A Christmas Homecoming (Bar V5 Ranch) Read online

  Focus. They’d been talking about cookies.

  “The peanut butter ones have the HERSHEY’S KISSES® pressed on the top.” Ellie feigned her best TV chef impression. “Nate’s wife, Rachel, made them.”

  “My mom makes that kind.”

  Leave it to her boss to know details about each guest, but then again, he and Josiah had been friends for years. Ellie respected Nate and wanted to make him proud of the job she did at the Bar V5. She would do everything in her power to make their new guest’s stay as perfect as possible. She didn’t want to mess up again.

  “Let’s hope these live up to your mom’s recipe. They’ve got a chance. Rachel’s the best pastry chef east of the Continental Divide.” Ellie spoke fast, like water rushing down a mountain after a snowmelt. She needed to slow down, not let nerves get the best of her. “She owns the Copper Mountain Gingerbread and Dessert Factory on Main Street. Her sweets aren’t good for the waistline, at least mine, but you won’t be disappointed.”

  “That’s high praise.”

  Ellie lifted the tray more so he could smell the sugary sweetness. Too bad the only thing she smelled was Josiah. “Amazing is the only way to describe them.”

  And him.

  A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, then a full-blown smile appeared. The result—dazzling.

  Ellie forced herself to breathe.

  “I wouldn’t want to miss out on something amazing.” He opened the door wider. “You’ve been standing out there long enough. Come in.”

  As she entered his room, the silver bell she wore around her neck jingled. One small way she spread holiday cheer around the Bar V5. She set the tray on the wet bar and wiped her hands on her red apron. Arranging the milk and cookies on the counter, she felt his gaze on her.

  “It’s good to see you again, Josiah.” Ellie removed a glass and napkins from the wet bar’s cabinet. She faced him. “You’ve done well for yourself. Everyone in Marietta is so proud.”

  “Have we met?”

  Typical. She bit back a sigh.

  “A long time ago.” Truth was, most people forgot about her. She tried not to let that bother her. Sometimes she succeeded. “I’m Ellie Smith. You tutored my brother Buck in math.”

  “Buck Smith. I remember him. Great guy. Loved cows as much as I loved computers.”

  Josiah’s friendlier tone was how she remembered him. “The two of you were obsessed.”

  “No kidding.” He stared at a painting of a cattle drive hanging on the wall. “I couldn’t believe Buck wanted to teach me how to rope in exchange for tutoring him in geometry. I figured I’d get a glimpse into how cowboys live. Never imagined I’d win the roping championship that year, and he’d bring his D up to a B plus.”

  “Buck was excited about his grade but thrilled you won the trophy.”

  “That was your brother. Putting others first when he was sick. Telling me I was the best out there that day, even though I wouldn’t have won if he’d been able to compete.”

  Buck’s rare immunodeficiency disease with a name she still couldn’t pronounce properly had worsened by that point. He’d attended the rodeo in a wheelchair. Five months later, he’d died. Josiah had attended the funeral dressed like a cowboy in Buck’s hand-me-downs and been a pallbearer. “You won for both of you.”

  “That’s what Buck said. I’d forgotten. And you...” Josiah’s gaze narrowed, then recognition flashed, followed by surprise. “You’re little Eleanor.”

  “Yes, but I go by Ellie now. I’m not so little anymore.”

  Josiah’s gaze ran the length of her. “No, you’re not.”

  The appreciation in his eyes sent a burst of feminine pride through her. That hadn’t happened in months. She wasn’t sure she wanted it happening now, but her heart was beating like a horse pulling a sleigh through freshly fallen snow.

  His smile reached his eyes, crinkling the corners, making her mouth go dry. Looks weren’t everything, she reminded herself. A pretty face didn’t make a man. Neither did a few billion in the bank.

  “I remember three things that little Eleanor was never without.” His playful tone seemed out of character for the man she’d just met, but not the teenager who would describe video games in detail. “Blue glasses, lollipops, and books.”

  So much for thinking she’d been cute and charming.

  Laughing, she stepped closer to him. “Exactly how a woman wants to be remembered. A four-eyed, candy-addicted bookworm. Of course, you’re right.”

  She was thrilled he recalled her at all. Sometimes she felt invisible. Her brother’s friends called her Buck’s little sister, even though he’d died in high school. She had a feeling none remembered her name.

  “Endearing for sure.” Josiah leaned against the sofa. “Your spying, however, was annoying. Buck got so mad.”

  She hunched her shoulders, fighting the urge to step back. “You saw me?”

  “Being ninja-like and stealthy were not your best skills.”

  Bet her cheeks looked like red circle brand marks. “I thought I was being clever. My grades were only slightly better than my brother’s, so clever is a relative term.”

  “You were clever for staying quiet. We made sure you didn’t hear anything too juicy. As for grades, they never tell the whole story beyond study habits. How’d you do at college?”

  That was an unexpected question. She bit her lip. Might as well say it. “I didn’t go.”

  “Your family’s die-hard University of Montana Grizzly fans. Weren’t you expected to attend college in Missoula?”

  “That was the plan.” Each word tightened the imaginary steel band around her chest. The ache was familiar and strangely comforting. “But there wasn’t enough money for me to go away to school, so I took general classes at the community college.”

  “A good way to get requirements out of the way.”

  “Yes, but I...I dropped out.” This wasn’t something she liked talking about to anyone let alone a person she hadn’t seen in eleven years. “My parents needed help paying off medical bills that the insurance didn’t cover. Buck’s experimental treatments added up fast. But we did it.”

  She’d put her life on hold, worked three jobs to help her parents get out of debt from her brother’s illness, and had zero regrets.

  “And that’s how you ended up at the Bar V5.” Josiah wasn’t asking a question.

  “Yes.” She didn’t want to go into the details.

  Outside, a cow mooed.

  Josiah touched her shoulder.

  Ellie stared at his hand. Long fingers. No scars and cuts marred the skin like the wranglers who worked here. But his hands were strong, his touch tender.

  The gesture was a sign of comfort, but meant more to her. She felt not so alone. Special. Two ways she wasn’t used to feeling.

  “I’m not surprised you quit school to help your parents.” His tone soothed. “You’re so much like your brother. Buck would be proud.”

  Joy overflowed at Josiah’s words. She hugged him.

  Chapter Two

  The woodsy soap scent made her dizzy in a good way. His body was solid and warm, though thinner than she expected. His heartbeat was slow and steady, unlike hers.

  She let go of him and stepped back, shaken by how she’d hugged him and how much she wanted to hug him again.

  “Sorry if I overreacted, but that’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about my brother.” Maybe she could make amends for invading Josiah’s personal space. She grabbed a peanut butter cookie from the plate. “Try one.”

  Reaching out, his fingertips brushed hers. A featherlight contact, but a spark passed between them. He took the cookie. She jerked back her hand. Weird.

  Must be the static from the rug.

  She rubbed her finger with her thumb.

  Josiah bit into the cookie. Smiled. “You’re right. Delicious.”

  “I knew you’d like it. Some things are that good.”

  Like him.


  He wasn’t how she remembered, but she liked him. And that stubble...

  She’d only dated clean-shaven guys. She wondered whether his whiskers would tickle or scratch if he kissed her.

  Not that he would. Or she would.

  Uh-oh. Ellie needed to be careful. She wasn’t about to be taken in by another handsome, wealthy guest. Especially when this one was being so friendly and...

  Guest. Guest. Guest.

  Forget delicious. Think dangerous.

  Self-preservation screamed at her to say goodbye. “I need to get back to work.”

  “I’m here for the month. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up.”

  Excitement burst through her. Buck’s friends didn’t care what she’d been up to, preferring to reminisce about high school. But maybe Josiah did. Maybe he wasn’t like the others. Maybe he saw her as Ellie, not Buck’s sister. “Yes, we will.”

  “If there’s anything you need in the meanwhile, if you think you might want to go back to college or take an online class, I’d like to help.”

  A generous offer, but that begged a question. She tilted her head. “Why?”

  “Because you’re Buck’s little sister.”

  A familiar black hole sucked the air from her lungs and yanked at her heart, tearing pieces bit by bit. She didn’t want help because of her dead brother. Once, just once, she wanted to be the reason someone offered to help.

  Selfish, probably. Impossible, given her brother’s larger than life personality that nobody could forget and everyone loved. She had better odds winning the lottery. “Thanks.”

  But she didn’t feel grateful. Josiah was no different than Buck’s other friends. She appreciated their kindness and generosity, but she no longer wanted to be an extension of her brother. Knowing his friends saw him when they looked at her hurt. Why couldn’t she matter on her own?

  “Dinner is at seven.” She headed toward the door.

  “Wait,” Josiah called.

  Ellie glanced over her shoulder.

  He reached into his pocket and then handed her cash folded in half. “This is for you.”

  A tip.

  Her stomach dropped to her feet. To him, she was nothing more than Buck’s little sister, a housekeeper on the ranch’s staff, invisible. Nothing new, but she’d hoped this time...

  Best not to hope.

  Ellie held out the tip to Josiah. “I can’t take it.”

  “Please. I insist.” He put his hands behind his back. “The customer is always right.”

  Not always, but he seemed happier than when she’d arrived with the cookies. We aim to please at the Bar V5. She wrapped her fingers around the bill. “Thank you.”

  Ellie walked out, eager for distance. More than his model good looks left her unsettled and confused, but she couldn’t decide what.

  Halfway down the hall, she unfolded the bill.

  Benjamin Franklin’s face appeared.

  $100.

  Ellie straightened the edges. She should be excited. This kind of money meant nothing to a rich guy like Josiah. But she felt...offended. She longed for someone to see her as more, as herself, no label or occupation attached to the name Ellie Smith. He’d spoken to her like a long lost friend, not...a guest.

  But he was, and she couldn’t drop her guard. She’d been falsely labeled a home wrecker and almost arrested in August. She didn’t want to be accused of something else in December.

  Not that Josiah seemed the type, but neither had Tanner Quincy. The lying, married jerk.

  Maybe being invisible wasn’t so bad after all.

  Josiah popped another peanut butter cookie into his mouth. Tasty and what he needed, like Ellie Smith’s delivery, an unexpected, but welcome distraction from his...situation.

  She had the pretty girl-next-door look down. Long blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, clear blue eyes, and a smile that never wavered. No makeup, but none was needed. Her green gingham, long-sleeved shirt and red apron shouted Christmas, but her faded jeans fit just right.

  Not his type.

  He preferred women who were as career driven as he was and looking for companionship, not commitment, but Ellie was easy on the eyes. Her smile had made him forget he was stuck here for a month.

  She might be fun to hang out with. Get to know better. Kiss under the mistletoe. No reason to let those bunches of green hanging in the great room go to waste.

  He stared out the window at the dark sky. Lights illuminated patches of the snow-covered meadow. The cattle looked as bored as he felt. At least the animals had a purpose. A good steak went a long way.

  Whereas he was worthless. Money in the bank and Whit Tech stock options, aside. He wasn’t making a difference to something outside himself. That fact was killing him. He’d worked since he went to college—during the school year, holidays, summer breaks. He’d never let anything stop him from getting the job done.

  Until now.

  He returned to the bedroom to unpack. Something Buck’s pretty sister had interrupted. But Josiah hadn’t minded too much. Cookies and a hug went a long way, too.

  Josiah unfolded a red and blue plaid button-down shirt. Western-style like cowboys wore. He’d never seen this one. His assistant Tamara had packed his bags. She must have gone shopping. Most of his clothing no longer fit due to the weight he’d lost in the hospital. But why had Tamara assumed he needed cowboy duds for his stay? This place was out in the sticks, not some glorified television version of the sticks.

  He hung the shirt in the armoire. The shade of red reminded him of the Ellie’s apron.

  A hint of vanilla lingered in the air. He sniffed. Maybe he was imagining the scent, but the smell reminded him of Ellie. She’d felt warm and soft pressed against him with her arms around his neck. He’d liked that.

  For weeks, his only exposure to women had been ones trying to stick him with needles. No physical contact beyond a pat on the hand or helping him out of bed. Strictly professional.

  Not so today.

  Ellie’s hug came from her gratitude over a compliment. No ulterior motive, her way of saying thanks.

  Josiah removed a sweater from his suitcase. At least Tamara had included a few non-cowboy, casual pieces.

  Ellie had seemed as surprised by her actions as he was, but her impulsive gesture made him realize how much he missed physical contact. His doctor should have prescribed TLC, instead of exiling him to Montana. Josiah’s treatment plan had been lacking in the tender loving care department. That would explain why his body had reacted to a simple hug. His temperature had spiked. Blood had rushed where he didn’t want it to go. He’d wanted...more.

  Crazy.

  He didn’t know Ellie beyond a few vague memories from high school. She’d been a kid then, but if the woman today hadn’t backed out of the hug when she did, he might have kissed her.

  Buck’s little sister had grown up. An attractive and friendly woman had replaced the mousy and quiet girl.

  Josiah put boxer briefs and socks in the dresser drawer and then returned to his suitcase.

  His breath quickened. A pain throbbed in his chest.

  No way.

  He couldn’t finish unpacking without needing to rest. Punching something might make him feel better, but putting a hole in the wall or breaking furniture wouldn’t help his cause with Nate and the board.

  Josiah plopped onto the bed. He’d catch his breath and then finish unpacking. He reached into his pocket for his smartphone.

  Not there.

  Tension exploded at his temples. He’d never realized how much he relied on being connected with texts, email, social media, stock quotes, and news at his fingertips. He loved going online and seeing what games and software were being released. He might be a successful CEO, but he was still a programmer. He’d never stopped coding and beta testing his company’s products.

  He looked around the room.

  Sitting here with nothing to do but catch his breath sucked. He stretched out his legs, flexed his fingers, and
leaned back on his elbows.

  A ticking clock sounded in his head.

  The walls appeared closer.

  That was it.

  Forget unpacking. He could finish later. Right now he needed to get out of here. Staying in this room until dinnertime would only aggravate him more. He walked into the sitting room.

  People paid good money to vacation at the Bar V5. This wasn’t a half-baked, not quite functional place. There had to be more activities to do than staring at Christmas decorations. He grabbed his room key and left.

  The hallway was empty. He followed the L toward the entrance, his footsteps the only sound until he heard music.

  A Christmas song played. The cheerful tune about being home for the holidays grated on his nerves. There had to be another place besides his room that Santa’s elves hadn’t decorated. He’d settle for a horse stall.

  Unless they decorated those, too.

  Approaching the great room, Josiah heard a noise that wasn’t part of the annoying song. He peered around the corner. No one was in there, but the sound continued.

  Rustling. Branches, maybe.

  He took a closer look. What the...

  A pair of jean-clad legs wearing shoes stuck out from beneath the Christmas tree’s branches.

  A dead body?

  His chest tightened. He stood frozen, until he realized the person might not be dead. He rushed to the tree.

  The legs wiggled.

  Not dead. He released his breath. Okay, good, he hadn’t stumbled across a murder scene, but something from his childhood popped into his head—the board game Clue. Colonel Mustard wasn’t a guest and the ranch didn’t have a drawing room, but Josiah couldn’t help himself.

  “I suggest the crime was committed in the great room by Cowboy Nate with a snow globe.”

  “Say what?” a familiar sounding feminine voice asked.

  He’d met one female staff member—the cookie delivering, hugging housekeeper who ordered her clothes from S.Claus, not J.Crew. Finding Ellie under the tree did not surprise him.

  “Ever play Clue?” he asked.

  “A long time ago.”

  “You look like a murder victim under the tree, so I was making my first guess of the crime.”