Page 139 of Her Boss, Her Rancher: Sunrise On The Ranch

“Not on a ranch.” Bella reached for Sienna, taking her out of Jared’s arms, rattled by his question. She didn’t want to lie to him. As far as he knew, she’d been living in Dallas.

Jared flinched.

And she felt like an uncaring jerk for being abrupt with him. “Did she hurt your ribs?”

“No, she didn’t.” Jared thought about that a few seconds. “She didn’t hurt my ribs,” he repeated, looking stunned by the revelation. Then he grinned, the smile consuming his entire handsome face. Again, a little jolt of joy streamed through her system at Jared’s healing. Each day he was getting stronger. “I can lift this little peanut without any pain.”

Bella put her hand on his forearm and squeezed. “That’s good.”

Jared glanced at her hand on his arm and his eyes shuttered closed as if relishing her touch. She was suddenly self-conscious, her mind instantly flashing back to being in his arms last night, however briefly, and kissing him.

“It’s not just good, it’s damn near amazing. A few days ago, I was having trouble breathing.”

The hopeful gleam in his eyes chipped away at all her internal warnings.

“I’m glad, Jared. That’s wonderful news.”

“Yeah,” he said, ruffling Sienna’s dark mop of hair. “It is.”

Six

Sienna giggled as Marie wrapped shimmery gold garland around her body all the way up to her neck. And Bella plopped a big red bow on top of her head. “You’re just about the cutest Christmas tree I ever did see, little one,” Marie said.

They were in the middle of the living room surrounded by Christmas boxes. Garland and lights and snowmen, almost life-size reindeer as well as different variations of Santa Claus filled the room. There was a whole shed full of decorations sitting on the living room floor brought in by some of the Stone Ridge crew.

She and Marie had decided to start in here first, and were both getting a kick out of Sienna’s enthusiasm. Not that she knew much about Christmas yet, but she loved being in the middle of the decorations, or rather, being apartof the decorations.

“Let’s sort these all out and decide what room to put them in,” Bella said. “And once Sienna goes down for her nap, we’ll be able to decorate.”

“That sounds like a fine plan,” Marie said. “Maybe Jared will be able to lend a hand, too, that is if he wants to. He’s not been keen on the holidays ever since...”

Marie buttoned her lips, but the sentence she’d left hanging stirred Bella’s curiosity too much not to ask. “Why doesn’t he like the holidays?”

“It’s just that...that woman broke his heart right after Thanksgiving. They’d been planning a Christmas wedding.”

“Really? I had no idea.” She bit her lip, remembering the conversation they’d shared on the patio last night. He’d opened up to her a bit about his love life, but he never mentioned he was to be married.

“He doesn’t talk much about it, but ever since then, Jared’s been an ole Scrooge about Christmas.”

“Like he’s going through the motions for family and friends, when he’d rather be anywhere else in the world?”

Marie sent her a thoughtful look. “I think that’s exactly it.”

Bella could relate. Ever since Paul’s death, nothing seemed right. No holiday was the same. And his accident had happened right before Thanksgiving, so she really understood the pain and heartbreak he’d gone through at a time when everything was supposed to be jolly and bright.

“What happened between them?” Bella asked.

Marie shook her head. “It’s not for me to say, but I will tell you that woman really deceived him and messed with his emotions.”

Bella squeezed her eyes shut briefly. “That’s awful.” And it was also awful that she’d been lying to Jared since the moment he’d set eyes on her. Bella sat on the parlor sofa, shaken.

“Dear? Are you all right? You just turned pale as a bowlful of oats.”

Jared came into the room and glanced around, smiled at silly Sienna and then studied Bella from head to toe. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said, sitting straighter in her seat.

“All of a sudden the color drained from her face,” Marie said. “Jared, maybe you should take her outside. I think she needs some fresh air.”