Page 82 of Cowboy’s Christmas Baker

“Good days and bad,” she agreed.

He took her hands across the table, and the look in his eyes was more intimate than any kiss.

“You mean so much to me,” he told her. “To both of us. The way you are with Katie… you’re everything she needs.”

“She doesn’t need anything at all,” Mal said. “But I love spending time with her, and it’s an honor to watch her grow.”

He squeezed her hands, making her heart ache.

“Please tell me you weren’t holding back all this time because you thought I wasn’t serious about you,” he said, his voice tight.

She shook her head.

“That was what I was telling myself,” she said. “I thought I didn’t want to look like a fool. But I’m starting to realize maybe it was something more.”

She paused, trying to find the words, and Harrison waited patiently.

“Real love can break your heart,” she said after a moment. “And I’m… scared.”

“When you lose someone you love, it can make you want to close your heart away where it’s safe,” Harrison said, his eyes on their hands. “That’s how I felt after Penny. Is that how you’ve been feeling this year after your mom?”

“I just don’t want to hurt anymore,” she admitted over the lump in her throat.

“I will do everything in my power not to hurt you,” he replied, his blue eyes fiery as they met hers again. “And I want to be there for you, all the time. I want us to get each other through the hard days.”

“Like we already do,” she said.

“Just like that,” he agreed.

She smiled up at him through her tears.

“I love your smile,” he breathed. “I want to be the one who makes you happy, every day, Mallory.”

“Okay,” she said.

“Okay, okay?” he asked, his eyebrows lifting. “Like okay, you’ll be my girl?”

“Yes,” she laughed. “Definitely, yes, not just okay.”

Harrison leaped to his feet, then pulled her out of her chair and danced her around the kitchen as Stevie Wonder sang “What Christmas Means to Me” on the radio and lacy snowflakes floated down outside the window.

Their laughter filled the kitchen and for the first time in a long time, Mal’s heart felt light enough to take wing and fly.

20

MALLORY

Mal woke up on Christmas morning and stretched, enjoying the light spilling into her apartment and the feeling of having slept as long as she liked.

It was probably only six or so, but she was used to waking up before dawn to start baking.

Harrison has already taken care of the cows, she reminded herself, feeling a little guilty about it, and wondered if Katie was awake yet.

The last week had been a whirlwind for all three of them.

Harrison had managed to hire two hands to help on the farm, and was negotiating the purchase of a half-dozen beautiful cows from a retiring dairy farmer a few hours away. He still worked every milking and feeding, but once his guys were up and running, he would be able to manage his time better. Tonight was going to be his first night off since November.

Katie had so much fun at her baking party that she decided to invite a friend to her baking session this week. The two little girls had giggled and smiled the whole time as they made chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls. If the kitchen got a little messier than it would have with just Katie, Mal thought it was more than worthwhile. She expected they would have baking playdates more often now, maybe even during her winter break.