Forever Santa (3 page)

Jordan picked the list of supplies off the desk and stuffed it in his pocket. “You can tell her there’s nothing to worry about. Call me on my cell phone if you need me.”

He walked out of the office and Trent frowned at his brother’s back. It took a lot to rattle Jordan. Whatever was happening in his brother’s life amounted to more than he was letting on. Gracie wouldn’t leave Jordan alone if she thought he had a broken heart.

Heaven help them all if she decided to try a little magic of her own.

***

Gracie poured the last of the kitchen paint into the tray. She swept her brush along the lip of the bucket, scooping up the dribbles. The avocado green color would look beautiful against the walnut cabinets and create just the right atmosphere in the barn kitchen.

She took a moment to enjoy what they’d created, what the McKenzie family would enjoy for generations to come.

The light spilling through the window at the end of the room made the ground floor look magical. The glazier had taken a week to install the three story feature window. The wooden frame had been custom made, curved at the top to soften the straight lines of the building.

With Jordan coordinating the contractors and more than a little luck, they’d made the barn watertight before the worst of the weather hit.

On the inside, the ground floor drywalling and plastering had been finished and painting was underway. Gracie couldn’t wait to see what the open plan room would look like when it was finished.

“I hear you want the scaffolding moved?”

Gracie glanced over her shoulder at Trent. “The contractors will finish the wall they’re working on this afternoon. I’ve just got the touch-ups to do in the kitchen, and then I can help them paint the living room.”

“You won’t be climbing the scaffolding though, will you?” He raised his eyebrows, giving her his infuriating I-know-best stare.

Over the last few days, Gracie had watched the two painters climb the frame like monkeys. When they’d sealed the drywall three stories above the ground floor, she’d held her breath, half expecting one of them to topple off the scaffolding.

She left her brush against the edge of the paint tray and walked toward her husband. “I can guarantee I won’t be going anywhere near the painting contractors.”

Trent hauled her in close and kissed her nose. “I’m glad to hear it. Is it hotter than usual in here, or is it just me?”

“We’ve turned on extra heat lamps to keep the room warm. The weather forecast said there’s more snow on the way and unless we want the paint to take a week to dry, we don’t have any choice.”

Trent looked around the room, then over at the wall of scaffolding. “I’ll get Pete and Tim to move the scaffolding later today. When are the painters arriving?”

“They’ll be here in half an hour. Did you talk to Jordan?”

“He said he’s okay.” Trent looked as though he was about to say something else, but thought better of it.

“Is that it?” Gracie asked. “Did he say anything about seeing Tracey kiss another guy?”

“Nope and he isn’t about to. Don’t push him, Gracie. He’ll tell us what he wants to when he’s ready.”

“Jordan wears his heart on his sleeve. He was shocked when he saw Tracey.”

Trent sighed. “I promised you I’d ask Jordan how he’s feeling and he said he was okay. Now you’ve got to promise me that you won’t pester him. He’s an adult. He can take care of himself.”

Gracie didn’t think it mattered how old he was. A broken heart was a broken heart. It still hurt the same, still left you feeling as though your whole world had collapsed in on itself.

“Your brain is working overtime.” Trent lifted her chin and looked her in the eyes. “Promise me, Gracie.”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “All right. I won’t say anything. But if Jordan brings the subject up I want to make sure he’s really okay.”

Trent kissed her lightly on the lips and smiled. “You do that, Gracie. I’ve got some work to do in the office, but I’ll be back here before lunch to start putting together the kitchen cabinets.”

Gracie looked around the quiet building. In an hour it would be a hive of activity and she couldn’t have been happier. The barn would look beautiful when it was finished. And hopefully, with everything that needed to happen before they took their first booking, Jordan wouldn’t have time to think about what he’d seen in the mall.

CHAPTER THREE

“Grab your coat, hat, and scarf, Gracie. We’re choosing a Christmas tree.”

Gracie heard Trent’s voice coming from somewhere downstairs.

“Where are you?” he yelled.

“Second floor. The last bathroom on the left.” Gracie stretched her back and stared at the bathroom wall. Over the last week she’d prepped, painted, and touched-up more rooms than she’d ever done in her life.

“That t-shirt has seen better days, Gracie.”

After the first day of sanding, she’d covered her hair in an old t-shirt, knotting the sleeves together to keep the worst of the dust away from her head. Since then the shirt had been covered in four different colored paint splatters and half a ton of plaster dust. The rest of her clothes weren’t much better, but she figured all of the mess was worth it.

“If you stand there for too long I’ll give you a wall to paint.”

Trent smiled at her. “Are you coming with us? Jordan’s getting the horses ready.”

“You’re going now?”

He undid the t-shirt wrapped around her head and grimaced. “There’s a break in the weather. If we don’t get up to dad’s plantation now, we might not get there for a few days.”

When Trent’s parents got married, his dad planted one hundred pine trees for each Christmas they’d spend together. When Trent and Jordan had been younger, they’d laughed and told their dad he was being over-optimistic. They’d never realized just how over-optimistic he would be.

Trent’s dad had died seven years ago. Each Christmas they chose a tree from their dad’s plantation. They hauled it down the mountain, remembering the man that had made a huge impact on their lives.

Gracie kissed Trent’s cheek. “Is your mom coming with us?”

“She said to go ahead without her. The road has been closed and she’ll try and get out here in the next few days.”

“In that case, let’s go. I can’t wait to see your dad’s trees.” Gracie held Trent’s hand as they walked through the guest bedroom, onto the mezzanine landing, and down the staircase. The barn was slowly taking shape, slowly becoming more of what they’d imagined when they’d first seen the plans.

“It’s looking good.” Trent’s gaze skimmed the deep cream walls of the living room, the rich mahogany window frames, and the bare bulbs dangling from the ceiling.

Gracie imagined the room with big comfy sofas, a polished floor, and colorful rugs. “The whole barn looks incredible. Jordan wants your mom and I to go shopping for the furniture after Christmas.”

Trent ran his hand along the granite counter. She knew he was proud of the way the kitchen had turned out. The green, white, and crimson marbled granite looked great with the white butler’s sink. It was a kitchen their guests would enjoy using after a day on the ranch.

Trent lifted Gracie’s hat and coat off the stand in the entranceway. “Let me guess. Emily?”

Gracie smiled at her husband. “How did you know?”

He opened her coat and waited while she slid her arms in the sleeves. “Most sheepskin coats are brown or black. This is the first pink one I’ve ever seen. And the fluffy matching hat…well that’s just pure Emily Scotson if I ever saw it.”

Gracie did the big pink buttons up, then twirled so that Trent could see the coat from every angle. “She made it especially for me. All of the other coats I found were too long and weren’t pink.”

Trent picked his own coat up and smiled. “Funny that. Boots?”

Gracie looked down at the paint splattered sneakers on her feet. She disappeared under another rack of coats and reappeared with her outdoor boots. “They weren’t too good for painting.” She held back a yawn as she slipped her feet inside the leather.

“You’ve been tired for the last couple of weeks, Gracie. Are you sure you’re not overdoing things?”

“Paint fumes,” she said from behind her hand as another yawn locked her jaw in place.

“You don’t need to work in the barn from dawn to dusk.”

Gracie wrapped a bright purple scarf around her neck and smiled. “We’re past the smelly stuff now. This is where the fun starts.”

“I think I should warn Jordan about you and mom.” Trent threw his jacket on and pulled out his gloves. “I hope he’s given you a budget?”

“Of course.” Gracie opened the front door and held her breath as a blast of cold air hit her in the face. “That’s why we aren’t shopping until after Christmas. Between the online sales and the store discounts we’re looking for bargains.”

“Just keep mom away from Dominque’s,” Trent muttered. “Nothing in the barn needs expensive jewelry to make it complete.”

Gracie hooked her hand over her husband’s arm. “A little bit of sparkle never hurt anyone.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

Gracie thought it was just as well Trent had a twinkle in his eyes. Otherwise two women with bling tendencies would give him ulcers as they headed into a big shopping extravaganza.

***

By the time Trent and Gracie made it across to Jordan, their horses were all saddled and ready to go. Jordan took the lead, with Gracie following behind. The sky was so clear and so blue, that Trent could almost feel the next fall of snow on his skin.

Gracie’s horse, Daisy, cantered through the fine powder as if she was three years old. It seemed like a lifetime ago that Gracie had first ridden Daisy. Eighteen months ago, Gracie had been a mini daredevil, willing to try anything to become a cowgirl. Looking at the way she rode Daisy now, no one would believe she hadn’t been born on the back of a horse.

“I love the bells on Daisy’s bridle.” Gracie’s voice was full of laughter. “It makes me feel as though we’re Santa’s elves. All we need is a sleigh to pull the presents.”

Jordan slowed his horse. He didn’t exactly smile, but it was closer than he’d gotten all week. “We’ve got one of those, too.”

“You’re joking?”

“Dad used to take us on sleigh rides each Christmas. Trent hitched it up to the horses a couple of years ago to give our friends’ kids a Christmas Eve surprise.”

Gracie moved alongside Jordan. “Why didn’t you do it last year?”

“My brother had more on his mind than Christmas bells and sleigh rides.”

Gracie looked over her shoulder and grinned at Trent.

He knew what she was thinking. Gracie’s first Christmas in Montana had been one of the best in his life. And Jordan was right. They’d both had more on their minds than Christmas bells and sleigh rides.

Jordan pointed to a crop of pine trees on their left. “We’re here.”

Gracie’s gaze wandered over the trees dripping with fresh snow. “They’re still as perfect as I remember them.”

Trent dismounted beside Gracie. “Have a look around and tell us which one you want.”

“I don’t think so.” Gracie laughed at her husband as she threw her leg over Daisy and slipped to the ground. “We can all choose a tree. That way you can’t grumble when we drag it home.”

Jordan took his handsaw out of the pouch on his saddle. “I always knew you’d married a smart woman, Trent.”

Gracie was more than smart. She was beautiful and generous and kind. She’d given up so much to live with him and he couldn’t imagine his life without her.

He kissed her on the mouth and kept hold of her hand. As well as being the most amazing person he knew, she was short. She’d sink like a bag of flour in the powdery snow under their feet.

She moved through the Christmas trees as if she was shopping at a Neiman Marcus store. Every now and then she’d stop and stare at a tree, move around it, then keep walking.

“What about this one?” Gracie pointed at an eight foot tree in front of her. “We’ve got the ceiling height in the living room. The branches are thick and shaped just right.”

Trent looked at the tree and nodded. “Looks good to me, too.” He turned around and spotted Jordan further up the hill.

“Jordan,” he yelled. “Gracie’s chosen a tree.” His brother started making his way toward them. The closer he got, the more worried Trent became.

“You okay?” Trent asked.

“Fine.” Jordan knelt on the ground and started sawing the trunk of the tree.

He’d never been a good liar. He looked as though he’d been crying, as though the weight of the world had hit him hard and fast and left him stumbling.

Gracie stared at the top of Jordan’s head, then looked at Trent. “I’ll go and see if the horses are all right.”

She was worried about Jordan and so was he. He watched Gracie wade through the snow before turning back to his brother. For the last couple of days Jordan hadn’t said much to anyone. He’d split his time between the ranch and the barn conversion, working long hours and doing more than his share of the work.