The Maverick's Holiday Surprise. Karen Rose Smith

       Chapter One

      Hudson Jones was used to getting his own way. But as he stood in the doorway of his office at the Just Us Kids Day Care Center, he had a feeling he wouldn’t get his way this time. Bella Stockton had him stymied.

      The day care manager was beautiful—tall and willowy with wispy short blond hair. He’d tried to flirt with her over the past month that he’d been here to see to the day-to-day running of the center. After all, a cowboy could get lonely underneath the big Montana sky. But unlike the other pretty women he’d flirted with over his thirty years, Bella didn’t respond to him.

      He studied her as she talked with a mother, one who’d apparently been involved in the parent-teacher conferences scheduled at Just Us Kids after normal business hours. Hudson recognized the expression on the parent’s face. Over the last couple of months, he’d dealt with his share of upset parents. An outbreak of RSV—respiratory syncytial virus—had hit Just Us Kids, sending one of the children to the hospital, which had prompted her parents to file a lawsuit. The day care had been cleared, but the damage to its reputation had been done.

      He moved a little closer to the main desk in the reception area where Bella sat.

      Marla Tillotson was pointing her finger at Bella. “If I even see another child here with sniffles, I’m pulling Jimmy out and enrolling him in Country Kids.” She turned on the heels of her red boots, gave Hudson a glare and headed for the door.

      Although Hudson usually didn’t commit too much time to any one place, he had taken this job more seriously than most. After all, it was an investment he didn’t want to fail. He owned the property the day care sat on; his brother Walker owned the franchise. He’d let his brother talk him into staying for a while in Rust Creek Falls to oversee the staff and handle the PR that would put Just Us Kids back in the public’s good graces. But, to be honest, mostly he stayed in town because he wanted to get to know Bella better.

      As soon as he saw Bella’s face, he didn’t hesitate to step up to her desk. “It wasn’t your fault,” he said adamantly.

      As day care manager, Bella ran a tight ship. She enforced policies about not signing in sick kids, incorporated stringent guidelines for disinfecting surfaces and educated the staff. But it seemed she couldn’t put the whole awful experience of the lawsuit behind her.

      Bella brushed her bangs aside and ducked her head for a moment. Then she raised burdened brown eyes to his. “I just can’t help thinking that maybe I slipped up somehow. What if I wasn’t vigilant enough before the outbreak? What—”

      Hudson cut her off. “I’m going to say it again, and I’ll say it a thousand times more if you need to hear it. You didn’t do anything wrong,” he assured her. “I read numerous blogs about day care and RSV when Walker asked me to take over here. RSV looks like a cold when it starts. Kids are contagious before they show symptoms. That’s why it spreads like wildfire even with the best precautions. It’s going to be our job—” he pointed to himself, and then he pointed to her “—to make sure an outbreak doesn’t happen again.”

      Bella met his eyes intently. Suddenly the day care center seemed very quiet. Maybe it was just because he was so aware of her gaze on him. Was she aware of him? They could hear low voices in one of the classrooms beyond where tables were set up for the parent-teacher conferences. But other than that, the facility suddenly had a hushed atmosphere.

      Hudson noted that Bella seemed to be gazing intently at him. That was okay because he was studying her pretty oval face. He missed seeing the dimples that appeared whenever she was with the kids. That’s when she seemed the happiest. Her hair looked so soft and silky that he itched to run his fingers through it. But he knew he couldn’t. This was the first time she’d even stopped and looked at him like this. Had she thought he was the enemy, that he’d pick apart everything she did? That wasn’t his style.

      He found himself leaning a little farther over the desk. He thought she was leaning a little closer to him, too.

      All at once there was a rap-rap-rap on the door.

      Sorry that they’d been interrupted, he nevertheless excused himself and went to the door. When he opened it, the brisk November air entered, along with Bart Dunner, a teenager who was a runner for the Ace in the Hole. Hudson had ordered a mess of ribs from the bar for anyone who was still around when dinnertime came. He paid Bart, gave him a tip and thanked him. On the way to the break room, he glanced over at Bella. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, he told himself.

      “Have you eaten?” he asked her.

      “No, I haven’t. I’ve been making out schedules and ordering supplies for the new year.”

      He motioned to the bag. “Come join me.”

      At first he thought she was going to refuse, but then to his surprise she said, “I skipped lunch. Supper might be a good idea.”

      As they washed their hands at the sink, Bella kept a few inches between them, even when she had to reach around him for a paper towel. Was she skittish around all men...or just him? Maybe she was just shy, he told himself. Maybe she was a virgin. After all, she was only twenty-three.

      At the table, they each took one of the Styrofoam containers with ribs, crispy fries and green beans. “These ribs smell delicious,” she said, and he didn’t think she was just making conversation. But it was hard to tell.

      As they ate, he tried to get her to talk. “You know, we’ve been working together for over a month, but I don’t know much about you, except that you live with your brother and help with his triplets. I also know lots of people in town signed up to create a baby chain to care for the kids.” Jamie Stockton had lost his wife, leaving him with the newborns to care for and a ranch to run. “That says something about Rust Creek Falls, don’t you think?” If he could just get Bella talking, maybe she’d realize he was interested in her.

      “That’s the way Rust Creek Falls works,” she responded. “Neighbors helping neighbors. And what you know about me is probably enough.”

      “Come on,” he coaxed. “Tell me a little more. Did you grow up here?”

      “Yes, I did. I was born here.”

      “Have you and your brother always been close?” he prompted.

      “We have. I love my nephews and niece dearly.” She took a forkful of green beans, then asked, “What about you? I know Walker is your brother.”

      “I have four brothers. But we aren’t that close. Maybe because we’ve always had our own interests, or maybe because—” He stopped.

      Bella studied him curiously. “What were you going to say?”

      Hudson hesitated and decided he had to give to get. “Maybe because my parents never fostered closeness.”