Silos and Sabotage

One week before Christmas

 

Two more dogs were getting a new home for Christmas.

 

Cassie Cordell should’ve been more excited. Instead, she found herself fighting back tears as she watched Ollie and Daisy prancing around the back of the department store on their leashes. She was going to miss the frisky Golden Doodles like crazy. They were a brother and sister from the same litter. After caring for them for the past several months, she’d grown attached to them.

 

She finished typing up the forms on her laptop to finalize their adoptions, trying to take comfort in the fact that they were getting re-homed together.

 

“Here you go, Deck.” Cassie placed the handwritten receipt for the two adoption fees inside the adoption folder and waved the dogs’ new owner back over to her. She was perched on the rung of a six-foot ladder, using the white folding table in front of her as a desk. Because the animal sanctuary had been completely destroyed by a saboteur, she and her coworkers were depending on borrowed space at stores around town to handle their holiday pet adoptions.

 

Decker Kingston whistled to get the dogs’ attention and walked them back in her direction. “Just stick it under my arm.” He leaned her way so he could hold the folder in place with one elbow pressed to the side of his ribcage. He wasn’t tall, but he was every bit as built as he’d been during his bull riding days.

 

“Merry almost Christmas to you and your fur babies!” She summoned the most cheerful voice she could. “They’re going to fit right in with you and your family. They seriously love everybody.”

 

He smirked. “Our two-year-old wanted a pony for Christmas, but this is all my wife would allow.”

 

Cassie chuckled as she pictured Chanel, an upscale clothing designer, receiving her first sloppy kisses from Ollie and Daisy. Her desire to weep faded. “I have a prediction to make. Your daughter is going to ride these two sillies just like ponies.” Ollie and Daisy wouldn’t mind one bit. They were going to be the perfect partners in crime for little Gwen.

 

“No doubt.” Deck grinned. “Riding is in her blood.” Now that his bull riding days were behind him, he served as one of the four partners at Lonestar Security. It was a rapidly expanding business that had recently relocated to the old post office building overlooking the lake. He also served as a town council member.

 

Cassie left her perch on the ladder to squat down in front of the dogs. “Well, these ragamuffins will definitely help Gwen get practiced up for the big leagues.” She scratched them behind their ears and looped her arms around their necks for a final hug. “You sweet things,” she murmured against their blonde curls.

 

Deck cleared his throat. “Sorry to have to scoot so quickly, but we’ve got someone coming in for a job interview today.”

 

Cassie quickly stood, blinking rapidly. “This close to Christmas?”

 

“Absolutely!” He shook his head. “It isn’t easy recruiting a forensic artist to a town this small. We’ve been advertising for months.”

 

She nodded in understanding. “And now that you’ve found a strong candidate, you’ve gotta strike while the iron’s hot.”

 

“Yep.” He whistled to get the dogs moving again. “Thanks for everything, Cassie. Merry Christmas!”

 

Ollie and Daisy were so excited about being out of their cage that they practically sprinted for the front door.

 

“They grow up so fast.” Jordan Jacobson strode around the wall of cages. Though it felt like they’d been adopting animals right and left for days, about a third of the cages still had animals yawning, napping, and looking forlorn about being cooped up.

 

Cassie felt like weeping all over again as she eyed the wiry retired horse jockey headed her way. He had on a fleece-lined denim jacket over his jeans and his favorite brown leather Stetson.

 

“Hey.” He adjusted the brim of his hat as he frowned in concern at her. “You about ready to get out of here?”

 

“Yes and no.” Until the animal rescue sanctuary could be rebuilt, they were putting in extra hours, transporting animals and cages all over town. Since the two of them had previously lived on site at the sanctuary as its primary caretakers, they were now stuck at an extended-stay motel until it could be rebuilt.

 

“I’m ready to call it a day,” she clarified, muffling a yawn, “but I hate leaving the animals in a department store overnight. It’s not their home, and they know it.” She pointed at their glum expressions.

 

“They’ll be fine.” Jordan’s gaze didn’t waver from her. “I’m more worried about you.” He held up her white puffer jacket so she could shrug into it. Then he helped her gather her paperwork, laptop, and purse. “You haven’t been yourself for a few days. What gives?”

 

She shook her head, unsure how to put her frazzled emotions into words. “The holidays, I guess.”

 

He slid an arm around her shoulders as he steered her toward the front of the store. “Not into Christmas?”

 

“I like Christmas. It’s just…tough this year.” She wrinkled her nose at him. Tougher than usual, that is. She didn’t have a clue where her drug-addict mother was. Her best guess was that she was shacked up with a new boyfriend in some shady corner of the country. Plus, the aunt who’d finished raising her had passed from ovarian cancer last spring. “It’ll be my first Christmas alone,” she finished in a trembly voice.

 

“No, it won’t.” His arm tightened around her. “You’ve got me now.”

 

“You’re right.” She tipped her head against his shoulder, enormously grateful to have him in her life. “I love you,” she added softly. She was still sad, though, about the thought of spending the holidays in a motel room with no family in town. No holiday decorations. No ham thawing in the fridge.

 

They stepped into the parking lot and walked toward his vintage red Chevy pickup in silence. His truck never failed to cheer her up. It looked like something that belonged on a postcard.

 

Jordan wasn’t much of a talker, but he was a doer. He held open the door for her and assisted her to the running board so she could climb in.

 

A green plastic pet carrier was sitting in the middle of the wide, caramel-colored leather seat.

 

“What’s this?” Cassie hurriedly set her purse and laptop case on the floorboard.

 

“Take a look,” he urged.

 

She leaned around the front of the carrier to peek inside. A teensy tiny, fuzzy white kitten lay inside. “Oh, wow!” Her heart melted at the wide, innocent eyes staring back at her through the silver grate.

 

“She’s your first Christmas gift.” Jordan shut the passenger door firmly behind her.

 

She gaped at him through the windshield as he walked around the hood of the truck and slid behind the steering wheel. “Please assure me you haven’t forgotten I’m living in a motel room?”

 

“I talked to the front desk.” He started the motor. “Got permission for you to keep a pet there as long as I agreed to pay for a hypoallergenic cleaning after you check out.” His gaze glinted warmly at her. “Also, because I needed them to let me inside your room so I could set up the litter box, food and water bowls, and a cat bed.”

 

“Jordan,” Cassie breathed. “This is seriously the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.” In the past, she’d fostered all kinds of pets, but she’d never adopted one of her own. She’d always come up with one excuse or another. It had never seemed like the right time.

 

But now it did. The holidays loomed suddenly brighter. With the addition of a kitten in her life, her motel room wouldn’t be nearly as lonely. Or quiet.

 

“Yeah, well, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Jordan muttered as he drove out of the parking lot.

 

“Does she have a name?” Cassie lightly drummed her fingers on the front of the cage, making soft cooing sounds at the beautiful creature inside.

 

“She will after you name her.” He flicked a glance down at the cage. “Some teenagers found her wandering on the side of the road out by Chester Farm. The rest of her litter could be out there somewhere. The kids promised they’d go back and look around for them.”

 

“Sweet little thing. I’m glad they scooped her up and brought her to you.” Cassie’s cooing turned sympathetic. A tiny kitten wouldn’t have stood a chance against the cold and predators. “It’s way too bad about Monty Chester’s passing, isn’t it? Heart Lake won’t be the same without him.”

“It won’t,” Jordan agreed quietly.

 

The aging farmer’s generous soul had turned him into a hometown legend. For as long as Cassie could remember, Monty had been throwing fall festivals with corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and hayrides. During the Christmas season, his drive-through Christmas light display had been on everyone’s must-see list. He’d also kicked off every spring season with an Easter egg hunt that people from all over had driven their children to attend.

 

Even more remarkable was the fact that he hadn’t charged anyone a dime for admission. Nope. All he’d done was mount wooden donation boxes at the entrance and exit to his farm. If folks could afford to support the event, they did. If they couldn’t, they’d still been welcome to stay and enjoy themselves. According to one of the many newscasters who’d interviewed him, he’d raised thousands of dollars more in donations than he ever would’ve been able to do in admission tickets alone. Each year, he’d sent a check for the full amount to one worthy charity or another. Over the years, he’d funded school programs, fed the homeless, and repaired more homes and cars than anyone could shake a stick at. He was going to be greatly missed.
 

“What are you gonna name her?” Jordan rested his elbow on top of the cat carrier, reaching for Cassie’s hand.

 

“We-e-ell…” She placed her hand in his as she took another peek at the kitten. The itty-bitty bundle of white fluff had curled into a ball. “She kind of looks like a snowball.”

 

“That’s a good name.” He threaded his fingers around hers and hung a left.

That’s when she realized they weren’t heading back to the motel just yet. “Where are you taking me?”

 

“To pick up your second gift.”

 

A few minutes later, he pulled into a Christmas tree lot.

 

She started chuckling. “Are you serious?”

 

“About cheering you up? Yes.” His voice was matter of fact.

 

Happy tears stung her eyes. “So, we’re getting a tree?”

 

“Yep.” He pulled into a dry grassy field and followed the parking attendant’s instructions for where to park. “It’s our first Christmas together. The perfect time to start our own traditions.” He gave her a bemused look. “Even while stuck in motel rooms.”

 

“This is amazing,” she sighed. The man she was dating was the kindest, most compassionate person in the world, and the new kitten he’d gotten her was already worming its way into her heart. Which reminded her that it was too cold to leave it inside the truck for long. She let go of Jordan’s hand and opened the door of Snowball’s cage. “I’ll zip her in my jacket and bring her with us.”

 

No sooner did she lift the sleepy kitten from the cage than a glint of something shiny caught her eye. “What’s this?” She held the cat up to squint at her collar.

 

“Your third Christmas gift.” Jordan sounded a little less sure of himself than he had about his first two gifts. “If you want it.”

 

Cassie blinked in astonishment. Unless she was dreaming, she was staring at a diamond ring. “Jordan, are you asking me to…?” She was unable to finish the sentence.

 

“Yep. I know it’s a lot to ask. Taking me on for the rest of your life and all—”

 

“Yes!” She stopped him cold. “Yes, I will marry you!” A few minutes ago, the forthcoming holidays had felt like a hoard of gremlins, coming to swallow her whole. However, Jordan had single-handedly chased them away, and now he was in the middle of making every last one of her wishes come true.

 

His shoulders relaxed. “Here. Lemme help you with the ring.” He deftly unsnapped the kitten’s collar to remove the diamond solitaire. Then he slid it on her finger. “How does it fit?” He sounded anxious again.

 

“Perfectly.” Since Cassie was cuddling the kitten against her jacket with her right hand, she slid her left arm around his neck to bring his head closer. “I love you so very, very, very much, Jordan Jacobson.”

“I love you, too.” He tenderly claimed her lips. As usual, he showed her far better with his actions than his words