Buffalo Valley

“I’ve got an appointment with Heath Quantrill first thing Wednesday morning,” Vaughn explained. “I’ll need to put together a business plan and look into financing. The Hendricksons recommended I start there.”

“Yes—Heath will give you good advice.” Some of the excitement left her as reality came rushing back. “Everything hinges on what happens with Value-X, doesn’t it?”

“True.” Vaughn gave her a lopsided smile. “But I have a good feeling about this.” As Hassie fought the emotion that threatened to overwhelm her, he added, “I want to invest in Buffalo Valley.”

Keeping the tears at bay was impossible now. “Why would you do such a thing?” she asked between sniffles. Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew a linen handkerchief and blew her nose. She must be getting old, because normally she wasn’t a woman prone to tears.

“I arrived in North Dakota thinking I knew exactly what I wanted and where I was headed,” Vaughn said, “but everything changed. I probably shouldn’t have said anything about my idea.” He frowned at his mother. “But now that it’s out, I’m glad you know.”

“God bless you,” Hassie whispered, stretching her arms toward Vaughn for a hug. Their embrace was warm. “If God had seen fit to give me a grandson, I would have wanted him to be just like you.”

“That’s a high compliment,” Vaughn said, sitting down again.

“I meant it to be,” Hassie told him. She rubbed her wet cheek with the back of her hand. “Look what you did,” she said. “It isn’t just anyone who can make this old lady weep.”

“Shame on you, son,” Rick teased, and they all smiled.

It took Hassie a few moments to compose herself.

“Look,” Barbara said, pointing outside, “it’s snowing.”

Sure enough, the flakes were falling thick and soft, creating a perfect Christmas scene. “This is the way I always dreamed Christmas would be,” Hassie whispered. “Surrounded by family—” she used the word purposely “—on a beautiful winter day.”

This was the best Christmas she’d had in many years, and all because of the Kyles—people who’d been brought into Hassie’s life by her son. Somehow she could picture Vaughn smiling down, wishing them a Merry Christmas.

Hassie had invited Carrie to join Vaughn and his parents for dessert on Christmas Day, and Carrie had yet to decide if she’d go. Vaughn’s confession about working for Value-X had shocked her. The fact that he’d come into town, gained her confidence and that of everyone else—so he could collect information for the company—had been a betrayal of trust and goodwill. He’d withheld the truth from her and she should be outraged. She was outraged.

All week Vaughn had listened to everyone’s objections to Value-X and said nothing. As she thought back on their numerous conversations, she realized how often he’d defended the company. At the time she’d assumed he was playing devil’s advocate. Now she knew otherwise. Carrie wasn’t sure what had happened to make him resign. Whatever it was, she was grateful. Still…

Trust was a basic issue with Carrie. Vaughn had betrayed her, Hassie and the entire town, and she couldn’t conveniently look the other way. Forgive and forget might work for others, but not for her.

She didn’t think Vaughn had told anyone else. Carrie hadn’t determined whether that was a good thing or not. She did know she had to hide this from Hassie, who would be heartbroken if she found out. If she didn’t show up at Hassie’s and then claimed she’d forgotten, Hassie would immediately conclude that something was wrong. Then she’d start asking questions. Questions Carrie didn’t want to answer. She could invent plausible excuses, but the problem was that Carrie did want to see Vaughn again, despite what he’d told her.

She needed to talk to him, needed to vent her feelings. The shock of his confession had robbed her of that chance. But finding a private time to speak with him today might prove difficult, if not impossible. In any event, she hadn’t given verbal shape to her emotions yet. Talking to him should probably wait, she rationalized.

“Where you going?” Ken asked, following her into the hallway as she gathered her coat, gloves and scarf.

“I bet she’s going off to see that new friend of hers,” Chuck teased.

“I’m going over to Hassie’s,” she informed her two younger brothers smugly.

“I suppose he’s there.”

How Pete knew that, Carrie could only guess. She shoved her arms into the silk-lined sleeves of her coat.

“He’s there, all right,” Tom said, leaning against the door jamb. “His car’s parked outside Hassie’s.”

Carrie ignored him and went to get her purse. She and Hassie had exchanged their gifts on Christmas Eve, but Carrie had borrowed a book on traditional remedies that she needed to return. She retrieved it from the bookcase.

“Will you guys leave me alone?” she cried. All four of her brothers were trailing her from room to room. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

Her brothers glanced at each other and shrugged, then Pete announced, “Not really.”

“Do you want to hear what we think of your new boyfriend?” Ken asked.

If they could be this obstinate, so could she. “No.”

Carrie headed for the front door. If her four guardian angels wanted to follow her into the cold and snow, that was their choice.

“I like him, Carrie,” Ken called after her.

“Me, too.” Tom crowded beside him in the doorway.

“He’s all right,” Pete concurred.

Chuck simply winked and gave her a thumbs-up. This had to be a record. Never before had she dated a man all four of her brothers approved of. Little did they know. She wondered what they’d say if they knew that, until recently, he’d been a Value-X employee. The answer didn’t bear considering. She couldn’t disillusion them any more than she could Hassie. Against her will, she’d been pulled into his subterfuge, and she hated it.

The snow was falling hard by the time Carrie reached Hassie’s house; she barely noticed.

Vaughn answered the door and surprised her by closing it after him as he stepped onto the porch. “Merry Christmas,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

As much as possible, she avoided looking at him.

“We need to talk, Carrie.”

“Here? Now?” She faked a short laugh. “I don’t think so, Vaughn.”

“Later, then?”

She nodded.

He sighed with unmistakable relief. “Thank you.”

She didn’t want to feel anything. She longed to ignore him, make a token visit and then be on her way. But it was too late for that. Her emotions were painfully confused; she wanted to kiss him and at the same time, she wanted to scream and rage and throw his betrayal in his face.

He pressed his hand to her cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.”

She’d intended to slap his hand away, but instead, her fingers curled around his, and she closed her eyes and leaned toward him. Then she was angry with herself for being weak and jerked back.

“Come in out of the cold,” Hassie called just as Vaughn opened the door and Carrie stepped inside. She took off her coat and tossed it onto the stair railing.

“Have you met my dad?” Vaughn asked, taking Carrie by the elbow and escorting her into the living room. He made the introductions.

“Pleased to meet you,” she said, hoping none of the stiffness she felt came through in her voice.

Hassie was on her way to the kitchen. “You’re just in time for pie.”

“I’ll help dish up,” Barbara said, following Hassie.

“Me, too,” Carrie offered, eager to escape Vaughn.

Barbara Kyle shook her head. “Well take care of it.”

The two older women disappeared, which meant that Carrie was left alone with Vaughn and his father. She would’ve preferred the women’s company and felt awkward alone with the two men. Vaughn was obviously eager to talk to her, and she was just as eager to avoid any conversation with him. Yes, there were things she needed to say; she wasn’t ready, though—not nearly ready. She glanced in his direction and he mouthed something, but she looked away.

“Hassie and Barb are trying to keep you and Vaughn together,” Rick confided to her frankly. Vaughn scowled fiercely. “So you may as well play along,” he advised. “Here, sit down, Carrie, and make yourself comfortable.”

She sat on the sofa and Vaughn joined her, sitting so close that their thighs brushed. In an effort to ignore him, she stared out the picture window.

“Isn’t it a lovely day?” she asked, making conversation with his father. “The snow—” A flash of color outside caught her attention. It was her younger brothers. Gasping, she leaped to her feet.

“What?” Vaughn asked, getting up, too.

“It’s Chuck and Ken,” she said, and pointed at the window. Sure enough, they were outside—in an old-fashioned sleigh pulled by two draft horses.

“That’s my great-great-grandfather’s sleigh,” Carrie explained. “He used it to deliver the mail. Dad and Mr. McKenna have been fixing it up. It’s been in the barn for the last hundred years.”

“That sleigh looks like something straight out of a Christmas movie,” Vaughn’s father remarked, standing by the window. “Whose horses are they?”

“I think they belong to a friend of Pete’s,” Carrie said.

Despite her mood, she giggled. Her brothers must have planned this all along. How they’d managed to keep it a secret she could only guess.

The doorbell chimed, and when Hassie answered it, she found Chuck grinning down at her.

“Anyone here interested in a sleigh ride?” he asked, looking around Hassie to where Carrie and Vaughn stood. “There’s room for five.”

“I’m game,” Rick said. “Come on, Barb.”

“Hassie?” Vaughn turned to their hostess.

She seemed about to refuse, then smiled broadly and said, “Don’t mind if I do.”

Vaughn helped Hassie on with her coat and made sure her boots were tightly laced before they ventured outside. Carrie tried not to be affected by the tenderness he displayed toward Hassie, especially when he bent down on one knee to lace her boots. There was nothing condescending in his action, only affection and concern. Meanwhile, Rick held Carrie’s coat for her and then Barbara’s. By the time they left the house, the old sleigh, pulled by twin chestnut geldings, had attracted quite a bit of attention from the neighborhood. The horses were festively decked out in harnesses decorated with jangling bells.

Barbara, Rick and Hassie sat in the back seat, which fortunately was nicely padded. Once they were settled, Ken handed them a blanket to place over their laps. Carrie and Vaughn took the front seat, which was narrower and made of wood, forcing them close together.

Chuck and Ken walked in front of the horses, leading them down the unfamiliar street.