree, the smell and the look, and everything it meant.

  She slid her hand into her pocket and put the small parcel on Trent’s leg. “I bought you something.”

  “It’s not Christmas day.”

  Gracie sat up and brushed her hair off her face. She looked down at the parcel, then pushed it a little further up Trent’s thigh.

  He frowned, then picked up the purple box, gently shaking it close to his ear. Gracie’s mouth felt dry. She licked her lips, watched him try to work out what was inside.

  “It’s not going to explode is it?”

  Gracie shook her head and tried to smile. Except her lips wobbled and she felt dangerously close to crying.

  “What’s wrong, Gracie?”

  “Nothing. It’s just…” She looked at the parcel in Trent’s hand, then up into his eyes. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how. So I…”

  Trent ripped open the box and stared at the bubble wrap. “It’s a decoration for the tree?”

  Gracie nodded. She waited while he pulled the Scotch tape off the bubble wrap.

  “It’s a cradle. With a baby in it.”

  The confusion on his face made Gracie’s pulse beat fast. She started doubting herself. It hadn’t been a good idea. She should have blurted out her news, just told him straight out instead of giving him the decoration. He didn’t get it, didn’t understand what she was trying to tell him.

  He read the little plaque attached to the end of the cradle. “Baby’s first Christmas? But it’s got next year’s date on it. I don’t…” He looked down at Gracie and his jaw dropped. “You’re pregnant? We’re having a baby?”

  Gracie nodded and before she could say anything, Trent wrapped her in a tight hug, pulling her onto his lap. “Oh, Gracie. That’s wonderful. I never thought we’d have a baby.” He hugged her again, holding her close. “A baby,” he whispered against her hair. “How long have you known?”

  “A few days. Doc Johnson’s booked a scan for next Monday. We’re somewhere between three and four months pregnant.”

  “Is that why you’ve been so tired?”

  Gracie pulled back. Trent’s eyes were gleaming with happiness. “How did you know?”

  Trent ran his fingers along her jaw. “Hard not to when you’re yawning every five minutes. Did you notice there’s no coffeepot in the kitchen?”

  Gracie shook her head.

  “I’ve put it in the barn while Jordan’s finishing off the conversion. You didn’t seem too happy about the smell.”

  “But you like coffee.”

  “I like you more.” Trent smiled and for the first time in days Gracie felt herself relax. “Have you told anyone else?” he asked.

  “Emily and Doc Johnson know, but that’s it. I wanted to tell you first, but Emily guessed when I nearly vomited in the mall.”

  Trent looked worried. “What makes you feel sick?”

  “Everything.” Gracie sighed and snuggled closer to her husband. “If I get out of bed too quickly, open my mouth too far when I’m brushing my teeth, or even move too fast. Doc Johnson said it will get better.”

  “Did he give you anything to make you feel less sick?”

  “It’s hormones. Once I get used to what’s happening inside my body it should settle down.”

  Trent rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “We’re going to be parents.” He sounded as surprised as Gracie had been. Surprised and proud.

  “Your mom’s going to be a grandma.”

  Trent groaned. “You know what this means, don’t you? She’ll get her knitting needles out and fill the house with little outfits. And then she’ll start making a quilt with the other women in her craft group.”

  Gracie smiled. “She’s already started the quilt.”

  “You’re kidding?”

  “She gave up waiting for us. I think she was hedging her bets with Jordan.” Gracie thought about Jordan and how unhappy he was. “Do you think he’s talked to her?”

  “Mom?”

  “No, Tracey.”

  “I don’t know.” He glanced down at Gracie and frowned. “I know what you’re thinking and I’m not doing it. Besides, we’ve got more to do than talk about my brother.”

  Gracie smiled. “What would you like to do next?”

  “Well,” Trent turned toward her. “I thought we could go to bed.” He leaned forward and kissed her neck. “You’ve had a long day…” He trailed kisses along her jaw and laughed when she squirmed in her seat. “It’s Saturday tomorrow. We could have a sleep-in.”

  “Sounds like the perfect way to start the weekend.” Gracie felt Trent’s lips curve into a smile against her skin.

  “But we’ve got something else to do first.” He lifted her onto her feet and handed her the Christmas tree decoration. He stood behind her, placing the palms of his hands on her tummy as she hung the cradle on the tree. “Welcome to the world, little one.”

  Gracie held Trent’s hands against their baby. She knew, without a doubt, that no matter what happened their baby would be loved.

  “I need coffee.” Trent stumbled past Jordan, straight to the coffeepot plugged in on the barn’s third floor kitchen counter.

  “Don’t let Gracie hear you say that. She thinks she’s saving your body as well as her stomach.” Jordan lifted another drop cloth off the floor. “Have you told her not to come over here for a few days?”

  Trent leaned forward and sniffed the coffee as it dribbled through the machine. “She knows. She’s making Christmas cakes with Mrs. Davies this morning and then she’s starting on the curtains. When do the flooring guys arrive?”

  “Eleven. They want to get a coat of primer and varnish on each floor today, then they’ll be back on Monday to finish everything off.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “After you’ve had your coffee you can help me get rid of these drop clothes. The flooring guys will do the rest.” Jordan carried a saw horse over to a pile of tools he’d left beside the stairs. “I can’t believe you didn’t guess Gracie was pregnant. You’re supposed to be a hot-shot rancher.”

  Trent poured himself a mug of coffee and sighed. “The only pregnant females this hot-shot rancher deals with have four hooves. Do you have anything to eat?”

  Jordan pulled a square tin out from the pantry. “Peanut butter cookies.”

  Trent looked at the thick, golden, cookies. “Mrs. Davies?”

  Jordan grinned. “Yep.” He wiped his hands on his jeans and reached for a folder on the counter. “Take a look at these. I printed them off the computer last night. Thought they might make good images on the website.”

  Trent opened the folder and glanced at each photo. Jordan had found pictures of the barn, a few shots of horses, cattle, and the ranch hands working. Then there was a shot of Gracie leaning against a shovel with a grin a
mile wide on her face.

  Jordan looked over Trent’s shoulder. “That was when Gracie first arrived on the ranch. Mucking out the barn was still a novelty.”

  Trent smiled and remembered Gracie sitting in the middle of the hayloft, her red hair spilling all over the place with a tiara perched on the side of her head. It had been the beginning of something neither of them had expected.

  “Does the goofy grin mean you like the photos or just one in particular?”

  Trent closed the folder and pushed them back to Jordan. “They’re great photos.”

  “Good.” He left the folder on the counter and went back to work. “Did Gracie tell you we saw Tracey last night?”

  Trent glanced at his brother, then walked across to the sink to wash his mug. “She said something about it.”

  “She’s dating some guy from Wyoming. He’s working here for a few months.”

  “Could be interesting when he heads home.”

  “She might go with him.”

  Trent’s hand hovered over the dish towel. “You’ve talked to her?”

  “Last week. The guy’s name is William.”

  “William?”

  “The dumb ass she’s dating. He’s a computer engineer. Works for a big company that’s got offices around the world.”

  Trent put the mug back in the pantry. “Sounds like an interesting job.”

  Jordan grunted, then rolled another drop sheet into a ball. “He’s probably earning lots of money.”

  “Probably.”

  “You’re not helping.” Jordan carried a plank of wood across the room, then disappeared down the stairs.

  Trent looked around Jordan’s apartment. With two bedrooms, an impressive bathroom, and an open plan living room and kitchen it was bigger than the bunkhouse Jordan was sharing.

  By the time his brother got back, Trent had moved most of the leftover building gear out of one of the bedrooms. “You don’t need my help with Tracey. What you need is another pair of hands to clean up this mess.” He picked up an empty paint bucket and walked across to a pile of trash. “I’ll take all of this downstairs. Where are you putting it?”

  “Leave it on the second floor by the landing. It’s quicker moving everything floor by floor, otherwise you spend most of the time going up and down the stairs.”

  Trent turned to leave, then stopped. “For what it’s worth, I think you’ve had a lucky break. You can’t make someone love you when they don’t. It’s better finding out now and not a few years into your marriage.” He wished his first wife had figured that out before she’d married him. It would have saved a lot of heartache and misery. But then he might not have met Gracie, and he couldn’t imagine his life without her.

  “And don’t sell yourself short. There’s a lot of women you could love. It’s just a matter of finding the right one.”

  Jordan didn’t seem impressed. “I’m going to concentrate on the ranch vacation business.”

  “It’s probably a lot safer,” Trent said as he took the trash downstairs.

  Chapter 9

  Gracie looked up from the sewing machine. Mrs. Davies left a hot mug of herbal tea beside her and she sniffed the lemony brew. “I thought making eight sets of bedroom curtains would be a breeze.”

  “Making this many curtains always takes longer than you think,” Mrs. Davies said as she measured out another length of heading tape.

  Gracie finished the seam she was stitching, then cut the thread and sat back. “Have you been inside the barn?”

  Mrs. Davies shook her head. “I tried looking in the windows his morning, but the snow was too deep to get close enough.”

  The doorbell chimed and Gracie looked at Mrs. Davies. “Were you expecting company?”

  “Not me. It could be one of the contractors.”

  “On a Sunday?” Gracie pushed her chair away from the table and walked toward the hallway.

  “There’s only three days until Christmas,” Mrs. Davies said. “They might be working overtime to get one of the job’s done.”

  Gracie opened the front door and smiled. “What are you guys doing here?” Tess and Emily stood on the porch.

  “We’ve come to help,” Tess said. “A little birdy told us you were making curtains.”

  Gracie opened the door wider. “Come inside. It’s freezing out here.”

  “I’ll just get my sewing machine.” Emily walked back to her car and popped the trunk. “Go back inside. I can open the front door when I’ve got everything out of the car.” She slammed the trunk closed.

  “Don’t be silly. I’ll give you a hand.”

  Emily lifted the sewing machine into the house. “You’re not lifting anything that’s heavy.”

  “And neither of you are going outside again,” Tess added as she lifted the keys out of Emily’s hand. “I can’t sew, but I can cook. I’ve got a box of casseroles in the back of the car. You can have them for dinner while Mrs. Davies is away.”

  “You didn’t need to do that.”

  “Yes, I did. You’ve been tired and it’s a busy time of the year. I’ll be back soon.”

  “I’ll put the kettle on,” Mrs. Davies said.

  Emily took the cover off her sewing machine and plugged the power cord into the wall. “It’s not quite a baby shower, but we can have one of those later.”

  Tess rang the doorbell and Mrs. Davies took her through to the kitchen.

  Gracie turned to Emily. “I don’t know how I’m ever going to thank you.”

  “You don’t need to. That’s what friends are for. Now please tell me you’ve told everyone you’re having a baby?”

  “Everyone in Trent’s family knows. And Mrs. Davies and you. There hasn’t been much time to tell anyone else.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Emily said. “Once word gets out the whole town will know within hours. Now show me what you’ve been doing.”

  “Cup of tea first,” Tess said. She walked into the living room holding a tray of cookies and three steaming mugs in her hands. “Where’s your coffeepot?”

  Gracie looked at Mrs. Davies and then Emily. “The smell made me feel sick. Trent took it across to the barn.”

  Tess looked confused. “Why would he do that?”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Tess’ jaw dropped. “You’re joking?”

  Gracie shook her head.

  Tess looked between Mrs. Davies and Emily. “You knew?” They nodded their heads and grinned.

  “That’s wonderful.” Tess put the tray on the table and hugged Gracie. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “Me too,” Gracie said. She wiped her eyes and stared at the smiling faces around her.

  “Have you told Kristina and your dad?” Tess asked.

  “They’ve got a lot on their mind with Alex. I thought I’d tell them when they all get home.”

  “But that could be weeks away,” Tess said. “It might give them something to look forward to.”

  “Or something more to worry about,” Gracie said. “They’re pretty stressed at the moment.”

  “Have you told Jacob?” Emily asked.

  “I called him this morning,” Gracie said. “He’s staying with us on Tuesday and Wednesday night for Christmas. I think he’s more scared than I am.”

  Tess hugged her again. “You don’t need to be scared. You’ve got us to help.”

  “But apart from Mrs. Davies, none of us know much about children. I don’t even know how to put a diaper on a baby.”

  Mrs. Davies laughed. “It’s not hard once you know how.”

  “And they have those parenting classes you can go to,” Emily added. “Once you know what you’re doing you can show us.” She looked around the room. Everyone was staring at her. “What? I’m just saying that the information might come in handy one day.”

  “Or not,” Tess sighed.

  “Who wants a cup of tea?” Mrs. Davies asked.

  “Me,” Emily said. “I don’t care how it arrives as long as it’s hot. And T
ess will have hers with no cream or sugar.”

  Tess walked across to the tray. “Wow. I’m impressed that you remembered.”

  “I was a waitress for a few years in college. I’ve got a photographic memory of what people drink.”

  Tess picked up the tray of cookies and passed it to Emily. “You’re wasted in the fashion design business. If you ever need another job you can moonlight as a waitress in Angel Wings Cafe.”

  “I’m going to be busy.” Emily took a cookie off the plate. “I’ve been thinking about creating a maternity line.”

  Gracie sat on the sofa, sipping her lemon tea. “You have?”

  “I was thinking about how difficult it was for you to find a winter jacket. That got me thinking about other women who can’t find what they want. I thought I’d design a basic pregnancy wardrobe with a couple of evening options. I’d keep the design the same, but customize each piece to fit the mom-to-be. With grow room included.”

  “That’s a great idea,” Mrs. Davies said. “Gracie’s such a little thing. She’ll have trouble finding maternity clothes that fit her.”

  “I have trouble finding clothes that fit me now,” Gracie said. “If you need someone to model your new designs, just let me know.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that.” Emily smiled and waited until they all had a cup of tea in their hands. “I want to make a toast. To good friends, a wonderful pregnancy, and a merry Christmas. I love you guys.”

  Mrs. Davies pulled a tissue out of her pocket. “You girls are going to make me cry. You remind me so much of a group of friends I had when I was your age.”

  Tess hugged Mrs. Davies. “Tell us about your friends?”

  Mrs. Davies put her cup of tea down and picked up a length of fabric. “I’ll tell you all about them once we’ve got this heading tape attached to each curtain.” She picked up the wide tape and handed it to Tess. “You pin it in place and Emily can stitch it onto the curtains.”

  Tess looked uncertainly at the tape. “Are you sure I can do this? I wouldn’t want to mangle Gracie’s curtains.”

  “You’ll do fine. Just take your time. I’m flying to my sister’s home first thing in the morning. It’d be good to get all of the curtains finished before then.”