Page 75 of The Holiday Gift

Okay, he had been a little less like a jackass toward the end of her visit to the clinic with Luke, but that didn’t mean she was obligated to invite him to move in down the road, for Pete’s sake.

She still wasn’t quite sure what had motivated her offer. Maybe that little spark of compassion in his blue eyes when he had tended to Luke with that surprising gentleness. Or maybe it was simply that she couldn’t resist his cute son’s charm.

Whatever the reason, they would only be there a few weeks. She likely wouldn’t even see the man, especially as it appeared he spent most of his time at the veterinary clinic. And she could be comfortable knowing she had done her good deed for the day. Wasn’t Christmas the perfect time for a little welcoming generosity?

“What did you think of his doctoring?” Ridge asked.

She thought of Luke and his carefully bandaged injuries. “He’s not Doc Harris but I suppose he’ll do.”

Ridge chuckled. “You’ll never think anybody is as good as Doc Harris. The two of you have taken care of a lot of animals together.”

She had loved working at the vet clinic when she was in high school. It was just about the only thing that had kept her going after her parents died, those quiet moments when she would be holding a sick or injured animal and feeling some measure of peace.

“He’s a good man. Dr. Caldwell has some pretty big boots to fill,” she answered.

“From rumors I’ve been hearing around town, he’s doing a good job of it so far.”

She didn’t want to talk about the veterinarian anymore. It was bad enough she couldn’t seem to think about anything else since she had left the clinic.

“What were you saying to Destry after I started clearing the dishes? I heard something about the wagon,” Caidy said.

He glanced through the open doorway into the dining room, where Destry was bent over the table working on a homework assignment about holiday traditions in Europe.

“Des asked me if she could invite Gabi and a couple of their other friends over for a wagon ride Sunday night. She suggested caroling to the neighbors.”

She never should have shared with Destry her memories of doing that very thing with their parents when she and the boys were young. “What did you tell her?”

He didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to. She could tell by his expression that he had given in. Ridge might be a hard man when it came to their cattle and the ranch, but when it came to his daughter he was soft as new taffy.

“You’re a good father, Ridge.”

“She loves Christmas,” he finally said. “What can I do?”

The rest of them weren’t quite as fond of the holidays as Des but they put on a good show for her sake. Since their parents’ murders just a few days before Christmas eleven years ago, the holidays seemed to dredge up difficult emotions.

Becca and Laura had worked some kind of sparkly holiday magic over Trace and Taft. This year the twins seemed to be more into the spirit of Christmas than she’d ever seen them. They had both volunteered to cut trees for everyone. They had even gone a little overboard, cutting a few extras for neighbors and friends.

She and Ridge didn’t share their enthusiasm, though they both went through the motions every year. Caidy even had all her Christmas presents wrapped and the actual holiday was still more than a week away. No more last-minute panics for her this year.

“What time are they coming?”

“I told her to make arrangements for about seven. I figured we would be done with Sunday dinner by then.”

Though Taft and Trace both lived closer to town, her brothers usually brought their families out to the ranch every week. With the hectic pace of their lives protecting and serving the good people of Pine Gulch, it was sometimes the only chance she had to see them all week.

“I’ll throw some cookies in just before they get here so they can have something warm in their little bellies before they go. And I’ll make hot chocolate for the ride, of course.”

“Thanks. Destry will appreciate that, I’m sure.” He finished wiping down the countertop and set the cloth on the sink’s edge. “You won’t consider coming with us?”

By his solemn expression, she knew he was aware just what he asked of her. “I don’t think so.”

“You would really send me off on my own with five or six giggly girls?”

“You can take one of the dogs with you,” she offered with a grin.

He made a face but quickly grew serious again. “It’s been eleven years, Caidy. Taft and Trace have moved on and both have families. Of all of us, you deserve to do the same. I wish you could find a little Christmas joy again.”

“I find plenty of joy the rest of the year. Just not so much in December.”

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