The Rancher's Christmas Match. Brenda Minton

Or at least that’s what the folks hereabouts like to say.”

      “I’ll keep that in mind.” She glanced out the window, gathering thoughts that continued to go astray.

      Thoughts that could get a woman in trouble. Thoughts of a cowboy with steel-gray eyes and a smile that flashed often and with a ton of mischievous charm. He’d disappeared yesterday after Allie’s seizure and she hadn’t seen him since. Not even when several of the ranch residents had gathered for dinner in the big dining room that connected to the kitchen.

      No one had mentioned him. No one said anything about checking on him to make sure he was okay. Not that it mattered to her.

      Her focus needed to stay on taking care of Allie and providing for them as best she could. She was a single mom with only herself to rely on. And now, strangely, she seemed to have a friend in Jack West. With that in mind, she had to do her best. She had to make a success of this salon.

      Another quick glance out the window and the object of her thoughts appeared. And next to him, her daughter. They were standing at the fence, and Allie had climbed the bottom rail to stand next to him, her hand reaching for the white-and-black animal.

      Rebecca stood. “I should go get Allie. I didn’t mean to impose on Eve. And now it seems Isaac has taken over babysitting duty.”

      She diverted her attention back to Jack, who remained sitting in his deeply cushioned office chair. He, too, had spotted Isaac and Allie, but didn’t look concerned.

      “She might have had to get some work done,” he said of Eve, who had been a longtime resident of the ranch. “I’m afraid I hadn’t planned on our meeting taking quite this long. And I apologize to you for that. Why don’t you head on out there and make sure things are okay? Later we’ll drive to town and take a look at the building. I’d like for you to see it in person and then we can compare your design ideas to the actual structure. If you like it, it’s all yours.”

      “Thank you, Mr. West.”

      “Jack.” He smiled as he corrected her.

      “Thank you, Jack.”

      A moment later she was cutting across the lawn in the direction of the small enclosure where her daughter remained next to Isaac, her hand reaching for the llama, which seemed less interested in the grass in Allie’s hand and more interested in the man next to her.

      The llama must be female. He probably charmed all females, young children, animals. Not Rebecca, of course. She couldn’t be charmed. She had no desire to be charmed. Ever again. Because charming men usually had an agenda and it usually ended with her being hurt.

      “Hey,” Rebecca called out. Allie glanced her way. Isaac continued to stare straight ahead. Ignoring her, of course.

      The phone in her back pocket buzzed. She wanted to ignore it, but pulled it from her pocket and answered.

      “Rebecca Barnes?” The voice wasn’t a familiar one. It had been years, but her first thought was that something had happened to her parents.

      “This is she.”

      “My name is Jared Owens. I’m a parole officer out of Springfield, Missouri.”

      Her heart dropped. This call could go only one way. It would bring back the past. It would bring back the guilt and the pain.

      “Okay.” She focused on Allie, who had turned around to watch her. Rebecca waved and smiled, as if the call hadn’t left her cold inside.

      “Miss Barnes, Greg Baxter was released from prison one month ago. He’s missed two appointments with me and I have reason to believe he might be in Oklahoma.”

      “How did you get my number?” She hadn’t been in contact with Greg in years. Not since he robbed a store, shortly after she’d realized she was pregnant with Allie. She’d been eighteen at the time and Greg had been a mistake. Her attention remained on Allie, who was definitely not a mistake. She was something beautiful from something so ugly and hurtful. Her daughter.

      “Your mother gave me your number,” he continued. “Miss Barnes, we have reason to believe that Greg will try to locate you and his daughter.”

      “No.” The one word emerged from deep within. “He can’t see her.”

      “I understand that. I agree that he should not be in your lives. I want you to understand that there is a warrant out for his arrest. He violated the conditions of his parole and it’s our intention to bring him back to the state of Missouri. This is a courtesy call because I wouldn’t want you to be taken by surprise should he try to contact you.”

      “Thank you. I do appreciate that.”

      “Miss Barnes, if he does contact you, please phone us. I’ll give you my direct line.”

      “I’ll put it in my phone.” She managed to minimize the screen and switch to Contacts. With fingers that felt cold and clumsy she entered the name and number. The call ended. Her world shifted precariously as she considered what it meant to her life, to Allie’s life, that Greg Baxter had been released. She drew in a deep breath and then exhaled. She wouldn’t let him take anything else from her.

      Over the years people had told her to have faith, to realize God had a plan. She’d been unable to find faith since the day her dad had told her that Allie’s seizures were a direct result of Rebecca’s sins.

      “Mom?” Allie called out, her happy grin faltering.

      Rebecca hurried forward, plastering a smile on her face and avoiding eye contact with the man who studied her with a knowing expression.

      “We were meeting Mama Llama,” he finally said.

      She had to look at him, had to pretend that everything was just fine. Had to prove she wasn’t shaking inside, threatened by the past and the memories.

      “Mama Llama doesn’t appear to like you very much,” Rebecca said, pointing to the animal, which had drawn back and bared its teeth at Isaac.

      “Yeah, females sometimes take an instant dislike to me. I can’t imagine why.”

      “He let me brush his horse,” Allie chimed in. It seemed not all females disliked the cowboy.

      “That must have been fun. And where is Eve?”

      Allie shot Isaac a worried look and Rebecca pretended not to notice his wink.

      “She had to get some work done,” he explained.

      Not only had he charmed her daughter, now he was aiding and abetting her. Rebecca pinned him with a look, and like her daughter, he squirmed a little with guilt.

      “And she brought Allie to you?”

      Allie groaned. “I might have sneaked off while she was on the phone. I saw the horses.”

      “Telling the truth,” Isaac said. “Always good for the soul.”

      Rebecca held out a hand to her daughter. “We’re going to town for lunch and then we will meet Mr. West at the shop. Isaac, thank you.”

      He pushed against the llama as it reached across the fence to nip at his sleeve. The animal came back and grabbed his hat. Allie laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks, and the tension inside Rebecca eased.

      Isaac pointed at Rebecca. “Was that a giggle, Ms. Barnes?”

      “I’m an adult. I don’t giggle.” Rebecca smiled as he pushed his hat, tooth marks and all, back on his head.

      “It most definitely was a giggle. And for that, I’m buying lunch.”

      Rebecca tried to object. She seriously wanted to tell him he couldn’t. But before she could respond, Allie had jumped down off the railing, a huge grin on her face, obviously thrilled with the idea.

      So she accepted. For Allie’s sake. Nothing else.