She had taken away his contentment, but he knew that was his own fault, not hers. Nothing suited him anymore. He was bored with reading, bored with woodcarving, bored with work. Bored with life. He found himself short-tempered and irritable, barely able to stand his own company. If the phone rang, he let the answering machine pick up. The fact that it was close to Christmas meant there were a few more calls than usual, none of which he’d returned, except for Sarah’s.

  He’d assured his sister that he would join the family Christmas Day, but last week he’d called and canceled, offering a hastily concocted excuse about a sick calf. To his surprise, Sarah hadn’t raised much of an objection, but he suspected his sister had other problems on her mind.

  Although he didn’t have an appetite, Jeb opened a can of beef hash and fried that up with a couple of eggs for dinner. He was washing the pan and gazing out the kitchen window when he noticed headlights approaching. He didn’t get much company, especially at night.

  Stepping onto the porch, he recognized his father’s truck. Jeb frowned and wondered if something was wrong. His father hardly ever visited the ranch. He was almost as much a homebody as Jeb; at least Jeb could say he’d come by that trait honestly.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked as he opened the door for his father, who carried in a bag of wrapped gifts.

  “Merry Christmas to you, too,” Joshua barked.

  “Everything’s all right, isn’t it?”

  “Far as I know. Hope you’ve got a pot of coffee on—it’s colder’n a witch’s tit out there.” He set the bag aside, then pulled off his gloves, rubbing his hands vigorously before he removed his jacket.

  Despite his mood, Jeb grinned as he reached for a clean mug and filled it for him.

  Joshua walked into the living room and made himself comfortable, sinking down in the recliner next to the fireplace. “Sarah said you’d decided not to come over on Christmas Day.”

  That explained the bag of gifts. “I’ve got a sick calf I need to keep my eye on,” he murmured, the excuse sounding even weaker than it had originally.

  “No hope of this calf recovering by next week, is there?”

  “Doesn’t look that way,” Jeb said, uncomfortable with the lie. “But if it means that much to you, I’ll make the effort to be there,” he offered.

  Joshua mulled that over. “I’d like you to be with your family, but I’d like it a whole lot better if that was where you wanted to be.”

  It wasn’t, and that was what he told his father.

  Joshua accepted the news without emotion. “Fine, then. Don’t come. I didn’t really expect you to. The gifts are from Sarah and Calla, and there’s a little something from me.”

  “I have your gift and a couple of things for Sarah and Calla to take back with you.”

  His father nodded, and there was a silence. Neither seemed to know what else to say.

  “I wish you could see the town,” Joshua said after a moment, glancing around Jeb’s living room. His look said he’d noticed there was no tree. No lights, no decorations, nothing. “Hassie’s got the pharmacy all spiffed up with those icicle lights around the windows. Sarah’s shop looks pretty Christmassy, too. She hung a red-and-green quilt in one window and had Calla paint a winter scene in the other. Kid did a good job of it. But the real show is over at Maddy’s Grocery.”

  “Maddy,” he said, before he could stop himself.

  “Yeah, she finally got the sign changed. Everyone was impressed with the Halloween decorations, but she outdid herself this time. She actually has eight reindeer suspended from the ceiling, with a half a sleigh coming out of the wall. It’s quite the sight.”

  Jeb said nothing, picturing the scene in his mind. When he looked over at his father, he noticed that Joshua was carefully studying him.

  “What?” Jeb demanded irritably.

  “It’s none of my business what happened between you and Maddy during that blizzard—”

  “You’re right, it isn’t.”

  “But—”

  “There’s no buts with this, Dad. What happened is between us and no one else.” The subject of Maddy was closed, as far as Jeb was concerned.

  “I had a chance to talk to her recently,” Joshua continued, as if Jeb hadn’t spoken. “I liked her,” he said, nodding. “Both the Loomis twins are in love with her.” He paused to chuckle. “Never seen anything like it. They’d walk over a bed of nails if she asked ’em to. Used to be real hellions. Now they’re gentle as lambs, especially with Maddy.”

  Jeb could well understand that. Not so long ago, he’d fallen under Maddy’s spell himself. For a brief time, she’d made him believe in love and family. He’d started dreaming again, thinking about the future, convinced they could make a life together. For a couple of days after she’d returned to town, he’d clung to that idea. But all too soon reality intruded and he’d realized marriage to Maddy was a hopeless fantasy.

  “Her mother’s coming to spend Christmas with her.”

  Jeb kept quiet because he’d wondered if she’d be heading back to Savannah for the holidays. He couldn’t blame her if she did. It was bound to be a helluva lot warmer than Buffalo Valley.

  “Maddy sounded real pleased about having her mother see the store and all. She’s taking her to the school play. You should see it yourself—it’ll be even better than last year.”

  Jeb nodded and changed the subject. “How are Sarah and Calla?”

  His father sipped his coffee and glanced away. “They seem to be all right.”

  “Really?”

  “Okay, not so good,” Joshua admitted.

  “What’s the problem?”

  Joshua shrugged. “Calla got a letter from her father. I haven’t read it, and neither has Sarah, but the kid’s had a bad attitude toward Sarah ever since. Worse than her usual sass. Her mother can’t do anything right, in Calla’s opinion. She’s fifteen, going on two. Sarah’s tried hard to get Calla to talk to her, but the kid won’t.” He hesitated, shaking his head. “Calla’s not the only worry Sarah has, either.”

  “Problems with her business?”

  “No,” Joshua told him. “In fact, she’s sold fifteen quilts this last month alone. Business is booming, thanks to some furniture store Lindsay hooked her up with in Georgia.”

  “That’s terrific. So what’s the problem?”

  His father stared into his coffee for a moment. “Dennis is dating someone else and it’s eating her alive.”

  “Dennis is dating someone?” This was news to Jeb. It surprised him that his friend hadn’t mentioned it. They spoke fairly often; Dennis stopped by once or twice a month when he made his gas deliveries. Jeb talked to him more than anyone else and considered Dennis as much a brother as a friend.

  “It serves her right,” Jeb murmured. He couldn’t blame Dennis and had often admired him for his loving patience with Sarah. Dennis hardly ever spoke of his relationship with her, but Jeb knew how frustrated he’d been the past few months. Dennis wanted to marry her, but he couldn’t wait forever.

  “Sarah’s kept him dangling for three years now,” Joshua said, grimacing.

  “What does she expect?” Jeb cried, angry at his sister. He didn’t understand why she kept turning down Dennis’s proposals.

  “She’s taking it pretty hard.”

  That made no sense to Jeb, either, seeing that she had the power to change the situation with one word. Dennis loved her, and Sarah knew it.

  “I found her sitting in the dark last night. Must’ve been around three in the morning. I asked her what she was doing up and she told me she hadn’t gone to bed yet.”

  Poor Sarah. Jeb wished he knew what the hell was wrong.

  “Who’s Dennis seeing?” he asked.

  “Dennis…” His father cleared his throat, the color rising in his face. “Dennis is seeing, uh, Maddy Washburn.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Maddy had been looking forward to her mother’s visit for weeks. They’d always been close, even though their personalities were very alike. Cynthia Washburn was as outgoing and friendly as her daughter and tended to say what she thought without qualms. Maddy liked to think she’d gained a little more discretion than her mother, but Lindsay would be quick to tell her that was debatable.

  Maddy and her mother spent Christmas morning together, then joined Hassie Knight for dinner. The day had been quiet and restful.

  While her mother readied for bed, Maddy sat in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames, her flannel gown covering her bent knees, her chin resting there. She still needed to tell her mother about the pregnancy and she didn’t know how. It wasn’t like she could announce it with a lot of fanfare.

  “I can always tell when there’s something on your mind,” her mother said, choosing the chair closest to the fireplace. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

  Maddy continued staring into the small fire. She’d delayed long enough. She’d planned to divulge the pregnancy as soon as her mother arrived, then discovered she couldn’t.

  “Is it Buffalo Valley? Are you sorry you made such a drastic move?” Cynthia prodded.

  “Oh, no! I really do love it here. I know it sounds crazy but I feel like I had to move all this way to find my home.”

  She hadn’t intended to be so blunt and saw the hurt flash into her mother’s eyes.

  “No, Mom, that’s not what I meant. It’s got nothing to do with how I feel about you and Daddy—even though I’m still really mad at him.” True, her childhood sense of home had been destroyed by the divorce. It still seemed impossible that her father could have married a woman only a little older than Maddy. But there was more to it than that. She’d discovered home also meant a community you could belong to, be part of. “I think I’m a small-town girl at heart,” she said lightly.

  “I can see you’re having a lot of fun with the store,” her mother said, apparently mollified.

  Maddy felt the changes she’d made in her life were the right ones. Although she put in long hours at the store, she still spent less time working than she had as a social worker. And that had been a job she could never escape, even in sleep; her cases, especially the children, regularly invaded her dreams. That happened less and less now.

  “You seem to be doing good business.”

  “I am. Profits are almost half again what I was led to expect.” The Hansens had tried to make the venture look financially sound, but even a cursory study of the numbers had revealed that they’d barely hung on for years.

  She was trying to revive interest in shopping locally and thereby increase her customer base; that was one of the reasons she’d decided to add a delivery service. She wanted to encourage the county’s farmers and ranchers to return to Buffalo Valley for their supplies. She’d worked hard to give people reasons to come into her place and spend their food dollars there, rather than in one of the fancy chain stores in Grand Forks or Devils Lake.

  “So it isn’t the store?”

  “No.” Reaching deep inside herself, she looked at her mother. “I have good news and bad news.”

  “All right,” Cynthia Washburn said. “Give me the good news first.”

  “I’ve fallen in love.”

  “Maddy,” her mother cried excitedly. “That’s wonderful…fantastic! It’s—”

  “The bad news,” she continued before her mother could get too ecstatic, “is that the man in question doesn’t feel the same way about me. He…he told me he doesn’t want me in his life.” She took a moment to compose herself, then added, “But he did give me one thing for which I’ll always be grateful.”

  Cynthia placed one hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

  Despite everything, Maddy managed to smile. “Mom, I’m pregnant.”

  Her mother stared at her. “You’re…pregnant?”

  Maddy nodded, fighting back tears. She’d grown so emotional lately, her moods swinging from one extreme to another. It didn’t help that her mother was struggling not to cry.

  “Oh, Maddy.”

  “It’s all right, Mom, really it is.”

  “Oh, but, Maddy, you…you have no idea how difficult it is being a single mother. A child needs a father—”

  “He’s already said he doesn’t want to be part of my life.” She hadn’t told Jeb about the baby, couldn’t see the point. He’d made his views painfully clear. A pregnancy wouldn’t change how he felt or thought about himself, and that was the crux of the problem. He saw himself as a cripple, and remained trapped in the bitterness of the accident. Anyway, he’d know about the baby eventually. It wasn’t as though Maddy could hide the pregnancy. The news of her condition would be out soon enough.

  “You really love this man?”

  Maddy nodded. Jeb had rejected her, but her feelings for him hadn’t changed.

  “When he learns about the baby, don’t you think he’ll want to marry you?”

  Maddy had given a lot of thought to what Jeb’s reaction would be. She figured there was a good chance he’d do exactly what her mother had guessed. He’d propose. Out of obligation, but not out of love. “If he does suggest getting married, I’ll refuse.”

  “But why… Maddy, think this over carefully—for your baby’s sake.”

  Maddy hugged her mother, knowing her news had come as a shock and a disappointment. “Mom, everything’s going to work out fine. But I won’t marry a man who doesn’t love me. One of the greatest gifts a father can give his child is love for the mother.”

  Announcing her pregnancy at the end of Christmas Day probably hadn’t been the best idea, but Maddy just couldn’t tell her mother earlier. She’d tried, she really had….

  Fear and doubts had darkened her days. So many doubts. But she’d grown accustomed to the realization that by the end of August, she’d be a mother. It helped that Lindsay was pregnant, too. They’d done so much together in their lives, Maddy found comfort in the fact that they would become mothers within a month of each other.

  Once her own mother got over the shock of this pregnancy, she would share Maddy’s excitement. From books she’d ordered over the Internet, Maddy had read extensively about pregnancy and birth. Her diet had never been healthier, and despite her circumstances, she was happy. Her mother was right; the situation was far from ideal, but she intended to make the best of it.

  Dennis Urlacher was her first customer when Maddy opened the store the following morning. Her mother was still getting dressed; she’d made them a traditional family breakfast reserved for Sundays and special occasions—a cheesy, oven-baked omelette. They’d had a leisurely meal. Conversation had been pleasant but hadn’t touched on last night’s news. Which was fine… Maddy expected this to be a relaxed, easy day, perfect after the hectic few days before Christmas. The Loomis twins were scheduled to work that afternoon, and Maddy was going to take her mother along on her delivery rounds.

  “Morning.” Maddy greeted Dennis when he walked in. “How was your Christmas?”

  “Good,” Dennis told her absently. He reached for a cart and started down the first aisle. They’d gone out to dinner a couple of times, but she would describe herself as more a sounding board than a real date. Dennis loved Sarah Stern. He never talked about what had happened between them, just as she didn’t talk about Jeb. They were two lonely people seeking companionship.

  Maddy knew there’d already been some gossip about her and Dennis, but accepted that as part of living in a small town. In time, people would see that they were nothing more than friends.

  “Can I help you with anything?” Maddy’s mother asked her, coming into the store. She wore a long-sleeved wool shirt, the sleeves rolled up, and blue jeans.

  “Would you like to put price stickers on the canned goods?”

  “Sure.” Quite a change from her job as city editor at Savannah’s major newspaper, Maddy thought with a grin. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be lifting anything,” her mother went on, sounding serious.

  “I don’t, Mom, so there’s no need to worry.” As if either of the Loomis twins would allow her to carry anything heavier than a candy bar! Those two treated her like royalty, sometimes arguing over who would do what, particularly when she made a request. As soon as they graduated in June, she hoped to be bringing in enough income to hire them both permanently. They made everything so much easier for her, and with the baby she’d need the extra help.

  Dennis approached the check-out stand and unloaded his groceries, including his standard peanut butter and instant coffee. It was peanut butter that had led to his inviting her out that first time.

  She’d asked if he ate anything else and Dennis had claimed he would if he had someone to eat with him. Then, shyly and quite endearingly, he’d suggested she join him for dinner one night. Maddy had readily agreed.

  “Mom, this is Dennis Urlacher,” Maddy said, eager for her mother to meet her friends. She accepted the cash, then bagged his purchases.

  “Hello, Dennis.” Her mother raised the sticker gun in a wave.

  “It’s a pleasure, Mrs. Washburn,” Dennis said with a polite nod.

  “Mrs.,” Cynthia repeated. “Oh my, it’s years since anyone called me that.”

  “Just accept it, Mom,” Maddy advised. “No one goes by Ms. here. Lindsay tried last year and finally gave up.”

  “How long will you be in town?” Dennis asked, seemingly amused by the exchange.

  “Until Saturday morning. I can’t believe how quickly the time’s going.”

  “Enjoy your stay, Mrs. Washburn—I mean, Ms. Washburn.”

  “You can call me whatever makes you comfortable, Dennis,” her mother told him with a warm smile. That warmth changed suddenly to speculation as Cynthia glanced between Maddy and Dennis.