Home for Christmas. Debbie Macomber

Jane still objected fervently whenever he mentioned his desire to enter rodeo competitions. Okay, okay, so he’d busted a rib a few years back and spent several pain-filled weeks recuperating. Jane had been angry with him then, too. She’d gotten over it and she would again—but not without inducing a certain amount of guilt first.

      He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she ushered their three-year-old son, Paul, into the bleachers. Cal dutifully followed behind, carrying eighteen-month-old Mary Ann, who was sound asleep in his arms. As soon as his family was settled, he’d be joining the other competitors near the arena. A few minutes later, Jane would open the program and find his name. Once she did, all hell would break loose. He sighed heavily. His brother and sister-in-law would be arriving shortly, and if he was lucky, that’d buy him a couple of minutes.

      “Glen and Ellie are meeting us here, aren’t they?” Jane asked, her voice lowered so as not to disturb the baby. His daughter rested her head of soft blond curls against his shoulder, thumb in her mouth. She looked peaceful, downright angelic—which was quite a contrast to her usual energetic behavior.

      “They’ll be here soon,” Cal answered, handing Mary Ann to Jane.

      With two children demanding her time and attention, plus the ranch house and everything else, Jane had cut back her hours at the medical clinic to one weekend a month. Cal knew she missed practicing medicine on a more frequent basis, but she’d never complained. He considered himself a fortunate man to have married a woman so committed to family. Once the kids were in school, she’d return to full-time practice, but for now, Paul and Mary Ann were the focus of her life.

      Just then, Jane reached for the schedule of rodeo events and Cal tensed, anticipating her reaction.

      “Cal Patterson, you didn’t!” Her voice rose to something resembling a shriek. She turned and glared at him, her beautiful face contorted in a look of exasperated disbelief.

      “Cal?” She waited, apparently hoping for an explanation.

      However, he had nothing to say that he hadn’t already said dozens of times. It wouldn’t do any good to trot out his rationalizations yet again; one look told him she wouldn’t be easily appeased. His only option was to throw himself on her good graces and pray she’d forgive him quickly.

      “You signed up for the bull ride?”

      “Honey, now listen—”

      “Are you crazy? You got hurt before! What makes you think you won’t get hurt this time, too?”

      “If you’d give me a chance to—”

      Jane stood, cradling Mary Ann against her. Paul stared at his parents with a puzzled frown.

      “Where are you going?” he asked, trying to come up with some way to mollify her without causing a scene.

      “I don’t intend to watch.”

      “But, darling…”

      She scowled at him. “Don’t you darling me!”

      Cal stood, too, and was given a reprieve when Glen and Ellie arrived, making their way down the long, narrow row of seats. His brother paused, glancing from one to the other, and seemed to realized what was happening. “I take it Jane found out?”

      “You knew?”

      Ellie shook her head. “Not me! I just heard about it myself.”

      “Looks like Jane’s leaving me,” Cal joked, hoping to inject some humor into the situation. His wife was overreacting. There wasn’t a single reason she should walk out now, especially when she knew how excited their three-year-old son was about seeing his first rodeo.

      “That’s exactly what you deserve,” she muttered, bending to pick up her purse and the diaper bag while holding Mary Ann tightly against her shoulder.

      “Mommy?”

      “Gather your things,” she instructed Paul. “We’re going home.”

      Paul’s lower lip started to quiver, and Cal could tell that his son was trying valiantly not to cry. “I want to see the rodeo.”

      “Jane, let’s talk about this,” Cal pleaded.

      Paul looked expectantly from his father to his mother, and Jane hesitated.

      “Honey, please,” Cal said, hoping to talk her into forgiveness—or at least acceptance. Okay, so he’d kept the fact that he’d signed up for the bull riding a secret, but only because he’d been intent on delaying a fight.

      “I don’t want Paul to see you injured,” she argued.

      “Have a little faith, would you?”

      His wife frowned, her anger simmering.

      “I rode bulls for years without a problem. Tell her, Glen,” he said, nodding at his brother.

      “Hey,” Glen said, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender. “You’re on your own with this one, big brother.”

      “I don’t blame you for being mad,” Ellie said, siding with Jane. “I’d be furious, too.”

      Women tended to stick together, but despite Ellie’s support, Cal could see that Jane was weakening.

      “Let Paul stay for the rodeo, okay?” he cajoled. “He’s been looking forward to it all week. If you don’t want him to see me compete, I understand. Just leave when the bull riding starts. I’ll meet you at the chili cook-off once I’m finished.”

      “Please, Mommy? I want to see the rodeo,” Paul said again, eyes huge with longing. The boy pleaded his case far more eloquently than he could, and Cal wasn’t fool enough to add anything more.

      Jane nodded reluctantly, and with a scowl in his direction, she sat down. Cal vowed he’d make it up to her later.

      “I’ll be fine,” he assured her, wanting Jane to know he loved and appreciated her. He slid his arm around her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze. But all the while, his heart thundered with excitement at the thought of getting on the back of that bull. He couldn’t keep his gaze from wandering to the chute.

      Jane might have been born and raised in the big city, but she was more than a little bit country now. Still, she’d probably never approve of certain rodeo events. Cal recognized her fears, and as a result, rarely competed anymore—hadn’t in five years. But he expected Jane to recognize the impulses that drove him, too. Compromise. Wasn’t that what kept a marriage intact?

      Jane had no intention of forgetting Cal’s deceit, but now wasn’t the time or place to have it out with her husband. He knew how she felt about his competing in the rodeo. She’d made her views completely clear, even before they were married.

      Still, Jane had acquiesced and held her tongue. She glanced at Cal’s brother and sister-in-law and envied them. Their kids were with a baby-sitter, since they planned to attend the dance later that evening. Jane would’ve preferred to stay herself, but when she’d mentioned it to Cal, he’d balked. Dancing wasn’t his favorite activity and he’d protested and complained until she dropped it.

      Then he’d pulled this stunt. Men!

      Partway through the rodeo, Paul fell asleep, leaning against her side. Cal had already left to wait down by the arena with the other amateur riders. As the time approached for him to compete, she considered leaving, but then decided to stay. Her stomach would be in knots whether she was there watching him or not. Out of sight wasn’t going to put her risk-taking husband out of her mind, and with Paul asleep, there was no reason to go now.

      “Are you worried?” Ellie asked, casting her a sympathetic look.

      “Damn straight. I don’t know what Cal was thinking.” He had more to lose than ever, and to risk injury for no practical purpose was beyond her comprehension.

      “Who said he was thinking at all?” Ellie teased.

      “Yeah—it’s