The Cowboy's Christmas Blessings Read online

  The most memorable Christmases are the ones you don’t expect...

  Will welcoming them for Christmas

  have him wishing for more?

  Judd Wilson lives a solitary life...until he learns Nicole Taylor and her infant triplets need somewhere to stay. The cabin on his ranch is the perfect solution, but now his quiet Christmas alone feels a lot more crowded. Recently widowed, Nicole questions her swiftly developing feelings for Judd, even if the older man is wonderful with her babies. Is she ready to take that leap again?

  “I’m blessed to have such good friends. Thanks for helping me out.”

  Nicole considered him a good friend?

  Longing stirred in Judd’s gut. He took in the open living space, where her friends were chatting as they unpacked and played with the babies.

  He’d never been part of a group.

  He wasn’t the group type. Not even this one.

  “Hey, Judd, could you give me a hand back here?” Mason called from the master bedroom. “I want to get this bed set up.”

  “No problem.” His gaze lingered on Nicole as she went over to check on the babies. She took the tiny girl out of the seat and smothered her with kisses on her cheeks and neck. The baby smiled. Judd did, too.

  Being part of Nicole’s group was a one-night-only thing. Otherwise, it would put him in too much contact with her. Then people would talk. In a small town like Rendezvous, gossip was inevitable. Hanging around her all the time wouldn’t be good for her reputation.

  Besides, he needed his space. Always had. Always would.

  Jill Kemerer writes novels with love, humor and faith. Besides spoiling her minidachshund and keeping up with her busy kids, Jill reads stacks of books, lives for her morning coffee and gushes over fluffy animals. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children. Jill loves connecting with readers, so please visit her website, jillkemerer.com, or contact her at PO Box 2802, Whitehouse, OH 43571.

  Books by Jill Kemerer

  Love Inspired

  Wyoming Sweethearts

  Her Cowboy Till Christmas

  The Cowboy’s Secret

  The Cowboy’s Christmas Blessings

  Wyoming Cowboys

  The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride

  Reunited with the Bull Rider

  Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets

  His Wyoming Baby Blessing

  Small-Town Bachelor

  Unexpected Family

  Her Small-Town Romance

  Yuletide Redemption

  Hometown Hero’s Redemption

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.

  THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

  Jill Kemerer

  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

  —Philippians 4:19

  To Mindy Obenhaus.

  Your friendship blesses me every day.

  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

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Excerpt from Finding Her Christmas Family by Ruth Logan Herne

  Chapter One

  Evicted by her own mother right before the holidays. The thought of being homeless with three babies had jumped to the top of Nicole Taylor’s worst-case scenario list, and the list had been growing exponentially since her husband, Aaron, passed away last Christmas. Hadn’t the year been bad enough?

  She needed to find a place to live ASAP.

  Nicole steered her minivan north of Rendezvous toward Judd Wilson’s ranch. With Thanksgiving only a few days away, she gave a silent prayer of thanks for clear roads. Wyoming could be treacherous this time of year. The miles melted away as Nicole mindlessly took in the snowcapped mountains and horses huddled together in the distance. She hoped the babies were okay. She hadn’t been away from her four-month-old triplets, Amelia, Henry and Eli, for more than an hour at a time since they were born. But this was a crisis, and her friends had offered to babysit.

  Gabby, Eden and Brittany made it sound so easy: Talk to Judd. He has a two-bedroom cabin sitting empty on his property. He’s rented it out in the past. It’s one story—no stairs—perfect for you and the babies.

  Her friends clearly had no idea how intimidating the prospect of asking Judd for a favor was to her.

  She was nervous about this meeting for a number of reasons. One, she had no income, only Aaron’s life insurance policy, and it needed to stretch until she figured out a way to support herself. A normal job was out of the question. She’d never be able to afford childcare for three infants. But if she could do something from home, she might be able to get by until the triplets were in school full-time.

  Reason number two? She’d never lived on her own before. The past several months staying with her mother and sister, Stella, had been rough, but while Mom wasn’t exactly hands-on with the children, her presence had been reassuring. Every time Nicole thought of being solely responsible for the babies, her breathing came in quick gasps and she had to fight the sensation of falling.

  And then there was reason number three.

  She wouldn’t think about three. It was disloyal and wrong and absolutely inappropriate, given that Aaron hadn’t been dead a year.

  The sign for Judd’s ranch appeared, and Nicole navigated her minivan down the rambling driveway. She’d never been here before and wasn’t sure what to expect. Empty pastures gave way to a grouping of pines. When the trees cleared, her jaw dropped. The biggest log home she’d ever seen loomed to one side. She parked in front of it. Views of pastures, hills and mountains quieted her troubled heart.

  Lord, give me courage.

  She grabbed her purse and groped around for the diaper bag but came up empty-handed. Duh! If she wasn’t so jittery, she’d laugh. She didn’t need a diaper bag to talk to Judd. Those three tiny babies had completely changed her life, and she thanked God for them every day. In fact, it wouldn’t hurt to check on them.

  Nicole sent a group text to her friends, and within seconds, her phone dinged. Gabby assured her everything was fine. A picture came through. The six of them had squished together for a selfie. Eden held Amelia, Brittany held Henry, and Gabby held Eli. So adorable.

  She stepped out of the vehicle and pulled her shoulders back. As she made her way to the covered porch, she gathered her thoughts. Was the cabin available to rent? If yes, she’d assure Judd she’d be a model tenant. Then she’d offer him an insultingly low amount for it and hope he wouldn’t be offended or laugh her off the property.

  As if he would. Judd was the nicest guy she’d ever met.

  “Hey there,” a low voice called from the porch.

  And there stood reason number three. Judd Wilson himself. The only guy besides Aaron who’d ever made her insides all fluttery. She wasn’t even near Judd, and her nerves were positively crackling.

  The rancher was a good ten years older than her, yet something drew her to him. It wasn’t his cut muscles, although she’d have to be in a coma not to appreciate them. It certainly wasn’t his sparkling personality, given he was
the quiet, serious type. It wasn’t even the fact he owned a massive, successful ranch and had never been married.

  Whatever it was, she needed to ignore it and focus on today’s mission: finding an affordable place to live.

  “Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.” She climbed the steps and tried to sound cheery.

  His deep blue eyes held a gleam as he opened the front door and ushered her inside. His jeans, long-sleeved T-shirt and cowboy boots fit him perfectly. Not that she’d noticed.

  She shouldn’t notice.

  Heat climbed the back of her neck. Why couldn’t she look away?

  Judd led her to a living room with soaring ceilings, a stacked-stone fireplace, dark leather furniture and views of pastures and distant mountains from the large windows. The house was unbelievable—grand and welcoming at the same time. She caught a glimpse of the kitchen and let out the tiniest sigh. Even from here, she could see the pretty cabinets and granite countertops. A girl could bake up a storm in there.

  “Do you want me to take your coat?” he asked.

  “Oh, no, I won’t be staying long.” Her palms grew clammy. She wasn’t ready to do this.

  She loathed asking for favors. Disliked owing anyone anything. Her entire life she’d been dependent on the generosity of other people. Just once she wanted to be independent, to not have to rely on anyone else.

  “Is something wrong with the babies?” He took a seat on a leather chair and gestured for her to sit on the couch.

  “No, they’re fine.” She sat, keeping her purse on her lap, and forced herself to swallow her pride. “Actually, I heard you have a cabin on your property you rent out sometimes.”

  “I do.”

  “I also heard no one is living in it at the moment.” She tightened her grip on the purse straps.

  “Correct.”

  “Well, Mom and her boyfriend, Steve, are moving to Florida.” It wasn’t the first time her mother had fallen head over heels and decided to move in with a guy. It probably wouldn’t be the last. “It’s all really sudden. Basically, they’re hitting the road after Thanksgiving and, with her lease expiring at the end of the month, she gave her landlord notice.”

  “She’s kicking you out?” He sounded dumbfounded, the same as she’d been two days ago when her mom had told her.

  “Yeah.” Was her face on fire?

  “The cabin’s empty.” Judd stood. “I’ll get the key and take you over. I don’t know if it’s what you’re looking for, but you’re welcome to it.”

  The fluttery feeling came back full force. His generosity made him very, very attractive.

  He disappeared into the kitchen, then came back holding up a key. “Come on. I’ll take you over.”

  As she followed him through a mudroom, then outdoors and down a side porch, the next problem loomed: How was she going to approach the topic of rent? Her checkbook might as well have a neon sign flashing I’ve Got Nothing. She’d done the math dozens of times since Aaron died, and the life insurance had to last until she produced a reliable income. Thankfully, Mom hadn’t expected help with utilities or rent, but basic items like formula and diapers for three babies still cost a fortune.

  As soon as Nicole got her housing situation locked down, she had to figure out how to make some money. What could she do, though? She didn’t have a college degree—just years of experience working at a bakery.

  Judd opened the door to a multivehicle garage and waited for her to enter before closing the door behind them. With a push of a button, one of the garage doors opened.

  “We can take the UTV.” He pointed to one. “The cabin’s not far.”

  She climbed into the passenger side of the off-road vehicle and tried not to notice how close Judd’s arm was to hers as he started it up. He’d grabbed a jacket on the way out of the house, and it only served to make him look more rugged, more capable than usual.

  Her feminine core—the one she’d assumed no longer existed—gave a sigh of pleasure at all the masculine strength next to her.

  She should be ashamed of herself. Was this what loneliness did to a person? Made them hyperaware of any eligible guy who showed them a sliver of kindness?

  The UTV burst forward, and she lunged for the handle. Crisp air chased away her thoughts as they drove down a gravel path surrounded by evergreen trees. Soon they stopped in front of a cute log cabin. It had a small lawn in the front, and the back was guarded by tall dark green pines. A stone chimney climbed the side, and the covered front porch had three railing sections made of logs forming Xs. Stone pavers marked a path from the driveway to the porch.

  “Was this dropped down from a fairy tale?” She climbed out and headed toward the pavers. “It’s adorable.”

  “It’s been remodeled. A storm damaged it a couple of years ago. Aunt Gretchen helped me pick out everything.” He unlocked the front door and waited for her to enter. “Want me to stay out here?”

  “No, of course not.”

  As soon as they entered, she relaxed. The open living space was small but bright, cozy and updated. Her gaze was instantly drawn to the kitchen to her left. The white cabinets and laminate countertops looked new. Everything was laid out with care. A large refrigerator, gas oven, double sink, dishwasher and hardwood floors made her want to pinch herself. It was perfect.

  “The bedrooms and bathroom are back here.” He strode down the hall, his cowboy boots clicking on the floor.

  Both bedrooms were large, and the bathroom met her needs.

  “What’s in here?” She pointed to the door at the end of the hall.

  “Utility room.” He opened the door.

  She peeked inside, where a washer and dryer, washtub, hot-water tank and furnace were housed. Plenty big enough for her to do laundry. A window revealed a view of the backyard, and a door led out to it.

  As they returned to the living room, her heart began to pound. How on earth was she going to suggest Judd rent this beautiful cabin to her for next to nothing?

  She’d spent enough time around him over the past eleven months to want to protect their friendship. They usually sat together at social functions, although he never stayed long. Unlike most people, he didn’t pepper her with awkward questions or look at her with pity. He simply accepted her. His easy silence was a welcome change from years of being married to a talkative extrovert. It was also a nice reprieve from being treated like a trauma patient around town.

  “So, Judd, this cabin—” she spun in a slow circle before meeting his eyes “—is perfect. I would love to rent it from you.”

  “Good. Here.” He handed her the key.

  “Wait—not so fast.” She frowned. Didn’t he want to discuss the particulars? “About the rent...”

  He rubbed his chin with a confused look in his eyes. “Rent? I’m not taking any rent from you.”

  His words should have filled her with relief, but they didn’t. When would she ever stand on her own two feet? Would she always be a charity case?

  The fact Judd made the offer didn’t surprise her as much as it should have. The cowboy was... Well, he was too good to be true.

  “That’s very kind of you—” she lowered her chin “—but I have to pay you something.”

  * * *

  “Keep your money. Use it for the babies.” Judd knew it wasn’t smart, offering free use of the cabin to the one woman he actually felt comfortable around, but she needed it. And he wanted to help. He wasn’t a fool—she had no job and getting one would be pointless if she had to pay a babysitter to watch three babies. As it was, he had no idea how she managed to look so calm and capable raising triplets.

  Every Sunday morning, he watched Nicole navigate her way through the church parking lot with the babies strapped into a triple stroller. Her friends always helped her into the church as soon as they spotted her. There was no way she could live in a place with stairs,
that was for sure. His cabin would make life easier for her.

  “I can pay you, but I can’t afford much.” Her long blond hair, sage-green eyes, full lips and pale skin gave her a natural beauty, and he’d scolded himself more than once since she’d moved back to town to stop ogling her like some kind of creep. For crying out loud, he was at least ten years older than her!

  “I told you, I’m not taking your money.” He sounded gruffer than he intended. Nicole might be a mom of three and a widow, but she had pride. Then again, so did he, and he wasn’t budging.

  “Judd,” she said, sighing. He liked the sound of his name on her lips. “It’s too much.”

  Had she misconstrued his intentions? His face grew warm. “Doesn’t the Bible say something about taking care of widows and orphans?”

  “Yes.” Her sweet, shy smile reminded him why he always ended up near her at social functions. There was no pressure to converse, but when they did talk, it felt natural.

  Making small talk had never been easy for him.

  “Is the furniture okay?” he asked. The couches Aunt Gretchen had picked out were a little feminine for his liking, but the dining table was good and solid.

  “It’s perfect, but we haven’t worked out the rent yet.” Her eyes shimmered with uncertainty. “I can pay you a little bit each month. When I start earning an income—”

  “You got a job?” He crossed his arms over his chest. How would she manage that?

  “No, but I’ll find a way to support myself. Maybe something part-time. From home.” Her back was straight, her chin high, but he couldn’t help thinking she looked as fragile as one of the china dolls in Aunt Gretchen’s living room cabinet.

  She sneezed. “Excuse me for a second.” With her finger under her nose, she hurried down the hall to the bathroom.

  Money had never been an issue for him. He’d grown up in Boston with parents who had plush government jobs. His mom and dad loved to socialize. Judd hated it. His parents hadn’t known what to do with an introverted kid who was bored at school and refused to participate in sports. The final straw had been when he’d told them he was skipping college and moving to Wyoming to ranch with Uncle Gus. They still hadn’t gotten over it.