One Tough Christmas Cookie - Lucy McConnell Page 0,11
heart that. She’d probably kick his boots. He shouldn’t like it so much, but as far as he was concerned, her sass was her best quality. “She said she’d come out as soon as Doc was in the clear.”
“Sounds good.”
“I told her I’d stay and wait for her.”
“Oh?” The interest in Dad’s tone implied he thought there was something more to Caleb’s offer.
“Yeah, I don’t want her to skip town. I get the feeling she doesn’t like reindeer.”
“That’s strange.”
“Right?” He warmed up to the topic. “I mean, I can understand people not liking snakes and spiders and such, but reindeer? Besides, she’s a vet. Shouldn’t she like all animals?”
“She must have her reasons.”
Caleb ran his thumb down his scruffy jaw, thinking. “Whatever. I don’t care.” Except now he couldn’t stop caring. The mystery was too much for him to let go of, darn it.
Dad chuckled. “Your mom’s got dinner on. Keep me posted.”
“I will.” Caleb hung up and brushed the lint off his hat.
Faith returned, carrying a foam cup full of awful-smelling cheap cocoa. She cradled the Styrofoam as if it held comfort. Maybe it did, though something that smelled that lowly was more of an imitation. “Ah, you woke up.” She took the seat next to him.
He studied her out of the corner of his eye while maintaining the pretense that he was cleaning his hat. Her eyes were rimmed in pink. His heart clenched at the thought of her crying alone. He longed to wrap an arm around her and tuck her to his side and let her have at the tears. He wouldn’t even care if she ruined his shirt; it wasn’t anything special.
He stretched theatrically and yawned. “Gotta sleep when you can.” And eat. Now that his stomach smelled food—even the junky hot chocolate—it wanted nourishment. Mom had been working on a beef stew with homemade rolls when he’d torn through the kitchen. His stomach rumbled. He wasn’t doing himself any favors thinking about all the good he was missing out on.
“I’m sorry about Doc,” he ventured. “I should have said that first thing.”
She nodded a thank-you.
“Doc’s a good guy. We enjoy having him around.”
“Thanks for saying that.” She turned slightly and pulled out her phone.
Not sure why, Caleb tried to further the conversation. “So how come I haven’t seen you around before? I’m sure I would have remembered your pretty face.”
Her pale cheeks took on a rosy glow. The way her eyebrows pulled together, he wasn’t sure if she was flattered or ticked off at his compliment. “Can we not do this right now?”
Do what? Talk? Or did she think he was trying to flirt? Either way, he was dismissed, and he wasn’t dumb enough to stick his hand in the badger hole twice. “Yep.” He shoved to his feet, swiping his hat off his knee in the process and shoving it down on his head. “I’m going to get some grub.”
She snorted at his use of the word grub.
Feeling like a hick from Nowhereville, he strode out the door. She wasn’t going anywhere until her dad was out of surgery, and that meant they had hours of waiting—together. Heaven help him, no woman made him feel as awkward as she had with one ladylike snort. He was usually pretty good with women—a charmer, even.
Which only confused him more. The whole time he ate a leathery slab of roast beef and mashed potatoes in the cafeteria, he worked over ways he could break down Faith’s walls. None of his usual flirting tactics would work on her. She needed more than a compliment and a smile; she needed Christmas.
Odd that her name was Faith and it didn’t appear that she had any. He wasn’t out to win her heart, but maybe he could open it for Christmas to pour in. It felt like a worthy goal, and when his chest burned, he had the confirmation from on high that he should proceed.
Proceed with caution, but nevertheless proceed.
Chapter 5
Faith
After a long night of drifting in and out of sleep and the welcome news that Dad had made it through surgery and was in recovery, Faith told Caleb she was ready to go to the ranch.
“Don’t you want to see him?” Caleb asked, his forehead wrinkled with confusion.
The man was an enigma. He had a boyish quality to his smile, and yet his jaw was covered in a manly, well-kept beard streaked with honey-colored strands.
She rubbed her eyes. So many memories came up throughout the night that she