“Wait. Least I can do is give you a real coat and a little coffee for the road.” She was already on her way to the kitchen. A minute later, she came back with a travel mug. “I assume you take it black? All you big military boys do.” She winked good-naturedly.
He smiled and took the mug. “That’s perfect. Thanks, ma’am.”
“Thankyou, Kyle.” She pulled a dry parka off the coatrack. “This is Dad’s old one. He’s shrunk a bit so he swims in it now. It won’t be roomy on you, but it’ll do.”
She held the mug while he put the coat on and pulled up the hood. Not bad. “Thanks again.”
“Tell Arden hi for me, and that I’ll be up there soon as the weather clears.”
“Will do.”
A cold blast of wind hit him on the porch, but the borrowed coat kept him warm. He took a sip of coffee and smiled—piping hot, and she’d brewed it strong enough to stand a spoon up in it.
Kyle thought there were many good things about Ellie Sanders. But the best thing was that she didn’t thank him for his military service.
Kyle picked up the shovel from the bus stop. As he trudged through the snow, he mulled over what he’d learned about Arden from Ellie. Before he left the ranch, he’d noticed in the morning what he’d failed to see the night before. Not a single Christmas ornament decorated the ranch house. No tree, no garlands, no twinkly lights. And no menorah on the mantel, no dreidels scattered on the table. Even the atheists he knew hung strings of lights or mistletoe, put up a tree with presents underneath it. As not-in-the-Christmas-spirit as Kyle felt, he’d still hung a wreath on his door.
At the time he’d thought maybe the sadness in Arden’s eyes had something to do with the lack of festive décor. Now he wondered if she was still mourning her parents’ deaths. Four years was a long time, though. Could be she was so busy, she hadn’t had time to decorate. Now that he knew she had a brother, Kyle thought he probably helped her decorate, and he wasn’t there this year.Sounds like they had a big argument—maybe big enough that he’s refusing to visit. No wonder she looked so sad and skipped the decorations.
Then it dawned on him. That’s why she was determined to keep Camo—she didn’t want to be alone for the holidays. She loved and took care of animals, so what better company than an uber-faithful military working dog? The waiting list to adopt a retired MWD numbered into the hundreds, which was why Kyle put in so early for Camo. Maybe she had, too, and knew that she’d have another long wait in front of her if she gave up her claim. He’d thought he could convince her that along with the loyalty came behavior and health issues that would be too much to handle, and that she’d be better off with a different dog. But she’d had veterinary training, and she wasn’t about to turn her back on a wounded dog. He needed a new plan. What if he could help her get through this Christmas until she and her brother reconciled? Maybe she’d be willing to part with Camo then.
He did tell Ellie he was there to lend Arden a hand, and it would be a shame to lie to such a nice lady. And maybe once Arden saw how much Kyle and Camo belonged together, she’d relent, especially if he helped her have a nice Christmas. Hell, once the storm stopped and the plows came through, he’d take her into town and help her pick out a puppy. He could think of worse ways to spend the holiday.
Ifshe let him stay until Christmas.
He tried to ignore the empty feeling that sent his heart racing at the thought of Arden turning him down.
Seven
Arden was back inside the house cleaning up Camo’s latest disaster as the dog licked her face when she heard the front door open. Camo went tearing through the house to get to Kyle. God, she was mad at him. He could have died out there, and there was still a chance he had frostbite. And for what? To try and get his car dug out? To go for a walk in a winter wonderland? The only reason she knew for sure he was coming back was because Ellie had texted her while she was tending the goats. He’d left Ellie with the impression that he was out visiting Arden for the holidays, here to lend her a hand since she’d be alone this year.
What the actual hell?
And what the actual double hell, that her heart sped up and her stomach did this crazy little jig thing when she thought about having him stick around for Christmas? It only got worse later after she came in to find that Camo decided one of her old throws needed killing and skinning. As she listened to the bleak forecast and news of extended closures on the radio while she picked up the shredded remnants, her heart beat even faster while her stomach took up gymnastics. Yeah, duh, Kyle was hot, but Arden didn’t know this guy from Adam and all he wanted to do was take her dog. Why would she want to spend one extra minute with him?
Except, he’d stopped in the freezing cold and helped Ellie get Walter indoors safe and sound. Not just safe from the storm, but safe from that damn predator, Rick Muir. God only knew what could have happened if Kyle hadn’t come along and basically warned the asshole off, according to Ellie.
Oh, no you don’t, Arden. Don’t you go getting soft on Kyle. Helping a man with Alzheimer’s was baseline decency, right? Well, at least for some.Fucking Rick.
She picked up the last shreds of the blanket and tossed them in the wastebasket while she listened to Camo and Kyle lose their shit greeting each other.Home for the holidays. The phrase came unbidden to her mind and stung like a hornet. Sean always slammed the door open when he got in, shoutingI’m home!as if the reverberations throughout the house weren’t a dead giveaway. And Arden would come running to see her big brother, followed by their mom; Dad too, if he wasn’t out in the barn. They’d haul him in, Mom asking if he’d eaten, always remarking on how much weight he’d lost, while Arden pestered him about his latest adventures and told him to eat fast because they had decorations to put up.
Even after their parents died in the accident, Sean would still slam that door open and Arden would still come running to haul him in, though now she gave him shit about denting the wall and that it was just one more thing she needed to repair on the ranch. They’d hold a cool truce until the spiked eggnog kicked in and it was time to decorate, at which point they’d sing carols and laugh and it would feel like old times. Then back to bickering on and off until Sean left again. Oh, but that last fight over the phone…and now Sean had made good on his threat to skip Christmas.Never realized you were that serious, Sean. You big dumbass.
Arden thought this would be her first Christmas alone, until she got the call about Camo, and that changed everything. Well, almost everything. The Christmas decorations still sat untouched in their cardboard boxes in the attic.
Kyle walked past the kitchen peninsula and table and into the great room with Camo at his feet as Arden was setting the wastebasket aside. She hadn’t meant for him to see the mess, but it couldn’t be helped. She caught him appraising the basket full of shredded blanket and she cringed at his knowing look. He’d take it as one more sign that she couldn’t handle Camo.
Arden put her hand on her hip. “I would’ve brought him out with me like I usually do, but I was afraid he’d try to take off and find you.”
Kyle shrugged and leaned down to pet Camo, who paced back and forth between them. “That would have been a piece of cake for this guy. His nose is incredible—he was trained to sniff out and find people in war zones.”
Ugh. “Yeah, I know. But if he didn’t find you, then I’d also have a dog to worry about.” She walked past him to the kitchen and put the peninsula between them. When she turned, instead of frowning at her like she’d expected, he gave her a smile, and a slightly cocky one at that.What’d I say? Oh. I said ‘also’ and ‘worry’ in the same sentence. Shit.
He walked up to the peninsula and leaned on it. “You were worried about me?”
“I was worried about your sanity.” Arden pointed at his blue duffel, which he’d set on the table. “Isthatall you went back for? Jesus. I hope you have some warmer clothes in there. If not, Walter won’t be missing his parka and you can use it for the duration.”
Kyle tilted his head. “You know about Walter?”
