Never Say Never (10 page)

Holly let out a bubble of air, so Jill shifted her. “Here. Let me have her now,” Eunice said, already reaching for the infant.

Jill let her have the baby, then knelt to gingerly pick up Joey’s handiwork. Placing the tree on an antique table sitting between two velvet-covered chairs, she stood back to observe it for a moment. “All we need now is a tree skirt.”

“Can we make one, Jill? Can we, can we?”

She smiled. “Maybe.”

“I just happen to have a small piece of red felt we could cut into a circle,” Eunice offered. “There are also sequins upstairs in my sewing cupboard if that would help.”

“It would help us, wouldn’t it, Joey?” Jill turned to give the elderly woman an appreciative smile.

“I can’t help but think your parents are going to be proud of everything you’re doing around here. I know we certainly appreciate all your hard work, Jill. You’ve lifted all our spirits.”

Jill had forgotten about her parents’ impending visit. Now that she remembered about it, her little plastic Christmas tree seemed a bit forlorn to her. But she smiled for Eunice’s benefit.

“Well, then, Holly,” Eunice said, “how about you and I go up to peruse the cupboard? I promise you’ll find more bits and pieces of things babies shouldn’t put in their mouths, but just so you’ll be in the holiday spirit, too, I think there’s some nice green satin ribbon we could make into a headband for you.”

Eunice left the parlor, with Jill keeping a close eye on her. The arthritis didn’t seem to be plaguing her, but the stairs always worried Jill. She wondered if it pained Eunice to walk up and down them. But since the day Jill had arrived, Eunice hadn’t murmured a single complaint about her health.

Jill ruffled Joey’s corn-silk hair, drawing a murmured complaint from him. She wondered what Dustin really had planned for Joey this afternoon. He’d been so quiet it was hard to tell.

Yet there was some comfort in knowing that the reserved man seemed to be starting to enjoy his son.

It had come as a surprise to her that the two of them seemed to lack a loving bond. Jill hated to see that their relationship was so stiff and formal. She knew not every man enjoyed having kids, but Joey was so much fun, when she could get him to loosen up. He’d loved making snow angels, and he’d loved decorating her substitute for a real Christmas tree. Perhaps Dustin was starting to realize what he was missing out on with his son.

Jill considered Eunice’s words about Dustin’s odd behavior. Maybe she
had
made some changes around the ranch—whether he was ready for it or not;

“How long will you be gone?”

Dustin shot Jill a mischievous grin. There was anxiety laced all through her question. “I’ll be home for dinner, six o’clock sharp,” he said, unable to resist the reference to “the noise he made about his supper”.

Jill folded her arms. “I assume you would tell me if Joey wasn’t properly dressed for this excursion.”

“I would.”

She gave an irritated sigh, then bent down to rub Joey’s hair and put a swift kiss on his cheek. Dustin thought about asking if he got one, too, realizing instantly his thoughts were going way out of bounds. He decided he should only bait the poor woman so much.

Jill stepped away, eyeing Dustin. “I’ll be expecting Joey back in the same clean condition and good health that he’s in now.”

Dustin ran a finger along his hat in a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am. Come on, Joey, we’ve got some important work to do.”

The child ran out to the truck, waiting for him to open the door. Dustin turned to make one last remark to Jill. “Mother knows where we are, if you need anything,” he said before walking out the door.

“That’s not playing fair, is it?”

“Life’s tough,” he said with a shrug, before walking out onto the porch. He chuckled, plainly able to hear the heels of Jill’s boots as she hurried up the stairs.

Thing was, Eunice wouldn’t give Dustin’s secret away for anything. Jill would just have to wait until Dustin was ready for her to know it.

He had a feeling she was going to like his surprise just as much as Joey.

Two hours later, Dustin walked into the house, waving Joey over to the parlor fireplace to wait. The child had pine needles sticking out of his hair and dirt smudges on his elfin face, beside the huge grin he was wearing. So much for the clean condition Jill had requested, but it couldn’t be helped. Dustin pressed one finger against his lips for silence, and Joey nodded his understanding. The two of them had worked out a game plan.

Quietly, Dustin checked the kitchen, but Jill wasn’t around. Hearing some soft singing coming from the direction of the laundry room, he walked in there. To his amazement, it looked like Jill was dusting the corners of the ceiling. She’d wrapped an old towel or something around a broom handle and was running the contraption along the tops of the walls. On top of the dryer, baby Holly lay in her basket watching Jill, comfortably soothed by the warm humming of the machine and Jill’s singing.

Both the previous housekeepers—and his wife—had complained about the isolation of the ranch, and that there was little to do to relieve their boredom. Dustin folded his arms as he watched the woman carefully moving the padded stick along the wall edges. Jill seemed to have no trouble at all keeping herself entertained, even if it was dusting the walls.

More than that, she was keeping him entertained as well.

“H-h-hm,” Dustin said, clearing his throat loudly.

Jill jumped. “You’re back! Where’s Joey?” she asked.

Dustin laughed and went over to offer Holly his finger to hold. “I left him out in the woods. It’s beneficial for a young boy to learn how to fend for himself.”

“You…” Jill paused at the serious expression on Dustin’s face. “No, you didn’t. Where is he?”

“In the parlor, getting warm in front of the fireplace.”

“Oh.” Jill pulled off her rubber gloves, laying them next to the washroom sink. “I want to hear all about his adventure.”

She reached to pick up Holly’s basket, but Dustin wrapped his hand around the straw handle. “I’ll get her. You do whatever you need to with that giant cotton swab of yours.”

“Thanks.” Quickly, she pulled the towel off and tossed it into the washer before setting the broom handle against the wall. “Okay. I’m ready. I hope Joey enjoyed his outing,” she said, following Dustin as he walked.

“Seemed to,” Dustin replied.

Jill frowned. Dustin glanced over his shoulder as they walked through the kitchen. Jill felt his gaze, and wondered why he wouldn’t elaborate on the secret adventure. Then she saw Joey warming his hands in front of the fireplace. “Are you cold, Joey?”

Joey shook his head, though his bottom lip quivered. She noticed Joey’s gaze,was directed at his tall, well-built father. Ah. There was the model of testosterone Joey was trying to imitate.

He was such a sweet child. “How did the man-to-man talk go?” she asked Dustin, taking Holly from him.

“Fine. We have a souvenir from our outing that we’d like to present you with.”.

“Where is it?” Jill asked, starting to become suspicious at both their innocent expressions. She had a funny feeling she might be about to pay for her earlier comment about Dustin.

“It’s outside. We want you to close your eyes, and no peeking,” Dustin commanded.

“All right.” Jill obediently closed her eyes, wondering what the two of them had cooked up. They were acting very shady about the whole matter. “Fortunately, I like mysteries.”

Startled, Jill felt Dustin take hold of her hand. It was warm, despite his being outdoors recently. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he led her toward the front door, and Jill couldn’t help thinking that he smelled nice too. He felt big and strong and, well, just the way he looked like he might feel. Overwhelmingly masculine.

“Watch your step,” Dustin said, easing her down from the front porch.

Jill took small steps, praying she wouldn’t tumble to the bottom. Resisting the urge to peek, just a little, to get her bearings, she tried to make herself relax against the rancher.

“You can look now!” Joey shouted.

Jill opened her eyes to see that she was standing in front of Dustin’s truck. Joey was hopping up and down like mad by the truck bed, so Jill realized that what she was supposed to see was back there. Walking around, she spied the reason for all the delighted excitement.

“A real Christmas tree! Oh, my! Did you cut this down yourself?” she asked Joey, instantly realizing that this was no store-bought tree.

Joey glanced at Dustin for confirmation, who merely nodded. “Daddy showed me how.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a nice, big tree,” Jill said for Joey’s benefit, though she couldn’t help noticing Dustin seemed appreciative of the flattery as well. He leaned against the truck bed, eyeing the tree proudly. “It’s beautiful.”

Dustin shrugged, trying not to look too pleased. “Actually, it’s not even a real fir, but I thought it resembled a Christmas tree.”

“It looks good to me.” Jill knew he’d done this for Joey, and for her, despite his own discomfort with the holidays. She’d have been touched if he’d appeared with a palm tree and decorated that with ornaments. “Let’s get it inside and see what we can do for decorations.”

Dustin let the truck gate down, reaching in to lift the tree upright where he could get a good grasp on it. “Oh, I think you’ll find Mother is going to fix Joey up just fine in that department. She’s got more holiday spirit than anyone in Lassiter.”

“Oh, good. Can I help you, Dustin?”

“Yeah. Hold the front door open, will you?”

Jill went on ahead, with Joey scooting through the door before Dustin carefully pointed the tree trunk into the entryway. “See if I can get this in here without tearing off any branches,” he muttered to himself.

Jill propped open the door with her boot and tried to guide the tree from the top as he pulled from the other end. Suddenly it was lying in the entry hall—branches intact. “Looks like a professional job to me, Santa,” she told Dustin.

“I’ve got good helpers.”

They looked at each other for a moment and Jill began to feel something inside her glow. Then Joey called, “The tree stand is in here! Grandma’s got everything ready for us!”

Eunice sat on the antique sofa, gesturing for Jill to hand her the baby. She held Holly up so the baby could watch the commotion of the tree being brought in and then painstakingly set down in the stand. Of course the baby didn’t know it was Christmas, but it was fun to think she was enjoying the fun. Jill brought in a pitcher of water from the kitchen and poured it into the stand.

“Holly is modeling a new headband,” Eunice said, pushing the evergreen-colored satin away from Holly’s eyes. “Isn’t she adorable?” Without waiting for the obvious answer, she instructed, “The lights are in a box upstairs, Dustin.”

“I’ll get them.” Jill started to leave, but Dustin closed his hand over hers.

“I’ll do this, if you don’t mind rustling up some hot chocolate and maybe a snack. I think Joey’s hungry,” he said, cocking one eyebrow.

Joey had eyes only for the tree that nearly reached the ceiling. He was obviously not thinking about food. Jill raised her brows but didn’t pull her hand away from Dustin’s. “I think it’s his dad who’s hungry.”

Dustin nodded, and she shook her head at his playful side, a little surprised—and more attracted to him than she should be, she realized.

“I’ll be right back with something to tide everyone over,” Jill said, walking from the parlor.

In five minutes she was back with hot chocolate and a tray of chocolate chip cookies. Joey and Dustin took a break to grab up the treats, so Jill sat down next to Eunice to admire the men’s work.

“Do you want me to hold Holly for a while?” she asked.

“No.” Eunice smiled to take the brusqueness out of her answer. “I want to enjoy this little bundle of joy as long as I can.”

Jill turned her gaze from the warm happiness shining from Eunice’s watery-blue eyes. Holly was the recipient of all this extra love and attention because Nina was lost to the Reeds this Christmas. She sighed to herself, wishing that there was something she could do to help. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything she could do to make matters better. Glancing toward the mantel, Jill let her gaze run along the pewter-framed pictures of Joey.

She stole a look at Dustin. He was showing Joey how to dunk his cookie into the chocolate until he saw Jill watching him. Sheepishly, Dustin shoved the cookie into his mouth with a shrug.

“How about you help me start hanging the ornaments, Joey?” he asked.

Joey ran to join his father, which Jill was glad to see. Holly had just about fallen asleep, so Eunice placed her into the basket, setting it out of harm’s way. The baby seemed mesmerized by the colorful, blinking Christmas lights that had been strung on the tree and seconds later, she closed her eyes.

“She seems pretty secure, doesn’t she?” Eunice asked Jill. “Considering everything?”

“I think she is. What’s not to feel secure about, though, if you’re part of the Reed household?”

Jill got up, taking the tray with her into the kitchen, realizing how true her words were. Certainly
she
was flourishing under the kindness the Reeds had shown her. It was easy enough sometimes to imagine she was actually part of their family, and not just a woman who desperately wanted a fresh start in life. Of course, there was more to worry about with Holly, since her wellbeing had apparently been threatened, but perhaps Holly sensed her safety wasn’t jeopardized here. She had Dustin protecting her.