The Mechanics of Mistletoe - Liz Isaacson Page 0,55

actually had eleven siblings and cousins, though a couple of Ranger’s sisters didn’t live at the ranch.

He didn’t have a card from either of them, nor Zona, nor Cactus. His mother had called him about mid-morning and wished him a happy birthday, and she’d said she and Zona would be at the house about five o’clock with dinner and a cake. He’d told Sammy, and she’d said she’d be there.

“Okay,” Bear said about four-thirty. “Go put that in your bag, Link. Let’s get this cleaned up. My mother will be here soon.” He picked up their glasses, noting that Link had barely drunk any of the lemonade he’d asked for. He did that a lot, and Bear had given up on trying to make him eat or drink more than he did. He wasn’t wasting away, and if he was hungry, Link ate.

“You know what we should do for your birthday?” Lincoln asked. “We should go bowling.”

Bear smiled at the child. He’d been suggesting things all day, most of them ten times more ridiculous than bowling. There was no way they could get all the cowboys that had helped with the tornado clean-up together on such short notice. And Bear didn’t even know the YouTube personalities Lincoln had mentioned they should get to sing to him.

“We’re not going to go bowling,” Bear said, putting the glasses in the sink. “My mother is bringing dinner, and my sister made me a cake. All of my brothers and cousins will start showing up. Your mom. We’re going to eat here.”

“Did you get a lot of presents for your birthday?” Link asked.

“No, buddy,” Bear said. “Just the cards. You were with me for most of them, remember?” He turned around and smiled at the boy.

“Do you want a lot of presents for your birthday?”

Bear shrugged. “Not really. It’s just nice to have your family get together.” His family was loud, true. They sometimes poked a little too much fun at each other, and feelings got hurt. Apologies had to be made, and the best part about Bear’s family was that they made them. They had to, because all of them were necessary to run the ranch.

“Will Cactus come?” Lincoln asked.

“Yep,” Bear said in tandem with someone else. He and Link looked toward the foyer, where none other than Cactus stood. He had a green envelope taped to the front of his shirt, and he’d said yep at the same time as Bear.

Bear grinned and indicated his brother. “See? There he is.” He crossed the room toward Cactus and took the card from his chest before he took his brother into a hug. “Hey, Cactus.”

“Happy birthday, Bear,” he said, and when Bear stepped back, he actually caught a smile on Cactus’s face. His brother had been through an incredibly tough time, and only Bear, Ranger, and Judge knew all of it.

Bear didn’t blame him one bit for retreating from the family and the ranch. The fact that he’d stayed, even in a far-reaching cabin, was a miracle. After the losses Cactus had suffered, Bear was surprised Cactus had stayed in the state.

At the same time, he knew why he had. Family. He didn’t truly want to be alone, and Cactus had stayed because the ranch was familiar. His family would forgive him and support him, even if he pretended to be prickly and grumpy.

Bear smiled at Cactus and held up the card. “How long have you had this?”

“Just open it.” Cactus was the king of not answering questions, and Bear shook his head with a chuckle.

He did open the card, which had a red panda on the front. “This isn’t a bear,” Bear said, because he’d lived with his name for over four decades. He knew every type of bear there was. “It belongs to the raccoon family.”

“That’s not true,” Lincoln said, reaching up to take the card from Bear. “They reclassified them a few years ago.”

Bear cocked his eyebrows at Lincoln. “I feel like this is something you just looked up,” he said.

Lincoln’s eyes widened, and he shot a look at Cactus, who simply shrugged. He wouldn’t be any help to the boy, Bear knew that.

He held out his hand. “Can I have my card back?”

Lincoln handed it to him. “They’re bears.”

“Okay,” Bear said, his voice a bit pitched up. “I believe you.” He opened the card and read Cactus’s birthday message to him. He smiled, feeling so loved today. He’d never had a better birthday, except maybe the one where his father