The Cowboy's Christmas Baby. Carolyne Aarsen

well. At least she won’t have to sleep in an apple box.”

      “Or a bottom drawer of a dresser like Granny always said Mom did,” Erin said with a laugh.

      Lauren released a gentle sigh, glancing down at the engagement ring on her finger then over at Erin. “I’ve been thinking about Mom lately, what with so many changes in our lives. Jodie getting married, me engaged. And now you with the first—” She stopped there as if not sure what to say.

      “The first grandchild,” Erin finished for her. “I’ve been thinking about Mom, too. And Dad. I know I’ve said it already, but I’m sorry I missed the funeral.”

      Lauren gave her sister a quick hug. “You had your reasons. Did you read Dad’s letter to you?”

      “I haven’t had a chance. Caitlin was fussy most of last night.”

      “You should have woken me or Jodie up,” Lauren chided, giving her shoulders a gentle shake. “Either of us would gladly have held her.”

      Erin felt a surprising hitch to her heart. The six weeks she’d spent at the house with her roommates after Caitlin was born had been fraught with tension. Though her friends were helpful and for the most part considerate, she still overheard muted grumbling about short nights and interrupted sleep. She wasn’t accustomed to having help offered.

      “Sorry. I didn’t think—”

      “That Jodie or I would want to hold our own niece?” Lauren shook her head. “Honey, you’re with family. You’re allowed to have expectations.”

      Which was probably part of her problem with Sam, Erin figured. She didn’t dare have expectations. Each time she brought up their future he would gently tell her she shouldn’t pressure him. They would talk later.

      Then later came and here she was.

      “Speaking of,” Lauren said, tilting her head, “I think I hear something.”

      Erin heard a squawk from the room she’d claimed as her bedroom and was about to go get Caitlin when Lauren stopped her.

      “I’ll do this. You just sit down.”

      Then she hurried off.

      But Erin wasn’t about to sit down. Not with the bags of stuff they had purchased sitting on counters. She was eager to put it away. To get her kitchen cleaned up and organized.

      Just then Dean came into the house carrying a box holding her laptop and router and Erin was distracted by a more important task.

      “Here. Let me,” she said.

      “I got this.” He shot her an annoyed glance.

      “I don’t mind helping,” she said, reaching out to take the box from him.

      As she did her hands brushed his and they both pulled back at the same time. Which made the box tilt precariously.

      Dean shifted and took a sudden step left. In the process he fell against the recliner, which teetered as Dean struggled to regain his footing.

      Erin made another grab for the box, but Dean caught his balance, grimacing as he did.

      “Are you okay?” she asked, concerned at his quick intake of breath.

      “I’m fine. Leave me alone.”

      “I’m sorry. It’s just that’s my laptop in that box. I need it for my work and I didn’t want—”

      “Didn’t want it to fall?” Dean gave her a sardonic look and handed her the box. “Here. Take it if you think I’ll drop it.”

      She wanted to protest, realizing she had overreacted. She wanted to explain that the laptop was new. That she still owed money on it. That she needed it for her job. A job she now needed more than ever since she had Caitlin depending on her and she had medical bills to pay.

      But that would have taken too many words and too much exposing of her life to someone she preferred to keep in her past.

      Then she looked up at him and was dismayed to see him staring at her as he still clung to the box. They stood there, old memories braiding through the moment. How intense he could be the times he asked her out. How her foolish heart had beat just a little faster each time he did. How her practical mind told her to say no.

      Then he gave the box a tiny shove, returning it to her. But as she took it, she felt as if he was also pushing her away.

      She shook her head as she set it on the kitchen table, suddenly disoriented. It bothered her that a simple touch of Dean’s hands created such a strong reaction in her.

      Then Lauren came out of the room holding Caitlin and reality settled her faintly beating heart.

      She had a daughter to take care of. She had responsibilities. Her reaction to Dean was just a hearkening back to old memories. With all that had happened to her in the past, she knew she was stronger than that.

      She had to be.

      * * *

      The next morning, Dean parked his truck and shot a quick glance at his watch. 7:45. He couldn’t see any movement inside the house. Maybe he had come too early?

      Not that it mattered anymore. The growl of the diesel engine coming on the yard would have woken Erin up.

      The house was tucked into a copse of trees and as he got out of the truck the wind picked up, rustling through the leaves of the aspen. They were already showing a tinge of orange and yellow amongst the green. Fall was on the way, but thankfully today was warmer.

      He walked to the back of his truck and opened the tailgate. The ladder he needed to unload was long and unwieldy and he would have to do some creative lifting to get it to the house.

      As he manhandled it out of the truck, he felt a strong twinge in his leg followed by one of regret. Jan had offered to come by and help him get everything ready, but after Erin expressed her doubts about his ability he wanted to prove he could do it himself.

      The end of the ladder came off the truck and crashed to the ground. Next step was getting it to the house.

      “Do you a need a hand?”

      Dean’s heart jumped and he spun around, almost unbalancing himself in the process.

      Erin walked toward him, her baby tucked in some kind of carrier strapped to her front.

      She wore a long sweater that flowed as she walked. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun-looking thing emphasizing her narrow features. And once again he wondered what had happened to her the past few years to put that edge in her voice, that hardness in her eyes, the hollows in her cheeks. Wondered if it had anything to do with the baby she carried.

      “I’m okay,” he said, lifting his chin as if challenging her to help him. “I do this for a living.”

      “I’ll let you get to your work. But let me know if you need a hand.”

      He just nodded, glancing from her face to the baby bundled against her chest. “I doubt you’ll be able to help much.”

      “Excuse me,” she huffed, sounding insulted. “I know how to handle a hammer and nails. I’ve done home renovations before.”

      Her snippy tone was a shock. “So tell me, Miss Home Renovations, why is it okay for you to question my abilities but not okay for me to question yours?”

      She looked taken aback. “What do you mean?”

      So now she was going to play dumb. Tiffany had excelled at that. Throwing back his suspicions about her faithfulness by going on the defensive and lobbing out questions.

      He wanted to make it easy for both of them and drop it. But if he was working here for the next week or so, he needed to face her doubts head-on. “Tuesday, when Jan and I were here, you asked if there was someone else who could do the work. Like you didn’t think I was capable.”

      She