Snowbound in Starlight Bend

  Every inch of floor space was covered with shelves that reached high overhead, and every shelf was piled with every device ever made. Microwaves, toaster ovens, toasters, butane stoves, electric can openers, coffee makers, coffee pots, mixers, computers, monitors, keyboards, motherboards, CD players, cassette decks, turntables, and radios and consoles that hadn’t been used since Maddox’s grandmother’s childhood. All were in a jumble on the shelves, dusty five-and-a-quarter floppy disc drives next to the latest versions of tablet computers.

  Of Andy there was no sign, but that didn’t worry Maddox. He was in here somewhere.

  Haley gave Maddox a look of amazement, then she started wandering around the shelves. The gadgets were strewn about in various states of decomposition—Andy routinely harvested old devices to fix new ones. Wires spewed from metal and plastic, screws and bolts lay haphazardly, computer chips of all sizes and colors were gathered into piles.

  Maddox peered down the labyrinth and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Hey, Andy!”

  “I heard you.” A deep voice came out of the back, like a bear waking from hibernation.

  Andy kind of looked like a bear too. He lumbered from his office, a cubbyhole buried in the back of the store, a giant of a man with the build of a wrestler and a shock of dark brown hair the same color as his trimmed beard. His large hands, which dwarfed every one he shook, could manipulate the tiniest pieces of metal with the delicacy of a master jeweler. Andy was ten years older than Maddox and had been interested in what made things work ever since Maddox could remember.

  “How you doing, Maddox?” the big man asked. He switched his gaze to Haley and became admiring. “Hey now, what’s a good-looking thing like you doing with a loser like him?” Andy gave her a friendly grin. “Ditch his ass, honey, and I’ll show you the town.”

  Maddox expected Haley to bristle but she only smiled politely. “I think I’ve already seen it,” she said.

  Andy roared with laughter, the sound rattling the air. “I like her. Yeah, Starlight Bend isn’t a metropolis, but it’s a nice little place.” He switched to Maddox, became businesslike—well, as businesslike as Andy ever was. He’d turned his hobby into his profession and never looked back. “What you got for me today?”

  “Phone.” Maddox held out his hand to Haley, who reluctantly placed her smartphone into his palm. “Haley’s doesn’t work, and she wants to get in touch with her folks. Our land line is down, and my cell phone won’t do anything but text.”

  “Yeah, snow is messing with a lot of things. My phone’s out too and I lost power for a while. I heard Trevor Jones and his wife got stuck in their SUV all night, so I’m guessing there’ll be another little Jones coming along next fall.” Andy gave a deep laugh and reached for the phone.

  Haley watched worriedly as he turned it around in his big hands. “Won’t fixing it violate the warranty?” she asked. “You don’t have to repair it—I can always pick up another one when I get home.”

  Andy shrugged, his eyes on the phone. “Why throw something away when you can fix it easy? Wasteful. Come over to my workbench, honey. I’ll see what I can do.”

  Haley threw Maddox a look of trepidation. Maddox ushered Haley in front of him, leaning down to say to her, “He might not look like it, but Andy’s a genius.”

  “Thanks,” Andy rumbled. “I think.”

  His workbench was nailed-together two-by-fours with a plywood top. It was filled with wires, screws, screwdrivers, pliers, saws from tiny to huge, hammers, files, washers, bolts, and various metal bits Maddox couldn’t identify.

  Andy seated himself on a stool and popped the back off Haley’s phone. He did it without any effort whatsoever—one moment it was in a single piece, the next, the phone’s innards were exposed.

  Andy swung a magnifying glass over the insides. “Computers are just electronics with switches that turn on and off. Once I figure out which switches won’t go on and off, I’ll have it fixed.”

  Haley chewed the corner of her lip as though ready to snatch the phone away and run. Too bad there was nowhere to go.

  “Hmm,” Andy said.

  “What?” Haley asked nervously.

  Andy looked up with a start, as though he’d forgotten they were there. “Why don’t you two go out shopping or something? Then have lunch. I’ll have this finished up by the time you get back.”

  Without waiting for an answer, he returned to his study of the phone, blanking out the rest of the world.

  Maddox indicated Haley should follow him out. The cold hit them as they exited the stuffy shop, the horses waiting patiently. Sammy’s rope had come loose from the post, but the horse hadn’t moved an inch. He’d taken the weight off one leg to rest, his eyes half closing. Any moment now, he’d yawn.

  Maddox showed Haley how to fold the rope in her hand to lead Sammy—everything in town was close to Andy’s, so they wouldn’t need to ride.

  “Why didn’t you bite Andy’s head off when he called you honey?” Maddox asked curiously. “I thought that riled you up.”

  Haley sent him a serene look around Sammy’s nose. “I’ve learned to be patient with people’s quirks when I need to work with them.”

  “Huh.” Maddox adjusted his hat against the wind. “Didn’t notice you adopting that policy with me. Why’s that?”

  Haley’s brows came together and her mouth turned down. “I don’t know. I guess you rile me. Besides, I’m not working with you.”

  “No, I just saved your ass from spending the night in the snow.”

  “I know.” Haley gave him an acknowledging nod. “You still rile me, as you say. Like you’re doing it deliberately.”

  “Well, you’re no sweet princess, darlin’. You expected me to kowtow to you the minute I met you.”

  She scowled at him. “Were you expecting me to go all gooey-eyed and say, Ooh thank you for rescuing me, my knight in shining armor?”

  She said the last in a high-pitched, girly voice that made Maddox want to laugh. “It’s dewy-eyed,” Maddox said. “Not gooey-eyed.”

  “Well, I’m not going dewy-eyed over you either.”

  “Good.” Maddox said firmly. “I’m glad we know where we stand.”

  “I so can’t wait to get out of this town,” Haley muttered. She caught sight of the log-built sporting goods store at the end of a long street. It would be busy this morning as it was the biggest place in town to shop—Maddox guessed a lot of Christmas presents were being purchased inside.

  “Can we swing by there?” Haley asked, pointing. “I’d love to see the gift tree. It sounds like a cool idea.”

  “Sure.” Maddox turned away from it, heading up Second Street.

  Haley’s footsteps quickened behind him, though Sammy plodded at the same pace. “You know you’re going in the opposite direction, right?”

  Maddox didn’t stop. “There’s no horse parking at Big Sky Living. We have to leave them at the livery stable.”

  “A livery stable?” Haley’s voice showed interest again. “You have a real livery stable in this town?”

  “Sure do, ma’am,” Maddox said. “And on a day like today, I bet it’s almost full up.”

  An enterprising woman, Liddy Talbot, and a friend of Aunt Jane’s—who wasn’t?—had taken over an abandoned stable in the middle of town and turned it into a boarding place for local horses. She took care of and trained horses for those who didn’t have time, and she provided stalls for those who rode to town and didn’t want to leave their horses exposed to traffic.

  Liddy met them in the yard behind her office. She greeted Boone and Sammy by name, and one of her helpers, who happened to be Danny this morning, came to grab their reins.

  Danny glanced shyly at Maddox and then at Haley. After Maddox introduced Haley, he glanced at her and touched his finger to his lips. Danny wasn’t supposed to know that Maddox had drawn his name on the gift tree.

  Danny was a wiry kid, eleven going on twelve. The teachers at school shook their heads over him but around hor
ses, Danny was calm, quiet, and smart. He didn’t say much, but he always had a hello for Maddox.

  Haley was subdued when Maddox led her away and back down the street toward the sporting goods store.

  “Have you decided what we’re going to get for him?” Haley asked.

  “No.” Maddox bit off the word. He’d been caught off guard by Danny’s Christmas wish and still wasn’t sure what the hell to do.

  “I’m happy to help.”

  Haley’s voice had gone soft, filling with compassion. She was beautiful when she looked like that, her cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling. Maddox still tasted her on his lips, had a vivid memory of her beneath his hands, her breasts against his chest. Heat rocked through him at the memory, not only landing in his cock but flowing around his heart.

  “I told you I welcome your help,” Maddox said, his words stiff. “I just don’t know what we can do.”

  Haley’s sudden smile flashed, which blasted more fire through his body. “We’ll think of something. There’s always something you can do if you put your mind to it.”

  Sure was. Maddox swallowed on his dry throat as Haley walked away from him. Her hips swayed, the borrowed coat brushing a fine ass in tight jeans.

  Always something you can do if you put your mind to it.

  Maddox was going to put his mind to exactly what it would take to keep Haley in Starlight Bend a little longer, as long as necessary. For what, he didn’t know.

  But he and Haley were poised on the edge of something, like a breath of air that was hovering, waiting, for Maddox to take it in. He wanted Haley here long enough for him to figure out what was going on and to see her smile at him like that one more time.

  The sporting goods store was crowded, the snow not keeping people from shopping. Haley took it all in with a professional eye. The walls and counters were full of fishing gear, as she’d expected, with hunting supplies locked behind glass cases. Heads of animals unfortunate enough to be brought down with those supplies studded the walls—moose, elk, pronghorn deer.

  Her attention moved to the large Christmas tree in the middle of the store, decorated with glittering ornaments and lights, surrounded by gifts. She couldn’t tell whether the gifts were what people had already bought for the kids or simply wrapped empty boxes, but they gave the place a festive air.

  A man in a red Santa suit was talking to a group of kids who looked to be about seven or eight. He played the part with gusto, putting his hands on his belt and saying “Ho, ho, ho,” or bending down and winking to make the kids laugh.

  Whoever they had playing Santa truly looked the part. He had a ruddy face, blue eyes, snowy white hair, and a beard that Haley could tell was real. He could have stepped right out of ’Twas The Night Before Christmas.

  Haley moved to Maddox. “Who is he? He’s great.”

  Maddox shook his head. “No idea,” he answered, voice brushing heat into her ear. “Never seen him before this year. Our usual Santa retired, so he must have been asked to fill in.”

  “Well, he knows what he’s doing. Do you think I could take a gift card?”

  “Don’t see why not. We only have a couple of days until Christmas, though.”

  Santa heard them. He was gazing at Haley with an unnerving stare, as though he could read every one of her thoughts. The kids had cleared out from around him for the moment, following two women, probably teachers, who were shepherding them. Santa waved her and Maddox over with a white-gloved hand.

  “Take one,” he said to Haley in his deep voice. “A star on the tree means a young one in need.”

  He studied Haley a little longer with his piercing stare then busied himself with his red Santa sack as Haley plucked a star-shaped card from the tree. She glanced inside, smiled at what the little girl wanted, and tucked it into her pocket.

  “A dollhouse,” she told Maddox. “That will be fun.”

  She started to turn away, but Santa was suddenly in front of her. “Not so fast, young lady.” He held up his red bag, letting it fall open. “What’s your hurry?”

  “Oh.” Haley flushed. “I wasn’t hurrying—”

  “She’s not from around here,” Maddox said, his voice light. “She likes to rush.”

  “I can see that.” Santa gave Maddox a quelling look. “But she’s our guest. And because you’re a guest, you get to make a wish.”

  “A wish?” Haley sent Maddox a puzzled look but his expression was blank.

  Santa shook his bag. “Make a wish and reach inside. See what happens.”

  Haley hoped there was nothing weird in there—but probably he had candy or lollipops or something like that. She closed her eyes, thought of what she was sure she wished for, and stuck her hand into the bag.

  Haley came up with a simple business card between her fingers, which had red gilt around the edges and red foil writing.

  Your wish has been granted.

  Chapter Six

  Haley stared at Santa, who watched her closely.

  Her wish had been granted? She’d impulsively wished not to be trapped in this crazy town with real Santas, huge men surrounded by fifty-year-old junk, and hot cowboys who kissed like fire.

  She looked around, but nope, she was still in the middle of the sporting goods store in Starlight Bend, with the hot cowboy in question hovering at her right shoulder.

  “It doesn’t say what wish,” she said, showing Santa the card.

  “Don’t worry,” Santa said, and winked at her. “You’ll see.”

  Haley opened her mouth to ask what he meant by that, but Santa swung away, dropped his sack, and faced the next crowd of kids being ushered in, his hands on his belt. “Ho, ho, ho!” he bellowed, and the kids laughed.

  Haley turned to Maddox, who was watching her intently. He closed his hand around her arm and led her away.

  Wishing, Haley realized, was a complicated thing. She cupped the business card in her hand, the tingle in her fingers and her heart puzzling her very much.

  After a great meal at Lakeside Cafe, Maddox took them back to Andy’s. Andy didn’t answer when Maddox called out for him and didn’t look up when Maddox towed Haley into the back to the workbench.

  Haley’s phone lay in about fifty pieces. Maddox heard her gasp even over the 1960s transistor radio blaring Christmas music on Andy’s table.

  Andy raised his head as Maddox put his fists on the bench. Andy’s brown eyes were huge through the lenses of his headband magnifier, blinking at him like a goldfish through its bowl.

  “Come back tomorrow,” Andy said before Maddox could speak. “I’ll have it done.”

  Andy turned away, already shutting them out of his personal space. Haley looked upset, but Maddox led her outside.

  “I’ll buy you a new phone,” Maddox said as they emerged and headed for the stables. “That one was probably dead anyway.”

  “Not the point.” Haley huffed. “How am I going to make calls and order my gift?”

  She pulled out the card she’d picked from the tree with the name of a girl who lived almost halfway to Kalispell. Haley had showed Maddox the card at lunch. The girl had asked for a dollhouse, a real one, where the lights worked and the windows and doors opened and closed.

  “I could have one delivered,” Haley said, despair in her voice. “I know a wonderful miniaturist who custom designs houses and always has readymade ones for short-notice gifts, especially at Christmas. But how am I supposed to get in touch with her?”

  “Hey, now.” Maddox put his hand on her shoulder, finding her quavering. It was too cold out here, hard on someone not used to it. “Everything will be okay, you’ll see.”

  “How can you say that?” Haley’s voice rang down the quiet street, to be absorbed by the thickly falling snow. “I’m stuck here, my phone’s in a million pieces, I can’t talk to my dad, and I’ll probably miss Christmas with him. I haven’t missed Christmas Eve or Christmas Day with my dad since … well, ever.”

  Maddox pulled her around the other side of the empty hitching p
osts and put his arms around her. Haley stiffened for a moment, then slumped against him, the fight going out of her.

  Something had changed. She’d been feisty and fiery all morning, sure she’d kick the dust off this Podunk town as fast as she could.

  Now she was losing hope, her resilience deflating. Maddox held on to her, wishing the strength he’d been gifted with could be transferred to her. He often wished that, watching others suffering and wanting more than anything to give them some of his toughness. If he could give one part of his strength to help someone who needed it, he would.

  Maddox pulled Haley close, rubbing her back. Haley leaned her head on his chest, her wool cap tickling his chin.

  She fit fine against his body, in the circle of his arms. They swayed a little together, finding warmth in each other. The street was quiet—people rarely came down this little lane except to seek out Andy.

  Haley continued to shiver. She curled gloved fingers into his chest, quieting, as though she didn’t mind at all standing in his embrace in a snowy side street.

  When she looked up at him, Maddox brushed her lips with his, but he didn’t pull her into another deep kiss. Instead he tucked a lock of hair back under her cap and released her.

  “Let’s get home,” he said in a quiet voice. “We’ll warm up and then figure out what to do.”

  “There’s nothing to do,” Haley said. “Except wait.”

  And that was killing her, he could see. Haley was a woman who ran around fixing everything in her path. Kind of like Aunt Jane, though in a different way. Maddox was figuring out that Haley thought she knew what was best for everyone and grew frustrated when she couldn’t make it happen. Aunt Jane also believed she knew what was best for everyone and quietly moved heaven and earth to achieve it.

  The two of them together …

  Maddox suppressed a shudder. If Haley stayed longer, he might have to move out for his own safety.

  Maddox touched another kiss to her lips. He resisted the urge to kiss the hell out of her again, first because she was hurting, second because someone would come down this street and their encounter would provide dinner conversation for the whole town. People were already talking, Maddox knew—a kiss would put the cherry on top.