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“Boss,” Mike called Ryan. “There’s an older gentleman walking around the construction site. I figured maybe he wants to buy a house, ‘cause he doesn’t look like one in the construction business.”
Ryan pocketed his measuring tape and sighed. Being interrupted frequently like this, he’d never get the deck size written down. Outside, a stranger was walking slowly toward the end of the cul-de-sac where the construction team was wrapping up the work at the foundation. Ryan ran after him and was surprised to discover who the unexpected visitor was.
“Judge Moore, you are the last person I thought to meet here. What brings you to my development? Do you intend to buy a house?” he asked tongue in cheek as the judge had confessed when they’d met that he was never going to leave Denver.
The judge smiled good-naturedly. “Could be. Indeed, the view from here is breathtaking. Some people pay a ton of money for a spot of waterview when this whole prairie opening in front of your eyes and bordered in the far distance by mountains, is without compare.”
“You should see the sunset from here. It’s spectacular.”
“Well, I might buy this house for my daughter.”
Ryan looked at him confused. “Polly has a house.”
“I was talking about Olivia. If she’s set to stay in Laramie for a longer time, then she needs a house.”
“Yes, of course. I’ve forgotten. It’s all for Olivia. All the time,” Ryan said.
The older man was not used to being judged it seemed. “What do you mean?” he asked affronted.
“I mean that both you and Mrs. Moore have always favored your younger daughter and Polly didn’t matter. I’m sorry if I sound judgmental, but I don’t like parents who prefer one child to the detriment of the other. Personal experience.”
“I see. Perhaps it looked this way, but ever since Polly was born, she was determined to do what she considered right or necessary. Olivia needed a little push. She was always cautiously hesitant. That required more attention to her from our part,” the judge told him.
“It is an explanation I suppose,” Ryan said unconvinced.
The older man turned to study him. “You’re the one to preach. I don’t see you eager to marry Polly and to give me grandchildren. And don’t give me that nonsense of being just friends. When a man and a woman, unrelated and unattached, are just friends, then there is something wrong.” He waved Ryan’s protesting gesture and continued on the same tone he used in court to admonish the ones brought in front of him. “I told you. I understand. Polly is not material for a man’s dream. Don’t worry. There is always Ernest, the dentist. He will come and make good on his promise. He’ll marry Polly.”
“You’ll sell Polly to a dentist, old and decrepit?” Ryan asked outraged.
“Ernest is not old and decrepit,” the judge contradicted him. “His golf game is better than mine, and that says a lot. As for selling her – are you kidding? Who do you think will pay me for her? No one, I tell you. On the contrary. I have to pay to see her married. For a long time, Ernest has coveted to be a member of the Country Club. It’s a very selective one and new members are not accepted unless they have a recommendation letter from one of the first members. I promised Ernest to give him one if he marries Polly.”
“But that’s outrageous,” Ryan sputtered barely containing his anger. “Polly is an angel. She deserves to be loved. This old goat doesn’t even have the decency to at least pretend.” An image of Polly came to his mind. With her doe-like eyes just as she was, honest and without pretensions in her pajamas and with no make-up or paint. “She’s so sweet, warm and cuddly,” he said.
“Warm and cuddly,” the judge repeated in a flat tone. He shook his head. “That’s not good. Not good at all.”
“Why not?”
“Warm and cuddly is a plush teddy bear. A woman should be attractive and sexy.”
An image of Polly looking at him sideways, blowing an errand strand of hair that had slipped from the knot on top of her head, floated in front of Ryan’s eyes. Of course she was sexy. Were all the men blind? She was one of the most attractive women that he’d met. Certainly sexier and more attractive than her icy beautiful sister. And he’d been blind like the rest of the men, unwilling to admit that Polly’s beauty was subtle, like a shy flower waiting to unfurl the petals to reveal all her hidden beauty.
Hoping it was not too late, he turned to walk away.
“Wait, where are you going?” the judge asked after him.
“To see Polly.”
The judge smiled to himself satisfied. “The Country Club offer stands don’t forget. For whoever is first,” he shouted some more, although Ryan was already at the other end of the cul-de-sac, near the model home. “Mike, take over,” he told the electrician who wondered who was the older gent and what did he tell their boss to get him so agitated.
At Polly’s house, Ryan pushed the bell button impatiently.
She opened the door looking at him with infinite sadness and regret. “Oh, Ryan, why did you come?” She was dressed again in jeans and a pink t-shirt.
“Where are your pajamas?”
“Gone,” she answered on the verge of tears. “Mama said they’re good for rags only, not to wear.”
“Why did you let her?”
“What’s the point fighting?”
He hated the defeat in her eyes. His Polly always had a sparkle of light, of hope. She was never discouraged no matter the hurdles in her path. “Go get them. They happen to be my favorite.”
He entered and closed the door behind him.
“Why did you come?” she repeated the question.
“Because I couldn’t stay away.” And he proceeded to show her why by taking his time to spread butterfly kisses on her face and closed eyes. She smelled so good, so enticing that Ryan had trouble taking it slow.
“Why, I swear... “ They were interrupted by the mother, who stopped several feet away, with her hand covering her mouth and her eyes round with surprise. “I thought Harry said you loved our younger daughter.” Near her, Maurice, probably escaped from the laundry room, skidded to a halt. Seeing Ryan he barked loudly his displeasure.
“The Judge and I had an understanding,” Ryan answered, wondering how to get rid of her faster.
“Ah, you’re interested in a Country Club membership too,” she said nodding her approval. Then she grabbed Maurice’s collar and dragged him away, showing the ornery animal who was the master.
“Are you interested in being a member of that snobbish club? Really?” Polly asked him, not knowing what to believe.
“Do I look like one? First, I’m not moving to Denver anytime soon. We have golf clubs here too if I were in the mood. But not a fancy, snobbish club. Besides, I’m a simple, country boy at heart, like Gideon. I was born on a ranch and if I need some physical exercise and fresh air, I go to my brother’s ranch and ride a horse as far as I can see. That’s relaxation to me. Are you disappointed?”
“No. Why should I be?” She said looking at him from under her eyelashes in such a sexy way that Ryan thought his blood would start boiling. “Why did you come?” she repeated the question.
“Because I love you to distraction, Polly girl. You and only you. I’m no prize. As you know, at twenty I ran away with my older brother’s fiancée. Nothing can excuse this. Not that I was a confused young man, or that in time it was best for him to be rid of her, not that she was a cheating woman , more mature than me and partly it was her fault. Nothing. I am and always be guilty. But I like to believe that I changed and I’m a much better man now. I can assure you that if you put your trust in me, I’ll never disappoint you. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy. I’m sorry I don’t have a ring, but I had to tell you how I feel.”
“Oh, Ryan, are you sure...” Her doubt that no man could honestly love her was his undoing.
“If I hear one more time the question why I love you instead of the cold, moody Olivia, I’ll go crazy.” He took her chin and raised her face. “Look at me. I love you. But if you don’t return my feelings, I understand.”
Her look softened and her eyes were moist. “Don’t you know? I’ve loved you from the first moment I saw you in Olivia’s office. As the French say, it was a ‘coup de foudre’.”
“I don’t know what that means, but the French are masters in the art of love so I’m sure it must be a positive thing.”
The doorbell rang and sighing, regretting the new interruption, Ryan opened the door. A middle-aged man, dressed in a suit with a stiff shirt and checkered tie smiled at him showing a raw of too bright, unnaturally white, fake teeth. If the traveling salesmen were not a long disappeared specie, he could have been a perfect example of them.
“Who the heck are you?” Ryan asked him.
Not losing a fraction of the smile the newcomer tried to look beyond Ryan’s shoulder into the room. “I’m Dr. Ernest Minor, the dentist.”
“You?” Ryan exclaimed, aware how timely his talking to Polly had been.
“Do you know me?”
“I know of you and I also know that you’ll turn right back where you came from.”
Unfazed that his reception was less than polite or friendly, the dentist widened his smile, showing off his fake teeth. Polly pushed Ryan slightly to the side to talk to the man. No reason not to be polite, especially when her heart felt so full with happiness, she could burst. “Ernest, come in.”
“Sure. But who is he?” the dentist wanted to know.
“This is my fiancé, Ryan Calhoun. Come in,” she invited him again, and walked inside assuming the dentist would follow.
For the first time, the fake smile diminished and the dentist frowned at Ryan. Ryan bent closer and whispered some words to him. The dentist brightened and turning on his heel walked away.
Chuckling, Ryan closed the door behind him and joined Polly in the living room.
“Where is Ernest?” she asked.
“He remembered that he’s wanted somewhere else right away.”
“Ryan,” she admonished him. “What did you tell him to chase him away?”
“Only that if he vanishes in one second, I’ll gift him the membership in the Country Club.” And he kissed the tip of her nose fondly. Lord, how much he loved her, he thought before the kiss deepened in a more passionate embrace.
* * *
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Please keep reading for an excerpt from Christmas At The Ranch, a sweet story from the White Christmas Dream series, available now.