It's a Christmas Thing (The Christmas Tree Ranch #2)(73)
“I didn’t think you’d want it. I know you, Rush. You’d do anything for Clara, even go back to her mother and try to make the marriage work. I knew you were making a sacrifice, but I told myself that you were making it for your family, and that you believed you were doing the right thing. Giving you an alternative—I was afraid that giving you that document would only make your decision harder.”
The paper fluttered to the floor as his hands clasped her shoulders, almost hurting. “Tracy, I’ve been through hell, trying to find a way to be there for Clara without losing you. I love you. I would never walk away from the life we could have. I’d have told you that, but you threw me out before I could explain.”
“I love you, too. And if you’d explained, I’d have given you the document.” She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.
“We’re a couple of idiots,” he said. “You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes, I know it,” she whispered. “But at least we’re a pair.”
Their kiss was long, deep, and full of promise—a promise of lifetimes together, building a future, raising a family bound with ties of love.
As he released her, Tracy glanced around the room. “I know what this place needs,” she said. “A Christmas tree!”
Epilogue
Christmas, that same year
Rush and Clara came to Tracy’s house to celebrate Christmas morning. Under a gloriously lit tree, they sat on the floor and opened their presents.
Clara gave each of them the Christmas cards she’d made, which would be saved on the refrigerator and cherished always. When Rush unwrapped the photo of Clara, from the mall, he was visibly moved. Telling her it was his best gift ever, he gave her a big hug.
Tracy’s and Rush’s gifts for each other were practical, hastily bought items—warm hats, scarves, and gloves. Next year, they could buy something costlier and more meaningful. For this year these simple things would be enough. This was Clara’s Christmas. The important gifts were for her.
Clara opened Tracy’s gifts first. She loved the snow globe and the books. But there was more to come.
The first gift from Rush came in a big box. She opened it to find a cowgirl hat and a pair of cowgirl boots. “This gift has a special meaning, Clara,” he said. “It means that, yes, you’ll have to go home to your mother. But every year, you can come back here at Christmas and in the summertime to be a cowgirl again.”
Clara squealed with joy at the news, even though she was too young to understand the implications. Two days ago, Rush had called the private number of Sonya’s lawyer, who’d agreed that Rush would have a good case for partial custody if he chose to take it to court. The lawyer had persuaded Sonya to avoid a costly trial and give Rush visitation rights twice a year. As for the question of Rush’s going back to her, Sonya had already moved on. She was dating a man she’d met on the cruise.
“One more present.” Rush handed Clara another box and helped her open it. Inside was a small, sturdy pet carrier.
“What’s this for?” Clara asked.
“It’s for your next present. Wait here.” He disappeared down the hall and came back with a lidded box. Something was moving inside it. He set it on the floor. “Open it, Clara,” he said.
She raised the lid with a little cry. Happy tears flowed down her cheeks as she picked up Snowflake and cuddled him close. “He’s yours,” Rush said. “You can take him home with you in the carrier. You can even bring him back if he turns out to be a good traveler.”
Clara jumped up and hugged Rush. “I love you, Daddy,” she said. “I knew that Santa couldn’t bring my miracles, but I never gave up. I knew that you could do it.”
While Clara played with her kitten, Tracy went into the kitchen to check the turkey she was roasting for Christmas dinner. Travis, Conner, and Maggie would be over later to share it with them.
As she closed the oven, Rush slipped his arms around her from behind and nuzzled the back of her neck. “I hope she doesn’t expect miracles from me every Christmas. That’s a pretty tall order.”
Tracy laughed. “Shall we share the other surprise, that she’s going to be the flower girl at our wedding this summer?”
Rush turned her around and kissed her. “That can wait,” he said. “I think we’ve had enough surprises for one Christmas.”
Please read on for an excerpt from HART’S HOLLOW FARM by Janet Dailey, available now!
For some folks in small-town Georgia, Hart’s Hollow is a forsaken farm that has seen better days. But for the Hart family matriarch, it’s a home worth fighting for . . .
From the moment Kristen Daniels arrives at Hart’s Hollow, something about the place speaks to her soul. So when seventy-three-year-old Emmy Hart asks Kristen to help return the farm to its former glory, Kristen accepts—despite her fears about getting involved with Emmy—or the two kids in Emmy’s care. Then there’s the matter of Emmy’s ruggedly handsome grandson, who stirs feelings Kristen believed were long gone . . .
When Mitch Hart left Hart’s Hollow at age eighteen, he thought he’d kicked the red dust off his boots forever. But his heart bears the scars of his violent upbringing and his mind aches with the loss of the sister he couldn’t save. Now he’s determined to see his orphaned niece and nephew settled in a better life. Emmy’s ideas about saving the farm for the family’s sake only convince Mitch that his grandmother is as crazy as everyone in town suspects. Everyone except the blond beauty helping her sow the land. Something about Kristen’s mix of spirit and vulnerability has Mitch sticking around. And soon enough he’s working by Kristen’s side, and wondering if he’s gone a little crazy himself—crazy in love. Because suddenly he’s hoping he might just find happiness in the very home he left behind . . .