Page 73 of Cowboy’s Christmas Baker

Katie nodded.

“Hold onto your hats,” Joe cried, before clucking to Peanut Butter again.

They leapt forward with another awkward jerk, but as soon as the rhythm of the trot was established, the carriage moved more smoothly.

Katie leaned on her dad’s shoulder, and Harrison nuzzled her blonde head, then glanced over at Mal.

Her heart sped up as she lost herself in his calm blue gaze. He looked content and yet there was yearning in his eyes too, and she felt a pull of longing in her own chest.

Why can’t they be my family? Why can’t I spend every day with them?

But that was dangerous thinking.

Harrison didn’t want to marry again. He’d said as much back when they were online friends, before they met in person and he put up walls around his emotions.

If the Harrison she’d come to know online was the real man, then she was in trouble. Because he was already in her heart. And he was all wrong for her.

Mal might not have had a serious boyfriend in the past, but she knew she wanted something real. Her life was already too full and busy to make room in it for casual dating. If she had a boyfriend, he would have to be a man she could imagine marrying one day.

And if that boyfriend was Harrison Law, she would fall for him so hard that she’d be dying to walk down the aisle.

But Harrison Law had sworn off women. And that was probably best for Katie, who was hurting, and surely didn’t want to share her father with some new girlfriend.

It would be better for Mal to seal off her heart, and try to resist the feelings that threatened to pull her under.

Just focus on the fun of the day, she told herself as Joe swung the carriage around and brought them back into the heart of the village.

It turned out not to be so hard to do. Mal had always loved the Hometown Holiday Celebration. And it was fun to get looks of admiration from the other young women when they saw her with Harrison and Katie.

The three of them sipped hot cocoa, admired the Cassidy Farm Christmas trees for sale, and greeted tons of Mal’s friends and Katie’s classmates.

More than one person offered to lend a hand at the farm, and it was clear how surprised and grateful Harrison was each time. Mal knew he was going to love Trinity Falls if he just let his guard down a little.

As the day went on, it was hard not to notice how attentive he was. He brought Mal food, asked what she wanted to do next, and sent a thrill through her when he touched the small of her back as they found seats on the firetruck for another ride around town.

Don’t get too attached, she reminded herself. Don’t break your own heart.

But she was starting to feel like it was too late. She already read his moods without him saying a word, looked forward to his messages, and found her breath catching in her chest every time they touched.

And her relationship with Katie was so special. She longed to see the little girl grow up, not just by watching her skipping past the bakery window once in a while, but from the kind of front row seat that would allow her to be there through thick and thin, soothing her heartbreaks, celebrating her victories, and doing all she could to smooth the way for the little person who took up such a big place in her heart.

“Look,” Harrison whispered suddenly, jutting his chin back toward the bakery.

Mal turned to see Sloane Greenfield with Kai Blackstone. Each of them was holding a jingle bell knot.

“Oh, wow,” Mal moaned.

“Who’s that?” Katie asked.

“He’s a reporter,” Mal told her.

“If he likes jingle bell knots, he might write about them,” Harrison added.

As they all looked on, Kai lifted the treat to his mouth and took a bite.

“I can’t watch,” Mal said suddenly, turning and squeezing her eyes shut.

“He likes it,” Katie squeaked a moment later. “He said something to his friend and then he took another bite. A big one.”