Once Upon a Cowboy Christmas--A River Ranch Novel Read online

  “I’ll leave this here with you and let you two catch up,” she said, setting both plates down. She crossed over to Walter’s fridge, hidden by a wood-paneled door among the mahogany bookshelves, and took out two bottles of water along with two ice-cold glasses. Her patient was very particular about what he liked, which made her job easier. The man liked his drinks cold and his food regularly throughout the day, and he sipped a single glass of whiskey before she left for the night. Add to that his medications and keeping an eye on his blood pressure and oxygen levels, and he was one of the easiest patients she’d ever had. Walter was easy to talk to, friendly, and he seemed to genuinely appreciate her company—not to mention the generous sum he was paying her.

  Which had all been perfect until Cody had showed up.

  “I thought you two would be the ones wanting to catch up,” Walter said, winking at his son as he took a bite of his sandwich.

  She stiffened, swallowing as she slowly met Cody’s gaze across the room. After he had not recognized her straightaway, she’d thought the penny wouldn’t drop until later, when she’d finished work for the day and was long gone for the night. She bravely kept staring, not wanting to be the one to look away first. She sure as hell hadn’t expected Walter to bring it up.

  “Catching up?” Cody asked, clearly confused. “Why would I be catching up with your caregiver?”

  Walter looked between them, waving his hand in the air. “I don’t care if you two have history. It was years ago, so no need to hide it on my behalf. You think I didn’t do my research before hiring the woman who was going to care for me every day?” He laughed. “Son, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  Lexi squirmed, wishing the carpet could swallow her whole. Maybe it would have been easier to just tell him in the kitchen.

  “So I do know you?” Cody asked, and the moment his eyes widened she cleared her throat and found the nerve to reply. “Before, when I asked—”

  “It’s me, Lexi,” she said, interrupting him, not wanting Walter to hear any more about the conversation they’d already had in the kitchen. “I usually go by Alexandra professionally.”

  Cody’s jaw dropped, and if she hadn’t been so embarrassed that the scene was unfolding in front of her employer, she’d almost have enjoyed it. Because she’d imagined Cody coming back for such a long time, what she’d say to him, how badly she wanted to show him what he’d missed, and what his face might look like when he saw her. But it hadn’t exactly gone to plan, even if there was some satisfaction in seeing his shock right now.

  Chapter 2

  “LEXI, you’re…” Cody took a moment, his eyebrows arched high as he leaned forward and stared at her. “Well, you’re all grown up, I’ll give you that.” He laughed and stood up, setting his plate down and shaking his head as he came toward her. “Geez, Lexi, “look at you.”

  If they’d been in a bar or anywhere else away from sensitive ears, she’d have told him that they were the exact same age, so yeah, she was all grown up just like he was. But she respected Walter—and she needed her job—so she wasn’t about to engage or let old wounds open up.

  Cody opened his arms and pulled her in for a hug, arms wrapping around her, stifling her, making it impossible for her to breathe. She knew that she must feel like a corpse, hell, she probably looked like one too, so she forced herself to raise her arms, to hug Cody back so his father didn’t wonder what the hell was wrong with her. Cody’s lips brushed her cheek and she stopped breathing, hating that her body was betraying her, that her natural reaction was to lean into him and hold his big, strong body; to put her lips against his smooth cheek in return and inhale the citrusy scent of his cologne. He was older now, but being in his arms was still the same, her head still only reaching into his shoulder.

  When he released her she stepped back, almost tripping over her own feet. Hugging him had definitely not been part of her plan.

  “Like I said, I’ll, ah, let you two enjoy some time together,” she said, backing away toward the door. “Call me if you need anything.”

  She turned and quickly shut the door behind her, back pressed to it for a moment as she caught her breath. Lexi closed her eyes and tried to breathe slowly, tried to push down the anger catching in her throat and rising through her body at seeing him again. Why did he have to look so good? Why couldn’t he be grossly overweight and bald? Why did he have to look like the same All-American, handsome quarterback from high school, albeit one dressed in fancier clothes? And why did he have to smell so good and feel so damn good?

  Lexi pushed away from the door in case he tried to follow her, not wanting to tumble back into the room if it was swung open, and walked back to the kitchen, checking the time on the big round clock hanging high above the counter. She had another couple of hours before the school bus arrived, and with Cody in the house, she had a feeling the time was going to drag. Especially when all she could think of was the way his close-cut suit trousers fit him like a glove, his shirt slim fitting and showing her that despite not working on the ranch anymore, his muscles were very much still there. And as much as she hated him, a part of her had never forgotten what it had felt like to be wrapped in the arms of that particular rancher. Or what it felt like to belong to him and know that every time she saw him, her heart was going to race like she’d just finished running across a field.

  “Lexi?” a deep call came down the hall.

  She grimaced, crossing the kitchen to get as far to the other side as she could. She did not need to be close to him. She needed to remember what he’d done, what he was still doing to her, and keep her distance. The guy was a category-A jerk.

  “Lexi?” the call came again, followed by Cody’s dark blond head.

  “It’s Alexandra,” she said, meeting his stare. “No one’s called me Lexi since high school.”

  “Why?” he asked, rubbing his chin and managing to fill the doorway as he braced against it. “Lexi suits you. You’ll always be Lexi to me.”

  Lexi shrugged. “Let’s just say I’ve been trying to forget about high school and the person who used to call me that. It was a long time ago,” she said, hating the catch in her voice, the way just looking at him brought back memories she’d long since buried.

  He frowned. “Why didn’t you say anything? Before, when I first saw you? You must have known I was going to find out. I thought you’d be happy to see me.” Cody paused. “It’s sure great to see you again. Honestly, it’s been forever since our paths have crossed. How’ve you been?”

  She tried not to bristle. “I thought you’d recognize me the minute you walked in the door, but I guess you find it easy to forget things.”

  His jaw tightened and she felt a flutter of victory that for once she’d managed to deliver a decent comeback. She was usually thinking of something good to say in reply an hour after a conversation, but not today. Something about Cody had her firing on all cylinders, even if she hated how much he still appealed to her physically.

  “You look so different, I mean…” His voice trailed off and she noticed the way his lips tipped up into a smile, same way they always had. “Your hair used to be so much darker, and curly, and you always wore it pulled up in a ponytail. And you used to have the cutest freckles across your nose.” He chuckled. “But now I look at you, I can see it.”

  He moved closer, and she wished she wasn’t already pressed against the far counter. She had nowhere else to go. And going for a slow, descriptive trip down memory lane hadn’t been part of her plan with Cody. He was right though—she probably did look different, she just hadn’t expected him not to see past it. Her mom hadn’t let her wear makeup in high school, but she’d made up for it the day she’d graduated, learning how to apply foundation and highlighter, experimenting with smoky eyes, and having her hair streaked with gold highlights and wearing it out, long and wild. But then that’s when Cody had disappeared from her life, and although she’d waited, expecting to hear from him, expecting to see him during holidays or even on wee
kends, he’d never come back.

  Cody stopped at the island in the center of the kitchen, splaying his hands on the marble and leaning forward. “So how’ve you been anyway? It’s been what”—his brow furrowed—“fourteen years since we last saw each other?”

  Fifteen, actually. Fifteen years since you left town without even bothering to say goodbye.

  “Yeah, something like that.”

  “Well, you look great,” he said, before groaning and leaning forward, elbows on the counter now. “I’m terrible at small talk, aren’t I?”

  She refused to smile at him, so she nodded instead. There was no way she was going to let him charm her. “Hey, it’s nice to see there’s one thing you’re not good at.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Lexi studied him, wondering if he even knew how much he’d hurt her, or if he’d just forgotten about what he’d done. “Nothing. I shouldn’t have said it.”

  “No, come on, shoot. You may as well say it. You were always good at talking straight.”

  She took a deep breath. “You were always good at everything, Cody, that’s all. School, football, horseback riding, you name it.” Lexi breathed deep and wished his eyes weren’t so blue, wished that she didn’t feel the familiar pull toward him that she’d thought was long buried. “The only thing you were shitty at was saying goodbye to your girlfriend the day you left town, but I guess you don’t even remember that, do you?”

  Cody looked like she’d sucker punched him, but as his mouth opened, a squeal followed by fast running little feet interrupted them.

  * * *

  “Cody!” Mia Ford called, chasing after her oldest daughter, Sophia. “You’re home.”

  Cody watched as Lexi turned away, seeing how hurt she was and hating that he was the reason for it. Had he been that careless when he left? It had been a long time ago, the same time his mom had found out she was terminal, and he’d left because it was easier than staying. He bent to catch Sophia, who was holding on to his leg and jumping up and down like she’d been waiting her entire life to see him again.

  “Hey, cutie pie,” he said, grinning as he scooped Sophia up, pretending she was almost too heavy to lift and slowly rising, groaning like she was killing his arms. “When did you get so big? I can hardly get you up here!”

  His niece giggled, and he reached for his sister once Sophia was happily positioned in one arm, her little arms wound tight around his neck.

  “It’s good to see you, Mia,” he said, kissing her cheek and then looking down at the baby asleep in her other arm. “Someone looks just like her big sister, huh?”

  Before he could glance back at Lexi, his brother strode back into the room. “Has no one told Cody that he’s in Texas yet?” Tanner said, shaking his head in obvious disgust. “Dude, how many times do I have to tell you? You look like a complete asshole wearing a shirt and tie. It must be like being in a straitjacket all day. How the hell do you do it?”

  Cody glowered at him. “Says the idiot wearing a dirty shirt and scuffed boots? I think I’m just fine in the clothes I’m in, thanks. And I just got here, in case you’ve forgotten.”

  Tanner looked down at his shirt then back up again. “I just finished dealing with a thousand-pound mama cattle-beast who didn’t want me within a hundred yards of her calf, so I’m okay with a little dirt to show for it.” Tanner laughed as he came closer. “Oh look, you got a little ink on you. You have to wrestle a fountain pen?”

  Cody carefully set Sophia down and then leapt at his brother, as Tanner roared with laughter and tried to get him in a choke hold. Cody swung and missed, grunting as he tried to escape Tanner’s grip, expertly ducking and reaching for his arm to pin it behind his back.

  “Boys!” Mia’s call pierced the air. “Enough! This is not a frat house!”

  Cody dropped Tanner’s arm, stepping back and throwing his sister what he hoped was an apologetic look. Tanner grinned at him and Cody glared, yanking off his tie and undoing a couple of his shirt buttons. He was so used to dressing in a suit and tie every day, he hadn’t thought about how out of place he might look on the ranch—and it wasn’t like Tanner had said anything in the car before. Besides, his wardrobe consisted of Armani and Hugo Boss black suits and white shirts, and an assortment of neutral ties for when he needed them. He didn’t even think about what he put on each day, he just reached into his wardrobe and put on a clean version of the day before. Wear. Rinse. Repeat. In New York, it served him well.

  “I came straight from the office,” he muttered. “I don’t think anyone there would appreciate me going casual Friday.”

  Tanner shrugged and gestured at himself. “Just came from the office too. No one seemed to mind.”

  “When did you become such an asshole, Tanner? Was it when you stopped taking your frustration out on bulls and joined the real world?” What had happened to his brother in the time from arriving home until now? “Or are you trying to show off in front of the ladies?”

  Mia looked unimpressed. “You two idiots are supposed to be role models to your niece, remember? And we have company, so knock it off.”

  Cody looked down at Sophia, who was all wide eyed, but she flashed him a smile almost immediately. “Sorry honey, Uncle Tanner was being an idiot, so I had to knock…”

  “Whoa! Enough!” Mia yelped.

  Tanner had walked over to the fridge, pulled out a beer, and held it up. Cody nodded and stepped closer, taking it from his brother and unscrewing the top. They stared at each other a while longer, before Tanner raised a brow and grinned, and Cody clinked his bottle to his brother’s. Then he took a long, slow slug of it before letting his eyes settle on Lexi again. She was smiling at Sophia and fussing over the baby, but he saw her stiffen, knew that she’d felt his gaze on her. Why the hell had he behaved like that in front of her? It was like seeing her had sent him straight back to his senior year of high school. He and Tanner hadn’t goofed around like that in a long time.

  “Lexi, would you like a beer?” he asked.

  She looked up, her expression impossible to read until she eventually shook her head. “I’m still on the clock, so I’d better not.”

  Mia was the one to encourage her, slinging an arm around her. “It’s almost time for you to finish and besides, it’s Christmas. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to Dad, letting him be home instead of in the hospital, so no one’s going to begrudge you the odd festive drink.”

  He saw the change in Lexi, the way she was with his sister, and he remembered what it had been like to be the recipient of her smile. She’d been pretty when they’d been in school, all coltish legs and long hair, her brown eyes as warm as hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night. But now she was more beautiful than pretty, her brown hair lighter and streaked with shades of gold, her figure ever more filled out. If he’d met her in a bar or she’d walked into his office, he would have stopped whatever he was doing just to find out who she was. Yet somehow he’d walked into his own home and not recognized her.

  “You’re sure?” Lexi asked.

  “Positive,” Mia said, as Cody walked straight to the fridge and pulled out another beer, opening it and passing it to Lexi. Her fingers curled around the bottle, her eyes fixed on the drink, not once looking up at him.

  “In case you’re wondering, he’s even more of an asshole now than he was when he left here,” Tanner teased.

  Cody swilled his beer and ignored his brother. He bet Tanner was enjoying seeing him squirm with his ex in the room. But instead of reacting, he smiled at Lexi, wishing they could start over and he could walk into the kitchen and think before opening his mouth.

  “Yeah,” Lexi said softly. “I can see that.”

  And just like that, the entire room erupted into laughter, except for Cody. He should never have come home. If it hadn’t been for his father, he’d have walked straight back out the door and driven to the airport, firing up the jet to go home to New York. The last thing he needed was a walk down memory l
ane.

  “What time does the bus arrive?” Mia asked.

  * * *

  Lexi set down her beer, trying hard not to keep glancing at Cody. Her willpower was only valid every other time, and she stole another look at him. “About four. He’ll be so excited it’s his last day of school tomorrow.”

  “What bus?” asked Cody.

  She turned, trying to be polite for the sake of the other Ford siblings and deciding to face him head-on. They’d been nothing but lovely to her since she started, and she didn’t want to tar them all with the same brush as Cody just because they were related. Besides, if she was going to glance at him, she may as well look at him without hiding it. “My son rides the school bus,” she said.

  “Your son?” he asked, eyes widening. “You have a son?”

  She nodded. “I sure do. His name’s Harry.”

  “And he’s, ah…” Cody frowned and his voice seemed to lower an octave. “How old is he exactly?”

  Lexi laughed. She couldn’t help it. But his sister answered before she could so much as get a word out.

  “Quit the deer-in-headlights impersonation, Cody, he’s not yours,” Mia said with a look bordering on an eye roll. “Seriously, what is with you today?”

  He gave Mia what Lexi imagined was an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, it’s just, I thought…”

  “You thought that your high-school girlfriend had hidden a secret love child from you for the past decade and a half, and your family was in on it?” Mia asked. “Why is it that men can be so pathetic? Trust me, I’d have hunted you down and told you if that was the case.”

  Lexi swapped smiles with Mia. “For the record, he’s six,” she told Cody. “So you’re completely out of the woods there.”

  She could tell he wanted to know more, could see the curiosity written plainly all over his face, but she wasn’t going to indulge him. If Cody wanted to know how she’d ended up being a single mom to the most delicious boy on the planet, then he’d have to man up and ask her outright.