Page 28 of The Cowboy's Miracle Baby

Gus and Ellaleft the church, with Ella bundled against the cold, holding his hand. Ella looked thoughtful as they walked toward his truck. He tried to strike up a conversation about how Sunday school had gone, but finally she changed the subject.

“One of the boys in my Sunday school class said that there’s a Santa Claus at the Graff Hotel. And he’s giving out candy canes if you tell him what you want for Christmas.”

“I can buy us some candy canes, if you want one,” he said, watching the traffic move across the intersection. Once church let out, the streets of Marietta got crowded at this time of year with shoppers and folks out for lunch.

“Riley Garfield said her parents are taking her there after church, to see Santa,” Ella went on. “She’s my friend.”

He glanced down at her. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”

“That she’s my friend?”

He squeezed her hand affectionately. “No. About Santa, I mean.”

“No!” Ella sounded offended at the suggestion. “But… she said her brothers told her that already. She doesn’t believe it.”

“Ah.”

“I said neither do I.” At Gus’s look, she said, “What? I didn’t want her to feel bad. And we’re friends.”

“Okay. That was kind of you.”

“And I said I’d ask you if we can go there to the Graff, too.”

“To… see Santa?”

“Well, yes,” she said, “I’d have to pretend. But at least I’ll get a candy cane. And we can make a play date with her mom?”

“We can do that.”

“Now?”

“Sure. Let’s go.”

Gus couldn’t help but think of his conversation with Luke the other night, about Ella craving roots. Friends. Stability. He knew Luke was right. If she had to pretend to believe in Santa to fit it, then he was for it. And free candy canes aside, meeting new parents to set a play date with a new friend was a good start.

The line was already forming inside the Graff Hotel’s lobby where a large throne had been set up surrounded by Christmas decorations to house Santa. A woman dressed up in an elf costume was taking photos and there was a buzz of excitement coming from the children waiting in line.

He had to admit the old guy sitting on the Santa throne was pretty authentic-looking, with a real white beard and a little extra girth beneath his red-velvet costume. And when he laughed along with a kid on his lap, his laugh did sound pretty genuine. Not at all theho-ho-homost of them attempted. At least the Graff had put out some effort not to hire some kid with a synthetic beard that looked more like teddy bear stuffing than hair.

Ella ran up beside her friend, Riley, and the two were immediately thick as thieves, whispering together and giggling.

“You must be Eloise’s father,” said a woman nearby, who saw him smiling at the girls. She was young, maybe late twenties with long, blonde hair and a bright smile. He thought he’d seen her before, probably at church alongside the man near her, who smiled at him, too. “I’m Carrie Garfield, and this is my husband, Derek.”

Gus reached out his hand. “Yeah. I’m Gus Claymore. Eloise is my daughter.”

“Riley’s been talking about Eloise for weeks now, begging to get together, but we never seemed to run into you.”

At church, she meant. “Ella made a point of wanting to come here so I could meet you today. She’s anxious for a play date with Riley.”

The line had moved up and Riley was next to talk to Santa.

“We absolutely would love to have Eloise over. Derek, can you give Gus our phone number so we can set it up? If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I’m going to go watch Riley commune with Santa. I really have no idea of her six-year-old heart’s desire. And who knows?” she added ruefully. “This could be our last year of believing.”

“Kids these days,” Derek said, watching his wife go. “They’re a lot more cynical than they used to be, right?”

“I guess so.” He didn’t want to get into an ideological discussion with Derek.

“No, but it’s kind of nice when they’re little like our girls and still believe, isn’t it? It doesn’t last long enough. That’s for sure.”

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