Santa's Shopkeeper (River's End Ranch Book 18) Read online

  Santa’s Shopkeeper

  River’s End Ranch Book Eighteen

  by Amelia C. Adams

  ©Amelia C. Adams 2017

  Cover design by Erin Dameron-Hill

  My thanks to my beta readers—Amy P., Bobbie Sue, Erin, George, Jen, Mary, Megan, Nancy A., Nancy C., Laurie, Lorena, Renee, and Shelby.

  Table of Contents:

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek of Blacksmith’s Beauty

  Chapter One

  Heidi Davidson grinned as she set down her box cutter and pulled back the cardboard flaps on the package that had just been delivered. She had to paw though a bunch of Styrofoam, but she finally unearthed what she was looking for—the special ornaments she’d ordered in for the Christmas tree decorating ceremony the following week.

  “Is that them?” Alicia, the other employee at the general store, came up to the counter from the back, where she had been stocking their new supply of “River’s End Ranch” T-shirts.

  “Yes. I was starting to get worried that they wouldn’t be here on time.”

  Alicia reached into the box and pulled out one of the crystal stars, holding it up to the light. It cast tiny rainbows all over the store. “These are gorgeous.”

  “I hope everyone likes them. I’d better get them up on the ornament rack.”

  Heidi carried the box over to the rack where all the Christmas ornaments were displayed. The Westons had a tradition that had been passed down for generations—a large tree grew on the Old West portion of the property, and every Christmas Eve, everyone staying at the ranch gathered there and hung an ornament. They could bring one from home, buy one here at the general store, or make one during Christmas Week. She was always sure to have a huge selection on hand for those who chose to buy one.

  She took a moment to rearrange the ornaments that were already on display. Santas, bears, elves, little log cabins, silver stars, all the Nativity characters, and bunnies and fairies—inspired by Jaclyn, of course—almost anything that could be imagined was found here. Now she added the crystal stars, then stood back and admired the selection. There was a lot to choose from. She’d be making her own, though—as pretty as these were, she liked being different.

  The front door opened, and a young man stepped inside. He stomped the snow off his boots before coming in and was careful to wipe his feet on the mat—she liked him already. Mopping up snowy footprints always made her grumpy.

  “Hi there,” she said, greeting him warmly. “Welcome to River’s End Ranch.”

  “Thank you,” he replied, pulling off his knit hat and shoving it in his pocket. Miraculously, his hair looked perfect. Heidi’s would have been sticking out in all directions. “I’m looking for a Christmas gift for my mother. I haven’t seen anything I like yet, and I’ve got my fingers crossed that you have something here.”

  “I’ll cross my fingers too. What are you looking for?”

  He grinned. Wow. That was a great grin. He must have an excellent dentist. “That’s the thing. I don’t really know. It’s one of those ‘I’ll know it when I see it’ things.”

  She nodded. “I understand. Here at the front, we have our old-fashioned merchandise—candy sticks, candles, things like that. In the back, we have clothing and toys, and up here by the register, we have all our ranch memorabilia—except for T-shirts, which are back in clothing. We carry a line of jewelry made by local artisans in this glass case, and I’m probably talking too much and should just let you look around.” Her face felt warm—that’s what talking to a good-looking guy did to her.

  He laughed. “I appreciate it. We’ve never been here before, so we’re relying on maps and directions.”

  We? He wasn’t alone? Heidi immediately felt silly for having the thought. Of course he wasn’t alone. This was a destination vacation ranch at Christmastime—no one came here alone. “Does your wife want to give you some input about the gift?”

  “Wife? Oh, no, I’m not married. I’m here with my brother and his family. He’s the one who did the whole marriage and dad thing—I haven’t settled down yet.”

  Heidi grinned. “Kids are fun,” she replied, although that wasn’t why she was grinning. “How old are they?”

  “Maisie is seven and Connor is four. Cute little things—I’m sure they’ll be in here a lot when they hear you sell candy. I’ll wander around for a minute and see what I can find for my mom.”

  “Great. I’m right here if you have any questions.”

  He shook his head with a smile. “I have one already.”

  “Oh? That was quick.”

  “I don’t believe in dawdling. Why are you dressed like a pioneer?”

  Heidi looked down at her dress and apron and laughed. “That’s your question? Well, we’re in the Old West, aren’t we?” She held out her arms and motioned to the barrels of lemon drops and licorice whips and the bolts of fabric on the walls. “It’s all in keeping with the theme. I don’t dress this way every day, though.”

  “You don’t? That’s disappointing. You look cute.”

  She blushed. Why did she have to do that? It pretty much ruined her plan to act cool and casual and not interested in this guy at all. “Why, thank you,” she replied, trying to distract him from her embarrassment. “You should see me in my matching bonnet.”

  “Oh, I definitely want to see that.”

  “And if your mother would like a bonnet, we have those as well. Midway toward the back on the right.” She could save this conversation and turn it into a sale. She could sell anything. At least, that’s what Wade Weston had told her when he hired her to be the manager here.

  He grinned. “I’ll take a look. Thanks.”

  He stepped away from the counter, and Heidi took a deep breath. Good grief. She was acting like she’d never seen a good-looking man before. They got hundreds of good-looking single men on the ranch every year—charming, fun, easy to talk to. Why was this one making her feel like a sixteen-year-old all over again?

  She got to work entering the barcode for the new ornaments into the computer so they’d ring up properly. Then she decided she’d better take inventory of the candy bars and protein bars—she had to place an order that afternoon, and she hadn’t decided yet just what she needed. She moved over to the food aisle and was starting her list when Alicia came over to her, eyes wide.

  “I’m done with the clothes—the jeans are out, and so are the flannel shirts. But . . . uh, who is that guy looking at the hats? He’s really hot.”

  “Just a guest,” Heidi said. If she told Alicia how this particular guest was making her heart pound, she’d never hear the end of it.

  “That’s not just a guest. That’s like, a Greek god disguised as a guest. Okay, I need to focus here. What’s next?”

  Heidi laughed. “Yes, focus is good. Please refill the lemon drops.”

  “On it.”

  A few minutes later, knowing that she needed twice as many Snickers as she did Twix—and hoping that didn’t make the Twix feel bad—Heidi moved to the counter and started jotting down her order. The Greek god—er, guest—came up and placed his armload next to the register.

  “This is a fun store,” he said. “I’ve probably blown my entire souvenir budget, and I haven’t even loo
ked up here yet.”

  “We try to carry a little bit of everything,” Heidi replied. “Are you ready?”

  “Yeah, I’d better be done for now. Otherwise, you’d never get rid of me.”

  Hmm. Would that be so bad? Heidi scanned his first item. “So, I know about Maisie and Connor, but what’s your name?”

  “Mark Wilson. We’re staying in the Family Fun cabin. And you are . . .?”

  “Heidi. Um, Heidi Davidson.” She didn’t know why she was giving him her last name—it’s not like he needed it for anything. But he’d given her his, so it seemed like a fair trade, right?

  “It’s nice to meet you, Heidi Davidson.” He nodded down toward his stack. “I took your advice and got a bonnet for my mom and a cowboy hat for my dad. I think they’ll get a kick out of them.”

  “They are two of our biggest bestsellers.” She picked up a T-shirt. “For a girlfriend?” She was fishing again, and she knew it, but she just couldn’t help it. These words were coming out of her mouth and she was powerless to stop them.

  “Nope. My sister, Grace.”

  Sisters were good. “Are you going to be seeing your family for Christmas, or would you like these shipped?”

  “You have shipping here?”

  “Of course we do. We have a UPS Store right here on Main Street. Just go out the door and you’ll see the post office sign—it’s all vintage-looking, but inside, it’s a fully loaded UPS Store. Tell Abby I sent you.”

  “That’s awesome. Thanks, Heidi. That takes a load off.”

  “I’m here to serve.” She finished ringing him up, and he handed over his credit card. Once the receipt was in his bag, he paused.

  “Hey, I know this is really sudden and you’re probably tired of being hounded by guys asking you out, but can I take you to dinner tonight?”

  She blinked a few times. Hounded? Um, nope. In fact, it was a rare occurrence. She saw pretty much all the awesome single guys who came through this place, but only a few saw her. “I’d like that,” she said after the shock wore off. “I get off at seven.”

  “Perfect. Is the dining room here at the ranch good?”

  “We have award-winning chefs—I think you’ll like it.” She smiled. “And I just put a coupon in your bag for a discount on your dinner.”

  “Then it’s meant to be. Where can I pick you up?”

  “I live in town, so it’s easier if I just meet you at the dining room.”

  He nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you there. Seven thirty, then, if you get off at seven?”

  “Sounds great.”

  Heidi watched him gather up his bags and step outside. Wow. That had certainly been a surprise. It might take her a minute to catch her breath.

  Alicia came up and leaned on the counter. “So, he’s no one really significant, huh? Just a guest?”

  Heidi gave a shaky laugh. “I think it’s safe to say that he just became a whole lot more significant.” Oh, boy.

  ***

  Mark Wilson walked into the Family Fun cabin and was almost flattened by his nephew Connor, who came barreling out from the back bedroom and plowed into his legs. Mark laughed, bending down to scoop the boy up for a piggyback ride.

  “How was your walk?” Todd, Mark’s brother, asked from his spot in front of the fireplace. He’d settled there as soon as they’d arrived and said that after that drive, he wasn’t moving for at least half a day.

  “It was great. This place is fantastic—how’d you find it?”

  “Callie found it online.” Todd nodded toward the kitchen, where his wife, Callie, was making sandwiches. “I’m glad it wasn’t any farther away. I can still feel the vibration of the car under my bum.”

  Mark heard a giggle from behind him and turned to see Maisie standing there, her hands over her mouth. “Daddy said ‘bum,’” she said, then giggled again.

  “I could have said a lot worse,” Todd replied.

  “But you wouldn’t, because your children are very impressionable.” Callie walked into the living room and handed Todd and Mark each a plate. “I hope you’re all right with ham and cheese. That’s about all I can get my two squirts to eat these days.”

  “I’m more than fine with it. Especially because you gave me Cheetos. Thanks.” Mark picked up a couple and popped them in his mouth.

  Todd did the same. “I read an article on Facebook the other day that said you should never feed your children Cheetos because it will give them cancer.”

  “And yet you’re eating them yourself,” Callie said with a grin.

  “I didn’t say I believed the article. I just said I read it,” Todd replied. “I also read another article that says we all have cancer cells floating around in us all the time, but our immune systems fight it off. When our immune systems get weak, that’s when the cancer can take hold.”

  “So then we do radiation and chemotherapy, which ruin our immune systems, to make the cancer go away?” Callie shook her head as she walked back into the kitchen. “Too confusing for me, hon. Will you please just eat your lunch?”

  “I will, but you know there are nitrates in this ham, and nitrates are in gunpowder . . .”

  She didn’t reply, and Todd grinned at Mark. “I love tweaking her.”

  “I’ve noticed that.” Mark popped another Cheeto. “Does she ever try to kill you in your sleep?”

  “Never has yet, though I’m sure I deserve it.” Todd glanced over his shoulder to where the children were now seated up at the bar with their own lunches. “Hey, what kind of stuff do they have at that general store? I haven’t gotten Callie’s gift yet.”

  Mark raised an eyebrow. “You realize Christmas is in just a few days, right?”

  “Yeah. So?”

  “So . . . you’re putting a whole lot of trust in a general store in the middle of Idaho. I picked up a bonnet and a cowboy hat for Mom and Dad. I don’t think Callie’s gonna go for that.”

  “That’s it? That’s all they have?”

  Mark was about to say that they had a really cute cashier, but he stopped himself just in time. “They actually have a lot of stuff, and a whole case of jewelry made by locals. I think that’s gonna be your best bet.”

  “Like, pricey jewelry? Because this trip is already costing a fortune.”

  “You’re the one who said you wanted to have a Christmas to remember, right? And anyway, I didn’t see the prices on the jewelry. I need to go back—I didn’t see even half the store.” Mark called over to the counter, “Hey, kids, guess what. I saw a sign while I was out on my walk—Santa’s here on the ranch. You can go see him.”

  “Really?” Maisie bounced up and down on her barstool. “When?”

  “Uh . . . I didn’t notice that part. But I’ll find out, okay?” And he’d probably have to go back over to the general store to get that information, which meant seeing Heidi again, and that wouldn’t hurt his feelings at all. Of course, he was having dinner with her that night, but he didn’t think that having multiple reasons to see her was a bad thing. “Hey, Callie? What are your plans for dinner?”

  “I thought we’d grab some pizza and bring it back here. This place has a ton of great family DVDs to choose from.”

  “That sounds great.” Mark paused. “I . . . uh . . . I sort of have plans, so I won’t be here.”

  “Mark Wilson!”

  He didn’t have to turn around to know that his sister-in-law had put her hands on her hips. “Yes, Callie?”

  “We’ve been here less than two hours and you already have a date? That’s got to be a new record, even for you.”

  “Hey, you’re making it sound like I find girls wherever I go,” he protested.

  “Well, don’t you?”

  “I didn’t have a single date on our whole Yellowstone trip this summer,” he reminded her.

  “You did spend some time talking to that cute park ranger.”

  “But we didn’t actually go out. She sort of had a boyfriend.”

  Callie sighed. “I really don’t know what
we’re going to do with you.”

  Mark stood up, crossed the room, and leaned on the counter. “Do you know what it is, Callie?” He met her gaze, even though she looked completely exasperated. “I see what you and my brother have, and that’s exactly what I want for myself. I just don’t know where to find it.”

  Her face immediately softened. “You turkey. You only said that so I’d get off your back.”

  “Maybe.” He grinned. “But it’s true. You guys are living the dream.” He reached out and tousled Connor’s hair. He knew better than to touch Maisie’s—she liked her two braids kept in perfect order, thank you very much. “If I could find this for myself, I’d have everything I want in life.”

  “Okay, fine. Go have dinner. We’ll stay here and watch Mickey Mouse without you.” Callie stuck her tongue out at him, but he knew she was pleased. She’d been at him for a long time to choose a girl and settle down, and he’d never been able to tell her how much he wanted that very thing for himself. For some reason, though, he’d been able to find the words this time.

  It might have had something to do with the cute blonde in the pioneer dress.

  Chapter Two

  The jingle bells on the door rang again, and Heidi glanced up. For a split second, she had a wild hope that it was Mark coming back for something else, but it was Abby, and Heidi grinned at the sight of her best friend.

  “Thank you for the present,” Abby said, leaning on the counter. “Merry Christmas to you too.”

  “The present? I haven’t given it to you yet. I haven’t even wrapped it yet.”

  “I mean the customer you sent over a little while ago. Best-looking fellow I’ve seen at the UPS Store in a long time.”

  “Oh, him.” Heidi finished counting the one-dollar bills and stacked them neatly. “He and I are sort of going out to dinner tonight.”

  “Oh.” Abby’s face fell, and she shook her dark curls. “Okay, then. I’ll stop drooling. I’m totally hands off.” She held up both those hands as though making a pledge. “Does he have a brother?”

  “He does. And he’s here at the ranch.”