A Texas Holiday Reunion. Shannon Vannatter Taylor
Mom and Dad were leaving and would be gone until Christmas Eve. They were finally taking the time to realize their dream of a Mediterranean cruise. Leaving Resa to oversee Rusticks Log Furnishings and the family ranch.
Alone.
Her gaze landed on her brother. Fun-loving, charming ladies’ man. He didn’t take anything seriously and didn’t have a speck of dependability in him.
Even though Mom had asked him to come home to help run things during their absence, Emmett would probably leave as soon as he took their parents to the airport. At least Resa wouldn’t have to worry about keeping him in line, along with everything else.
Once the reception ended, Colson would leave, too. Then maybe her heartbeat would get back to normal and she could focus on designing furniture and keeping the ranch and the store running smoothly through the Christmas rush.
Just get through this day. Concentrate on Mom and Dad. Not Colson.
* * *
The reception got under way and Colson tried to blend in. Resa’s mom was radiant as she chatted with guests at the head table.
Colson stiffened, immediately on guard when his gaze landed on Emmett sitting just down from his mom. He hadn’t noticed Resa’s elusive, prodigal brother. Hadn’t expected him to show.
But Cheyenne was safely tucked away at the McCalls’ house with his stepmom. Protected from the one man who could turn her world upside down.
With a yawn, Emmett’s ice-blue eyes scanned every attractive female in the room. Nothing had changed since high school. He was still a playboy who was always in trouble, who left a string of young girls heartbroken. But he wouldn’t get a chance at Cheyenne.
Emmett was the epitome of a spoiled rich kid, while Resa never gave off our-parents-are-loaded vibes. A kind, caring Christian. If only Colson had listened to her in high school when she’d tried to tell him about Jesus.
His life would have been so different.
But he wouldn’t have his little girl. Cheyenne was proof that good things could come out of bad decisions.
“Can you believe Maryann asked Emmett to help me at the store while they’re gone?” his dad whispered.
Colson’s insides tilted. “He’ll be here?”
“I sincerely doubt it. I’m surprised he even showed up for the ceremony. He’ll probably leave as soon as they do.”
Colson couldn’t possibly stay here if Emmett did. No way around it, he’d have to let Dad down.
Seated at the head table, Resa avoided his gaze. Maybe he should have stayed in the truck. Steered clear of Emmett. And her.
But one glimpse of Resa still twisted his insides into a pretzel.
Forget-me-not blue eyes still beautiful despite the hurt he’d put there—turned icy when she looked at him. Her silken inky hair, creamy skin, delicate features always turned heads. Her lacy red dress only highlighted her beauty. Yet she’d never married. Never even dated after him, from what he’d heard through the grapevine.
After what he’d done to her, she probably thought he and all other men were just like her brother. And Colson had purposely let her think it.
His father pushed his plate away. “There was a time when I thought you might marry her.”
Colson’s breath caught. “Who?”
“Who.” Dad chuckled. “That girl you haven’t taken your eyes off of. That spring when you worked at the ranch and y’all dated, I thought it would last.”
“I had to do the right thing.” He’d turned his back on her. “Felicity needed me. And now that she’s gone, I have to focus on Cheyenne.”
“But things are different now. And Cheyenne could use a woman in her life.” Dad patted his knee. “Just because your marriage wasn’t good—just because your mother divorced me—it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give love a chance. Look at them.”
The elder McCalls exchanged a kiss. There was a lifetime of love obvious in their smiles.
But his mother hadn’t only left Dad behind. She’d left Colson. Not because she’d died, but on purpose. One day, she’d thrown him the perfect birthday party. The next day, she ran off with another man. Never looked back, called, sent letters or emails. Nothing.
At the tender age of nine, he’d decided to never love another woman. And he hadn’t. Not even Felicity. Until Resa McCall got to him. Took him to church. Introduced him to Jesus. And by trusting in a man he couldn’t see, he’d learned to trust her. Had fallen for her.
But then his past mistakes had caught up with him. Felicity had dropped her bomb. In doing the right thing, he’d left Resa feeling abandoned, just as he’d felt when his mother had left. Trashed any chance of anything happening with the only girl he’d ever loved. Trashed her heart in the process.
Her gaze met his, then skittered away.
The longing to explain boiled in his gut. To tell her why he’d married Felicity. To share how miserable his marriage had been. To dislodge the distrust he’d embedded in Resa’s eyes. To make it up to her, the only person he’d ever intentionally hurt. His time working here would be easier if he cleared the air. But if she didn’t hate him anymore, his heart might end up in very dangerous territory.
He had to focus on his daughter. And even though Felicity had lied to him, made his life miserable, she hadn’t deserved to die. He didn’t deserve to be happy and he couldn’t risk Cheyenne’s biological family learning the truth.
Of all the places he needed to avoid, Bandera, Texas, was top of the list. Yet here he was. For the next three weeks until her parents returned. Maybe even the full seven weeks until the ranch foreman could come back to work. Gripping his secret and his heart with both fists.
Silverware clinked on glass as Duncan McCall stood. “I want to thank everyone for coming this weekend. A special thanks goes to our daughter, Resa, for pulling this together, all without letting her mother in on our scheme until our guests started showing up. And our gracious hosts went above and beyond to accommodate our guests and recreate our wedding day.
“Maryann and I have loved catching up with all of our friends over the weekend.” Duncan raised his glass of sparkling cider. “But we’ve long dreamed of going on a cruise. And since our plane leaves in a few hours, I’m afraid we need to get going.”
The four family members stood, did the group hug thing as the guests applauded.
“Maybe you can help Resa clean up,” Dad whispered.
Something squeezed in his chest. Exactly what Colson didn’t want to do. But he might as well get used to it. At least until Christmas Eve, she’d be stuck with him.
“When will you tell her about Juan?”
“After Maryann and Duncan leave.” Dad lowered his voice even more. “If they find out, they’ll cancel their cruise. I’m just glad you can stay and fill in for him. She’ll have a lot on her plate.”
Given a choice, she’d probably take letting one of her inexperienced hands attempt to run the ranch. Do without a foreman rather than work with him. But during this forced nearness between them, maybe keeping her ranch running smoothly would in some small measure make up for the way he’d hurt her six years ago.
Colson just needed to bide his time here, get his head and heart together. Once this gig was over, he could go back to Kingsville. Back where nothing mattered but Cheyenne.
* * *
“None of your usual antics.” Dad jabbed a finger at Emmett.
Resa loved her brother, but he was so transparent. He’d never step foot in the office or ranch during their absence.
“Who, me?” Emmett raised his hands in surrender,