A Snow Country Christmas (The Carsons of Mustang Creek #4)(15)
“And you. I hope I’m not late.”
“The fear-of-Harry factor is a powerful thing.” Blythe took his coat. “You come bearing gifts. How nice of you. We were just about to start the gift exchange. Brace yourself for the usual male Carson competition. They are ridiculous. It isn’t a monetary thing at all, it’s just their nature. They have a built-in need to outdo each other whether it’s through throwing a rope on a horse or buying a toy for a child.”
“Hopefully I’ll be a contender, since I made a few educated guesses.” He stepped farther into the foyer. “But I make no promises.”
As it turned out, he won the competition.
At least with Daisy. The purse was a leaping-up-and-down hit. She gasped as she opened the package and came over and gave Mick an exuberant hug, clinging to that purse like it was made of pure gold.
He made a mental note to thank his mother later.
Grace poked him in the shoulder with an accusing finger. “How’d you manage to find that? I tried to order one online three months ago. I’m still on a waiting list.”
Raine studied him, clearly equal parts intrigued and annoyed. “Four months ago for me. Stop showing off, Branson.” She wore dark jeans and a yellow top that brought out the gold in her eyes, and looked delicious against the sweep of her hair at her shoulders.
“I probably shouldn’t tell you that all I had to do was walk into a store and there it was.” He grinned as he sat back carelessly in his comfortable chair and took a sip of the smooth merlot Blythe had handed him. He had to admit that the spirited gift exchange had been much preferable to the stuffy country club dining room where he usually spent his holiday.
Both women glared at him.
Slater told him flat-out that if he would give up his shopping secrets, they’d be friends for life. “I don’t think her first car is going to make her as happy as that purse did.”
“I thought we already were friends for life.” Mick was going to go back and give the clerk the bonus of her life. The joy of giving was defined by Daisy’s excited smile.
Slater acknowledged that with a nod of his head and a chuckle. “At least you beat out my brothers. For that, I’ll forgive you. They would create a favorite uncle pendant and ride around an arena brandishing it until next year. Boys are simple. Give them a video game or some sports equipment and you’re good to go. If Grace has a girl this time, the games will begin again. If Luce has a girl there might be an amusement park in the front yard with spinning teacups and a roller coaster.”
Mick could envision it. “A unique addition to a working ranch. And maybe worth a brand-new documentary on how fatherhood can soften even the toughest cowboy.”
“What can I say? We like to please our ladies.”
“Having gotten to know your ladies pretty well recently, I can’t say I blame you.”
Slater caught his eyes drifting to Raine and said neutrally, “My wife didn’t tell me until this morning you’d be here, but she was all too delighted to tell me about your Christmas Eve dinner plans. So how’d last night go?”
“Well. I told Raine about the animated film. She seems interested.”
Slater rubbed his jaw and laughed. “Not quite what I was asking, but that’s good.”
“She also showed me her grandfather’s cabin. I can’t believe she’s related to Matthew Brighton. I’ve been thinking about buying property here, but it was pitch-dark so I couldn’t get a feel for the view or anything else. You know the territory. Give me your opinion.”
“That’s so Raine. She took you there on a snowy Christmas Eve when there isn’t even a real road to the place? You two could have easily gotten stuck there.”
Mick couldn’t help it. “That would have been just fine with me.”
“So I gathered,” Slater said drily. “As for the property, it’s a wonderful piece of land but you can’t run cattle there, it needs a road, there’s no electricity, and that old cabin is supposed to be haunted now. That’s nonsense I usually don’t believe in, but I was up there once because Raine asked me to check on it and I’ll be damned if I didn’t hear someone say in a deep male voice: Howdy, Slater. I knew I was alone, so I about jumped out of my skin.” He shook his head, chuckling at himself. “On the positive side, that lake is so scenic you could make a fortune just selling postcards and the view of the mountains just can’t be beat. You’d wake up to bears and elk wandering past the decaying front porch, but when it comes to peace and quiet, if that’s what you’re after, you’d have it in spades.”
Mick refrained from mentioning the sudden breeze that had swept through the cabin last night. He was also a skeptic but that had been an odd moment. He took a sip of wine and studied his glass thoughtfully. “I don’t think I’d mind sitting on a porch with a cup of coffee in the morning and waving hello to a bear. I’d build a house with all the modern amenities, but the cabin would stay.”
“That would make Raine really happy, but I think you just did anyway.” Slater pointed.
She’d unwrapped the illustration and her rapt attention was emphasized by the reverence with which she ran a finger over the glass, tracing an outline of one of the figures. Raine was sitting cross-legged on the floor by the enormous tree. She looked over at him. “Mick, where did you get this?”