A Cowboy in Her Stocking Read online

  Jake placed his hand lovingly atop Mia’s head before giving her a gentle urge forward. Talia gave Jake what she hoped was a reassuring smile before escorting his daughter inside the house.

  “My daddy says you were friends when you were in school,” Mia said as she took off her coat and placed it beside Talia’s on the couch.

  “We were.”

  “But you moved away.”

  That was one way of putting it. “Yes, I eventually went to college and I got a job in California.”

  “Cool. I’ve never been to California.”

  “Well, you’ll just have to come visit someday. There’s lots to see.”

  Mia followed her into the kitchen where they went about preparing the chocolate chip cookies for baking. Talia noticed that Mia didn’t remove her knit cap and that only a few tendrils of hair were visible around the edges. Her heart nearly broke at the thought of what this little girl had gone through—scary treatments, being poked and prodded, and the loss of her hair. All of that after having watched her mother die of cancer. Talia resisted the need to pull Mia into her arms and hug her.

  As they prepared the cookies then waited for them to bake, they talked about school, Mia’s best friend Ginny, and Talia’s favorite places in California.

  “It sounds a lot different than here,” Mia said.

  “It is, but Blue Falls is nice, too.” And it was. Just because Bill had ruined her last couple of years here, she couldn’t deny she had some fond memories, too. Hanging out with her friends at the lake, sitting in the stands Friday nights watching Jake and the rest of the high school football team, going horseback riding with her dad before he’d passed away when she was Mia’s age.

  When the cookies were ready, they sat at the kitchen table eating them. Mia eyed a stack of boxes at the side of the kitchen.

  “Those won’t all fit in your car.”

  Talia chuckled. “You’re right. But I’m not taking them with me. I’ve got to get rid of everything somehow.”

  “You could take it to the church. They give stuff to people who don’t have enough money to buy things.”

  A lump rose in Talia’s throat. Had Jake been forced to rely on charity to make it through? She looked down at the half-eaten cookie in her hand. No, he would have to be desperate to do that. He was a proud man, had been that way even as a boy. He’d never been one to take anything he hadn’t earned. She’d always admired that about him.

  “That’s a good idea. Maybe your dad will let you show me where it is one day after school.”

  “Sure. Can I take some cookies to my dad?”

  “Of course. Just put on your coat first.”

  “I will.” Mia hopped out of the chair, grabbing three cookies as she did so.

  Talia watched Mia as she hurried through the backyard to the barn where her dad was working. She couldn’t help smiling and marveling at this little girl, who was stronger than a lot of adults Talia had met. Jake might have been through a lot of tough times, but he was also a very lucky man to have someone in his life who loved him with such devotion.

  It made Talia newly aware of just how alone she was. She had plenty of friends, but it just wasn’t the same as family. Not the same at all.

  * * *

  OVER THE NEXT few days, Talia found herself looking forward to Mia’s visits in the afternoons. The little girl brought life and energy to a house that hadn’t seen it in a long time. Each day, Talia would greet her with a snack and ask about her day at school. Sometimes Mia would lend a hand with small cleaning tasks, and Talia helped her with her homework.

  With the kitchen almost completely packed up, Talia moved on to the living room. Dusty books, old music albums, and ceramic knickknacks went into boxes. When she stepped onto a stool to see the top of a bookshelf, she spotted a small, heart-shaped music box. She bit her lip, unwilling to cry in front of Mia.

  She wasn’t keeping much, but this was going home with her.

  “That’s cute,” Mia said when she saw Talia staring at the music box.

  “Yeah, it was my mom’s. My dad gave it to her when I was a little girl.” She opened the lid of the red, felt-covered box and wound the knob to see if it still worked. The tinny sound of “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” filled the room. Talia sank onto one end of the couch and listened to the song until it ended.

  “That’s a pretty song,” Mia said.

  All Talia could do was nod.

  “Do you miss your mom?”

  Talia swallowed hard. “Yeah, I do.”

  “Me, too.”

  Talia looked up, realizing that this was the first time Mia had mentioned Sunny to her.

  “She got sick when I was little and died. I dream about her sometimes.”

  Talia pulled Mia close to her side. “I know, sweetie. I’m sorry. Your mom was a lovely person.”

  “You knew her, too?”

  “Yes, from the time she started dating your dad.” From the moment she’d doomed any chance Talia had with Jake. But that didn’t matter now. Sunny had been nothing but nice to her when some girls wouldn’t have been so understanding of their boyfriend having such a close female friend. It was a waste and a shame that she’d died so young, that she hadn’t been able to watch her little girl grow up.

  Talia listened, her heart breaking, as Mia told stories about her mom. It made Talia angry, that someone as nice as Sunny could be ripped away from her daughter and husband while people like Bill had still drawn breath.

  “I can’t remember what she sounds like,” Mia said and started to cry.

  Talia pulled the little girl onto her lap and cradled her close. “That happens to all of us, honey. I don’t know why, but we forget voices first. But it’s okay. She knows you love her, and she loves you.”

  The way Mia cried, it felt as if she’d held a lot inside for a long time. Talia wondered if Mia did it to keep from hurting her dad. She smoothed Mia’s short hair and hummed to her, remembering when her own mother had done the same for her when she’d come home in first grade after not winning the spelling bee.

  Gradually, Mia’s tears stopped, and the change in her breathing told Talia that the girl had fallen asleep. Talia refused to move and disturb her, even when she heard Jake knock on the front door. After a couple of minutes of her not answering, he did what she’d hoped and stepped inside. But the moment he saw Mia curled up in Talia’s arms, fear transformed his face and he rushed forward.

  “What’s wrong? Why didn’t you come get me?”

  Talia held up a hand. “Shh. She’s okay, just tired.”

  Jake reached forward and touched Mia’s forehead. “I should get her to the doctor.” When he reached for Mia, Talia grabbed his hand.

  “Jake, stop. She’s not sick.” She debated telling him about her conversation with Mia, but he needed an explanation that didn’t have him imagining the cancer marching back into Mia’s tiny body. “She was just missing her mom and needed a little cry.”

  “She talked about Sunny? She hardly ever mentions her.”

  “I think she knows it makes you sad to think of Sunny, and she doesn’t want you to hurt.”

  The pain on Jake’s face made Talia want to pull him close, too.

  “She should be able to talk to me about her mother,” he said. “Not a stranger.”

  Talia swallowed the stab of her own pain because that was exactly what she was to Mia, a virtual stranger. “Sometimes it’s easier to talk to people you don’t know.” She remembered the first time she’d confessed her status as a runaway and the reason why. It had been painful but also cathartic.

  Jake, suddenly looking exhausted, sank onto the couch beside her. “Mia’s strong, just like her mother. But I can’t tell you how frightened I’ve been ever since Mia was diagnosed. Sunny tried so hard to beat the cancer, and s
he just couldn’t. My worst nightmare would be seeing my brave little girl fight hard only to lose the battle, too.”

  “Has she been cleared?”

  He nodded. “She was declared cancer-free, but I can’t stop worrying. Every sniffle, every time it seems like she’s more tired than normal, I’m terrified that it’s back.”

  Talia squeezed his hand, wishing she could alleviate his worry. “I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, but Mia seems like a strong, happy little girl.”

  “She must not be too happy if she’s crying herself to sleep.”

  “A person can have a happy life and still need to purge sadness sometimes.”

  He shifted his eyes from Mia to Talia. “You sound like you speak from experience.”

  “I think you could say that about most people.”

  Jake lowered his gaze to where their hands were still joined and slowly slipped his free. When he exhaled, Talia heard the depth of his fatigue. And it wasn’t just from the past few days of work. His was the type of fatigue born of never-ending work and worry.

  “Feel free to take a day off, Jake. I don’t expect you to be here all day every day.”

  “It needs to get done. You’ve got to get home, and it’s only going to get colder.”

  She could argue with him, but she was pretty sure it wouldn’t do any good.

  Jake shoved himself off the couch then bent to take his sleeping daughter into his arms. “Thanks for taking care of her.”

  “No problem. She’s a sweet kid.”

  “I think so, but I’m not impartial on the subject.”

  Talia smiled and followed him to the door with Mia’s coat. Before she opened the door, she draped the coat over Mia.

  Talia stood at the door watching as Jake carried Mia to the truck then drove away into the night. When she finally turned around, the house seemed even emptier than the day she’d arrived. With so little effort, Mia had pushed all the ghosts away. But with her absence, they came rushing back.

  * * *

  MIA DIDN’T WAKE until Jake lifted her from the truck. She looked around with that confused expression of the recently awakened.

  “We’re home?”

  “Yep. Somebody was a sleepy girl. Sorry I worked so long tonight.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder as he walked toward the house. “It’s okay. Talia made me a ham-and-cheese sandwich and some tomato soup. She’s nice. I like her.”

  Something about his daughter’s admission worried him. It finally hit him as he stepped into her bedroom. Mia made friends easily, got attached too easily. That wasn’t such a problem when it was with a neighbor or a friend at school, but Talia wasn’t staying in Blue Falls. He couldn’t let Mia grow to like Talia any more than she already did. His daughter didn’t deserve to lose anyone else.

  “Did she ask you about me going to town with her to show her where the church is?”

  Jake sat Mia on the side of her bed and knelt in front of her. “The church?”

  “You know, the one where they give stuff to people.”

  “You mean the community closet?”

  “Yeah. Talia has a lot of stuff she wants to give them for other people.”

  “I’ll tell her where it is. I thought you might like to go to Ginny’s after school tomorrow.”

  To his surprise, Mia looked conflicted. Considering she never passed up an opportunity to hang out with her best friend, he knew he was doing the right thing separating her from Talia.

  After a bit of gentle urging from him, Mia finally agreed. She didn’t need to know that he planned to ask India, Ginny’s stepmother, if Mia could come over every day until he was done working at Talia’s.

  Once he had Mia tucked into bed, he made his way to the kitchen. He was so dog-tired that he simply pulled out some saltines and a couple slices of cheese, added a glass of water from the tap, and called that dinner. As he sat at the table alone, his thoughts floated back to Talia and how gently she’d been holding Mia earlier. It was how he remembered her, caring and giving. Her actions weren’t those of someone who was so selfish that she wouldn’t care how she hurt others. For the first time, he wondered if everyone had been wrong. Maybe Talia had really had a good reason for running away. The fact that she refused to divulge that reason made him wonder what it could possibly be.

  Though he’d been angry with her, he had to admit he was glad to see her again, thankful that she was alive and well and seemed to have a good life in California. At his next thought, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He shouldn’t be thinking about how beautiful she’d grown up to be. That momentary thrill when she’d wrapped his hand in hers had caused guilt to well within him, a guilt that hadn’t seen fit to leave him since.

  Mia wasn’t the only one who needed to avoid close proximity with Talia. Their brief conversation earlier had made him realize how very lonely he was, and that made him vulnerable. He hadn’t allowed himself any sort of romantic relationship since Sunny’s passing, and he wasn’t about to change that now. It was Mia and him against the world, and it was going to stay that way.

  Chapter Four

  Talia watched as Jake headed out on the four-wheeler to check on the cattle and the miles of fencing. Considering this was the time he normally went to pick Mia up from school, something he hadn’t done for the past three days, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that Jake was keeping Mia away from her.

  She was surprised how much she missed the little girl after only a few afternoons together. So the fact that Jake was keeping her away from the ranch was actually for the best, even though it stung. The last thing Talia needed to do was develop any sort of attachment to anyone in Blue Falls, not when she was leaving the town behind at the earliest opportunity.

  To keep from being attacked by a case of the blues, she stayed busy stuffing her car with boxes of household goods. When she couldn’t possibly shove one more thing other than herself inside the car, she headed to the church in town.

  The volunteer on duty when she arrived was thrilled with the amount of items she was donating. “This comes at the perfect time,” the young woman said. “It will help so many people for Christmas.”

  At least something good was coming from all these things Bill had tainted with his mere presence.

  It took several trips, but they finally got everything inside.

  After making arrangements for another volunteer with a truck to pick up some of the furniture, Talia headed back outside feeling better than she had all day. But when she stepped through the door from the church’s basement to the stairs leading up to the main level, she met two older women. The accusatory looks they shot her way punched all of her good feelings right out of her.

  “Excuse me,” she said as she edged past them.

  One of the women said something to the other, and by the tone Talia was glad she couldn’t hear what it was. For a moment, Talia imagined telling them exactly why she’d run away and then watching them backpedal with apologies. But the truth was they would most likely react the way her mother had, with disbelief. It shouldn’t matter to her, but it did. She nearly ran the rest of the way up the stairs and out the front door of the church. She almost collided with another person opening the door.

  “I’m sorry,” she said before she realized the person was India Pike, and that she had Mia and another little girl who must be Mia’s friend Ginny with her.

  In the next moment, Mia was running up to Talia and giving her a hug. “Hi, Talia. I’ve missed you.”

  Tears stung Talia’s eyes, and she had to do some fast blinking to keep them from falling and making her look like a fragile idiot.

  “You okay?” India asked.

  “Yeah.” She looked for some further explanation but came up totally empty.

 
Mia let go as quickly as she’d latched on and looked back at India. “You should ask Talia to help with the winter carnival.”

  “Honey, I’m sure she’s got too much to do.”

  Though she knew she should just let the conversation die, Talia found herself asking, “What do you need?” So maybe part of her reasoning for considering helping was to prove to people like the two biddies downstairs that she wasn’t a bad person. She was only human.

  India gave Talia an apologetic expression. “We’ve got a couple of volunteers out with the flu, so we’re shorthanded.”

  “As long as there are no dunking booths involved, I can help out.”

  “Are you sure? Jake said you’ve been working the same kind of crazy long hours he has.”

  “Sure. It’ll be nice to get out one night.”

  “Well, thank you then. You’re a lifesaver.”

  India dug a flyer with the details from her purse and handed it to Talia. Before heading to her car, Talia rubbed her hand over the surface of Mia’s pink knit hat and gave her a smile. She was a few steps toward her car when India called her name.

  She turned back toward her former classmate. “Yeah?”

  “It’s good to see you again.”

  If only everyone felt the same way.

  “You, too.”

  Not ready to return to the ranch, she decided to walk along Main Street for a few minutes. All the shop windows were decorated for the holidays, but she wasn’t feeling particularly festive this year. A little yarn shop did catch her eye, so she stepped inside A Good Yarn. She was greeted by lovely Celtic music and a rainbow of colors.

  “Afternoon.” The friendly greeting came from a young woman wearing a long green skirt and a white peasant blouse. “Can I help you find something?”

  “Just browsing for now, thanks.”

  “Take your time. Just let me know if you need anything.”