Montana Christmas Magic Read online

  “Yep.” He was growing to like the small-town friendliness, although he suspected it could be intrusive at times. Since the funeral, several people had stopped at his table as he ate his food. While he’d taken to cooking his dinner meals at home, a late morning meal at Does made him feel connected.

  At least that’s what he told himself.

  “Did Willy have a dog?” he asked Sarah as she poured his coffee.

  “A dog? No. Actually, he had one a while ago, but after he had to put him down, he said he couldn’t watch them grow old anymore. It was too close to what would be happening to him.”

  “Anyone else here who’s missing a dog?”

  “I take it you found one?”

  “He found me. Scroungy looking thing. Looks like he’s been on the road.”

  “Looks like you’ve got yourself a dog.” She headed to the next table to check for refills.

  “But I don’t want a dog,” he muttered at her back.

  Neither the locals he met on the street nor the people at the hardware store could identify the dog. To be safe, he picked up a small bag of dog food.

  “Don’t think this is permanent,” he told the animal. “I’ve every intention of sending you on your way as soon as you’ve had a chance to eat. And I’m feeding you on the porch. Don’t even think of coming inside.”

  The dog merely studied him for a minute and went back to looking out the front window.

  “Damn dog.” He shifted the car into gear and roared back out of town—a difficult feat in at the town speed limit of twenty-five miles per hour. Within minutes, he turned down the ranch drive and spotted the barn ... Crap, he forgot to ask about the horse again.

  Animals. Life was getting too complicated.

  After he parked in front of the workshop and got out, he opened the passenger door. The dog jumped out and sat down. Logan stowed his purchases and headed back to the house.

  The dog roused itself and followed him.

  He’d ignore it. Maybe it would get the hint.

  “Wait out here. You look like a hobo,” he said when he opened the front door.

  Pretty soon he was going to have to come up with a name. He couldn’t keep calling it “the dog.”

  Guilt washed over him as he changed to old clothes to begin work. Why was he being so mean to the dog?

  He wasn’t being mean, just realistic.

  Logan was going back to New York in six months. What would the dog do then? He’d grow attached to the dog; the dog would like him. Nope. Not a good idea. He placed one of the pots full of food in front of the dog—how much did the thing need? After a few sniffs and a tentative bite, the hobo dug in.

  Logan went to work.

  By the time a UPS driver pulled into the drive, he’d cleared out the debris and swept away the cobwebs, dust, and mouse droppings. He’d need traps or something.

  Or a barn cat or two.

  Dumb idea. He already seemed to have a dog and a horse he didn’t want.

  “What can I do for you?” he asked the brown-suited driver.

  “You Logan Collins?”

  “Yep.”

  “Delivery.” He handed the package to Logan, climbed back into the truck, and maneuvered out of the yard and down the drive, a dust cloud following in his wake.

  Who knew he was here?

  Sweets Montana. Were they still sending him Willy’s chocolates? There wasn’t a message included, only a list of the chocolates sent and details about each. His mouth watered the farther down the list he went.

  He would enjoy the chocolates, but he needed to correct the error and pay for what he’d received. It was an excuse to talk to Julie. He pulled out his cell phone.

  What if Sue Anne picked up the phone?

  Julie answered, and he smiled. “Thanks again for all your help at the funeral,” he said. “Above and beyond the call of duty for a chocolate maker.”

  “Not a problem. Glad to help. Although,” she said with a teasing tone, “I’m really an artist.”

  “You’ll have to show me something someday.”

  “I’d like that.”

  He picked up the box he’d received.

  “I got a box of chocolates today. They look wonderful. Thank you. But it wasn’t necessary, really. You’ve done enough.”

  “Thanks, but I didn’t send them. Well, I did, but they aren’t from me.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Your uncle set it in motion. After Willy died, we received an order from his lawyer. He set up a year of chocolate deliveries for you and prepaid it.”

  A year? He’d only recently decided he’d be able to last six months.

  “Guess my uncle really liked your chocolates.”

  “You could say that.” Her laugh was a trill in his ear.

  He wanted to see her again.

  “Look, I need to go to town to check out some exercise equipment. How about I go tomorrow and take you—and your partner—out to lunch?”

  “You’ve obviously never run a business.”

  “Um. Well. No.”

  “Both of us can’t be gone at the same time.”

  “Oh.”

  He looked at Hobo, not knowing his next move.

  Had he named the dog?

  The dog sighed and lay down on the ground.

  “How about just you?” he finally asked. “Just a thank-you. Nothing more than that.”

  “Let me check.” The line went silent.

  “What do you think, Hobo?”

  The dog raised his snout to the air and woofed.

  He took that as a yes.

  “Sue Anne has a few business meetings tomorrow but says it would be fine the day after. How about Thursday? Can you wait that long?”

  He hesitated. He had no schedule to check, a fact that was odd after the last few years’ pressure-cooker life.

  “Sure. See you Thursday,” he said.

  “Okay. It’ll be good to see you.”

  He ended the call and put the phone back in his pocket.

  “That went well,” he told Hobo.

  The dog settled deeper into his nap.

  It was only a dog after all. What had he expected?

  Chapter 6

  Julie’s emotions had been on a rollercoaster since the services.

  Even though Tony was a good guy, her heart wasn’t into the relationship. Breaking up with him would be the right thing to do, and it would also clear the path to going out with Logan.

  Except it didn’t feel like the right thing to do. Would going out with Logan for a while be worth the heartache at the end?

  So why did he want to go to lunch? Had he changed his mind?

  Had she?

  God, she was a mess.

  Before she chickened out, she took out her phone and dialed Tony’s number. He was due back in town any day now.

  “Hi, babe,” he said. “What’s up?”

  “I need to talk to you,” she said. “Can you meet me at Plonk after work?”

  “Sure. Five thirty okay?”

  “Good. I’ll see you there. Got to get to work—I’m already a little late.” A small lie.

  When she got to work, she went to the kitchen to help Sue Anne with the latest batch of truffles. Since their outside sales to grocers and gift shops were doing well, they were constantly making chocolate.

  “We’re going to need a bigger kitchen,” she said.

  “And more help. I’ve already thought of a way to expand.” Sue Anne turned her full attention to the molds until they were completely covered. “I was going to rent out the back when I moved in with Zach, but it would be smarter to make a larger kitchen. Plumbing and electricity are already there.”

  “I wouldn’t know the first thing about creating a kitchen. Don’t you need to go through a lot of hoops?”

  “Yes, but I’ve done it once with a much older facility. I could handle it. Of course, it’s going to take a lot of time.”

  “And money.”

  “And
money,” Sue Anne agreed. “I’m pretty sure I can get a loan. My books are good. I’m excited about the possibilities. And I’m really glad you are by my side to make the dream a reality.”

  Sue Anne’s dream. Not hers.

  Between the funeral and the increased business, as well as the protests of her roommates, she’d found little time to paint. The days were running away from her.

  A few hours later, the jangle of the front doorbell made Julie rush from the kitchen. Instead of the man she expected, a couple of kids walked in, one with red hair.

  “Hi, Jaiden,” she called out. “Who’s your friend?”

  “This is Dominick. Can you believe he’s never had one of your chocolates?”

  “Oh, I find that very hard to believe. Why don’t you take a look at our selection and pick something out? I’ll give you a free choice.”

  “Is that Jaiden?” Sue Anne came out from the back. “Just the man I wanted to see. Do you have time in your busy schedule to weed the flowerbeds and trim the edges?”

  “I do!” He looked at his friend. “They pay me to help out in the yard. I’m saving for a new fishing pole!”

  The doorbell rang and Julie looked up.

  Logan.

  Her heart picked up its pace.

  “Looks like you have some young fans for your chocolate,” he said with a smile.

  “Yes. This is Jaiden, and this is Dominick.”

  “Ah, yes, I seem to remember Jaiden almost knocking me over the first time I came in the store.” He gave the boy a mock frown but winked at Julie.

  “Sorry!” the irrepressible redhead said. “I guess I wasn’t looking where I was going.” He studied Logan, “How come you have a cane?”

  “I did something stupid,” Logan said. “Got into a car accident.”

  “You got to be careful,” Dominick said with a nod. “My uncle was in a bad one up by Kalispell. Hit a cow.”

  “Is he okay?”

  “Yep. My mom says he was lucky. Doesn’t look like you were.”

  “Sometimes luck comes in strange ways,” Logan said, giving Julie a glance.

  Her heart ramped up its training marathon pace.

  “No, I guess not. My leg was broken in a few places, and it’s taking time to heal correctly.”

  “Hope you feel better,” Jaiden said.

  “Me, too,” Dominick added. “Thanks for the candy. It’s great!”

  The boys dashed to the door and yanked it open, disappearing down the street in seconds.

  “Sorry about that,” Julie said.

  “It’s okay. They’re kids. I like kids. They used to be my favorite autograph seekers. They hadn’t quite learned the artifice of their parents. The tennis crowd tends to be a bit stuffy at times.”

  “Thanks for understanding,” Sue Anne said. “I’ve got another batch to start. Have a good time,” Sue Anne said with a little wave before disappearing back to the kitchen.

  “Why do I think she doesn’t approve of me?” Logan asked as they walked toward downtown.

  “It’s not you. It’s me. She doesn’t think I should go out with you while I’m still dating Tony.”

  “We agree on that. I don’t consider this a date, and I hope you don’t.”

  She kept the disappointment from showing in her face.

  “I’m breaking up with Tony today.”

  He stopped still and turned to her.

  “That’s not a good idea,” he said. “I’m not a good long-term prospect.”

  “It’s not just you.” She shook her head. “I realized there are things missing from my relationship with Tony. He’s a nice guy, but I’m not in love with him, and I don’t think I ever will be. I’m not sure what I’m looking for exactly, but I’m pretty sure he isn’t it.”

  “I see.”

  It was plain from his tone he didn’t.

  “Look, can we drop it?” she asked. “It doesn’t feel respectful to Tony.”

  “Your funeral,” he said and shook his head.

  Logan walked fairly strongly for a man with a cane.

  “It’s all the walking I do at the ranch,” he said when she mentioned it. “I guess I’m getting healthier. I was thinking sushi,” he added. “I like it, and I haven’t had any in Missoula. Is it good?”

  “There’s two places,” she said. “One downtown and one on Reserve. The people are related, father and son, actually, but the food is totally different. I actually prefer this one.”

  “It’s a good choice then.” He smiled at her, and some of the awkwardness since their discussion about Tony went away.

  Once they were seated at the restaurant, they both selected the lawyer’s combo and were quickly served cucumber salad and miso soup. Logan was adept with chopsticks.

  “Eat sushi a lot?” she asked. She actually knew very little about him.

  “One of my favorites. I also like Asian fusion.”

  “We have the Mustard Seed for that. It’s Sue Anne’s favorite.” She told him about the various restaurants in town. “I heard the Brewery has some sort of food, and the beer’s supposed to be really good.”

  “Are there a lot of breweries in Montana? I don’t remember any from the last time I was here. Of course, I was only a kid.”

  “There are getting to be more all the time. A lot of them are winning awards at national shows. You’ll never taste a better beer than you’ll find in Montana.” She smiled triumphantly.

  He laughed.

  “I’ll have to make sure I taste some before I leave.”

  “Maybe at the Griz game Willy wanted you to go to. Can’t go to a game without a proper tailgate party.” Was he going to be here then?

  “You make my life a little better every time I see you.” He touched her hand. “Even though it’s against my better judgment, maybe we can see each other more ... after ...”

  He shut his mouth quickly, as if realizing he was making a mistake, and turned to stare out the window where an open-mouthed old man shuffled across the street, his big belly before him like a cautionary warning.

  She picked at her salad.

  “Have you decided when you’re leaving?” she asked.

  Shifting his gaze to her face, he didn’t say anything for a few moments.

  “I’m staying the full six months.”

  “What changed your mind?” She placed the chopsticks next to the wooden platter.

  “I needed to do something different before I went back to the madness of tennis. Maybe rediscover who I am. To do that, I needed to slow down.” He gave her a broad smile. “Compared to the city, Phillipsburg is about as slow as it gets.”

  “What are you going to do with yourself all day long?” she asked, hoping her words masked the miniature Julie jumping up and down inside her going, “He’s staying! He’s staying!”

  Logan launched into a description of the work he was going to do on the ranch and his plans to turn one outbuilding into a small gym. “I need to keep up the exercises the doctor assigned me in the hospital.”

  “Are you exercising to regain strength or to be able to play tennis again?” The answer would lead him in two different directions.

  “My doctor thinks I could recover enough to go out again competitively.” He shrugged. “I’m going to try, but I’m not putting everything on the outcome. I do want to be able to show the kids what I want them to do when I coach them.” Either way, he would be out of here when his time was up.

  She picked up her chopsticks.

  “Enough about me,” he said. “How is your painting coming along?”

  “I’ve got a couple of small pieces started, but I’m concentrating on a scene in the Bitterroot. There’s an old white barn building with a backdrop of the mountains at Lee Metcalf Wildlife Sanctuary.”

  “Sounds pretty. Why that for your first foray back into the art world?”

  He sounded genuinely interested.

  “One of my former teachers opened a gallery in Stevensville. She asked me to create something loc
al. She’s always thought I had talent.”

  “Don’t you?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I do. I was shown a little while I was in college—sold a few things, but this feels different somehow.”

  “More real.” His smile was genuine.

  “Yes.” She twirled the chopsticks in her fingers.

  “It was like that for me when I went from college to the pro circuit. It took a while—I only got there two years ago—but suddenly everything was different. It became real.”

  He got it.

  “When she asked me for a piece, it lit a fire in me. I’d been realizing that I was stuck in the sweets shop, supporting Sue Anne, but not doing what I wanted to do. She gave me purpose.”

  His gaze intensified, and after pulling the chopsticks away, held her hand tightly.

  “I understand.”

  Heat energized her.

  She squeezed his hand, and he smiled.

  The waiter plunked down boards of sushi and sushi rolls in front of them.

  “Looks good,” Logan said and prepared his dish of wasabi and soy sauce after she’d used the distinctive bottle.

  Awkwardly, they talked about the fish in front of them and how it compared to other Asian places. Logon’s experience was far beyond hers, and some of her elation deflated.

  They had so little in common.

  “Will you be able to pursue your art and still work for Sue Anne?” he asked after the conversation ran its course.

  “Not at the level I have been,” she admitted. “I’m not really sure how to handle it. When I told her about the painting I wanted to do, said that I needed a little more time off, she was supportive, but ...”

  “Go on.” He took another piece and savored it.

  “She’s making all these plans for expansion. She’s getting married in August, and once she moves in with Zach, she wants to convert the back apartment into a commercial kitchen.”

  “She sounds like a smart businesswoman.”

  “She is. But when she’s focused like this, she counts on my help more than I think she realizes. And if I say anything, she’ll back off for a little bit but forget about it within a few weeks.”

  “You may have to actually do it for her to notice. Take the time that she okayed. Show her by your actions how serious you are.”

  “You sound like you’ve had experience.”