Cowboy Under the Mistletoe. Linda Goodnight
to forget the details. Allison was a detail girl.
A stack of wedding RSVP envelopes—in the same white pearl as the mountain of invitations the two of them, along with Faith’s mother, had addressed weeks ago—waited in a box on the coffee table. “Have you opened any of them?”
“I was waiting for you.”
“Good. I want to keep a list.”
“And you know I’m lousy with lists.”
“Part of your charm. You’re marrying a statistician. You don’t have to worry about lists anymore.” Allison grabbed a stack and a letter opener. “Put acceptances in the white box, rejections in the blue one.”
As they sorted the cards, they talked. About how hard it would be to live three hours apart. About the darling house Faith and Derrick had purchased in Oklahoma City. About the honeymoon in Saint Thomas. If Allison felt a twinge of envy mixed in with her absolute delight for her best friend, she didn’t acknowledge it.
“Derrick’s brother is pretty cute, don’t you think?” Faith’s voice was casual but she didn’t look at Allison, a sign she was trying—and failing—to be subtle.
“Yes, and nice, too, like Derrick.”
“And? He’s the best man. You’re the maid of honor. Maybe you could get something going, and we could be sisters-in-law?”
Allison laughed. “Marrying your husband’s brother would not make us related. Besides, I like being single.”
“You do not. We’ve both waited long enough. Now that I’m getting married, you should get serious about finding someone.”
She’d found someone once-upon-a-fairy-tale. But her fairy tale had turned into a horror flick.
In self-defense, she said, “I went to the movies with Billy last month.”
“Last month! Allison, do you know how pathetic that is? And you only went with him because his sister asked you to take pity on him.” Faith put the stack of envelopes in her lap. “Jake’s the problem, isn’t he? Like always.”
Was she that transparent?
“Maybe.” Probably. “But that was years ago.”
“You still have his picture in your wallet.”
“I never got around to taking it out.”
“You’ve changed wallets a dozen times since then. Which means he’s still stuck in your head and your heart. So now that he’s back you need to do something about him.”
“And cause the biggest war since the Hatfields and McCoys?” Allison shook her head. “I only want to make things easier for him. Our teenage romance is long behind us.”
Faith rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. This is me you’re talking to. You have never—I repeat never—laid to rest the issue of Jake Hamilton. Every guy is measured up against your handsome cowboy, and then you kick them to the curb like a pop can.”
Allison sighed. Faith was right. Even when she’d wanted to move on and forget her feelings for Jake, she never had. They’d been prematurely interrupted and she’d never liked unfinished business. It was so untidy. “I don’t know what to do. I wish my brothers could get over themselves.”
“If wishes were horses. Stop wishing and go for it. Your brothers should have nothing to do with your romantic life, so get to know Jake again and see what happens.” Faith ripped open another RSVP. “I have an idea. Invite him to the wedding. We still have invitations.”
Allison’s heart jumped. “He won’t come.”
“You never know until you try. Sit right there.” Faith pointed at Allison as she hurried out of the room, but stuck her head around the door facing. “Do you want anything to drink while I’m up?”
“Water would be great.”
“Got it. I hear Mom in the garage.”
While Allison opened, sorted and listed RSVP cards, a nervous pulse ticked in her temple.
The unresolved heartache of a first love that had crashed and burned pushed to the surface like a dead body in water. She had loved him as much as any teenager could. He’d seen her at her worst, her most humiliated, and had never judged her. On the other hand, he’d stood her up at the graduation dance.
Did she really want to revisit either of those places again?
She stared down at the vellum cards and thought of all the weddings she’d attended, of the tiny unacknowledged ache to find her own true love.
Faith was right. She needed to explore this thing with Jake and put the issue to rest once and for all.
“Hello, Allison.”
Deep in thought, Allison jumped when Faith’s mom, Ellen, trudged into the room wearing blue scrubs, a testament to her nursing job. She wiggled her fingers and padded on silent white shoes down the hall and out of sight.
“Your mom looks tired,” she said as Faith returned, bearing a white invitation.
“Eight twelve-hour shifts in a row take a toll.”
“Ugh. Poor woman.”
“No kidding. I’m glad I went into teaching.” With the teacher shortage in Oklahoma, Faith had easily found a new job in Oklahoma City for the spring semester. “I’m filling out this invitation right now, and I want you to hand-deliver it.”
Allison returned Faith’s grin, though hers was filled with trepidation. “That’s easy. I’m going over there when I leave here.”
“Cleaning Miss Pat’s house is a great excuse to see Jake.” Faith pumped her eyebrows.
“Helping an elderly neighbor is not an excuse to see Jake. Stop it!” Allison bit her bottom lip. “I would help Miss Pat even if Jake wasn’t there.”
“Yes, but you wouldn’t enjoy your little trips nearly as much.”
True. Painfully true.
She watched Faith write Jake’s name in her beautiful script. “Do you think he’ll accept?”
Faith slid the card into the envelope and held it out like an Oscar win. “Only one way to find out.”
* * *
He shouldn’t be here. He should get in his pickup and drive out to Manny’s.
Jake looked at the spread of vegetables on the kitchen counter and considered sticking everything back in the fridge. Then he could shut off the stove and walk out. Allison would be here any minute.
“Jacob?” Granny Pat’s voice wafted in from the living room. “Honey, did you buy cheese for the baked potatoes? Bring me a slice. I haven’t had anything but prison food in so long, I’m hungry as a starved wolf.”
At the request, Jake resigned himself to letting Allison help him cook dinner. Granny needed this, no matter how hard it was on him.
He took a chunk of cheddar to the recliner where Granny Pat had pretty much lived since coming home. Earlier, the home nurse had gotten her up and walked her to the bath, a trip that had worn her out and torn a strip from Jake’s heart.
“Here you go.” He went to his knee beside her chair. “Anything else?”
“No, baby.” She patted his hand. “You’re such a good boy.”
The comment made him snort. “Is your memory failing you?”
“I remember everything I want to.” She grinned her impertinent grin. “You were always a good boy with a big soft heart. That’s why you acted up after your mama left. And you had a right. She broke your little heart in half.”
Jake’s muscles tightened. He didn’t think