As November progressed, Anna planned a special Thanksgiving meal for her cowboys. The men had all been on the lookout for wild turkeys for the dinner, but the only thing they found was a herd of deer. So Anna killed a few chickens and served roast chicken and smoked venison with truffle gravy. Since Thanksgiving was an American holiday, she skipped the tacos and made traditional Thanksgiving foods, like sweet potato casserole, bread pudding, cranberry sauce, apple pie, and even plum pudding that she brought flaming to the table amidst a round of cheers from the men.
The memory of that happy occasion brought a smile to Anna’s lips as she scrubbed bed sheets in the kitchen one cold December day. Today was laundry day for the family’s clothing, but it was also the monthly day she washed the linens from the beds in the main house. Mr. O’Brien slept in the large bedroom on the first floor, while Jacob, Aunt Lola, and Anna each used a room on the second floor. With Aunt Lola doing most of the housework, Anna was thankful she rarely had to venture into the O’Brien men’s rooms. The rest of the cowpunchers, including Edward, slept in the bunkhouse and were responsible for their own washing. She had a feeling their bedding was not laundered once a month, if ever. Maybe she should offer her services.
Anna added some extra elbow grease as she scrubbed a large stain on Jacob’s shirt. She studied the spot. Was that turpentine or carbolic acid? How in the world had he gotten the stuff on the back of his shirt?
So many emotions flooded her when she washed this man’s clothes. She hated to immerse them in the water that would remove the smell she had come to associate with him, a mixture of man and sweat and horse and cow all wrapped into one very masculine scent. And sometimes a few stronger odors added in for good measure. Anna bit her lip to stop a grin.
She performed a very wifely duty for this man by washing, drying, and folding each of his garments. Her stomach tingled. Of course, she was performing the same service for his father and aunt, but there was something different about handling the clothing that had touched Jacob’s person.
Ginny’s words came back to her. Did Jacob have any feelings for her? Or was Ginny’s reaction just female imaginings? He still did her early chores and stopped in for coffee every morning. Anna treasured those times and tucked them away to remember throughout the day. Sometimes they would talk about the cattle, or the men, or of the latest news from town. And sometimes they would not talk, and Jacob would simply watch her prepare breakfast and pack lunches for the men. Anna’s respect for him grew daily as she observed his wisdom and the deep faith that penetrated everything he did.
Anna sat back from scrubbing and stared down at the shirt in her hands. Was it more than respect she held for Jacob? He certainly made her stomach flutter when he turned those sky-blue eyes on her. Yes, it would be fair to say she was infatuated with him, although she’d worked hard to keep feelings of that nature at bay. He was her employer, and this was a good home for Edward and for her. It was important she not mess this up. Jacob seemed to enjoy her company, but that wasn’t too surprising since he didn’t have much opportunity to spend time around female company. The kind he wasn’t related to, that is. Of course, he didn’t pay much attention to any of the single ladies at church on Sunday. Anna sighed. She wasn’t likely to find answers by studying the buttons on his shirt, and it didn’t really bear thinking about.
She set aside that shirt and reached for another at the same time she reached for a new question. Hopefully one for which she could actually find an answer. What am I going to give for Christmas presents this year? This would be their first year without Papa or their home in Columbia, and it probably wouldn’t be easy for Edward. She fought back the ache that rushed her spirit. She couldn’t focus on the circumstances. Her focus had to be on making this special for Edward. And for their new friends. She planned to add as much festivity as possible to the occasion by putting together a small gift for each of the men and Aunt Lola. But what should she give? She could use a bit of money from her earnings, but that money was precious. It was for their future.
As Anna finished scrubbing the next shirt, her mind ran through various gift ideas. But everything was either too expensive or too intricate to make them all before Christmas day, just two weeks away. As she picked up the next item in the basket, one of Mr. O’Brien’s bandannas, she examined it for stains. The cloth was frayed around the edges. And that gave her an idea…
* * *
Christmas Day dawned clear and cold, and Jacob sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee as the sun rose through the small window. Anna was in her element, already scurrying about the kitchen, peeling potatoes, steaming the plum pudding, and rolling out pastry dough for the pies.
“You’re gonna wear a hole in the floor if you keep flyin’ around the kitchen like that.”
She glanced up with a nervous smile. Then her face turned to a questioning look as she sniffed the air. “My casseroles,” she gasped, spinning around to the oven. Grasping a corner of her apron in each hand, she jerked open the oven door and peered in at the two huge pans full of bubbling yellow something. A wave of tantalizing smells drifted over to Jacob. The aroma was more than he could resist, pulling him to his feet and toward the root of the fragrance.
He peered over her shoulder as Anna set the first pan on a warming pad. “Mmmm… I hope you’re not planning to make us wait ’til Christmas dinner to eat those.”
She shot him a teasing grin as she moved back to the oven to remove the second pan. “Papa always told me good things come to those who wait.”
Something about Anna’s words drew his gaze to her lips, which formed a cute little pout while she focused on the casseroles. Protruding like that, their smooth surface was flawless. How warm and soft would they feel if he lowered his mouth to hers? He jerked his eyes away to outside the window. That rabbit trail was sure to lead toward trouble. His concentration needed to stay with the ranch and the cattle. Getting mixed up with a female was sure to be a distraction. With the talk of cattle thieves in the area, now was definitely not the time to let his attention wander.
Jacob turned back to Anna. She sprinkled loose cheese on the casseroles then stepped back to eye them. She looked so cute with her forehead puckered in concentration.
“Can I help with something?”
Anna glanced up at him as if she just realized he were still in the room. He wished he could forget her presence that easily.
“Would you mind carrying these casseroles into the dining room and set them on the table?”
As he moved forward to lift the first pan, an idea struck him and he turned to the woman. “Anna?”
“Yes?” She looked up from the bread dough she was kneading, a hint of white dust on her cheek making his gut tighten a little.
“I was thinking of going for a ride down to the river after dinner today. If you don’t have any plans, I’d be glad for you to come along.” He cleared his throat. Why did he feel more nervous than a wrangler breaking a new horse?
Her eyes widened and her brows rose. Was that excitement? “I’d love to. I’m afraid it might take me an hour or two to get things cleaned up from the meal, but I’ll be ready as soon as I can, if you don’t mind waiting for me.” Her eyes dipped back to the dough oozing between her tightly-squeezed fingers. “Of course, if you’d rather not wait, I understand.”
Reaching forward to brush the white smear from her cheek, he couldn’t help his answer. “Someone once told me good things come to those who wait.”
With a chuckle at the red creeping into her face, Jacob picked up a casserole and headed toward the dining room, his mood lighter than it had been in a long time. It was going to be a good Christmas, after all.
* * *
The meal turned out to be everything Anna had hoped for. She’d managed not to burn anything, and the men offered their usual compliments on her talent with flavorings. Jacob seemed to especially like the yeast rolls smothered with warm apple butter, and she made a mental note of his choice.
As they dug into dessert, the men discussed their plans for the afternoon, including a rousing checkers competition. Anna grinned as Edward promised to “take home the pot quicker than any of ya can count the checkers ya lose.” He was sounding more and more like a cowboy.
“Well, Little Brother,” Jacob announced, using the nickname the boys had assigned to Edward, “I reckon you’ll get your chance to prove it right after you and Bo finish cleanin’ up the kitchen.” Anna turned to Jacob, her mouth dropping open. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Edward and Bo did the same.
“Clean the kitchen?” Edward’s voice cracked a bit, probably from disbelief. He would never disobey an order from Jacob, but she had to admit the assignment surprised her as well. Most cowboys considered work in the house to be beneath them.
“Yep, I reckon’ your sister deserves the afternoon off since it’s Christmas and all.”
Edward’s head bobbed in assent, even as his eyes dropped down to the custard on his plate. Disappointment shrouded his features.
But her heart leapt at the idea of not having to scrub pans after the meal. Maybe a little Christmas spirit could lighten his mood.
“Well,” Anna said, as she rose. She picked up a stack of small parcels from the sideboard, each wrapped in brown paper and tied with red ribbon. “I have a little something for each of you to celebrate the day.”
She moved around the table, handing out packages according to the name she had inscribed next to the ribbon on each. “It’s not much, but I wanted you to have a little something special. You’ve all come to mean so much to Edward and me over the last few months.”
Aunt Lola patted her hand as Anna placed the little bundle into the older woman’s grip.
“You’re a special one, Anna Stewart. I think we’re gonna keep you around.”
Anna squeezed the older woman’s hand, emotion clogging her throat at the tears that glimmered in the dark blue eyes.
When she made it back to her seat, Anna glanced around. The men looked expectantly at her. “Well, open them.” She almost laughed at the way they tore into the paper. These rough cowboys were just overgrown boys after all.
Anna peeked over at Jacob to catch his expression as he peeled the paper from the blue flannel bandanna, the same color as his sky blue eyes. He fingered the soft cloth and rubbed his thumb across the letters JOB she had so painstakingly embroidered. Why had she given him such a silly gift? What did a cowboy care about a piece of cloth? He wouldn’t know she had gone to two different stores to find flannel just the right color and had redone the stitches three times so the letters in his initials would be perfectly angled. When he looked up, though, Anna didn’t see scorn in his eyes, only appreciation…and something else.
“It’s not much.” she whispered, almost afraid to speak as the intensity of his gaze deepened.
“It’s perfect.” A smile played on his lips. Yes, perfect.
The “Thank you’s” and “Muchas gracias, Seniorita’s” tore Anna’s attention away from Jacob as she settled into the warm spirit of Christmas giving.
The next round of gifts came from Mr. O’Brien and included a bag of peppermint sticks and a five-dollar gold piece for each of them. Anna flashed him an appreciative smile. Gold pieces were not easy to come by since the War, especially in the Southern states.
After the meal, Jacob held Anna’s chair while she stood then touched her elbow as he leaned forward to speak softly in her ear. “If you’re ready, I’ll saddle the horses while you get your coat.”
Anna nodded, not meeting his eyes. “I’ll be right back.”
As she hurried upstairs to gather her cloak and gloves, a tickle built in her stomach.
In the front yard a few minutes later, Anna rested her left boot in Jacob’s cupped hands and he boosted her onto Bandita’s back. As she settled the reins in her gloved hands, a motion on the front porch caught her eye.
Monty settled in a rocking chair and eyed them with a speculative grin. “You two checkin’ on the cattle or just headin’ out to enjoy the warm weather?” he asked in a teasing Mexican accent.
Heat rushed up her neck, but Jacob didn’t seem a bit embarrassed by the remark. “We’re tired of hanging around a bunch of grubby cowpokes and thought we’d get some fresh air.” Mounting his own horse, Jacob called over his shoulder, “Good luck in the checker match, amigo.” Then he motioned for Anna to precede him, and they started off. Monty’s deep chuckle drifted after them.