A Hero’s Christmas Hope: Holidays in Heart Falls: Book 3 Read online

  Also to talk about—his friends’ arrival had cut short the discussion about what exactly Madison wanted to fix. The two of them needed to come back to that. Her meddling was always interesting, to say the least.

  He’d never yet known her to be wrong about what she wanted to meddle in, though…

  Ryan pulled his attention back to the conversation at hand. “We’ll be at the pub Thursday afternoon and Friday night for a live crowd.”

  “We’re still putting together Christmas hampers on Saturday afternoon?” Brooke asked.

  “Yes,” Ryan confirmed. “You two still on to help?”

  “Of course.” Mack nodded then leaned forward, concern on his rugged face. “Did you manage to get all the supplies lined up?”

  A moment of unease slid in, but Ryan was able to answer honestly. “We’ll be okay for Saturday. It’s been a bad year for donations, though. Putting together the hampers and a few gift cards for the families who need them is pretty much going to leave the Heart Falls Hope Fund depleted.”

  “We need another fundraiser,” Brooke said slowly.

  Ryan nodded. “Terrible time of year for it.” He glanced at Madison. “That food bank thing we took over. Last year, my co-coordinator and I dealt with the legwork but nothing on the financial end. This year, the old coordinators handed everything to us in October, and there wasn’t nearly enough in the fund to last the entire winter.”

  “That’s rough,” Madison said. “December isn’t an easy time of year to get people to open their wallets.”

  Mack asked a question about something else, and the conversation drifted for a while. Brooke shared a story about finding a field mouse colony in the back seat of an SUV. Mack told them about the time a skunk wandered into the fire hall. It was comfortable and easy.

  Until Madison yawned.

  She covered it quickly, but both Brooke and Mack offered grins as they got to their feet.

  “We’ll have more time to visit in the coming days,” Brooke said. “We should’ve realized you’d be tired from the long drive and the excitement.”

  “It was really good to meet you,” Madison said. “I’m looking forward to the time I get to spend here in Heart Falls.”

  “Get some sleep,” Mack ordered, once again checking out her bruised face. He glanced at Ryan. “You need anything, give me a shout.”

  “She’ll be fine, but thanks,” Ryan said sincerely as he walked his friends to the door.

  Madison went with them, yet she was all but swaying once they’d driven away.

  He shook his head as he caught her by the shoulders and marched her toward the guest room. “You’d think by now you would’ve learned how to say I’m tired.”

  “But I was having fun,” Madison insisted, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked slowly. “Bed will feel good.”

  He squeezed the arm around her shoulders then let her go. She gave him a little finger wave before the door closed between them.

  It was definitely not the night off he’d expected. None of it.

  It wasn’t quite ten, so Ryan went and made himself a cup of tea then sat in his chair and twisted to stare out the window at the snow that was now falling straight down in huge, fluffy flakes.

  What a night.

  It had started with him restless enough to spend time pondering in the cemetery. Solar-powered lights hung from miniature shepherd hooks scattered between the old gravestones and the new. He’d walked for a while, cleaning up as he paced, letting his racing thoughts calm.

  It’d been the kind of mental-rambling night that made him even more aware of missing Justina’s company. The company of another adult to share things that he couldn’t talk about with Talia. Things that would be good to talk about, but not with Mack or Alex or Brad at the fire hall.

  Things he wanted to talk about with a woman.

  Also, time he wanted to spend with a woman not talking. Definitely not talking.

  To have Madison show up out of the blue was a bit of a miracle. An early Christmas present, at least in terms of having someone to talk to.

  The physical part that he was now willing to admit he craved would have to be answered after his friend had left. It had never been sexual between them. Not that he didn’t find Madison attractive, but she’d been his best friend. No way was he screwing that up by hitting on her. And Madison seemed to have felt the same way. She truly had been the one to set him up with Justina.

  Ryan finished his tea then headed to bed.

  He woke surprisingly late to the scent of coffee and buttered toast.

  In the kitchen, he found Madison perched on one of the barstools at the island, legs curled under her.

  She’d pulled a blue-and-red checked flannel shirt over a pale-blue top. White-washed jeans that fit her very nicely covered her thighs, but it was the bright-orange socks poking out from under her that made Ryan grin the hardest.

  “Are those hazard indicators, Maddy?”

  She glanced up from the paper she was reading. “Hey. Did I wake you?”

  He shook his head as he stepped closer, tucking his fingers under her chin and lifting her face so he could examine her eyes closer. “I slept really solid. Your bruises aren’t too bad.”

  “They feel okay as well.” She lifted her cup and pointed toward the counter. “I made a full pot of coffee. I didn’t know what your schedule is for today. We never got to finish that conversation, but I did see pickup time on the fridge for Talia at nine a.m.”

  Which gave them an hour. They used it to make the rest of breakfast together and talk about the day ahead.

  Including Ryan’s somewhat failed attempts to make it clear he didn’t expect her to do anything while she visited. “You’re welcome to hang out here at the house and relax as much as you want. Or if you need information about places to go for shopping or anything else, we’re only a couple of hours away from Calgary.”

  “I didn’t come to go shopping,” Madison said, shaking her head. “I came to see you. Besides, I just came from a big city—I’m not looking for bright lights. I want to help however I can. Maybe I can figure out a fundraiser to help with your Hope Fund problem.”

  Ryan checked his watch. “Well, for now, you can come help pick up Talia.”

  Madison was enthralled the entire drive up to Lone Pine ranch where Ryan’s friend Brad and his wife, Hanna, were raising their family. Maddy peered out the window, whistling softly as the ranch house came into view at the top of the long driveway. It was a pretty bungalow with a neat barn beside it. Half a dozen horses wandered in the arena.

  The inch of fresh snow that had fallen last night made everything white and bright, and warm, yellow lights glowed out of the windows.

  “It’s kind of like a Christmas card, isn’t it?” Madison asked as she glanced toward him.

  “Brad’s family has lived here for years. He’s a good guy, and you’ll love his wife.” Ryan stopped to the side of the house, glancing over at her as she pushed the door unsuccessfully. “Hang on. It sticks sometimes. I’ll let you out.”

  She was still peering up at the house as he came around and opened her door with a sharp tug. She accepted his hand, but as her feet hit the ground, he was close enough to hear her soft grunt of pain.

  He held on to her a second longer until she looked up. “You okay?”

  Madison shrugged. “I’m fine. Just twigged one of the bruises over my rib cage.”

  Dammit. He felt like a shit for not having thought about this sooner. “When we get home, I’ll find that cream for you.”

  Even before Ryan hit the doorbell, the sound of little-girl laughter drifted from the happy home.

  A moment later the door opened to reveal Hanna, a petite, dark-haired woman, her baby boy balanced on her hip. She wore an astonishingly peaceful expression considering the volume of noise behind her.

  She smiled at Ryan then glanced at Madison, frowning slightly. “Hi, Ryan. Talia is almost ready.”

  Ryan gestured toward his f
riend. “Hanna, this is Madison. We go way back. She’s come for a visit.” He twisted to Madison. “Hanna Ford. And the little tyke is Drew.”

  “Nice to meet you, Hanna.” Madison cleared her throat. “And just in case you were worried, the dark eyes are because of a slight vehicle incident. I’m okay.”

  Hanna examined her for another moment then dipped her chin. “Good to know.”

  In the hallway just past the mudroom, Ryan could see his daughter, plus Hanna’s dark-haired Crissy, and a third little girl, Emma Stone, her blonde curls bouncing as she moved.

  Crissy, Emma and Talia were all taking turns doing pirouettes, two with arms outstretched around the one in the middle as she twirled. It seemed like a good idea to have two spotters for one dancer, because none of them were keeping their feet very well.

  Hanna shifted the baby from one hip to the other. “They have been buzzing all night, completely obsessed with this ballet performance the teacher hopes to pull together.”

  Ryan thought back, worried he’d missed something during pickup from lessons on Monday night. “I don’t remember a performance being on the calendar.”

  Hanna waved a hand. “There isn’t one. Not really, and if it does happen, it’s not going to be anything big. Charity started making calls to each of us individually last night to find out how much energy we could commit. Talia Zhao means you’re probably last on the list.” Hanna glanced back at Crissy then down at six-month-old Drew. “I want her to have the fun, but I really can’t promise to spend too much extra time. Not right now.”

  “Maybe that’s something I could help with,” Madison offered. She twisted toward Ryan. “Up to you, definitely, and only if it works after I talk to the dance teacher.”

  “You’re here to have a holiday,” Ryan protested.

  Madison’s brow rose. “If I’m going to hang around, I may as well do something productive. Also, you mentioned needing a fundraiser. I should come up with an idea that would make the girls happy and put some money in the pot.”

  Ryan twisted toward her. “Why am I suddenly scared?”

  “Because you have far too vivid an imagination,” Madison suggested, winking at Hanna. “Don’t worry. I’m not that dangerous.”

  “A little danger is sometimes good,” Hanna said softly. “Call me if you need help. I don’t know how much hands-on I can provide, but brainstorming, I can manage.”

  Then Talia was there, pulling on her coat and giving her friends farewell hugs. A moment later Ryan helped buckle her into the booster seat in the back of the crew cab truck—his daughter was still short enough she needed a lift so that the seat belt worked properly—while Talia talked a mile a minute about everything she’d done during the sleepover. “…and I really like the kittens. I think we should get one, Daddy.”

  “Take a breath, little one. I want you to say hi to my friend Madison.”

  Talia froze. She leaned to the side and peered up with great interest at the strange woman beside him. “Hi. Your eyes are purple.”

  4

  The past couple of minutes had been such a whirlwind. Madison was thoroughly enjoying herself, though, including examining Ryan’s daughter with a touch of nostalgia.

  Talia was a pretty little thing, with long black hair currently pulled into a slightly lopsided ponytail. Her big, dark eyes and the straight line of her nose were Ryan, but her lips and chin were identical to her mother’s. Justina had been a pixie, with lips that were always slightly pursed as if waiting for a kiss.

  Madison leaned on the door and offered Talia her hand. “I do have purple eyes right now. Would you like to shake hands to say hello?”

  Talia blinked and then grinned, catching hold of Madison’s fingers. She held on firmly and gave a couple of quick shakes before letting go, her gaze still drifting over Madison’s face. “Daddy taught me how.”

  “That was a very polite handshake,” Ryan assured her. “You girls okay if we head home? Talia still has school this afternoon, so we should go get ready.”

  “I got to have a sleepover last night even though it was a school night.” Talia started talking again the instant Madison had gotten into the front seat and done up her seat belt. “That doesn’t happen very often. The teachers had a special event this morning, so we don’t have to go to school until after lunch. Crissy asked if Emma and I could come for a sleepover, and Mrs. Ford said we could.”

  Madison twisted enough to put an arm on the back of the seat and semi-face Talia. “That sounds as if it was a treat.”

  “We had so much fun. Only her baby brother cries sometimes, and he woke me up.” Talia made a face. “Emma said her baby brother cries, too. I don’t think I want to have a baby brother.”

  Ryan coughed lightly, keeping his focus on the road ahead. “That’s good to know.”

  “Do you work with my daddy?” Talia asked. “Because I know he works with Grace. And he works with Charity. And he works with Rose.”

  Madison glanced at Ryan, keeping her amusement off her face as best she could. “Sounds as if your daddy has lots of friends.”

  He gave her a moment of side eye, and she grinned.

  “Daddy does have lots of friends,” Talia agreed. “How come I haven’t met you before?”

  “But you have,” Madison told her. “You were a lot littler the last time I saw you. And you were very little the first time I saw you, which was a couple of days after you were born.”

  Talia’s eyes went even wider, and her jaw dropped slightly in surprise. “You saw me when I was a baby?”

  “I did. I even brought some of those pictures with me. I can show them to you when we have more time.” Madison watched as the little girl leaned back in the seat and considered this shocking news.

  And then the smart little thing put two and two together. “That means you knew my mommy.”

  That pulse of sadness arrived, the one that always struck when Madison thought about the tragedy of losing Justina so young. “I knew your mommy very well. She and I were friends, just like your daddy and I were friends.”

  It seemed to take a little longer for Talia to process this, and she fell silent until they were pulling into the driveway outside the house.

  They were all out of the truck, headed for the front door, when Talia paused. “How did you get here?”

  “I drove.”

  Talia glanced down the street before running to the garage and peering in. She turned back with a frown. “Where’s your car?”

  “At the shop. It needed some repairs.”

  “Oh.” Talia considered this. “Is it a big car?”

  “Big enough. I have my bicycle and my clothes and books and some kitchen stuff with me.”

  Talia’s eyes widened. “Why?”

  “I’m moving,” Madison told her. “I had to bring what I would need in the new place I’ll live.”

  Talia ran ahead and darted in the door Ryan had opened, taking off her boots and hanging up her coat at the hook by the entrance, but when she turned around, she was frowning. “How come you have to move?”

  “Because I have a new job in a different city, so that means I can’t live with my family anymore.”

  “How come—?”

  Ryan interrupted her. “Talia, I know Madison doesn’t mind playing twenty questions, but you need to get a couple things done this morning. And we need to go pick up some groceries.”

  Madison thought quickly. She waited until Talia was busy at the kitchen table with what was obviously her school backpack then spoke softly to Ryan so that she wasn’t overruling or causing trouble with her suggestion. “Do you need Talia to come with you to do the groceries, or can I stay here and supervise her while you shop on your own?”

  For a moment he looked as if he would protest. Probably about to say something about how she was there to relax and not babysit.

  “I wouldn’t have offered if I weren’t serious,” Madison added quickly. “Only if she’s okay with the idea, of course.”

  But whe
n the question was put to her, Ryan speaking quietly beside the kitchen table, Talia seemed greatly excited by the idea. “I can help you unpack. Daddy says you’re staying for the holidays.”

  “Your daddy is a bossy pants,” Madison said without thinking, causing Talia to burst into a fit of childish giggles.

  “Yes, yes, I am,” Ryan said in a very distinguished and serious tone of voice. “And now I am going to go bossy pants all the groceries we need into a cart and all the way home. Any requests, Maddy?”

  “I’m easy, but I do love anything chocolate.”

  Talia stood beside her, nodding vigorously. “Me too.”

  Ryan made sure that Madison had his current cell number, then he disappeared, leaving her with his daughter.

  Like her mother so many years earlier, Talia was not shy. She grabbed Madison by the hand and all but tugged her toward the guest room. “My friend Chrissy has people stay at their house all the time. And Emma, too, although it’s usually her Uncle Dustin, or her grandpa, or one of her second-removed cousins. Emma’s mommy explained what that meant, but I think it’s a funny word that means you have too much family.”

  The second-removed thing was hysterical. Madison got such a kick out of kids and their honest, outspoken truths.

  But the other part of Talia’s comment was the more important bit right now. It explained why the idea of somebody staying with them was a lot more exciting than Madison had expected.

  She was glad. She wouldn’t have wanted to make Ryan’s daughter uncomfortable.

  “It can be very fun to have visitors,” Madison agreed. “I’m looking forward to spending time with you, but you have to let me know if you need time alone. That’s part of being a good guest.”

  Talia climbed on the foot of the guest bed—a queen-size mattress—and looked expectantly around the room. Her gaze fell on the single suitcase and lone box, and for a moment she looked disappointed. “Do you want me to get some more things from your car?”

  “This is enough. The first thing we should do is unpack that.”