Gone Country (34 page)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Gavin and Sierra spent Christmas Eve stuffing themselves with chili, snacks and cookies. He even listened to the music on her iPod as they played her favorite board games. Including Candyland, which amused him, because she used the same strategy as she had at age six, which allowed him to win.

She’d been so excited to open gifts that he’d let her open them all. The number of presents under the tree from her surprised him. Fun, thoughtful, sweet items that proved she at least listened to him some of the time. His favorite was the hat she’d knitted for him in ASU colors. He’d had no clue that Rielle had taught her how to knit. It must’ve taken her hours. He immediately put it on and refused to take it off. Even when his head was sweating. Even after she called him a dork.

Her favorite gift was the set of Jeep keys he’d wrapped up with his promise that she could drive whenever she wanted—weather permitting—as soon as they returned from Arizona.

Afterward, she snuggled up to him on the couch and they watched Christmas movies. In a few years, this too would change between them. College. Boyfriends. Eventually a home and family of her own. It made him a little sad even as it reinforced his determination that he’d never let her get so far adrift from him again. As he looked at his bright, beautiful daughter he felt the bond between them had strengthened over the past few months, and he’d made the right decision moving them here.

Around eleven he kissed her forehead. “Better get in bed, girlie, or Santa won’t come tonight.”

“Dad. Santa? Really?”

“Yep. And he told me he was partial to those frosted cookies you made yesterday, so feel free to leave those out with a glass of milk.”

She snickered. “Okay. But I might skip the carrots for the reindeer this year.” She hugged him. “Night, Dad. Merry Christmas. I love you.”

“Merry Christmas. Love you too, sweetheart.”

“Outstanding meal, Mom. I think you’ll have to roll me to the Christmas tree,” Chase said, suppressing a burp.

“We should all go for a walk.”

Everyone groaned at the suggestion.

“I’m on dish detail,” Ainsley announced.

“Me too,” Ava chimed in.

“Me three.” Libby looked at Quinn. “You wanna put the kids down for a short n-a-p?”

“Sure.” He lifted Amelia from her high chair. “Come on, baby girl. Let’s get you tucked in.”

Thumb in her mouth, she nestled her head in the crook of her dad’s neck.

Gavin remembered those sleepy toddler days with more fondness than they probably deserved. Sierra hadn’t ever been an easy child.

Thump
. Adam raced behind the dining room chairs and jumped in front of Quinn. “Daddy, where you goin’?”

“To a quiet, special place.”

“Can I come?”

“Well, I don’t know, sport. I’m thinkin’ you forgot how to be quiet.”

“I can be quiet,” Adam insisted.

“Really?”

Adam nodded.

“Okay. But you have to tiptoe like this.” Quinn demonstrated. Then he dropped his voice. “Can you whisper like this?”

Adam nodded again and tiptoed down the hallway after him.

Libby smiled. “That man can always get Adam to take a nap no matter how cranky or wild the kid is.”

“Must be a McKay family thing. My dad had to trick me into taking naps too,” Sierra said. “The one I remember best was the magical trip to la-la land. He made it sound like unicorns would prance around me and I could chase butterflies to my heart’s content and the entire place was made of candy. I could hardly wait to fall asleep.”

“It worked every time too.”

Sierra dropped her arms over the back of his chair and leaned down to hug him. “I’d be happy to revisit la-la land now if it’ll get me out of doing the dishes.”

“Not a chance.”

Everyone laughed.

The women headed to the kitchen while the men adjourned to the living room. Charlie passed out cups of eggnog.

Gavin listened while Charlie, Ben and Quinn talked about ranching stuff that he had no clue about.

Then Chase butted in. “No offense, guys, but that’s enough talk about the damn cattle.”

“What do you wanna talk about, Chase? Bull riding?” Ben asked.

“Nope. I wanna hear about Gavin’s trip to Arizona in a few days. Anything interesting going on with your business?”

“I guarantee none of you want to hear me drone on about the real estate market. But yeah, I’m tying up some year-end loose ends.”

“I don’t see how you can run your business in Arizona from here,” Quinn said. “Don’t you gotta be there checking to make sure people get their shit done?”

“I did for a long time. It’s a well-known fact that I’m generous with performance bonuses. Money is always an incentive to ensure the job gets done right. I still fly down every few months, for face-to-face time with my employees and a few key customers. But ninety percent of what I do can be done from anywhere as long as I have a computer and a phone.”

“Huh. I heard Sierra mention she’s meeting her mom there?” Chase asked. “I thought your ex ran off to France?”

“She did. But I gave Ellen two choices for Sierra’s Christmas break: come to the U.S. to see her daughter or stay in Paris and not see her daughter.” He sipped his drink. “So she’ll be in Scottsdale.”

Ben rested his forearms on his thighs, as if he intended to settle in for a long chat. “Ainsley said we’re watching Sadie while you and Rielle are gone.”

“Yep.”

Silence. Then, “So you’re still seeing Rielle?” Chase asked.

“Yep.”

Quinn laughed softly. “Those responses sound like what I’d say. And Ben’d say. And Dad’d say. Chase on the other hand…he’ll blab every thought that pops into his head.”

“Screw you. I can keep a secret.”

Ben coughed, “Bullshit,” into his hand.

“Boys,” Charlie warned. “You’re getting off track. I believe Gavin was about to tell us what’s going on between him and Rielle.”

Gavin stared at Charlie. “Why you throwing me under the bus?”

“It’s your turn. So start talkin’. And one word answers ain’t gonna cut it,” he warned. “Because I know you like to talk. That’s where Sierra gets it.”

“Not much to tell. We’re living together, yet separately and she’s got all these boundaries. The weird thing is sometimes I think those boundaries are smart, other times they drive me crazy. But I convinced her to take a break where there’s no work, no—” he looked over his shoulder, “—kid. Nothing but us. So we’ll see how it goes.”

Charlie said, “Can I give you some advice?”

Gavin looked at him, surprised by the offer. “Sure.”

“We’ve been neighbors of the Wetzlers for years. I don’t know how else to put this, but her parents were off their damn rockers. Their ideas about agriculture and sustaining the land were archaic at best, unrealistic at worst. Damn child laborers, that’s what they were—and yes, that’s coming from me, who worked you boys hard. I always felt sorry for her, even as a child before she ended up pregnant as a young girl. Course, after Vi found out, she went out of her way to check on Rielle and Rory. Vi…she knew a little something about bein’ pregnant at that age. Although, I never understood why she was so concerned about Rielle and that baby until she told me about you.”

How was he supposed to respond to that?

“Even now, Rielle won’t let up on herself because she doesn’t know how. Anyway, my advice to you is to spoil the shit out of her while you’re in Arizona. Not to flash your cash, but to show her that goofing off is the reward for hard work and everyone deserves a break. It ain’t gonna be easy, but I believe she’s worth the effort.”

Ben, Quinn and Chase gaped at one another. Then Quinn said, “Ah, Dad? How much rum did you put in that eggnog? I’ve never heard you offer us advice on women.”

Charlie shrugged. “That’s because none of you ever needed it.”

The ladies returned from the kitchen and paired off with their partners, leaving Gavin relieved he hadn’t brought Rielle because Sierra would be the odd one out in her own family.

“Who wants wine?” Vi asked. Ainsley and Libby raised their hands. Vi looked at Ava. “Ava, sweetheart? What about you?”

Ava shook her head.

Chase blurted, “That’s because she’s pregnant!”

Amidst the congratulations, Ben leaned over and muttered, “I told you he can’t keep a damn secret.”

Gavin grinned.

“When are you due?” Vi asked.

“Six months.” Ava stood and turned sideways, smoothing her hands over her perfectly flat belly. “See? I already look pregnant.”

Libby choked on her wine.

Ainsley said, “Hate to break it to you, Ava darlin’, but
I
look more pregnant than you do.”

“Bite your tongue, wife,” Ben half-snapped.

“And with that…Vi, don’t you think it’s time we open gifts?”

“Isn’t it time for pie?” Sierra asked.

“Later.”

“But it’s pumpkin. That’s my favorite.”

“Hand out those presents, girlie,” Charlie advised.

Then the kids were up and the dignified unwrapping ended.

Gavin got a huge kick out of Adam and Amelia. Such funny and friendly kids. Amelia even crawled right up into his lap.

When he caught Sierra’s eye, she smiled. “She knows you’re good with little girls.”

Sometimes his daughter said the sweetest things.

Gavin noticed Vi’s strange expression. She hadn’t received a gift from him and was too polite to ask if anything remained under the tree. “Vi?” he said above the din.

Charlie whistled for quiet.

“My gift to you is in the garage,” Gavin said to her.

“Really? Why?”

“Let’s go find out,” Charlie said.

They traipsed to the garage. He pointed to a blanket-covered box in the far corner. “Go ahead.” He and Charlie exchanged a grin.

Vi pulled the blanket back and beneath it was an industrial oven like Rielle’s. She gasped and whirled around. “This is mine?”

“I knew you wanted one, and Charlie said your oven was on its last legs. We all know he’s too cheap to spring for that kind—” laughter, “—so I said I’d buy it for you if he’d put it in.”

She just stared at him.

Crap. Maybe he had gone overboard.

But she marched right up to him and threw her arms around him. “Thank you, son. I love it.”

“You’re welcome.”

Then she whapped him on the arm. “So sneaky, just like your father. Do you know one time he let me think he’d forgotten to buy me a birthday present? Then as I got ready for bed I found a wrapped box in my makeup drawer next to my cold cream.”

“Grams, that’s such a sweet, romantic story.” Sierra put her arm around her shoulder. “Is it time for pie yet?”

“Sierra, is that all you can think about?” Gavin asked, exasperated. What was wrong with her? It wasn’t like she hadn’t just stuffed her face with an entire plate of homemade candies.

“It’s fine. I remember teenagers’ stomachs being bottomless pits. And that’s what grandmas do best right? Fill you with sugary treats and send you home all hyped up on extra sugar.” She patted Sierra’s cheek. “I’ll even put extra whipped cream on your pumpkin pie, punkin.”

Sierra shot him a smug look. “Grandma makes the
best
homemade pie crust. You could learn a thing or two from her.”

He caught Vi’s eye and grinned. “You know what? I already have.”

They didn’t get home from Charlie and Vi’s until nine o’clock. Sierra hauled her presents into her room, leaving Gavin at loose ends. He paced in front of the windows, too restless to even find a classic sports game on TV.

Then Rielle walked toward him, looking like a damn dream, holding a bottle of wine and two glasses. “Care to join me in a glass of Christmas cheer?”

“Mmm-hmm. But this first.” Gavin kissed her. Hotly, sweetly, teasingly, pouring everything he’d been feeling into one long kiss before he eased back to stare into her eyes. “Merry Christmas, honey.”

“That was a helluva Christmas kiss, tycoon.”

“I missed you.”

“Same here. Been a long two days.”

“I’ll say. I’m glad you tracked me down.”

“Where’s Sierra?” she asked.

“In bed, tuckered out from Christmas festivities.” He nuzzled her temple, and her honeysuckle scent teased his nose. “Where’s Rory?”

“At a movie. A Christmas night tradition with her friend Addie.”

“So I can invite you to drink that wine in my bed?”

“Yep.”

“Good. Because I have another present for you in my room.”

Rielle looked him. “You already gave me a kick-ass gift.”

“The extra-large electric honey separator wasn’t too boring?”

“No. I’ve wanted one for so long. It’s perfect. Thank you. I’m sorry; I probably should’ve waited to open it until you were there.”