A Home For Christmas. Linda Ford

pretty young thing with blue-green eyes and a halo of golden hair. Not that he’d given her more than a passing glance. She’d confronted him, her eyes flashing with a whole lot of emotions that he pretended not to notice.

      “You need to give these children the assurance they aren’t a nuisance,” she’d said. “They’ve lost their parents. Shouldn’t that be reason enough to make a few sacrifices on their behalf?”

      He’d edged past her before she could say more. How had she learned so much about the children in the few minutes he’d been in the store? And what did she know about what he should or shouldn’t do? Or what he could or could not do, for that matter? He hadn’t even been able to look after his wife, a full-grown woman. How could he hope to take care of two children? Besides, one would only have to take a look at his cowboy way of life to know he couldn’t give his niece and nephew a home.

      He turned the wagon toward the west. For several turns of the wheels on the frozen ground he allowed himself to wish things could be different and he could keep Joey and little Annie. They were all the family he had left. But the plain and simple truth was he couldn’t care for them.

      No, he’d do what was best for the kids.

      Once the two were taken care of, he would ride up into the hills where his friend Stuart ran a ranch. Every year, after a few weeks visiting his sister and enjoying Christmas with her and her family, Wade took over for Stuart while he went south to visit his mother.

      Every year, Stuart made him the same offer. “Throw in with me. We’ll be partners. It’s time you settled down.”

      Every year, Wade refused. He’d once had a home of his own, a wife and dreams of a family. All his hopes had come crashing to an end when he discovered his wife dead in their bed. She’d taken her own life. He hadn’t even noticed how unhappy she was, had put down her frequent dark moods to the fact she’d failed to get pregnant. He’d done his best to console her and assure her she was all that mattered to him.

      Her death taught him a valuable lesson. One he didn’t care to repeat. He couldn’t look after those he loved. Couldn’t judge what they needed. Wasn’t enough for them. So he rode all summer for some ranch outfit, spent Christmas with his sister and family, then took Stuart’s place on his ranch until spring, when Wade repeated the process. It was what he’d done for the past six of his twenty-six years.

      Annie edged forward from the back of the wagon box where the pair had been sitting and perched her elbows on the bench. “Uncle Wade, do you like us?”

      A groan tore from his heart but he swallowed back the sound. “Come here.” He pulled her to his lap. “You, too, Joey.” The boy climbed to the bench and crowded to Wade’s side.

      Wade hugged them both. “I love you more than you’ll ever know.”

      Annie nestled her head under his chin and sighed. “I miss Mama and Papa.” A sob stole the last of her words.

      He tightened his arms around the pair. He missed his sister with an unending ache. “I know you do. I do, too.” Though his loss was but a fraction of theirs. “I tell you what. I’ll spend Christmas with you and we’ll have a real good time.”

      He had purchased popping corn, ribbon candy and some gifts at Macpherson’s store. Wade pulled the wagon to a halt and, not knowing what the day might hold, handed them the gifts he’d purchased. Nothing much. A picture book for Annie and a pair of leather mittens with fringes for Joey.

      The two smiled and thanked him, though their smiles seemed a little forced. Even a piece of the candy for each didn’t give them their usual joy. Presents and games wouldn’t replace a mama and a papa, but he’d do his best to help them have a good time. Handing out gifts in a wagon wasn’t a great start.

      “I was afraid we wouldn’t have Christmas,” Annie whispered.

      “We wouldn’t forget to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.” He hadn’t told the pair what lay ahead for them except to say they couldn’t go with him. He was certain they’d welcome a new mama and papa, but he figured it was too soon after losing their own for them to see the wisdom of his decision. But hadn’t Susan’s last words been to demand a promise that he’d see they got a good home?

      He turned off at the Eden Valley Ranch trail. Lane had said the people there welcomed strangers and people needing help. Well, he surely needed help if he was to give these kids the Christmas they deserved.

      They approached the big house. Several wagons were drawn up to the door.

      “Who lives here?” Joey asked as Annie clutched Wade’s arm.

      “Nice people.” He figured they must be nice if they welcomed strangers.

      “Do you know them?” Joey persisted.

      “Only by reputation.”

      The boy pressed into Wade’s side as if he meant to disappear. Wade’s heart squeezed out drops of sorrow and regret. He’d lost his sister and her husband to pneumonia. Susan had been his anchor since his wife died. Four years his senior, she was the only person in the world who made him believe in love and happiness. All that was left of her were her children. He loved them to the very depths of his soul and it about killed him to think of giving them up, but he must do what he’d promised. At that moment, Wade made himself another promise. He would do everything in his power to see that these kids had an extra-special Christmas before they got adopted by a new family.

      He pulled the wagon to a halt and jumped down. As soon as the horses were tended to, he lifted the children from the wagon and, with one clutching each hand, crossed the few feet to the house. He stood there staring at the fine wooden door.

      “Uncle Wade, aren’t you going to knock?” Annie asked.

      Wade nodded. He had to do it. Had to have this one last Christmas with them, then let them go. He dropped Joey’s hand and rapped on the thick wood.

      In a matter of seconds, the door opened. “Howdy, stranger, what can I do for you?” The man there looked and sounded friendly enough.

      “I hear you help people.”

      “We do if we can.”

      “Then perhaps you’d let us spend Christmas with you. Me and these two children.”

      “You’re more than welcome. Come right in.” He threw the door wide and ushered them inside.

      Wade felt the eyes of a dozen people upon him but he noticed only one person.

      The young lady from town who had scolded him royally. The flash in her eyes informed him she hadn’t changed her opinion of him. No doubt she’d see his visit as an opportunity to further chastise him.

      His hopes for a pleasant Christmas lay whimpering at his feet.

      * * *

      Missy Porter’s mouth dropped open and she stared in a way that was most rude. At eighteen she knew better but she couldn’t help herself. It was that man. The one she’d spoken to in Edendale after overhearing a conversation between him and his niece and nephew. She’d paid his appearance scant attention then, but now gave it a thorough visual examination. He was tall and lean like an old piece of hickory. He wore a dusty cowboy hat and a denim winter coat, faded almost white where the sleeves folded when he bent his arms. She noticed a flash of blue as the light hit his eyes. When he took off his hat as soon as he stepped inside, his brown hair looked surprisingly well trimmed as if he’d recently visited a barber. But it was the determination in the set of his jaw that made her clamp her mouth shut and swallow loudly.

      He was a hard man. One who would not understand the tender hearts of little children.

      She shifted her attention to the two sweet children at his side. With dark brown eyes and dark brown hair, they were almost Spanish looking. The little boy did his best to look brave, while the girl blinked back tears.

      Linette Gardiner, hostess and wife of the ranch owner, Eddie, rushed