Page 34 of Merry Christmas, Cowboy (Home to Texas #2)

He tore into it quickly, pulling out a snow globe from the box. “Does this remind you of anything?”

“It’s a ranch house, just like ours.”

The boy shook the globe and the snow came pouring down. He seemed truly fascinated by it.

“So, you’ll always have snow, Cody. And you’ll always remember Cottonwood.”

“Thanks.” He hugged her and then ran off.

She held one other gift and she handed it to him. “You can open it later, if you like.”

He set it down on the arm of the sofa. “Okay. Can you stay a little while?”

She immediately shook her head. “No, it’s too… hard.”

“Nicole, I never meant to—”

“Shh, Garrett. It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.”

Two other cars pulled up, with the Coopers in one and Julie, Miguel and Muffy in the other.

“What are they doing here?” he asked, completely puzzled.

“You wouldn’t go to them, so they’re coming to you. It’s how we do it in Last Stand. Merry Christmas, Garrett.”

“Merry Christmas, Nicole.”

And within a minute, she was driving off, while the two families marched into his house, bringing gifts and food and chaos, totally delighting Cody.

Muffy ran around in circles, the girls were setting out food, the men searching for sports channels on the television.

He looked around at the people making themselves at home in his house.

They were his friends , and they weren’t going to let him forget it.

Garrett had never felt this way about a place before, a town that had more Christmas spirit than he could ever imagine.

But one thing was wrong. Nicole wasn’t here. And all he could think about was how much he missed her now that she’d gone.

*

“Time for bed, Code,” Garrett whispered. “You’ve had a big day.”

The boy had drifted off on the sofa, exhausted from playing with Cassie and Muffy most of the afternoon. The guests who’d bombarded his house with Christmas spirit left right before dusk, to have their own celebration at home, but they’d given the two of them a good memory to take with them.

Garrett picked Cody up in his arms and the boy draped himself over his shoulder, still half asleep.

It was the part of fathering he loved the most. Holding Cody securely and tucking him in was one of those precious moments he cherished.

Code was such a good little guy, he deserved so much, and Garrett hoped he was doing right by him.

The little man had fun today, but kept asking why Miss Russell wasn’t there, why did she have to leave?

Garrett was asking himself that very question.

He wasn’t sure of anything anymore. He thought the money from the sale of Cottonwood, would be the best thing for Cody.

It would be enough to raise him properly and give him a good education when the time came.

Garrett wouldn’t worry so much, since flipping houses wasn’t a guarantee to financial freedom.

It was a business with a moderate amount of risk.

Before it was only about providing for himself. But now he was providing for Cody too.

Garrett sighed heavily as he lay the boy down on his bed and tucked him in. “Here you go, Code.” The night had grown cold, even giving Garrett a shiver. “Sleep well,” he whispered.

Garrett was halfway out of the room, when he turned to find Cody had opened his eyes to peer out the window, looking longingly for snow that wouldn’t fall. Even half asleep, the boy’s disappointment showed. Then he turned his head, and drifted back to sleep.

They’d made it through their first Christmas together. Maybe the next one would be a little easier. Garrett sat down at the kitchen table, warming himself up with a steaming hot cup of coffee. He held the gift Nicole had given him in his hand. It was time to open it.

Slowly, he unwrapped the small box and lifted the lid.

He found a card that read: Operation Holiday Fun .

He gave that notion a chuckle. They did have holiday fun this year.

Images popped into his head of the tree lighting, hot cocoa splurges, the choir performance, and decorating Cottonwood with Christmas cheer.

They were good memories, all due to Nicole.

He pushed tissue paper aside and lifted out a watch, the goofy kind with a crazy-looking character on the face in green wearing a grimy Santa hat. He gave it a full inspection and then turned it over to find an inscription on the back.

Garrett read the words aloud. “A grinch no more.”

He laughed, a long steady laugh that brightened his spirit and made him rethink everything about his life.

But the thinking was interrupted, as the wind howled and another frigid bout of cold made him shiver again.

He walked to the window, looking for wind damage.

The Christmas tree in the middle of the corral held steady and all the lights set up around the house rattled, but not a one broke.

And then he saw something. He blinked and blinked again. But the image was still there, he wasn’t seeing things. It was real. Tiny white flakes drifting down, descending from the heavens. Snow. It was falling steadily, hitting the ground in silence and covering the land with a soft white blanket.

He glanced at his new watch and then ran into Cody’s room. Hardly able to contain his excitement, he put a hand on Cody’s shoulder and shook him gently. “Cody, Cody. Wake up.”

The boy turned in the bed, facing up now, but his eyes were still clamped shut. “Cody. Come on, you have to see this.”

“Uncle Garrett,” he mumbled.

“Cody, it’s snowing!”

The boy’s eyes popped open. “What?”

“That’s right. You want to see?”

Cody sat upright on the bed. Garrett picked him up and took him over to the window. “Look at it, Cody. Look at all that snow.”

The boy rubbed his eyes, and took a look. “Is it still Christmas, Uncle Garrett?”

“Yeah, Cody, it’s still Christmas.” They had about an hour left of the holiday. “Wanna go catch a few snowflakes?”

Cody nodded eagerly. “Yeah. Oh, boy!”

Quickly, Garrett put on their heaviest coats and boots. He covered both their heads with knit caps and off they went, Cody in his arms. They stood by the Christmas tree, palms out, catching snowflakes. “Mommy’s here, Uncle Garrett. She’s wishing us a merry Christmas.”

And suddenly, Garrett was a believer too. Because none of this made sense. And because little Cody had enough faith for the both of them. “Yeah, she is, Code. Your mom is here with us.”

“I told you so,” Cody said. “I knew the snow would come.”

“Sometimes, Code, you’re smarter than me. Hey, look at this one. It looks like a perfect star.”

Cody put out his hand too. “I have three, and they look like a snowman. Uncle Garrett, I wish I could show it to Miss Russell too.”

“You do?”

“She’d love catching snowflakes with us.”

“You know what Cody, you’re right. She would.”

They stayed outside for a few more minutes, the air a bit too cold to linger. But even as they returned to the house, Cody’s sense of wonder hadn’t faded. “Uncle Garrett? Can we play the what if game?”

“Code, it’s late. We should both head to bed.”

“Please, just for a minute.”

“Okay, just for a minute.”

“I’ll go first. What if we could live on the ranch forever?”

Garrett smiled. He’d been mulling over those very same thoughts.

That was why he hadn’t signed the real estate papers yet.

He’d given his word he would, but nothing was finalized.

He’d been stalling and now he knew why. There was something more important than selling the ranch. Someone more important in their lives.

“What if we go ask Nicole if she likes the idea?”

“Right now?”

“Yeah, right now.”

And twenty minutes later, Cody and Garrett made a very late Christmas visit to Nicole’s apartment.

He texted her they were coming, and she greeted them at the door with a surprised look on the face. She was beautiful in all ways, and Garrett had been a fool not to recognize it sooner. He only hoped he could repair the damage he’d done and earn back her trust.

“It’s snowing,” Cody told her eagerly.

“I know, Cody. You were the first one I thought of when I saw the snow tonight. Come in, please.”

They entered the house quietly. Her parents must’ve gone to bed, there was no sign of them. She led them over to the sofa and they took a seat. “Cody did you catch snowflakes tonight?”

“I did. Only, it would’ve been better if you were there. I wanted to catch snowflakes with you too,” Cody said.

“You did?” Tears welled in her eyes. “Th-that’s awfully sweet.”

Cody nodded and laid his head on the sofa’s arm.

“He’s pretty tired. It’s been an exciting day and night for him.”

Nicole picked up a throw blanket and covered Cody, tucking him in, making him comfortable.

Garrett gestured to the window that looked out onto her courtyard. She met him there so as not to disturb Cody.

“Garrett, I don’t understand why you’re here, exactly, in the middle of the night.”

“It’s still Christmas. My new watch told me so.” He showed her his left wrist and she smiled. “I’m not a grinch anymore.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“It’s because of you, Nic. You’ve made everything better in my life. You showed me how to have fun. How to open up and let the world in. You’ve called me out when I needed it and you’ve been a really good friend.”

“Friend?”

“A friend and so much more. I’ve been trying to protect Cody and myself, trying to keep everyone out, because losing Carrie hurt so damn much.

I didn’t think either of us could go through that pain again.

I almost didn’t see what was right before my eyes.

This town is a great place to raise Cody.

The people have embraced us with open arms. We’ve made friends here, real friends.

“I’m sorry for keeping the truth from you about Cottonwood.

I never meant to hurt you. After all you went through with your ex, I didn’t want to be that guy who treats you the same way.

You’re a special woman, Nicole. I know that.

The thought of leaving here was killing me.

But I thought I had to, for Cody’s sake and his future.

“It may not snow every day in winter like it would in Mammoth, but somehow I don’t think Cody would mind so much. He loves living on the ranch. Tonight, Cody and I played the what if game and he asked me, what if we lived on Cottonwood Ranch forever?”

Her face softened to a sweet expression. She whispered, “What did you say?”

He took hold of her hands. “I said, what if I asked Nicole how she felt about that idea.”

“I love the idea, Garrett. It’s an amazing idea.”

“I think so too. We can manage without selling the ranch. I can pick up work with Coop and I’ve got this crazy idea that he and I can flip the house I bought in Mammoth and then maybe work together here in Last Stand. Either way, I’ll make it work, so long as we’re here with you.”

He urged her on, nodding, his heart pumping like crazy. “Your turn.”

She nibbled on her lips for a brief second. “What if we spend the rest of the holiday week together as a family?”

Garrett drew her in, setting his palm on her cheek and gazed into her pretty brown eyes. “I have a better one. What if we spend every Christmas together for the rest of our lives?”

Now that he was sure of what was in his heart, he couldn’t wait any longer to share his feelings.

He’d figure out the rest in time, because nothing was more important to him than starting a new life with Nicole.

“I love you, Nic. I can’t imagine not having you in my life.

Everything I want is right here in front of me. ”

Her eyes beamed brightly. Her sweet face so absolutely beautiful. “What if I love you too, Garrett, and I can’t imagine my life without you either? What if you’ve given me the best Christmas ever?”

“What if we get married as soon as possible and you move to the ranch with us?”

“What if I told you it’s a dream come true? And I would love to be your wife.”

He smiled and brushed his mouth to hers, giving her a deep satisfying kiss meant for a lifetime.

Showing her how much she meant to him, how much he needed and wanted her in his life.

After the kiss, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and together they gazed out the window at the white powdery snow continuing to fall.

“You do know now you’re gonna have to get Cody a dog,” she said.

“Planning to. We’ll tell him together tomorrow.”

“I’d like that.”

Garrett tightened his hold on Nicole. She was an unexpected gift in his life. “I guess our little Cody was right, Christmas miracles do come true.”

Nicole leaned her head against his chest. “There’s never been any doubt, Garrett. Christmas in Last Stand will always be a thing of wonder.”

The End

Autumn doesn’t want his help, but Sam has never given up so easily. And what starts off as just doing his duty quickly becomes something much more personal. Find out in The Texas Hero’s Homecoming (Home to Texas #3)

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