Home For a Cowboy Christmas(81)

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She wanted to tell him that she wished to stay for the day. What held her back was the knowledge that he might not want her to. They had been trapped. That was no longer an issue. This could be Zane’s way of letting her know that she should leave.

Cady took a deep breath and resigned herself to the fact that the best holiday of her life was essentially over. “Can I help?”

“I’ve got it,” he said, keeping his back to her.

It hurt that he wouldn’t look at her, but she didn’t press him. Cady retrieved her luggage and brought it into the bathroom with her. She opened her bag and got out some clothes before begrudgingly removing Zane’s sweatshirt and folding it neatly to set on the counter. The pants followed next, and she tucked them beneath his shirt. Then she rummaged for clean underwear and hastily pulled on wool socks before stepping into jeans, a thermal undershirt, and a thick, black sweater.

If she was leaving Zane, she wanted him to remember her at her best.





Chapter 9


No matter how Zane tried, he couldn’t stop time.

Nor could he reverse it to keep the sheriff from knocking on his door.

The moment the knock had sounded, his stomach sank. He’d known before he opened the door who it was. He’d tried to get the sheriff to leave before Cady emerged, but even that plan had failed.

Zane couldn’t look at Cady for fear that he’d see elation on her face at finally being able to go home. Sure, she’d said that she’d had the best holiday ever and that she didn’t want to bother someone to get her vehicle on Christmas, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be happy to get home. She’d never let him think otherwise for an instant. The only thing he could think to do to prolong things was to drive her and cook breakfast. Maybe during all of that, he could think of something, anything to keep her here.

If only for one more day.

But he knew it would always be one more day. There would never be enough time with Cady. If he got the day, he’d want another one, and another, and another. But how could he not when he was so happy?

He heard the bathroom door close softly. Zane rested his hands on the counter and hung his head. He’d known that this time would come, but he hadn’t realized it would hurt so damn bad. It was the kind of pain that never healed, the kind that would remain with him for a lifetime. He’d been waiting for a girl like Cady. How could he let her walk out of his life?

How could he get her to stay?

There was one way, but he simply couldn’t do it. It went against everything he believed in. And if she wanted to stay with him for that reason, then it would never work. Yet, he couldn’t think of any other way.

He’d lived alone, bitter and angry for too many years. Cady had washed all of that away with a kiss. She’d mended wounds he believed could never be healed. And now, she was about to walk out of his life as effortlessly as she had appeared.

Somehow, Zane managed to cook pancakes. His mind went over every second he had spent with Cady. How he managed not to burn the pancakes or himself was a miracle. By the time she emerged from the bathroom, he was on the last pancake. He put it on the plate and turned to set it on the table when he caught sight of her.

She took his breath away. She’d brushed her blond hair, and it fell gently against the black sweater. The jeans molded to her legs, making him recall how she had wrapped them around his waist.

“I love pancakes,” she said with a smile.

He cleared his throat, mentally shaking himself. “Please, sit and eat.”

Zane got them both some coffee before sitting across from her. Whereas the conversations before had been easy and simple, he couldn’t think of anything to say now, making it awkward. They each tried to start an exchange a couple of times, but eventually gave up.

All too soon, the meal was finished.

“Let me do the dishes,” Cady said as she got to her feet.

Zane rose and put on his boots. “I’ll go see to Brego.”

He took his time with the horse, but Zane knew he could only put off the inevitable for so long. After giving Brego a final pat, he returned to the house. Cady’s suitcase was near the door, along with her purse. She sat at the table, waiting.

“Ready?” he asked.

She glanced at the bed. “If you are.”

“I thought I’d drive you to the airport.”

“Is that out of your way?”

He shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

“Thank you.”

With nothing else to do, he made sure the fire was out in the hearth, then he grabbed her suitcase and his keys. She put on her coat and looped her purse over her shoulder. He followed her out of the house and closed the door behind him, locking it. She trailed him around the side of the cabin where his truck sat under a covered area.

The drive was excruciating. The closer they got to the airport, the more his mood soured. Cady seemed just as content not to talk. She spent the drive looking out the passenger window, seemingly lost in thought. He called himself ten kinds of fool for not telling her what was on his mind, but each time he said the words to himself, they sounded crazier and crazier.

He’d had his heart broken before. He wasn’t afraid of putting it out there again. He was scared of Cady saying no. If he never asked, he would never get the answer he feared more than anything. It was idiotic, but there was a chance—however slim—that he could get the answer he wanted.