Stella was a firecracker, and he was a … well, he was steady and solid and not into explosions of any kind.
“Maybe, but you struggled when she left that fall. I didn’t like seeing you so unsure of yourself.”
“I was unsure because I thought I’d had it all figured out.” He’d daydreamed about getting to live in the ice castle he’d only ever heard about. Not to mention the elves he knew by name but had never seen. “I missed out on becoming a Kringle more than I missed Stella.” He stared off. “I really thought I’d get to see the North Pole for myself one day.”
Mom patted his cheek, bringing his gaze back to their well-worn and much-loved kitchen.
He sat down at the table. “But we were talking about reindeer …”
Her eyes softened. “Rudy’s the best shot we have. I don’t—” Her voice caught, and she had to clear her throat. “I don’t know what will happen to your father if we don’t get any more fliers.”
“You’re worried about Dad? Mom, come on. There’s a whole world of children out there writing letters to Santa as we speak—and you’re worried about what this would do to Dad?” He swept his arm out to the side and then back again.
Mom went back to stirring her gravy. “Of course I’m worried about Abner. One day, when you fall in love, you’ll be more worried about your wife than your reindeer—that’s how you know she’s the mother of my grandchildren.” She winked at him.
He pushed off the counter with his hip. “I know where this conversation is headed, and I want nothing to do with it. Love you, though.”
“Caleb, wait.” Mom wiped her hands on her candy cane apron before ushering him back to the table.
“What?”
She twisted her apron in front of her. “I know you like Faith, but I want to caution you against getting too close to her. If she doesn’t believe in Christmas, then she’s not long for the ranch. I don’t want you to lose your heart.”
“I’ll be fine.” He made to stand, but she held him in place with a heavy hand on his shoulder.
“You’ll be a gentleman while you’re there?”
He would have scoffed and rolled his eyes, but his mom’s caution came from a place of love. “Always.”
“Good. Good.” She stepped back and smoothed the apron. “She needs to keep her feelings for Christmas separate from her feelings for you.”
Caleb blinked. “What do you mean by that?”
Mom frowned. “Doc opened up to me and Abner one night during a difficult delivery. Faith tied Christmas to her dad and never forgave either of them for letting her down.”
Caleb rubbed his jaw. That was interesting. Doc was working on his relationship with Faith; maybe Caleb should work on her relationship with Christmas. If she could just believe, then he could fall in love with her.
It wouldn’t be all that hard, really, to give his heart free rein and watch it soar.
But there wasn’t a thing he could do about it if she closed herself off to the magic. He stood and set his hat on his head. There had to be a way to bring holiday cheer to a Scrooge, and he was going to find it. “Thanks for the talk, Mom.”
“Anytime.” She waved as he pushed out the door, greeted by a frosty wind.
“Wahoo!” Forest yelled as the parade sleigh blurred past the house.
Dad trailed behind in the side-by-side. “Slow down! You’re going too fast for the bells.”
Caleb tipped his head to listen, and indeed, the sleigh bells weren’t jingling. He shook his head. This was his crazy, Christmas-centered life. No wonder his mom was worried. It would take a special woman to put up with the Nichollas men. Heck, he’d settle for someone who could put up with him. Shoving his hat lower against the wind, he trudged out to the barn to get Sparkle for her nightly workout.
Chapter 14
Caleb
Caleb looked over Rudy’s prone form, secured to the table with leather restraints. His chest went up and down, and Caleb’s did the same, as if willing the reindeer to keep breathing. Seeing Rudy this helpless was difficult. With any surgery, there were risks, and Faith had outlined them all for Caleb in excruciating detail as he’d signed release forms.
Faith looked through a set of magnifying glasses and she maneuvered instruments with skill. A line of concentration graced her forehead, making her look older than she was but also giving her an air of wisdom. He wondered