A Home for Christmas (22 page)

“No.” He said the word immediately. Succinctly.

Janice helped him into his coat and held out his hat. “I don't understand.”

“Nothing to understand.” He smiled and patted her cheek, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. He took his hat and said, “Can I bring you anything? A piece of cake or pie?”

“No, but thanks for asking.”

“Call the diner if you need me.”

Janice watched as he walked away. Leaving the porch light on, she went back to the kitchen and removed salad fixings from the refrigerator. It was so quiet. That was the one thing she still hadn't gotten used to. She walked over to the parlor and put in a Christmas CD. With the volume up, she could hear it in the kitchen. Bing Crosby singing
White Christmas
. Much better.

As she tore lettuce and put it on a plate, she sighed. She and her uncle had spent the day going through patient files so she could acquaint herself with each of the town's residents. It was as if her taking over as town doctor was a foregone conclusion. Despite the fact that she was far from committing, disappointing her uncle prevented her from saying as much. And besides, after the day she'd had yesterday, patient knowledge couldn't hurt.

Meow
.

The kitten wove its way in a figure eight around her feet. “How do you keep getting in here, girl?” Janice picked up the cat and stroked her fur. She purred her pleasure. The mechanical whirring of the doorbell startled the kitten right out of her hands.

“Who could that be?”

Janice smoothed her hands down the legs of her jeans as she retraced her steps to the front door. Blake was silhouetted through the lace curtains, bathed in the soft porch light. She tucked her hair behind her ears and opened the door.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.” She rubbed her arms against the blast of cold air coming in through the front door.

He wore a heavy, tan suede coat that made his shoulders look impossibly wide. The collar was trimmed in worsted wool. He looked casually comfortable in dark jeans, boots and a black Stetson. Removing his hat, he smiled down at her, that sexy half smile that pulled at one corner of his mouth. Focusing on his mouth was a mistake. It reminded her of his kisses.

“This is a surprise.”

“A pleasant one, I hope. What are you doing?”

“Freezing.” She shivered. “Come inside.”

“I have a better idea. Why don't you put on your coat, hat and gloves, and come out with me?” He stood aside giving her a clear view of a horse and buggy parked at the curb.

“Blake—”

“Don't ask questions. Just come. I want to acquaint you with some Angel Ridge holiday traditions.”

She didn't need much convincing. The salad would keep. “Okay.”

Blake helped her into the heavy coat hanging by the door. While she was putting on her mittens, he pulled a knit cap down over her ears and pressed a quick kiss to her lips while he wrapped her scarf around her neck. Janice leaned forward to continue the contact, but found herself being pulled by her scarf outside onto the porch then down the sidewalk toward a waiting antique carriage. The cold breeze took her breath away.

He jammed his hat back on his head. “I'll have you warmed up in no time.”

“I can't believe you did this.” The shiny red carriage was hitched to a beautiful white horse. “Where did you, I mean, how did you find a horse and carriage?”

“It's mine,” he said as he helped her up. The seats had beautiful soft, white leather upholstery. “I store it out at my parents' farm. I keep my horses there, too.”

“The horse is beautiful. What's its name?”

Blake had joined her in the carriage and was tucking layers of blankets around her. Warmth surrounded her, especially with Blake's side pressed so close to hers.

“This is Daisy.”

“Oh, she should have daisies in her halter.”

“We do that for the Fourth of July parade. The bell harness is more the style for winter. Snug and warm?”

“Very. It feels like there's heat in the floor.”

“There are warm bricks under your feet. That's what folks used to do when they had to travel around in one of these in the dead of winter.” He took up the reins and said, “Get up, girl.”

They moved slowly down the street toward town. The cold hit her face making her cheeks and nose feel icy. She burrowed closer to Blake's side, wrapping an arm around his.

“I could get used to this.”

She gazed up at him. “Me, too.” She drank in the sight of him. The strong angular lines of his face, the way his long, dark lashes outlined his incredible eyes. He looked even better in a Stetson. He was definitely easy on the eyes. Looking at him for the rest of her life certainly wouldn't be a hardship. “Where are you taking me?”

“I thought we'd take a turn around Main Street. The town's real pretty at night with the gas streetlights burnin' and the tree lit up. The holiday window displays are nice, too.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

“So how was your day?”

“Uneventful.”

“Guess that was a welcome change from yesterday.”

“Yes. I slept in this morning. Can't remember the last time I did that.”

“You earned it. Oh, I was out in the direction of the Crawfords today, so I swung by.”

“How are Sally and the baby?”

“Don't you mean Sally and Thorn?” He chuckled. “Real good. They asked me to thank you again for them. Sally sent something for me to give you, too.”

“Really? What?”

“It's in the boot. I'll give it to you later.”

Janice turned and peered over the high leather seat back. “This thing has a trunk?”

“Yep.”

He turned the carriage onto Main Street to slowly make the loop around both sides.

“Evenin' folks.”

“Constable Harris,” Blake acknowledged the welcome.

“Buggy's lookin' real fine, Blake.”

“Thanks, Henry.”

He tipped his hat. “Enjoy your evenin'.”

Blake leveled a look on Janice that made her toes curl. “We will,” he murmured.

They rolled down Main past Ferguson's, the Apothecary's and the bank. She looked at the buildings as if for the first time, taking in every detail. When they had started around the circle, they passed First Presbyterian. It was a tall, impressive church made of golden stone with a square bell tower and an elaborate round stained glass window. The double wooden doors weren't square, but bullet-shaped with wrought iron hardware.

“This church looks older than First Baptist.”

“The congregation's older, but the building is actually the church's second. The first one burned down sometime in the late 1800s. They rebuilt shortly afterward. So, First Baptist has an older structure.”

“Sounds like the source of debate on who has the oldest church.”

Blake laughed. “You catch on quick.”

Janice just shook her head and smiled. She knew nothing about the churches in her area. “It must be so nice to know the history of where you live. I can't tell you anything about my neighborhood.”

“Livin' in the city's different. There's just no community feeling there. The pace is so much faster, I guess there's no time for such things.”

“It's very impersonal,” she agreed. Up until now, that had suited her. But since she'd stepped foot in Angel Ridge, she'd had an unsettled feeling about her life in the city. She looked up at Blake and was at least able to admit that he made her want something different for her life. He made it seem possible.

A spotlight illuminated the town library. A small tree out front was decorated and pine wreaths graced the oak door beneath an arched entryway. “That is such a beautiful building.” She just couldn't get over it: a library that looked like a castle.

“Next to the churches, it's the finest structure in town. The McKays saw to that.”

“They own the bank, right?”

“Yep. They own the library, too. The new computer wing I've been working on should be finished in a few more days.”

“You've been working on it?” she teased.

“Well, I've been supervising the work,” he corrected.

“I went by there at lunch and checked out some books. Everyone seemed proud and excited about the new addition.”

“Yeah, well, it doesn't take much to get folks in a small town excited.”

They admired a beautiful nativity scene that had been set out in the front lawn of the First Baptist Church. It was an equally impressive tall brick structure with round, white columns. Continuing down the other side of the street, he pulled to a stop at the angel monument and Christmas tree. The monument needed no ornamentation, but it had a thick velvet ribbon secured to its pedestal. The huge Christmas tree took her breath away. She'd never seen anything so beautiful. The robes of the golden angel adorning the top flowed in the gentle breeze, but the dark night obscured other details. It needed a spotlight.

He eased an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Kinda gets to you, doesn't it?”

She touched his wrist at her shoulder, liking the way she fit against him. “It feels like I stepped back in time.” She turned toward him. “Do you think it looked like this a hundred years ago?”

“I'd say the storefronts have changed, but other than that, it's probably pretty close.”

After a few moments had passed, he reluctantly released her and again set the buggy in motion by making a soft clicking sound. The horse's hooves beat a rhythmic sound on the cobbled street. Heart's Desire and DeFoe's Hardware made for a strange juxtaposition that only added to the town's ambiance.

Just as they completed the loop and passed by the diner again on their way out of town, Dixie stepped outside. “Blake? That you?”

He stopped the carriage. “Hey, Sis.”

“Hey, yourself. Is that the doc you got buried under those blankets?”

“Hi, Dixie,” Janice said.

Dixie rubbed her arms. “It feels about sixty below out here. Are y'all crazy or what?”

“It's not too bad,” Janice said.

“
Mmm-hmm.
Let me get you a thermos of hot chocolate.”

“No need, Dix. We won't be out that long. I'll have her back at her uncle's in no time.”

“No need arguin'. I'll have it out in a . . . ”

She was inside and bustling behind the counter before she'd finished speaking. “Sorry,” Blake said.

Janice snuggled against his side. “I'm not complaining.”

“Keep that up, and we'll be back at your uncle's before I'd planned.”

He lowered his head and swept cold lips across hers. They warmed instantly. Janice curled her hand around his neck and tipped her head to the side, encouraging him to deepen the kiss.

When he moved to do just that, Dixie said, “Oh!
Hel-lo.
Pretend I'm not here.”

She held out the thermos with her back turned. Blake took it and said, “Thanks.” Dixie hurried into the diner with a wave and without looking back.

“We better get on to the second half of our tour.”

Janice swept her tongue across her lips. His kiss still lingered there, warm and intoxicating. Blake reluctantly looked away and said, “Get up.” He slapped the reins on the horse's back and she moved forward.

“Maybe we should go to your place after our tour. I don't think my uncle's going to be out all evening.”

“Don't tempt me. Beyond not wanting to be on the wrong side of your uncle again, I have a plan, and it involves going back to your uncle's.”

Janice frowned. “I don't understand.”

“You will.”

“I'm sorry about what happened with my uncle. He means well.”

“I know. You mind tellin' me something?”

“Sure.”

“Where'd you learn to handle a gun?”

“My father liked to go the club and shoot skeet every spare moment he had. He even had it set up on the yacht.”

“You had a yacht?”

“My parents did. Anyway, in order to give the appearance of spending time with me, he would invite me along to the shooting range. It was also a good place to meet the kind of guys mother wanted me to date.”

“I see.”

“Uncle told me you asked permission to court me.”

“Did he now?”

They were following a dirt road out of town that led up into the trees.

Janice nodded. “He approves, by the way. Thank you for indulging him.”

“You're welcome, and I'm glad he approves, but I'm more interested in whether or not you approve.”

She snuggled closer to his side. “I do.”

He swung a heated glance in her direction. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

He concentrated on driving the carriage again. “Giving me a chance.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Where are we going?”

“Up to the tall pines.”

That had her sitting upright again. “Why, Blake Ferguson. Are you taking me up to Angel Ridge's version of Lover's Lane?”

“I'm taking you for another reason, but if you throw yourself at me while we're there . . . well, that's up to you.”

“Are you saying you wouldn't be willing?”

He gave her that toe-curling look again. “I couldn't resist you if I tried, not that I would.”

She laid her head back on his shoulder and sighed. If it weren't so cold, she'd think she was dreaming. They continued to go up, their progress slowed by the steep grade. The trees were so thick, overhanging the path, but not interfering, as if they expected visitors and welcomed them.

When at last they leveled off, they were in a clearing. The pencil pines towered up to the heavens all around them, but a perfect oval, that mimicked the oval around Town Square, stood in the center of it all. He brought the carriage to a halt right in the middle of the clearing.

Neither of them spoke. A hush settled over the clearing. A feeling of welcome surrounded them. She glanced up at Blake and found him staring back at her. For some reason, it wasn't nearly as cold here as it had been in town and on the ride up. It made no sense. With the higher elevation, the opposite should be true.

Janice pushed the cap back off her head and removed her mittens. She wanted to touch Blake. For him to hold her in his arms and kiss her.

“This is amazing. It feels almost like a place out of time. Like it doesn't really exist anywhere other than inside our minds.” She glanced away. “That sounds crazy. I'm a scientist. I'm not—”