Merry Manager: River’s End Ranch Series #17 Read online

  "Did you finish his gift?"

  Maddie smiled. "Yes. I finished after you went to bed last night."

  After all the gifts were wrapped and laid under the tree, Maddie had made herself a cup of her favorite chamomile tea and pulled out her knitting and finished the scarf and socks she was knitting for Wade. She loved to knit as she sat on the sofa and watched television. It relaxed her and she'd been doing it for so long that it was automatic—she could do both at the same time easily.

  Twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the door, and Violet scampered out from behind the tree and raced to let Wade in.

  "Merry Christmas!" He came in holding a shopping bag and two smaller gift bags. It had started to snow again and Wade had snowflakes on his eyelashes.

  "What did you bring?" Maddie jumped up to take the shopping bag from him so he could take off his coat and hat. He hung them up on a coat rack by the door and took off his shoes.

  "Kelsi sent over two pies. One apple and one chocolate cream. And Bob sent a container of his special mashed potatoes, the ones with a stick or two of butter, and just as much sour cream.

  "Oh, I've had those. They're amazing. They'll go well with the leftover prime rib. Are you hungry now?"

  Wade laughed. "No. Not a bit. Are you?"

  "No, maybe in an hour or so. We could watch a Christmas movie and then think about food. We have a little gift for you. We can do that later, too."

  "All right. I have something for both of you, too. Just something small. We can exchange gifts after the movie."

  They settled in on the sofa. Maddie on one side, Wade on the other and Vivian in the middle. Vivian handed soft fleece throws to each of them, and they snuggled under them and got comfy to watch Christmas with the Kranks. It was a fun comedy and both Vivian and Maddie loved it.

  When the movie was over, Maddie got up to stretch and put the leftover prime rib and Bob’s mashed potatoes in the oven to heat up while they exchanged gifts.

  "Us first!" Vivian said excitedly as she gave Wade the gift bag she'd packed with the items Maddie had knit for him.

  "Oh, okay." Wade pulled out clumps of red tissue paper that Vivian had stuffed into the bag and then lifted out the scarf and socks. They were a rich, hunter green.

  "You made these?" He looked at Maddie in wonder and she nodded.

  "I've been knitting for years."

  "I love them." He pulled on the socks and wrapped the scarf around his neck. "They fit perfectly!" He took them off and carefully placed them back in the bag then got the two gift bags from the kitchen and handed the larger one to Vivian and the smaller one to Maddie.

  They both watched as Vivian went first and pulled out two gifts—a new Nancy Drew book that Vivian didn't already have and an adorable, painted wooden ornament of a baby penguin with a red scarf around it's neck.

  "It's so cute! I love it! And I don't have this book yet. Thank you so much." She ran over to Wade and flung her arms around him in a big hug.

  And then it was Maddie's turn. She reached into the bag and there was a small box. She unwrapped it and there were two matching penguin ornaments inside, a husband and wife with the same red scarf that the baby had.

  "Look, it's a little penguin family!" Vivian was delighted.

  Maddie felt her eyes well up. "It's very sweet. Thank you."

  "I'm glad you like them. But I got you something else." Vivian came running and Maddie noticed that she seemed oddly excited. He glanced at Vivian, pulled something out of his pocket and then got down on one knee and faced both of them.

  "Maddie and Vivian, I know this may seem fast, but I've known you both for a very long time. Maddie, I've come to realize recently that when you love someone, you want to be with that person as much as possible. That you enjoy their company more than anyone else's and that when you're not with them, a part of you seems to be missing. That's how I feel about you. I love you, and I miss you too much when we're apart. If there's a chance that you feel the same, will you marry me?"

  Maddie looked at him in shock, and then glanced at Vivian, who was beaming.

  "I ran this by Vivian first in case you're wondering. She gave her approval."

  "You did? When?”

  “At the ornament hanging. You were chatting with Sadie and I pulled Vivian aside for a moment and we had a chat.”

  "Let's marry Wade, Mom!"

  The tears fell freely as Maddie reached for Wade's hand and said, "I love you, too, and yes, I'd love to marry you."

  He slid the ring on her finger and kissed her.

  "I know it's fast, but it felt right. I don't want to just date you."

  "I know."

  "We can take as long as you like, though. We don't have to set a date yet, I don't want to rush you."

  Maddie looked down at the sparkling ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.

  "Maybe in few months? When your parents are back?"

  Wade smiled. "My mother will love that. Especially if we have it in the new barn."

  "I don't care where we get married. If you think she'd love that, that's fine with me."

  "And Violet and I can be flower girls? Please!" Vivian was dancing around the living room.

  Maddie was thrilled that her daughter seemed to be fine with her getting married. More than fine, actually. "Sure, honey. We'll get you a pretty dress."

  "Violet, too!"

  "Yes. If it's all right with her mother, then Violet, too."

  "I'm going to go call her now!" Vivian ran upstairs to call Violet and Maddie sank into Wade's arms as his lips came down on hers again, and again.

  "What a day," she said dreamily when they heard Vivian footsteps coming back downstairs.

  "Best day I've had in a long time," Wade said.

  That was an understatement. It was a perfect day, full of the best kinds of surprises. Maddie felt pure joy and contentment as she sat with Wade's arm around her.

  "Merry Christmas!" she said softly.

  "Merry Christmas, Maddie."

  Epilogue

  New Year’s Eve

  “So you dip the crab Rangoon in the duck sauce and concentrate really hard, and then you make a wish and take a bite! Like this.” Vivian reached into the takeout carton and showed Wade how to do it, her brow furrowing as she made her wish.

  “And that means my wish will come true?” Wade asked as he reached for a rangoon.

  Vivian laughed. “I don’t know, but we do it every year and it’s fun!”

  Maddie, Wade, and Vivian were gathered around the kitchen table, with a selection of Chinese food spread out before them.

  “We do. It’s our annual New Year’s Eve tradition,” Maddie agreed. “We don’t usually have quite this much food though.” Wade had walked through the door with a huge shopping bag full of everything she’d told him that they usually order and more.

  He laughed. “I was hungry when I placed the order. And I wanted to introduce you to a few of my favorite things. What do you think of the teriyaki beef and the house fried rice?”

  “The steak-on-the-stick is really good!” Vivian helped herself to another one.

  “And I loved the fried rice. How was the driving out there?” Maddie asked. The snow had started to fall earlier but was coming down really hard now.

  “It’s getting messy. I saw a few cars slipping a little. The truck is good in the snow but I’m glad to be in now though.”

  “Can I go sledding with Violet tomorrow?” Vivian asked.

  “Maybe. It depends how much snow we get honey.” Maddie loaded another scoop of fried rice onto her plate.

  “They say we might get over a foot,” Wade said.

  Vivian looked disappointed. “That might be too much, right?”

  “Well, if it’s too much to go anywhere tomorrow, we could always build some more snowmen. What do you think?” Wade suggested.

  “Oh, let’s do that! All three of us!”

  Maddie laughed. “We can definitely do that, and maybe have some hot chocolate a
fter.”

  “With marshmallows?” Vivian was already planning on it, Maddie could tell.

  “Of course.”

  * * *

  Wade put another log on the fire and then settled onto the sofa. Maddie leaned into him and he put his arm around her. It was almost midnight. Vivian had gone down several hours ago after falling asleep watching movies with them. Once she was tucked into bed, Maddie poured some champagne. They each had a glass and saved a splash to have when the ball fell at midnight.

  “Are you sorry we didn’t go out somewhere tonight? You’re probably used to that on New Year’s Eve,” Maddie said. They were watching all the revelers on TV in New York City.

  “No, it’s much more fun to snuggle here with you and watch those people on TV, outside in the cold, fighting the crowds. There’s no where else I’d rather be than here with my two favorite girls.”

  Maddie leaned over and gave him what was meant to be a quick kiss, but Wade pulled her in closer and let it linger.

  “Your family surprised me,” she said when the kiss ended.

  “What do you mean?” He picked up their champagne glasses and handed Maddie hers as the ball began to drop.

  “They’ve all been so supportive and really not the least bit surprised. It was almost as if they expected us to get together and not a single person has said that it seems fast.”

  “Well, we have known each other for a long time. A really long time.” Wade tapped his glass against hers as the fireworks went off, signaling that the New Year had officially arrived.

  “That’s true.” Maddie smiled. “I’m not sure if I’ve told you yet today, but I love you.”

  Wade set their empty glasses on the coffee table and then turned to her, “I love you too. So much. And I look forward to telling you that every day for the rest of our lives. Happy New Year, Maddie!” He pulled her into his arms for a long, slow, sweet kiss.

  When they paused, Maddie’s eyes met his. “Happy New Year, Wade.”

  ~The End~

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  Sneak Peek-Santa’s Shopkeeper

  by Amelia C. Adams

  Chapter One

  Heidi Davidson grinned as she set down her box cutter and pulled back the cardboard flaps on the package that had just been delivered. She had to paw though a bunch of Styrofoam, but she finally unearthed what she was looking for—the special ornaments she’d ordered in for the Christmas tree decorating ceremony.

  “Is that them?” Alicia, the other employee at the general store, came up to the counter from the back, where she had been stocking their new supply of “River’s End Ranch” T-shirts.

  “Yes. I was starting to get worried that they wouldn’t be here on time.”

  Alicia reached into the box and pulled out one of the crystal stars, holding it up to the light. It cast tiny rainbows all over the store. “These are gorgeous.”

  “I hope everyone likes them. I’d better get them up on the ornament rack.”

  Heidi carried the box over to the rack where all the Christmas ornaments were displayed. The Westons had a tradition that had been passed down for generations—a large tree grew on the Old West portion of the property, and every Christmas Eve, everyone staying at the ranch gathered there and hung an ornament. They could bring one from home, buy one here at the general store, or make one during Christmas week. She was always sure to have a huge selection on hand for those who chose to buy one.

  She took a moment to rearrange the ornaments that were already on display. Santas, bears, elves, little log cabins, silver stars, all the Nativity characters, and bunnies and fairies—inspired by Jaclyn, of course—almost anything that could be imagined was found here. Now she added the crystal stars, then stood back and admired the selection. There was a lot to choose from. She’d be making her own, though—as pretty as these were, she liked being different.

  The front door opened, and a young man stepped inside. He stomped the snow off his boots before coming in and was careful to wipe his feet on the mat—she liked him already.

  “Hi there,” she said, greeting him warmly. “Welcome to River’s End Ranch.”

  “Thank you,” he replied, pulling off his knit hat and shoving it in his pocket. Miraculously, his hair looked perfect. Heidi’s would have been sticking out in all directions. “I’m looking for a Christmas gift for my mother. I haven’t seen anything I like yet, and I’ve got my fingers crossed that you have something here.”

  “I’ll cross my fingers too. What are you looking for?”

  He grinned. Wow. That was a great grin. He must have an excellent dentist. “That’s the thing. I don’t really know. It’s one of those ‘I’ll know it when I see it’ things.”

  She nodded. “I understand. Here at the front, we have our old-fashioned merchandise—candy sticks, candles, things like that. In the back, we have clothing and toys, and up here by the register, we have all our ranch memorabilia—except for T-shirts, which are back in clothing. We carry a line of jewelry made by local artisans in this glass case, and I’m probably talking too much and should just let you look around.” Her face felt warm—that’s what talking to a good-looking guy did to her.

  He laughed. “I appreciate it. We’ve never been here before, so we’re relying on maps and directions.”

  We? He wasn’t alone? Heidi immediately felt silly for having the thought. Of course he wasn’t alone. This was a destination vacation ranch at Christmastime—no one came here alone. “Does your wife want to give you some input about the gift?”

  “Wife? Oh, no, I’m not married. I’m here with my brother and his family. He’s the one who did the whole marriage and dad thing—I haven’t settled down yet.”

  Heidi grinned. “Kids are fun,” she replied, although that wasn’t why she was grinning. “How old are they?”

  “Maisie is seven and Connor is four. Cute little things—I’m sure they’ll be in here a lot when they hear you sell candy. I’ll wander around for a minute and see what I can find for my mom.”

  “Great. I’m right here if you have any questions.”

  He shook his head with a smile. “I have one already.”

  “Oh? That was quick.”

  “I don’t believe in dawdling. Why are you dressed like a pioneer?”

  Heidi looked down at her dress and apron and laughed. “That’s your question? Well, we’re in the Old West, aren’t we?” She held out her arms and motioned to the barrels of lemon drops and licorice whips and the bolts of fabric on the walls. “It’s all in keeping with the theme. I don’t dress this way every day, though.”

  “You don’t? That’s disappointing. You look cute.”

  She blushed. Why did she have to do that? It pretty much ruined her plan to act cool and casual and not interested in this guy at all. “Why, thank you,” she replied, trying to distract him from her embarrassment. “You should see me in my matching bonnet.”

  “Oh, I definitely want to see that.”

  “And if your mother would like a bonnet, we have those as well. Midway toward the back on the right.” She could save this conversation and turn it into a sale. She could sell anything. At least, that’s what Wade Weston had told her when he hired her to be the manager here.

  He grinned. “I’ll take a look. Thanks.”

  He stepped away from the counter, and Heidi took a deep breath. Good grief. She was acting like she’d never seen a good-looking man before. They got hundreds of good-looking single men on the ranch every year—charming, fun, easy to talk to. Why was this one making her feel like a sixteen-year-old all over again?

  She got to work entering the barcode for the new ornaments into the computer so they’d ring up properly. Then she decided she’d better take inventory of the candy bars and protein bars—she needed to place an order that afternoon, and she hadn’t decided yet just what she needed. She moved over to the fo
od aisle and was starting her list when Alicia came over to her, eyes wide.

  “I’m done with the clothes—the jeans are out, and so are the flannel shirts. But uh, who is that guy looking at the hats? He’s really hot.”

  “Just a guest,” Heidi said. If she told Alicia how this particular guest was making her heart pound, she’d never hear the end of it.

  “That’s not just a guest. That’s like, a Greek god disguised as a guest. Okay, I need to focus here. What’s next?”

  Heidi laughed. “Yes, focus is good. Please refill the lemon drops.”

  “On it.”

  A few minutes later, knowing that she needed twice as many Snickers as she did Twix, and hoping that didn’t make the Twix feel bad, Heidi moved to the counter and started jotting down her order. The Greek god—er, guest—came up and placed his armload next to the register.

  “This is a fun store,” he said. “I’ve probably blown my entire souvenir budget, and I haven’t even looked up here yet.”

  “We try to carry a little bit of everything,” Heidi replied. “Are you ready?”

  “Yeah, I’d better be done for now. Otherwise, you’d never get rid of me.”

  Hmm. Would that be so bad? Heidi scanned his first item. “So, I know about Maisie and Connor, but what’s your name?”

  “Mark Wilson. We’re staying in the Family Fun cabin. And you are . . .?”

  “Heidi. Um, Heidi Davidson.” She didn’t know why she was giving him her last name—it’s not like he needed it for anything. But he’d given her his, so it seemed like a fair trade, right?

  “It’s nice to meet you, Heidi Davidson.” He nodded down toward his stack. “I took your advice and got a bonnet for my mom and a cowboy hat for my dad. I think they’ll get a kick out of them.”

  “They are two of our biggest bestsellers.” She picked up a T-shirt. “For a girlfriend?” She was fishing again, and she knew it, but she just couldn’t help it. These words were coming out of her mouth and she was powerless to stop them.

  “Nope. My sister.”