Page 43 of Moody's Grumpy Holiday

I didn’t know squat about goats, except that they generally lived in barns. No…wait. I vaguely recalled an acquaintance in grad school who’d claimed to be a goat. Or maybe an otter or a furry or—oh, dear. Oh, dear, not the same thing.

Pull it together, Moody.

Hudson set a carton of eggnog on the counter, then bent to gather the goat in his arms. “Come meet, Moody, Nell. Don’t be shy. He’s a sweetheart.”

“Are you talking to me or the goat?”

Hudson laughed. “Yes. Nelly is a flirt. She follows Tanner everywhere, but she’s taken a shine to me too. This is the third day in a row this week I’ve found her waiting at the gate behind my yard.”

“But she’sinside your domain. Is that…okay?”

“Sure. She won’t get into much trouble in the kitchen, but we’re gonna take her home before we start cooking, anyway. Want to pet her?”

“Um…sure.” I gnawed my bottom lip and inched closer, gently brushing my hand on the soft tuft of hair on Nell’s head. She didn’t flinch or even seem to notice me at all. She was besotted with the big, burly man cradling her in his arms. I couldn’t blame her.

“That’s it. Good girl. I told you he was a good egg, Nell. A little fussy sometimes, but nothing we can’t handle,” Hudson cooed.

“Hey,” I grumbled without heat, petting her long ears. “She is pretty cute, and she?—”

“Baaaaa!”

I jumped again and this time, I bounced into the counter and knocked over a measuring cup and a spatula. Nelly bleated in earnest at the racket, wiggling out of Hudson’s arms and tearing around the kitchen table in circles. Every time he tried to catch her, she’d hop away like a demented bunny.

At first it was alarming. This tiny creature was wreaking havoc, skidding across the floor and bouncing off cabinets and chairs, darting out of reach at the last possible second.

And then, well…I had to admit it was gosh-darn funny. Hudson was so big, and Nelly was so tiny and quick, and the ridiculousness of a goat dodging capture like a child playing tag with an old geezer was slapstick comedy gold. I was not immune. At all.

On Nelly’s fourth lap, I lost my composure. A snicker morphed into a fit of giggles and eventually dissolved into uproarious laughter. I flopped onto the nearest chair, doubled over with tears in my eyes. My feverish cackling and Nelly’s bleating echoed in the small confines. Poor Hudson gave up the chase, raking his hand through his hair, the picture of a man at wit’s end.

“Holy crap. I don’t know where to begin.” He kneeled to grab the carrot Nelly had abandoned earlier and glanced my way. “Are you okay? I can’t tell if you’re crying or?—”

“I’m fine. I’m—baa.” And yes, I was laughing again…so hard that I slipped off the chair.

“Hold that thought. Gotcha!” Hudson swooped the goat in his arms and sat cross-legged on the floor next to me. He offered Nelly the carrot and sighed with relief as she nibbled away as if nothing had happened.

I leaned into his side to pet her, no hesitation. My insides felt warm, and though I could probably claim that was thanks to the unexpected comedy show, I knew that wasn’t it. Just as I knew Nelly’s presence wasn’t an accident.

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Right. Because it’s so much fun to chase a fucking goat while I’m trying to impress a guy,” he snarked.

I smiled and kissed his cheek. “I’m impressed. Tell me all about Nelly.”

Hudson studied me intently. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but I liked it when he laced our fingers, squeezed, and started talking.

“Nelly? She’s a pain in the ass, but she’s cute. Like you. Her brother is a little bigger. They call him Gordy, and…”

My December defenses, which had already been on shaky ground for a week or more, crumbled brick by brick, leaving me exposed and vulnerable. I could feel the fall happening, but I couldn’t stop it. Worse…I didn’t care.

Hudson told me about the goats he’d befriended and the cow he was sure had a crush on him. He talked about horses he’d grown up with in Colorado and the cranky old cat that had slept at the end of his bed every night till he left for college.

Hudson loved animals…all animals. He’d thought about becoming a vet, but he’d been needed at the ranch, and there hadn’t been enough hours in the day. He talked about losing his dad to cancer and how he’d slipped into a mode of playing it safe. He was sure that was why he’d proposed to Kylie. He said he’d heard that she’d married the yoga instructor and that his family wanted him home for the holidays.

“What do you want?” I asked, snuggling closer to the sexy rancher and the goat sleeping in his arms.

“I don’t know. It’s only a few days and part of me thinks it might be fun, but…I also think I have a bad habit of trying to please others for the sake of keeping the peace.”

“Hmm.”