Chapter Eight
Diana
We were stuck in the main house.
By we, I meant every single resident of Hallow Ranch. And we were snowed in.
The lights had gone out an hour ago, and our only Christmas miracle was the multiple fireplaces in this old house. That and Denver had a gas range, so we could still cook.
The wind howled outside, snow hitting the windows as Denver added another log to the raging fire in the hearth. As soon as the lights had gone out, Harm and I set to work on lighting the candles throughout the house while Denver and Mason lit the rest of the hearths.
The chili Jigs had brought over, the one the twins had claimed to make until the old man slapped them upside their heads, had been devoured, my cowboy having gone back for seconds, then thirds.
The cookies had been baked and were perched atop the cooling rack, waiting for us to decorate them.
The dining room tree was nearly decorated.
Harmony and Caleb were putting on the finishing touches while the rest of us were in the living room, listening to the storm as it drowned out our silence.
NJ stirred in my arms, and I pulled my gaze from Mags, who hadn’t taken his eyes off me since I’d sat down with her.
Her dark hair was sticking out in every direction, evidence of a hard played afternoon with her uncles, and half of her face was tucked into my sweater.
“It’s too risky for anyone to leave,” Denver declared, shooting me a glance.
I cleared my throat. “He isn’t holding any of us hostage, by the way. You’re free to leave, but—”
“You might freeze to death,” Mason finished for me from where he stood beside their mother’s rocking chair.
“Right,” I agreed, looking back at Denver.
“Though we appreciate the legal clarity, Diana, it isn’t necessary,” Lawson drawled, smirking at Mags. “We won’t sue for mistreatment in the workplace.”
“Be tough to sue anyone when your ashes are sinking into the soil,” Mags ticked.
“At this point, I think you just need to have a fistfight in the yard,” Valerie mumbled, lowering her mug. “Clearly, that’s the only way to solve problems around here.”
More silence followed.
I looked at my best friend, my chest aching. For years, all she’d wanted was a big, perfect Hallow Ranch Christmas, and though she’d managed to get everyone here, all they’d done was bicker over stupid things. And now we were all snowed in without power. “That’s not true, Val,” I said softly.
Denver shifted his weight behind her armchair before bracing his hands on the back, his fingers on either side of her head.
He bent down, whispering something in her ear.
It was too soft for me to hear, but whatever it was, it had her nodding and twisting her neck to look at him.
She gave him a small but unconvincing smile.
“The twins and I can head down to the bunkhouse,” Jigs piped up, clearing his throat. He looked at his son. “You good if we take the truck?”
Beau opened his mouth to answer, but the bull rider cut him off.
“That old hunk of shit won’t make it back up the hill tomorrow morning,” Mason laughed, pulling out his keys. “Take mine.”
“Okay,” Lance said, his face lighting up.
Mason pointed at him. “Hell no.” His finger moved to Lawson. “Fuck no.” He tossed the keys to Jigs. “Only the old man can drive my truck.”
“So we’re all just snowed in here?” Abbie asked, shifting on the couch beside me.
I looked over at her, seeing her uncertainty.
I felt it too. The main house, though gorgeous, wasn’t big enough to hold four adult couples and two children.
There was no telling how long we’d be stuck here.
Between all of us, Mags and my cabin was the farthest away, nestled on the far side of the ranch, nearly halfway around the mountain. “What did Chase say?” she asked me.
The sheriff had called me just before the lights went out, warning me that the storm was stronger than anyone anticipated.
The worst of it wasn’t supposed to hit until tomorrow afternoon, but over the course of the day, the wind speeds had picked up, and here we were.
Apparently half the town was still out of power from the fallen pole this morning.
This winter storm system had the entire eastern half of the state covered, which meant at least half of my clients had been hit.
I needed to call and check on them, but I didn’t want to put my work above this.
My family was here.
I needed to be present.
“According to the National Weather Service, it accelerated,” I told everyone. “Chase told me it was going to last all night.”
“Is he all right?”
My eyes met Mags’s.
I nodded. “Yeah,” I rasped, loving that Mags cared about Chase.
I knew it was all for me. Before, Mags couldn’t have given less of a shit about the sheriff, especially with everything that had gone down with Beau.
“He’s hunkered down at the station with Bart’s granddaughter.
She was on her way out of town when she hit some black ice—”
“Oh shit, Lizzy?” Lawson asked, his brow furrowed.
“Is she okay?” his brother pressed.
I nodded, studying them. “Her car isn’t, but—wait—how do you know her name?”
Lance reached up, grabbing some pretzels and popped one into his mouth. “She started bartending on the weekends, and we talk to her when she’s working.”
“She’s great. Huge Star Wars fan, by the way.”
“So they’re holed up at the station?” Valerie asked, leaning closer, mischief sparkling in her green eyes.
I shot her a warning glare. “Don’t you dare.”
“Don’t you dare what?” Harmony parroted as she and Caleb came into the living room.
“Oh, nothing,” Abbie sighed wistfully, picking up on Valerie’s hope for romance. “Chase is just stuck in the station with Bart’s granddaughter all night long.”
Harmony’s eyes widened and she looked at me. “Before I get too excited, Diana, you’re his best friend. How likely is he to fall head over heels in love with her tonight?”
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “Highly unlikely. Chase is working out some demons.”
“He can work them out with her,” Abbie declared.
My jaw dropped. “Abbie.”
“Oh come on. You’re going to sit here and tell me that you aren’t a little bit excited over this? Chase trapped in the station with a beautiful single woman?”
“I’ve never seen her,” I admitted. “She usually runs the hotel at night for Bart, and by that time, I’m usually home.”
“I’ve seen her,” Val sighed, nodding to Abbie. “She’s a stunner, but I don’t think she realizes it.”
“Oh, he’ll make her realize it,” Harmony noted, giving me a grin. “Isn’t that right?”
Chase was nothing if not persistent.
A throat cleared and our bubble popped. We all slowly turned our heads to find our cowboys staring at us all as if we’d grown three heads each.
Caleb stood in front of the fire, scratching his head. “Is this what you women do all day? Plot out romances?”
“You have no fuckin’ idea, bud,” Mason drawled, looking to the ceiling.
“What do you do if the romances don’t work out?” Caleb asked, putting his hands in his pockets.
“They always work out,” I said, looking at Mags. “Some just take a little time.”
He stared at me, remaining silent. Not even a second later, my skin heated, his fire stroking me.
I cleared my throat, and it took all my will to pull my gaze from him to focus on Caleb. “You’re too young to be worried about romances.”
Lance scoffed. “Too young, my ass. Little Langston already has his sights set on someone at school, don’t ya?”
All four of us—me, Val, Harm, and Abbie—yelled, “Who?”
Caleb winced and shot a glare to Lance. “I thought what is said in the bunkhouse stays in the bunkhouse.”
“Who the fuck told my son that pack of lies?” Denver asked, straightening.
“Pack of lies?” Beau parroted. “What part of that was a lie?”
Abbie started laughing, and it wasn’t long before Mason joined her. Harmony was wheezing, nearly doubling over as she rasped, “They think the bunkhouse is a vault of secrets.”
Valerie wasn’t laughing. She was watching her stepson, who was looking at his father.
Denver’s head ticked to the side in silent question, and Caleb nodded, sharing a bond just between them.
Caleb’s eyes somehow drifted over to me after he looked at Val for a moment.
I gave him an encouraging nod and mouthed, “You okay?”
He nodded. “I didn’t tell them everything.”
The twins looked offended. “What do you mean?”
“Do you not trust us?”
“Hell no,” Caleb answered, sounding just like his father. Denver chuckled and put his hand on Valerie’s shoulder. “Anyway, I’m going to go to bed. Merry Christmas and shit.”
Everyone chuckled as the teenager headed upstairs and Valerie called out, “Don’t cuss!”
“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled, his footfalls heavy on the steps. “I hear ya, I hear ya.”
“Right,” Denver sighed, rolling his neck. “We should all get to bed. It’s late.” He jerked his chin to his brother. “You get everything turned on in the basement.”
“I’m not sleeping in a haunted-ass basement,” Beau snapped.
A rumble of laughter came from Mason. “That’s all right, princess. You can sleep on the couch. I’m sure Abbie will be comfortable in the king-size bed.”
Abbie blinked in surprise. “King-size bed? Where?”
“In the basement,” Denver answered. “Had the entire thing renovated at the beginning of the year. Added three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a kitchen.”
Mags grunted. “Now who’s keeping secrets?”
“It was Val’s idea,” he said, tipping his head down to his wife. “She wanted a house big enough for everyone to stay in case of an emergency.”
My eyes landed on my best friend. “A house big enough for the whole family,” I whispered.
“Yes.”