A Mistletoe Christmas. Carla CassidyЧитать онлайн книгу.
“Oh?” Warmth suffused him. When was the last time any woman had entertained any thoughts of him at all? “Good thoughts, I hope.”
“Great thoughts,” she replied. “I was thinking about our dinner last night and how much I enjoyed it.”
“I enjoyed it, too. Do you and Libby ice-skate?”
“Libby used to skate a little, but it’s been a long time. She’s probably quite rusty. Why? What’s up?”
He told her about the yearly skating event at Bob’s pond. “I thought maybe the two of you would enjoy the circus and might be interested in going with me.”
“Do you skate?” she asked.
“I used to cut a great figure eight on the ice, but like Libby, I’m probably rusty.”
“I don’t skate, but we’d love to go, and I’ll cheerlead from the sidelines.”
Arrangements were made for him to pick them up around three, and when he hung up he headed out to the barn to find his old ice skates.
He didn’t think about Stacy as he pulled down box after box of Christmas decorations in the hunt for the skates. He didn’t even think about Melody and Libby. He didn’t want to dwell in the past any longer, but he was also reluctant to look toward any future.
* * *
JAKE PULLED UP in front of the house at precisely three. It had been a busy couple of hours for Melody as she realized Libby’s skates were too small, requiring a fast trip into town to get a new pair.
Libby had been slightly disappointed that the sporting-goods store didn’t sell purple skates, but her spirit had only been dampened for a few minutes.
She raced ahead of Melody to the car before Jake could even get out of the driver’s-side door or Melody could close the door to the house.
“Cowboy Jake, I colored you a picture,” Libby said as she slid into the backseat and Melody got into the passenger seat. Libby handed her work of art over the seat to Jake. “And here, I even brought a baggie with two purple butterfly magnets in it so you can hang the picture on your refrigerator. That’s where Mom always puts my art stuff.”
Jake looked at the coloring of a Christmas tree, a fireplace with a blazing flame and three people. The man figure wore jeans, a shirt and a cowboy hat, the woman had on a red coat and the little girl was clad in purple. Melody had watched her daughter labor over the drawing and had been pleased that she wanted to give it to Jake.
“I’d be proud to hang this on my refrigerator door, Libby. You did such a good job.”
Libby beamed with pleasure, and Jake placed the picture and the baggie of magnets in his glove box and then smiled a greeting to Melody.
“I found out that my best friend, Megan, is coming later to the pond party with her parents,” Libby said.
“I imagine half the town will be there,” he replied. “You both look ready for a little outdoor activity.”
Melody had dressed for a cold afternoon with black leggings and a long pink sweater beneath her black coat. Pink gloves adored her hands and pink earmuffs covered her ears. Libby had prepared for a cold day as well, clad in blue jeans, a purple sweater, her coat, a hat and gloves. “I’ve got on long underwear,” she told Jake. “Mom is hoping it will protect my bottom when I fall, but I’m not going to fall, right, Cowboy Jake?”
Jake laughed. “I’m not sure that I’m not going to fall. It’s been a long time since I skated. I might do a cowboy slide clear across the pond on my bottom.”
* * *
LIBBY GIGGLED AND Melody smiled warmly at Jake. It was going to be another wonderful day, and she loved that Libby seemed to be opening herself up to Jake.
As am I, she thought. Despite the shortness of the time they’d known each other, Melody was precariously close to being heart and soul in love with Jake. It both scared her a little bit and excited her a lot.
By the time they reached Bob’s ranch, cars were parked not only in front of his house but also in the grassy area next to the house.
“Looks like there’s already a crowd here,” Melody said.
“Bob’s party usually brings out a crowd. The Mistletoe Bakery donates cookies, and the café donates Mistletoe Toddies and hot cocoa,” Jake explained.
They got out of his Jeep, and Jake grabbed his skates and a blanket and then pointed toward a pasture gate. “We’ve got a little walk from here. The pond is just over the hill.”
Libby skipped ahead of them, barely containing her excitement, and as she crested the hill ahead of them she stopped and gasped with obvious awe.
“Mom, hurry. You have to see everything,” she said as she clapped her hands together and jumped up and down.
Melody reached the top of the hill and her breath caught as she took in the view. The large frozen pond glittered in the afternoon sunshine. Benches were interspersed with barrels that radiated a fire source obviously intended for warmth.
But she knew that what had captured her daughter’s excitement was the path lined with candy-cane lights, the huge yard ornaments in the shape of everything Christmas and the reindeer that appeared to dance down the hillside. She guessed that they were constructed of wire forms and then covered with mistletoe.
“Bob has gone plumb Christmas crazy,” Jake said as they followed Libby down the candy-cane path. “Last time I was here he only had a couple of those yard blow-ups.”
“How long ago has that been?”
She didn’t miss the slight darkening of his eyes. “A little over five years ago,” he replied.
She realized that this was the first time he’d been here since his wife’s death, and the fact that he’d invited them here meant even more than it had before.
She wrapped her arm with his and smiled up at him. “Let’s go have some fun.”
“That’s the plan.” He smiled down at her, the darkness in his eyes gone.
They found an empty bench and sat. Immediately Libby and Jake began to put on their skates. When he had on his, he turned to look at her. “And why don’t you skate?”
“To be honest, because of my dancing I’ve always been a little afraid. I feel the same about skiing. The last thing I want is a broken bone that interferes with my livelihood. But I do make a great sideline cheerleader.”
By that time Libby had her skates on, but as Jake got up and stepped out on the ice, Libby remained seated next to Melody. “I’m afraid,” she said in a small voice. She grabbed hold of Melody’s arm. “I haven’t skated for a long, long time.”
Jake bent down in front of her. “It’s kind of like riding a bike, Libby. You never really forget how. It’s been a long, long time for me, too.”
He stood and took off across the ice, zigging and zagging around colorful-clad children and other adults. He looked amazing, both athletic yet graceful. Melody loved the way he wore his worn jeans tight and topped them with the suede jacket with the white wool lining, which made his shoulders appear even broader.
He made any other man on the pond look a bit smaller and insubstantial, a bit clumsy and so ordinary. Jake was definitely hot on ice.
He skated back to them and then once again squatted down in front of Libby and held out his hand. “Come on, Libby, come skate with me.”
She looked at his hand and then gazed up at her mother. Melody remained silent. She didn’t want to force Libby to do anything she didn’t want to do.
“Libby, you can trust me. As long as you hold my hand I promise you that I won’t let you fall,” Jake said.
Libby