Christmas at the Harvey Ranch

  Rancher’s Family Christmas

  Cowboy’s Christmas Return

  Cowboy’s Christmas Homecoming

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  RELAY PUBLISHING EDITION, NOVEMBER 2021

  Copyright © 2021 Relay Publishing Ltd.

  All rights reserved. Published in the United Kingdom by Relay Publishing. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Leslie North is a pen name created by Relay Publishing for co-authored Romance projects. Relay Publishing works with incredible teams of writers and editors to collaboratively create the very best stories for our readers.

  Cover design by Mayhem Cover Creations.

  www.relaypub.com

  Blurb

  Her Christmas wish? A second chance with her cowboy.

  When Serena Douglas found out her no-good husband was cheating on her, her life came tumbling down. Suddenly a struggling single mom, she scrambles to make ends meet. But she will do anything to give her twins a magical Christmas and prove to herself that she is stronger than her husband ever let her believe. She doesn’t need another man—until Will Harvey comes back into town and then she makes a Christmas wish.

  In high school, Will always wanted Serena, but fate pulled them apart. Several years and a veterinary degree later, he returns to their home town and upon seeing Serena again, he knows nothing’s changed. She still makes his heart race.

  Learning that Serena’s lost her job, he impulsively offers her a position in his vet practice. As he grows closer to her and the kids, Will begins to imagine more than just the holiday season together—if only Serena will let him in. But with Christmas magic swirling around the Harvey Ranch, anything is possible.

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  (Christmas at the Harvey Ranch Book Three)

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  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  End of Cowboy’s Christmas Homecoming

  Thank you!

  Make an Author’s Day

  About Leslie

  Sneak Peek: Cowboy’s Secret Son

  Also by Leslie

  1

  Will stood up fast as the building inspector, Kenmore, hopped down from the crawlspace, boots thudding on the floor. This was it, he guessed, time for what Dad would call a “come-to-Jesus moment” about the condition of the vet practice he’d just taken over. He took a deep breath, braced himself, and slapped on a smile.

  “Okay. What’s the verdict?”

  Kenmore grabbed his clipboard off his toolbelt and ran his finger down the page. He was bracing himself too, Will realized. Gearing up to drop the bomb.

  “You got good bones here,” said Kenmore. “Good old forties construction, strong joints, great foundation. Prime commercial real estate, as they’d say in the city. Ed was smart to buy this place, but here’s the thing.”

  Will clenched his jaw, a knot forming in his gut. Nothing good ever came after “Here’s the thing.”

  “Thing is,” said Kenmore, “Ed hasn’t done a refit since back in oh-one. And from what I’m seeing, he did it on the cheap. Your plumbing’s a mess. Honestly, you’re lucky you’re not hip-deep in water. You got bad wiring, bad drywall, termites in your basement, and as for your roof...well, here.” He tore the top sheet off his clipboard and passed it to Will. “Consider this your to-do list. I’ll be back in a month, and if you’re not up to code...” He made a throat-slashing gesture.

  “Guess I got my work cut out for me.” Will glanced at Kenmore’s report. A lot of checks in the FAIL column, a lot of angry red ink.

  “Ed still owns the place, right?” Kenmore was gathering his equipment. “Maybe he’ll cover the cost.”

  “Wouldn’t that be nice?” Will exhaled through his nose, a frustrated huff. “Nah, Ed’s strictly hands-off. He’s letting me take my time buying him out, but when I took over the practice, I took it all on—taxes, building maintenance, the whole shebang. Like a rent-to-own deal, with all the responsibilities of ownership.”

  “Sounds like he broke it, you bought it.” Kenmore clapped him on the shoulder. “Look, I’m rooting for you. You seem like a good kid, and my ma raves about you. You remember my ma, right? Jean Kenmore?”

  Jean Kenmore. Will frowned, then it came to him. “Black and white potbelly, sweetest thing on four legs.” He flushed as it struck him what he’d just said. “I mean, she’s not a potbelly. I’m with the patients more than their owners, so—”

  “I knew what you meant.” Kenmore chuckled. “She wouldn’t stop talking about you, how you saved that pig.”

  “I didn’t save it, exactly,” said Will. “I was still in vet school back then, helping Ed for the summer.”

  “But you talked to that pig, kept it calm, kept it happy. You’re the kind of vet Ed used to be, before his wife passed away. Not that I blame him for struggling, losing Maureen like that.” Kenmore snapped his toolbox shut and hooked his clipboard to his belt. “I meant what I said about rooting for you. This town needs a vet like you, someone who cares. Someone they can count on to go that extra mile.” He turned to go, then paused in the doorway. “You should talk to your brothers out at the ranch. Maybe they’ll help with this, lighten your load.”

  “Maybe,” agreed Will, but he knew he wouldn’t impose. Alex had his plate full raising three girls and running the ranch. Travis had his horses and his own family to worry about. Besides, Will was used to going it alone. It’d always been just him, even growing up, with Dad training Alex to take over the ranch and Mom and Travis off conquering the junior rodeo circuit.

  The phone rang at the front desk, and he hurried to grab it—another item for his to-do list. His aging receptionist had just dumped him for Florida, and while he didn’t begrudge her, losing her was a blow.

  “Buckley Veterinary Clinic, Doctor Harvey speaking.”

  “Hi, yeah, this is Sharon Spencer. I got a card from you guys, to bring Dolly in for her check-up?”

  Will did a fist-pump. Finally, some good news. He’d sent out those postcards hoping to lure back old clients, and already he’d hit paydirt.

  “Mrs. Spencer, great to hear from you.” He scrambled for a Post-It and knocked his stapler off his desk. “I’ve got all Tuesday open, or—”

  “Actually, I was calling to say we see Doctor Melman now, over in Redfield.”

  “Oh.” Will sat down heavily. That knot was back in the pit of his stomach. “Any special reason you decided to switch?”

  “Nothing special, no. Just, Dolly likes him, and there’s that big park nearby so we can go play after.” Mrs. Spencer cleared her throat. “I hope this isn’t awkward. I just thought, with the card and all, I ought to let you know.”

  “I appreciate that,” said Will. “I don’t suppose there’s anything I could do to tempt you back?”

  “Thanks, Doctor Harvey, but we’re good where we are. You have a great day, now!”

  “Yeah, same to—” Will broke off sharply. She’d already hung up.

  “What’ve you got that I don’t, Melman? You giving out lollipops? Free toenail trims?” He fell back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. The paint was all peeling, flaking away. A patch of mildew had sprouted, shaped like a face. It frowned down at him from under thick, beetled brows. He’d have to paint over that or scrape it off. Ed had left him a mess, no two ways about it, a threadbare old practice in a creaky old building, bleeding clients from its roster and water from its pipes.

  The sound of a bell jolted Will from his musings. It was the Lutheran church at the end of the block, ringing the six o’clock hour. For Will, that meant closing time. He got up and flipped the sign from OPEN to CLOSED, then locked up behind him on his way out the door. He’d grab some takeout and maybe some beer, bring it back to his cramped little den above the clinic. Pizza would be perfect, or a fat meatball sub, something greasy and messy to—

  “Whoa! Watch your step!”

  Will looked up, too late. He’d blundered blind round the corner, straight into some lady cradling a big cardboard box. He fumbled to catch it and overturned it instead, sending odds and ends bouncing into the street.

  “Oh, God. I’m so sorry.” W
ill dropped to his knees. “I got this, don’t worry. Just—Serena? Is that you?” He knelt knee-deep in debris, the wind whipping through his hair. It was her, Serena Mayer, no doubt about that—same long black hair, same big brown eyes from back in high school. He’d always had to be careful not to get lost in those eyes, not to stare like some creep thinking he stood a chance with the most popular girl in school. Only today, those eyes were red, ringed with mascara.

  “I’m sorry,” he said again. “I’ll get this all cleaned up and back in the box.”

  Serena just stared at him. Her eyes were wide and glistening, and she was biting her lip. She looked down at the mess he’d made, like she couldn’t quite believe it.

  “Serena? You okay?”

  Serena stood gaping, her throat closed up tight. Will Harvey—was that Will? Shy Will from Spanish class, with the dark farmer’s tan and that quiet way of talking? He’d done a good job growing into a man, strong and broad-shouldered, with a dark crop of stubble. His crazy hair was still crazy, but it fit him somehow, the way it went with his rough hands, his sun-narrowed eyes.

  “Will Harvey?”

  “That would be me.” He plucked a shard of pottery from the wreckage and shook it free of dirt. “I killed your plant. I’m so clumsy.”

  “You just broke the pot.” Serena crouched down beside him and scooped up the plant, a bedraggled gardenia she’d been nursing back to health. “I’ll get it a new one, and it’ll be fine.”

  “And you? Are you okay?” Will was studying her closely, eyes dark with concern. He’d always seemed sweet, but she didn’t need sweetness, not here, not now. Too much of Will’s kindness, and she might cry. Again. She couldn’t do that on the corner of Main and Bruckner, outside the church where anyone could see. Bad enough she’d got fired, her third time since this summer, when she’d entered the job market. Bad enough with her job gone, she’d soon lose the house she’d fought to keep in the divorce. The last thing she needed was some big, embarrassing scene.

  “I’m okay,” she said.

  “You sure about that?” Will picked up her planner and set it in the box. “Not that it’s any of my business, but you seem kind of—I didn’t step on your foot, did I?”

  Serena laughed without meaning to, a harsh, sudden bark. “You didn’t step on me, but my boss sure did.” She dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. “I got fired, is all. Well, you probably guessed that from the box of my stuff.”

  “The thought crossed my mind.” Will was quiet a while, rounding up her belongings—a fat rainbow pen stamped NUMBER ONE MOM; a picture frame shaped like a ladybug. He wiped each one on his pants before returning it to the box. Serena blinked back fresh tears at the small, thoughtful gesture.

  “Were those clippings important?” He pointed across the street, at a couple of magazine clippings blowing down the gutter.

  “Not really,” she said. “I just collect baking ideas to do with my kids.”

  “Is that where you worked, the bakery back there?”

  “That would’ve been nice, but no. I was Doctor Burton’s receptionist. The chiropractor, you know?” Serena sighed. “Guess I wasn’t the greatest, seeing I just got fired.”

  “Huh.” Will squinted his eyes, as though mulling over some problem. “You know, I could use a receptionist,” he said. “Mine just retired, took the first flight to Florida. I’ve been tripping over my own tail keeping up with the phones.”

  “Really? Are you serious?” Serena bit her lip hard. She never got this lucky. Any time now, the other shoe would drop.

  Will gestured over his shoulder. “I just took over the vet clinic from Doctor Wright. It’s that building right there, next to the post office.”

  “And you need a receptionist?” Serena’s heart raced. She couldn’t bungle this, couldn’t let him change his mind. “So I’d be answering your phones, booking your appointments? I’m good on the phone, a real people person. And I know most folks in town, so they’d feel at home with me.”

  “That’s perfect,” said Will. “For me and my patients. They come in all nervous, so you’ll help calm them down.”

  “Your patients? You mean the animals?”

  “That’s right,” said Will. “Soothe the pet and the owner follows, so a good bedside manner’ll take you a long way.” Will cocked his head like a thought had just hit him. “You do love animals, right? That’s kind of a must.”

  “Who doesn’t love animals?” Serena smiled brightly to cover the squeak in her voice. She did love most animals, but Grandpa’s old Rottweiler still haunted her nightmares, ropes of drool flying as he strained against his chain. Monster, his name had been, and—

  “—Monday okay?”

  “I’m sorry?” Serena blinked, caught off guard. “Did you say I start Monday?”

  “If that’s okay with you. I thought you’d come in around nine, once your kids are in school.”

  “Yes. Yes! That’s perfect. Thank you so much.” Serena wanted to hug him, but Will was her boss now—her boss. She was hired. She offered her hand and he shook it, his palm rough and callused. When the handshake was over, Serena couldn’t let go. Somewhere deep inside, in the place where her fears lived, she knew Will was her last chance at making this work—keeping a roof over her kids’ heads, keeping them fed without relying on her ex. Making a go of it all on her own. She had to hold onto that, no matter what.

  Will made a hoarse sound and glanced down at their hands. “Well, it’s been great running into you, but I really should—”

  “Right.” Serena came to her senses, her face going hot. She dropped Will’s hand and stepped back. “I won’t let you down,” she said as he turned to go. “I don’t have much experience, but I’ll catch on quick.” She’d have to, wouldn’t she? She had no other choice.

  2

  “That’s right, Luna. You know where we’re going.” Will reached out to pat the big German shepherd, but she evaded him, sticking her head out the window.

  “Oh, I see how it is. At night when you’re cold, all you want to do is cuddle. But I want some love, and you’re halfway out the door.”

  Luna thumped her tail, whining high in her throat. She was vibrating with excitement, grinning into the wind. She knew exactly where they were headed—Sunday dinner at the ranch.

  “Gonna play catch with Denver? Let the girls brush your hair?”

  Luna let out a bark as Will turned up the drive. The kids raced to greet him, a joyful stampede. Luna shot out the window and sprinted toward them, practically flying in her glee.

  “Hey, girls. Hey, Denver.” Will hopped out of his truck, boots crunching on the gravel.

  “Hey, Uncle Will!” The kids waved hello, and their open joy made him glad—but as always, that gladness came with a chaser of guilt. Will had been gone when they’d needed him most, off pursuing his education. He’d been gone when Alex’s daughters lost their mother six years ago, gone when their grandma went just two years later, in the same accident that put Will’s Dad in his wheelchair.

  “Uncle Will?” Little Lizzie ran up to him, just six years old. “Can Luna have sugar cookies? We just baked a batch.”

  “No, those are human treats. Try this instead.” Will pulled out a snausage and Lizzie grabbed it. Then eight-year-old Thora had to have one too. Their big sister, Sophia, watched them fondly, a little lady at thirteen. She’d grown up fast, but she’d grown up well.

  “Can I feed her too?” Denver held out his hand, still a tad shy. Will had been around when Denver first came to town as Scarlett’s foster son—but he’d been back at school by the time Denver truly became part of the family, with Scarlett and Travis getting together. It’d been rough, he knew, a bumpy transition—but today Denver was cheerful, just one of the gang.