RANCHER BEAR’S BABY(99)

She squeezed me. “Of course, Tuck. We’ve been trying to get Lettie here for forever, so you’re a miracle worker. Plus, no kid deserves to be alone on Christmas. This is a very special day. Those kids need to feel that. Not abandonment.”

I nodded. “Hopefully, I can find their mother.”

She gave me a look, like she knew more than I did. “Lettie’s good with them, I hear.”

“She is. They like her a lot.”

“And you’re good with Lettie.”

I caught on to where she was heading and decided to keep it short. I stole a chocolate chip cookie from behind her and smiled. “Better go check on them.”

She laughed and shook her head. “You Long men are all the same. Chickens, all of you.”





CHAPTER 5: Lettie




I managed to hold off Leila’s questions about Tucker by introducing her to Abby. She was instantly in love. Bailey, Elizabeth, and eventually Leila, sat around a bedroom on the second floor, talking with her. Abby seemed shy at first, but eventually opened up. She’d even suggested a name for Elizabeth’s new baby that Elizabeth loved.

I sat beside Abby, quietly brushing and braiding her hair to get it off of her face. Bailey had made a big fuss over bringing Abby some of her own older clothes, so Abby was adorned in a beautiful red dress that was slightly too big for her, but obviously made her feel like a princess. She’d wanted her hair to be special to go with it. Bailey also found the pile of clothes for her brothers and picked them out two outfits that I thought the boys would hate, but would look so cute in.

Tucker appeared in the doorway and leaned against the frame, like he didn’t have a care in the world. I couldn’t relate. I had a heavy feeling in my belly and couldn’t stop thinking about him finding their mother. Should they even be with a woman who would leave them to freeze on the side of a highway? There was something else nagging at me, too. Tucker, himself.

Something about his wavy brown hair and pale blue was speaking to me. He was drawing me in and I didn’t understand it. We’d known each other for years, and while I’d always found him attractive, I’d never reacted in such an…intense way.

“Hi, Tucker.” Abby smiled at him and then looked over at me. Her eyes widened and then she giggled. “Leila said Lettie has a crush on you, Tucker.”

I sucked in a huge breath and felt my face going bright red. I felt like I was suddenly in middle school again. “Leila’s got a big mouth.”

Leila gasped. “Now, is that anything to say about your best friend? And on Christmas, to boot. For shame, girl. For shame.”

Before I could say anything back, Carolyn was yelling up the stairs. “Ya’ll come on down here. I need someone to set the table. Then, we’re ready to eat.”

“I’ll set the table.”

Tucker looked at me. “I’ll help you.”

Something fluttered in my stomach and I nodded. “Thanks.”

We left the room to a chorus of childish kissing sounds. I did my best to just ignore them but while setting the table, I glanced up to find Tucker staring at me. I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my mouth. He immediately joined in.

“They’re ridiculous.” I shook my head. “I was just waiting for them to start singing about us kissing in a tree.”

His eyes flashed brighter and I got the very clear impression that he wouldn’t mind a little kissing in a tree. Or anywhere. “Have you ever thought about us?”

Nervous energy coursed through my body as I took in a deep breath. “Have you?”

His grin was alarmingly handsome. He was systematically laying down silverware at each place setting until he made it to the setting right beside me. As he reached over to put the last of it down, he met my eyes. “I’ve thought about you. This is new, though. Today is…different.”

I was starkly aware of the fact that he was mere inches from me. He’d straightened and his long frame towered over me, but it was comforting beyond belief. Comforting and also disorienting. My body was suddenly pulsing, acutely aware of him. “What is it?”

“Tucker! Lettie! Are you done yet? We’re going to have a toast in the living room.”

I jumped like I’d been scolded and hurried to put the last two plates down before rushing from the room. My heart was racing and I felt jittery. Something was definitely different between Tucker and me. He knew it and I knew it. His honesty about it was almost off-putting. Tucker’d never been a man to waste words, but having it directed at me was shocking.

We joined the rest of the family in the living room and I almost got teary eyed at the scene before me. The whole family was standing around the fire, talking, while the children laughed and played in front of them. Even Abby had found a coloring book and was showing little Connor how to color inside the lines. The room felt like a Christmas post card and I knew that this was exactly the kind of Christmas Mom would’ve wanted for me.