Mistletoe Mayhem: Clean Historical Western Cowboy Romance Novel (Dawson Chronicles Book 1) (9 page)

              “I’m not dressing up for Halloween,” Sawyer said a couple of nights later as they sat conversing in Skip’s bedroom.

              Skip nodded.  “Of course you are.  You can’t go to the Halloween party if you don’t dress up.  I mean you could, but what fun would that be?  People would ask you what you were supposed to be and you’d be awfully boring saying ‘Myself.’”  He stepped out of his room.  “Pa!  Can you come here?” he hollered down the stairs of their four-bedroom house.

              They used to live over the old medical clinic, but when the hospital had been built, Switch and Hope had bought a house close to the new facility because it was quicker for Hope to get back and forth to work; she was the hospital administrator.  It also allowed her check on Switch easier when he had bad days. 

              Switch liked being close to the hospital since he acted as an orderly there a few nights a week.  He was curious about all of the new equipment and helped out with whatever needed to be done.  Switch didn’t have any one full-time job, but he was still busy with various jobs.  On top of being an orderly, he helped at Will Foster’s furniture store, performed at the Watering Hole, and even took an overnight shift here and there at the telegraph office since there were nights when he didn’t sleep.

              At Skip’s call, he started jogging up the stairs and tripped twice.  “What the heck?”

              “Pa, take your reading glasses off,” Skip said.

              Switch laughed and removed them before coming the rest of the way up the stairs.  “That’s better.  I was reading the new play Jethro sent us and I forgot to take them off.  They’re good for reading but not for walking around.  Things get blurry.  I’m glad I don’t have to wear them all the time.  I hate them.  Here put them on and go look in the mirror.”

              Skip gave him a quizzical look.  “Why?”

              “Just do as I say, young man,” Switch said in a mock-stern voice.

              Sawyer looked up as the two men came into Skip’s room.  Skip put the glasses on and looked in his mirror.  “Ok.  I’m looking.  Now what?”

              Switch clapped him on the shoulder and said, “That’s you in thirty years.  You’ll need glasses, too, someday.  You should put them on once a week and just look at yourself so you get used to it.”

              Sawyer and Skip laughed at his reasoning and Switch joined them.  Sawyer thought that although Skip was still a little shorter than Switch, they could be twins with their almost black hair and deep brown, soulful eyes.  Skip’s chin was slightly squarer than Switch’s angular features, but other than that, they were remarkably similar.

              “What did you need?” Switch asked, tucking his glasses into his shirt pocket.

              Sawyer looked over his mismatched outfit of brown dress pants, blue Western shirt, and tan work boots.  Switch’s unconventional mode of dress was just one of many things that endeared him to people.  However, it drove Joe crazy.

              “Sawyer needs a costume for the Halloween party.  What do we have that would work with his cast?” Skip asked.

              “I’m not going to the party,” Sawyer said.

              “Of course you are,” Switch said.

              Despite being annoyed, it amused Sawyer that his response was the same as Skip’s.

              “No, I’m not,” Sawyer said.

              Switch frowned.  “What?”

              “I’m not going.”

              “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you,” Switch said.

              Sawyer raised his voice.  “I’m not going to the party.”

              “I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Switch said, laughing.  “I seem to have selective hearing.  I only hear what I want to hear and I don’t wanna hear that you’re not going, so I won’t.  Oh!  A pirate with a peg leg!  C’mere!”

              Sawyer groaned as Switch hurried from the room.  “I guess I’m going to the party.”

              “Told you,” Skip said, grinning.

              Sawyer said, “I’ll get you back for this.”

              He followed them to what used to be Switch’s oldest son, Jethro’s, room.  Since he’d moved to New York to pursue an acting career, it had been converted into a large dressing room with several racks of costumes lining one whole wall.  Switch incorporated them into his shows at the bar sometimes, but they were mostly used at the Dawson Playhouse, which he and Hope had founded a couple of years ago. 

              Switch might not care much about his everyday appearance, but he meticulously organized his costumes.  Mumbling to himself, he sorted through the multitude of garments hanging there and handed stuff to Skip.

              “There.  That should do it.  We’ll keep it simple since you’re on crutches.  We won’t make you a pirate captain, just a lowly pirate first class or whatever non-captain pirates are called.  Do they have ranks?  I don’t think so.  Just captain and plain old pirate, I guess,” Switch said.

              Sawyer almost laughed as he saw Skip’s wheels turning over his father’s question. 
I’ll bet he’ll put it in his Question Cabinet.
 

              Switch held up the various pieces of the costume.  “Large handkerchief for around your head, one of the long-sleeved, flowing shirts they wore, and any old, black pants will work.  Here’s a leather vest, too.  Come down to Will’s tomorrow and I’ll have him make you a peg leg.  He’ll have to fit it to your knee so that it works properly.”

              Sawyer said, “I don’t want to interrupt his work.”

              “Don’t worry about it.  He won’t mind,” Switch insisted.  “It won’t take him long.”

              “Ok, if you’re sure,” he said, knowing it was pointless to resist.

              Switch nodded.  “I’m sure.”

              “Thanks,” Sawyer said.  A horn sounded from outside.  “There’s Dino and Grandma.  She doesn’t like driving at night so he chauffeurs her around.  Thanks for your help, Switch.”

              “You’re welcome.  Justin, help him down the stairs, son.”

              “I planned on it,” Skip said.

              “Good man,” Switch said in a perfect imitation of Randall as they trooped down the stairs.  He was very talented in performing impersonations and creating skits out of thin air while he performed a one-man show.

              After he saw Sawyer off, Skip went upstairs to his sister’s room, knocking on her door.

              “Come in,” Renee said.

              “It’s just me,” he said going in.  “You’re devious and I need your help with something.”

              Renee smiled at him as she sat at her dressing table, brushing her long, dark hair.  “You came to the right place, little brother.  What can I do for you?”  The two of them were very close. 

              Skip sat down on her bed and drew his long legs up to sit cross-legged on it.  “I know that Sawyer and Devon still love each other, but neither of them are going to admit it.  I want to get them back together, but I don’t know how.”

              “And how do you know that they do?” Renee asked.

              “The other night down at camp when Joey and Snow Song got engaged, I saw the way they looked at each other,” Skip said.  “I know they could be really happy together.  Plus, she broke up with Teddy, so I find the timing of that to be a little coincidental.”

              “Hmm.  You might be right,” Renee said.  “Well, if she saw someone else show interest in him, she might get jealous, which would mean she still cares for him.”

              Skip smiled.  “Yeah.  Jealousy is a great motivator.  But who’s gonna show interest in him?”

              Renee grinned and struck a pose, batting her eyelashes at Skip.  “Little ole me.”

              “You?  Do you like him like that?  Because if you do, the plan will backfire,” Skip said.

              “Of course not!  Sawyer is a great guy, but I’m not interested in him as a boyfriend.  I have someone else in mind and perhaps if
he
saw
me
on the arm of someone else, it might make him take notice,” Renee said, a speculative gleam in her dark eyes.  “That’s why I’m the perfect choice.  I’m not attracted to Sawyer, although he is very handsome.  But neither he nor Devon knows that.”

              Skip laughed.  “That’s brilliant!  I knew you’d know what to do.  It’s a good thing you’re a good actress.”

              “Well, it does run in the family.”  Renee rubbed her hands together.  “This is going to be so much fun.  Now, listen to me.  This is what we’ll do …”

*****

              Renee wasted no time in putting their plan into action.  The next day, after she was done with her shift at the hospital where she worked as a nursing assistant, she took their car over to the Samuels’ ranch.  She’d taken the time to go home and gussy up a little. 

              She’d put on a nice dress and put her hair up into a slightly different version of a Gibson girl style.  A little bit of lipstick and cheek rouge completed her outfit.  She had also inherited her father’s coloring and his height, but she got her hourglass figure from her mother along with her heart-shaped face.  Renee cut a beautiful figure and she used her wiles to the utmost.

              Arriving at the Samuels ranch, Renee straightened her coat and skirt when she got out of the car and then picked up the camera she’d brought with her.  She knocked on the door and Sandy opened it.

              “Hello, Renee.  How are you?” she asked.

              Renee smiled.  “I’m well, thank you.  And yourself?”

              “The same.  Come on in out of the cold,” Sandy said.

              “Thank you.  I was wondering if Sawyer was home.”

              “Yes.  He’s in the office.  Go ahead on in.”

              “Thank you.”

              Renee walked through the parlor to the office that Frankie and D.J. shared.  Sawyer was poring over a journal, his head bent as he read.  Renee knocked softly on the office door.

              He looked up and smiled at her.  “Hi, Renee.  What brings you?”

              She took off her coat and entered the room.  “Well, I need your photographer’s expertise.  My camera broke and I was hoping that you could fix it.”

              “I’ll be happy to take a look at it,” he said.

              When she handed it to him, she made sure their fingers brushed and gave him a coy look.  She almost giggled at the surprise in his eyes.

              “Uh, have a seat while I see what’s wrong with it,” he said, a little disconcerted.  If he didn’t know better, he could swear that Renee was flirting with him.  She’d never shown that sort of interest in him before. 

              He turned his attention to the camera and became engrossed in examining it.  “This won’t be too bad to fix.  You can just leave it and I’ll get it back to you,” he told her.

              “That’ll be perfect.  Are you free for dinner tomorrow evening?” she enquired.

              Her invitation surprised him.  “Um, what kind of dinner are we talking about?”

              “The kind a man and woman have when they’d like to get to know each other better.”

              Sawyer had no idea what to say.  As long as he’d known Renee she’d never indicated that she had romantic feelings towards him.  Had she been harboring her feelings because he’d been involved with Devon?  It was a good possibility.

              Was he ready to try seeing someone again?  He’d never thought of Renee in those terms, but she was certainly beautiful and witty.  What would the harm be in just going to dinner with her?

              Smiling, he said, “All right.  I accept your invitation.”

              She clapped her hands together briefly.  “Wonderful!  I’ll pick you up at seven.  We’ll have a nice time.  You’ll see.  Well, I can see that you’re busy, so I’ll leave you to it.  Thanks for fixing my camera for me.  I owe you.”

              “You’re welcome.”

              Renee said, “I’m looking forward to tomorrow night.  Goodbye.”

              “Goodbye,” Sawyer said, watching the enticing sway of her skirt as she left.  “Huh.  How about that?” he murmured to himself.

              It was odd for Sawyer to have a woman open doors for him, but with him being on crutches, he didn’t have any other choice.  Renee took it in stride, being solicitous and amusing at the same time as they entered Delaney’s, the more upscale restaurant in Dawson.

              Once they were seated, Renee said, “So, tell me all about this project that Skip says you’re working on.  It looked like you were buried in it yesterday.”

              He was a little distracted by her low-cut, emerald satin gown that left quite a bit of her creamy shoulders and neck bare.  She’d pulled her hair back on the sides and let large ringlets flow down her back.  It was a slightly dated look, but he had to admit that it looked sophisticated on her.  Pulling his gaze away from her, he looked at his menu.

              “Grandma and a few people started a historical society and they’re gathering all sorts of material.  I’m helping her sort it, catalogue it, and cross-reference it so that whoever writes the history of Dawson will have an easier time of it.”

              “Well, that certainly sounds fascinating—and time consuming.”

              Sawyer said, “It is, but I have plenty of time on my hands, so I don’t mind.  And it really
is
interesting to see people’s observations about events that have happened and to learn more about their lives.”

              “I’m sure,” she said, meaning it.

              “Once I’m done with the organizational part of it, I’m going to conduct interviews about some things.  Hopefully I’ll be able to jog some memories loose.”  Sawyer closed his menu as their waitress came to the table.

              They ordered and had just started talking about Renee’s work at the hospital when Jared Sebastian came into the restaurant with Devon on his arm.  Jealousy burned in Sawyer’s chest at the sight of her with another man—especially Jared.  He felt Renee take his hand, squeezing it in an intimate manner.  Looking at her, he saw open admiration on her face and raised an eyebrow over it.  She also ran the fingers of her other hand over his knuckles.

              She flicked a glance at Devon and Sawyer swore he saw jealousy in her eyes.  It was as though she was warning Devon away.  He quickly looked at Devon and saw that her gaze was locked with Renee’s.  A silent battle was taking place between them and he couldn’t help feeling flattered that two women were fighting over him in such a way. 

              “How is your ankle doing?” Renee asked, squeezing his hand again.  “I feel so badly that you were hurt.  How brave you are for rushing into the heat of battle to protect our country.”

              The table Jared and Devon sat at was situated so that he could see both of their faces in profile.  The devil got ahold of Sawyer and he kept a hold of Renee’s hand.  “Thanks.  Ben was happy with the surgery, so now it’s just a question of how well it heals.”

              “Skip said you might not be able to go back.”

              “That’s a good possibility, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” he said.

              She gave him a meaningful look and said, “Well, if you don’t, there’s no shame in it.  You did your duty and Lord knows we could use another man around here.  Especially a very handsome man like yourself.”

              Sawyer had never realized that Renee was such a flirt, but she was fun.  “It’s nice to be noticed by such a lovely lady.”

              Renee laughed at his playful remark.  “Flatterer.  I’m so glad that I was forward and asked you to dinner.  I know that the man is supposed to ask, but I’m not very traditional.”

              “It did surprise me.  I didn’t know you liked me that way,” Sawyer said.

              “Honestly, I didn’t until you came home and I saw you in a new light.  How handsome and brave you are.  I guess we both did some growing up, which can change the way a person perceives things,” Renee said.

              Sawyer nodded, but he was distracted by the way Devon smiled at something Jared had said.  Her smile made his heart hurt with longing and he ached to kiss her.  Renee captured his attention again by asking more questions about his project and about his time in the army.

              He answered her, but his eyes kept returning to Devon.  It looked like she was having a good time with Jared, which made him seethe with anger and envy.  He didn’t mean to be rude to Renee, but he ate his food as quickly as possible because he needed to get out of there before he punched Jared out or whacked him over the head with one of his crutches.

              Renee laughed inside because the plan was going so well.  She kept exchanging dagger-eyes with Devon and acting possessive of Sawyer. 

When they finished dessert, Sawyer said, “I had a really nice time, Renee.”

“Me, too.  Is your ankle bothering you?  You look like you’re in pain,” she said.

You have no idea what kind of pain I’m in.
  “Yeah.  I guess I should go put it up now.”

“Yes, of course,” Renee said.

She threw a haughty, satisfied look Devon’s way as she left with Sawyer.  The scathing expression on Devon’s face told her that she’d hit her mark.  Glee filled her that her act was so convincing. 

She didn’t take Sawyer home right away, instead stopping at a place along the river.  The moonlight glinted off the rippling water and made the evergreens on the opposite bank a grayish green.

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Yeah.  I love sitting watching the river and seeing whatever animals come down to drink.  I usually have a camera with me.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t bring one with you tonight.  You usually have at least the little pocket one on you,” she said.

He smiled.  “Well, I did bring one, but it’s yours.”

She chuckled.  “Thanks for fixing it for me.”

“You’re welcome.”

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments before Renee rested her head back against the seat and turned in Sawyer’s direction.  The sultry expression on her beautiful face drew his attention.  He’d never seen this side of her before and he wasn’t sure what to think of it.

She reached out, running her fingers over the lapel of his coat.  “I don’t bite, Sawyer.”

One of his eyebrows rose.  She was inviting him to kiss her and making no bones about it.  He hadn’t thought about that.  He should have.  Did he want to kiss her?  She looked very kissable, but she was Skip’s sister. 
What does that matter?  You went out with her, didn’t you?  She’s a woman and you’re a man.  Skip didn’t have a problem with you going out with her.  What’s one little kiss?  It’s been a long time since I kissed anyone.  I hope I remember how.

Renee took the matter out of his hands by fisting her hand in his coat and pulling him down to her.  He discovered that she was a very talented kisser.  He felt a spark of desire, which surprised him.  Feeling his reaction to her, Renee deepened the kiss.  She sidled closer to him, putting her arms around his neck.

Embracing her, Sawyer followed her lead, enjoying the feel of her and her kisses.  Suddenly, she pushed him back against his side of the seat and straddled him.  He wondered how she could move so fast in a dress and he was so shocked that he couldn’t speak.  This gave her time to shed her coat before she reclaimed his lips.

Sawyer had no idea what he should do and the fact of the matter was that what she was doing felt good.  The next thing he knew, she’d unfastened his coat and was working on loosening his tie.  How could she kiss him like that and still concentrate on his tie?  Cool air hit his chest and he realized that she’d unbuttoned his shirt, too.

How had it gotten out of control so quickly?  Who knew that Renee was a seductress?  Not him, but he needed to stop it.

Grasping her upper arms, he pulled her back from him, breaking the kiss.  “Renee, this isn’t right.  We have to stop.”

She smiled.  “Why?  It seems like you’re having a good time.  Me, too.”

He cleared his throat.  “Uh, well, I am, but I guess it’s too good of a time.  It’s too fast.  I don’t love you.”

“Love?  Who said anything about love?  I don’t love you, either.  We seem compatible, though.”  She pressed her lips to his while she ran her hands over his chest.

Her mouth left his and she bit his neck.  Sawyer jerked as desire spiked again.  “Oh, God.”

She chuckled before kissing him again.  Sawyer’s conscience intruded and he drew her away from him.  “Renee, I just can’t.  A part of me wants to, but I—”

She fell forward, her mouth close to his ear.  “If you can resist me when I’m climbing all over you like this, that means you must still love her,” she whispered.

“What?”

She backed off so she could look into his eyes.  “If you can turn me down when I’m yours for the taking, it means that you still have feelings for Devon.  I saw the way you looked at her tonight.”

Sawyer’s face tightened with anger.  “I do
not
love her.  It’s over between us.  It’s
been
over.”

Renee arched an eyebrow at him and reached behind her, beginning to undo her dress.  “If that’s true, then what’s stopping you?”

              “Morals,” he said.  “I wasn’t raised like this and neither were you.”

              She laughed.  “Are you calling me a bad girl?”

              “Yes,” he said, smiling even as he said it.

              “Surprised?”

              “Stunned.”  He put his arms around her to stop her hands from completing her task.  “Renee, don’t.  I just can’t.  I’m sorry.”

              “Admit it.  You still love Devon and she still loves you.  I saw it tonight.  She was fuming that you and I were out together,” Renee said.

              “She was?”

              “Mmm hmm.  If looks could kill, I wouldn’t be sitting here on your lap right now.”

              Sawyer was nonplussed.  If he was jealous to see her out with someone else and Devon was jealous because he’d gone to dinner with Renee, what did that mean?  He knew Renee was right—his heart still belonged to Devon.

              Groaning, he leaned his forehead against Renee.  “I don’t
want
to love her,” he mumbled against her cleavage.  Realizing what he’d just done, he jerked away from her.  “I’m so sorry.  I didn’t mean to do that.”

              Renee laughed.  “Stop worrying.  You’re not going to offend me.  I knew you still loved her.  So what are you going to do about it?”

              “Do about it?  I’m not going to do anything about it,” Sawyer said.

              “So you’re going to just suffer in silence?  Pine for her for the rest of your life?” Renee asked.  “That’s just stupid, and you’re not a stupid man.  I have some ideas, if you care to hear them.  I can help you, but it depends on how badly you want her.”

              She threaded her fingers through his hair and Sawyer said, “I’m so confused.  I thought you liked me.”

              “I do like you, Sawyer.  I just don’t love you.  We’re friends,” Renee said.

              “I’d say we’re a little more than friends,” he said.

              Renee said, “Silly man.  It’s possible to be friends
and
lovers, Sawyer.  Gasp!  How scandalous!”

              His eyes searched her face.  “I just realized that I don’t know you at all.  Not really.”

              “Why would you?  You’re Skip’s friend much more than mine.  You and I don’t really spend much time together.  But I think that should change, because that’s how you’re going to get Devon back.  We’re going to make her so jealous that she won’t be able to stay away from you,” Renee said.

              “That’s really underhanded.”

              “Ok, so just tell her that you love her and want her back.  Tell her you want to try again,” Renee said.

              That idea was repulsive to his pride.  Why should
he
go to
her
?  Devon had rejected him, crushed his heart by refusing his proposal.  If they were going to get back together, she should be the one to make a move.

              “Now, if I do this for you, you have to do something for me.  I need you to take me to the Watering Hole a few times,” she said.

              “Why?  I can’t dance.”

              “I know, which is why it’s perfect.  You can’t dance, but there’s someone there who can and he’s the one I’m after,” Renee said.

              “Who?” Sawyer asked.

              “Brody Benson,” Renee said.

              “You mean the bouncer?  Teddy’s younger brother?  He’s twenty-five and you’re…?”

              “Nineteen.  He has no clue I’m alive, but he will.”  She looked into Sawyer’s eyes.  “That is, if we have a deal.”

              He felt the hypnotic pull of her gaze.  “Brody doesn’t stand a chance against you.”

              She grinned.  “And Devon will by yours by Christmas.  I guarantee you that.”

              She buttoned up his shirt again, tied his tie, and then got out a handkerchief and comb from her purse.  “Make sure you don’t have any lipstick on you,” she said, handing him the handkerchief.