Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
When Mila inherited the mini-hacienda from her grandmother, she’d invited Claudie to share it. Since then, Greta had come over the afternoon of the Raccoon Christmas party so they could get dressed together and Mila could do her hair. After their dad died, their mom had decided to tag along.
They arrived at four and were still hanging up their coats when Greta burst out with, “What’s the deal with Cole? Are you two…” She paused to make air quotes. “Involved?”
Claudie sent Mila a wide-eyed look. “I promise I didn’t tell—”
“I know you didn’t.” Her cheeks grew warm, which she hated. She was thirty years old, for fudge sake. But making love with Cole was so rambunctious and thrilling that thinking about it made her entire body flush.
“Rio told us,” Greta said. “He came over to snitch some Christmas cookies this morning. To hear him tell it, he interrupted a make-out session in the woods near the front gate.”
Great. So now she was even redder. And couldn’t look her mother in the eye.
Claudie started laughing. “Oh, my.”
“That’s all the evidence I need.” Greta glanced at Claudie. “And you already knew?”
“I did.”
Greta zeroed in on Mila. “Spill it.”
“Yes, we’re involved.” She gathered her forces and lifted her chin. “And I’m very happy about it.”
“Me, too!” Greta raced over and gave her a hug. “We’ve been hoping you’d get together ever since the wedding.”
“We?”
“Mom and me. We’ve talked about it a lot.”
Mila finally met her mother’s amused gaze. “Really?”
“I wouldn’t say a lot, mija, but you two made such a cute couple at the reception — Cole playing his fiddle and you doing the vocals. I thought that would be the tipping point, but I guess not.”
“We…um…we weren’t ready.”
“But then he invited you over to see his secret project.” Greta’s cheeks dimpled in a teasing grin. “Was that the tipping point?”
“In a way.”
“Aha! So now you can tell us about that project, right?”
“No, I can’t.”
“What?” Her little sister grabbed her again. “But we’re your nearest and dearest! And we’re champion secret keepers.”
“It’ll be a way better surprise if you know nothing before you see it.”
“But that won’t be until Christmas. C’mon, give us a hint.”
“Nope.”
“Last night she let it slip that it moved,” Claudie said, “and that Dad would have loved it.”
“Dios.” Their mother threw up her hands. “Please tell me it’s not a gate. There’s nothing your papa loved more than gates but enough is enough.”
“He loved you more than gates, Mamacita.” Greta gave her a side hug.
“Un poquito,” Her smile was bittersweet.
“It’s not a gate,” Claudie said. “And it’s not a zombie Santa or those sparkly deer statues people put in their yards.”
“Could be some sort of animated Christmas scene, though.” Greta tucked her hands in her pockets and rocked back on her heels. “But I thought it was gonna be a year-round thing.” She peered at Mila. “Is it?”
“I’m not saying.”
“You know we won’t let on that you told us.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s Cole’s secret, not mine, and I promised not to reveal it.”
“That’s the end of it, then.” Their mother’s command was softly spoken. Whenever she gave them that look, she didn’t need volume to convey her message. “Breaking a promise is a terrible way to begin a relationship.”
“Right, Mama.” Greta picked up the tote she’d brought in. “We’d better get dressed. Wouldn’t want to keep my big sister’s novio waiting.” Flashing Mila a smile , she headed down the hall.
Mila expected more teasing from her sisters as everyone put on their Christmas-themed party clothes, spent extra time on their hair and added glamorous touches to their makeup. She didn’t mind the teasing.
They only did it because they liked Cole and approved of this matchup. Nobody in her family had warmed to her last boyfriend. She’d rationalized that once they got to know him, they would thaw.
Never happened. They’d sensed what she’d refused to see. But Cole had won everyone’s heart from the get-go, including hers. Her family’s stamp of approval said a lot about his character.
Her anticipation for the evening ahead kept building until she felt like a shaken bottle of champagne. By the time Cole rapped on the front door, she ran to open it while her sisters and mom giggled in the background.
She flung it open and sucked in a breath. “Wow.” She moved back and ushered him in.
“Wow, yourself.” His gaze traveled from her glittering red boots to the sparkling hairclip she’d used to hold back one side of her hair. “That dress looks gorgeous on you.”
“Thank you. You look gorgeous all over.”
He chuckled. “So do you.”
The glow in his eyes justified every penny she’d spent on the fringed, winter-white dress she’d bought months ago specifically for this party. Last night’s epic lovemaking had made her forget the party and the dress.
As if they’d planned it, he wore a snow-white yoked western shirt with silver embroidery. She’d seen those jet-black dress jeans once before, at the wedding. “Have you worn that shirt before?”
“No, ma’am. Jordie brought it over an hour ago. She said to tell you she’s very pleased about... you know.”
“We’re pleased, too!” Greta sang out.
His attention shifted and he whipped off his hat. “My apologies, ladies. Didn’t intend to ignore you." Pink tinged his cheeks. “I—”
“You only have eyes for Mila.” Greta gave the line a dramatic lilt. “No insult taken. We understand.”
“You all know?”
“Because of Rio,” Mila said.
Right on cue, the door opened and her rumor-spreading little brother poked his head in. “Y’all ready? Cole left the truck running and gas doesn’t grow on trees, y’know.”
“We’re coming, Mr. Tattletale.” Claudie grabbed jackets off the coat tree and handed them out.
Rio chuckled. “Can’t help it if Sol is nuts about me. Blame him for telling on you guys. Nice dress, Mila. Have I seen that before?”
“Nope.” She put her arms in the suede jacket Cole held for her.
“Classy. Looks like something Auntie Kat would like.”
“She’s the one who told me to buy it.”
“See? Knew it.”
“Hey, mijo.” Their mom made a shooing motion with her hand. “In or out. Electricity doesn’t grow on trees, either.”
“I’m out. I’ll be in the truck. In the backseat, of course.” He started to close the door, then opened it again. “The rest of you look awesome, too. Nice up-do, Gret.” He closed the door.
“Little brothers,” Claudie mumbled. “Can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em.”
“I’m glad he caught us.” Mila buttoned her coat. “Now Cole and I can act natural. It’ll be more fun this way.”
“I agree.” Cole glanced around. “Looks like we’re all ready to—”
A horn blared from somewhere outside.
Claudie started for the door. “Rio Bridger, so help me—”
“That’s not my horn,” Cole said. “I think it’s—”
“The van’s horn?” Raquel laughed. “Of course it is. We’d better get a move on, Greta. The Dazzling Damsels are ready to party.” She started for the door. “Which reminds me, Cole, are you taking your fiddle?”
“It’s in the truck.”
“Excellent. Tia Ezzie would’ve been heartbroken if you’d decided not to play tonight. She’s hoping you know Feliz Navidad.”
“If Mila can sing it for me I can probably manage it.” He glanced her way.
“I’ll be glad to.”
“Ezzie will be thrilled. We’ll see you kids there.” She and Greta hurried out and closed the door behind them.
“You two go ahead.” Claudie made a shooing motion. “I need to turn off the Christmas trees.”
“Oh, right!” Mila looked at Cole. “I’ll bet you didn’t even notice them with all that was going on.”
“No, but I can check them out now.” He swung around and surveyed the trees, a big one by the front window, medium-sized trees on either side of the fireplace a safe distance away from any flames, and a small one on the coffee table. “Very nice. Must have taken a lot of time.”
“We love doing it.” Claudie switched off the lights on the largest one. “One of our favorite things. Okay, go ahead. I’ve got this.”
As Cole held the door, Mila took a mental picture of his handsome self, her date for the night. Yum. “Is anyone else riding with us besides Rio?”
“Yes, ma’am. Monty.” He closed the door, took her hand and headed for the truck parked outside the low wall surrounding the front patio.
Claudie caught up with them. “Did I just hear you say Monty’s going with us?”
“He is.”
“Then I’ll talk to him about Pickles, who’s favoring his right front foot.”
Mila chuckled. “And keep him talking so he won’t fall asleep?”
“Bingo.”
“Is that a possibility?” Cole sounded surprised.
“Always is if he’s a passenger,” Mila said.
“And when he sleeps, he leans,” Claudie added as Rio climbed out of the truck. “Traditionally I’m in the middle because my legs are shorter.”
“As it happens, I don’t have that tradition in my truck.” Cole squeezed Mila’s hand and let go as he approached Rio. “Go ahead and hop in, buddy. That way we can make sure Claudie doesn’t wrinkle her skirt on the drive in.”
“You bet, Cole. Good thinking.” Rio hopped in the truck and took the middle seat.
Claudie leaned toward Mila. “Hang onto this one.”
“I plan to.” She waited while Cole helped her sister in. Instead of standing there, she could’ve climbed up on her own, but accepting a gallant gesture from a sexy guy in a Stetson was more fun.
He took care to make sure no part of her fringed skirt was in danger before gifting her with a smile and closing the door.
The little girl in her felt like a princess on her way to a ball where she’d dance with the prince. The woman in her savored the reality of heading to a party at a country-western bar where she’d dance with a dashing cowboy. And at the end of the night, she and the cowboy would make sweet love.
Whoever said you can’t have it all hadn’t met Cole Sterling.