Mistletoe Mistake Read online

“Not well. I met a nice family through them, though. Vennie and John Gibson and their son Johnny came to the first one. Vennie and I have had tea several times. She’d a lovely person.”

  “Her husband’s a good sort, too, and their son Johnny’s well-behaved. Glad you’ve made friends.”

  Before she could call back the words, she asked, “Riley, do you count me as a friend?” Oh, no, she hadn’t intended to ask that.

  He appeared stunned. “Well… sure. We’re friends or I wouldn’t come by most every evening. I mean I’d come by to check on you, but I wouldn’t come inside or play chess.”

  “I’m glad because I want to count you as my friend.” She wanted to consider him as much more than a friend but he didn’t need to know that.

  He cleared his throat. “Good pie. Peach is my favorite.”

  “Mine, too. Although I also like apple.”

  She didn’t admit that Harriet at the café had told her that his favorite was peach. Knowing that Harriet realized Riley would be sharing the pie gave Shannon a fluttery feeling. Vennie had known he stopped by most evenings. Who else knew? Did people think of them as a couple?

  He polished off his dessert. “Thursday’s Thanksgiving. You doing anything special?”

  “No, Harriet said they’ll be open. I thought I’d eat dinner there. What about you?”

  “Same.” He swallowed a gulp of coffee. “How about we have dinner together? Better than each of us eating alone.”

  Her heartbeat sped up and she could have shouted for joy. Keeping her face calm, she smiled. “I’d like that. Dining alone isn’t much fun, is it?”

  She carried their plates to the kitchen, hoping he couldn’t read her mind to know that inside she was dancing.

  ***

  Riley wondered what had gotten into him. People were already making snide comments about him and the doctor. When he showed up at the café with Shannon tomorrow, people would label them as a couple for sure.

  Couldn’t people eat together without others making a big deal about a simple meal? He’d eaten with other people in town. Well, not single women, but with families.

  John and Vennie had him for dinner about once a month. Doreen and Colin Murphy did, too. Aw, hell, he was in for a lot of ribbing.

  He pictured Shannon’s face when he’d invited her to dine. She’d lit up like a lamp. He figured that question about whether or not they were friends was responsible. Appeared to him she wanted more friends, needed them.

  Sure, he’d given her plenty of trouble about being a woman doctor. Thing was, he’d decided she knew what she was doing. Mrs. Zimmerman had convinced him Shannon was a miracle worker.

  Wondering if Will Jones would have been able to save the babies and the mother made Riley feel disloyal. He remembered a couple of times Will was caring for them when the mother or the baby died. Shannon had said sometimes there was nothing the doctor could do. Still, Riley couldn’t stop wondering if Emily Fraser and both her twins would have survived with Will as their doctor.

  When he called for Shannon the next day, she wore a dress he’d never seen. The deep blue color highlighted her eyes. Her hair was frilly on top with curls trailing down her shoulders. He wished they could stay in by themselves. No, he couldn’t give way to those kinds of thoughts.

  He cleared his throat. “You look especially nice.”

  She smiled and twirled to show off her finery. “I wanted to dress up because this is a holiday. I know not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving, but my family always has a special dinner.”

  He helped her with her coat. “The café puts on a good spread for all of us who don’t have big families we can join.”

  “Where’s Sylvester?”

  “Left him guarding the jail. Abner gave me enough food to keep Sylvester happy for the day.”

  She pulled on her gloves and wrote on the blackboard. “Do you ever visit your family?”

  He escorted her toward the café. “Haven’t seen them in maybe six or seven years. Hear from them three or four times a year.”

  “Where do they live?” She grimaced. “Sorry, that slipped out before I remembered what you said.”

  “Georgia.” He exhaled, hating to talk about his family and changed the subject to her. “Your family all in New York?”

  “I suppose I have second and third cousins somewhere else but everyone I know is in New York. My grandparents died and left their estate to my father. My brother lives with them in his own apartment.”

  “You lived with them too until you came here?”

  She nodded. “But, I admit I enjoy having my own place here. I’ve been making Christmas decorations.”

  They arrived at the café and joined the line inside the door. Harriet motioned them to a table near the back corner. “This is quieter and more private.”

  What the hell did she mean, more private? He seated Shannon then took his chair. “Crowded today.”

  She looked around. “There’re no menus.”

  “Only one choice on special days. Reckon we’ll be served turkey with all the trimmings.” He nodded to Uriah and Millie Cobb. He was still a little annoyed with the barber.

  “Do you know everyone here?”

  “Sure, you want introductions?”

  She looked at her hands in her lap. “Not unless they speak first. I’ve seen some of them in church but most haven’t bothered to introduce themselves.”

  He hadn’t realized she hadn’t even met everyone who attended church. “Sorry you’re having a rough time. Give people time to get used to you. When Mrs. Zimmerman gets back and raves about you, she’ll sway a lot of minds.”

  “Maybe.” He thought she would have said more but their food arrived, delivered by a frenzied Harriet.

  “Here you go. Never been this busy. Guess the town’s growing.” She dashed back to the kitchen.

  They were eating pumpkin pie when George and Hester McGarry stopped at the table.

  Hester smiled at Shannon. “I’ve wanted to meet you, Doctor Callahan, but I let time get away from me. I’m Hester McGarry and this is my husband George.”

  Shannon beamed at them. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

  George said, “I run the bathhouse. We have a secluded side for women if you ever wish to take a hot bath where you don’t have to heat and carry the water.”

  Hester nudged him. “George, what a thing to say when you’ve just met the doctor.”

  Shannon chuckled. “I’m glad to know there’s a nice bathhouse in town, but I’m especially happy to have met you both.”

  “Well, we’ll see you later.” Hester tugged George toward the door.

  After the McGarry’s had broken the ice, several others came by to introduce themselves. He was glad Uriah and Millie were among those who did. After dinner, he and Shannon strolled back to her place.

  Riley’s shoulders shook in a shiver. “Wouldn’t be surprised if we had a big snow before long.”

  “You mean those we’ve had weren’t?”

  “Not a blizzard. You have plenty of coal and wood?”

  “Enough for all winter, I believe.”

  They reached her house and she took time to erase the blackboard before she opened the door. “That was a lovely dinner, Riley. Thank you.”

  “Um, my pleasure. Let me check the wood and coal before I forget. Takes a lot to get through our winters.”

  “Come in. The wood’s on the back porch and the coal’s in the cellar.”

  Shannon hung up her coat and started coffee boiling while Riley checked her supplies.

  When he returned, stomping snow from his feet, she took his coat and offered him a cup of coffee.

  “Thanks. Getting colder out there.” He sat at the kitchen table.

  She poured her coffee and sat at his right. “What’s your verdict?”

  “You’ve enough wood to last until maybe February. Believe there’s coal to last until spring.”

  “Riley, if I remain here, I don’t know how to replenish the fuel. When
I came, the wood was already split and stacked.”

  “Don’t worry about it. You can hire someone to do that for you.”

  She watched his face to judge his opinion. “So, you’re not encouraging me to leave after January?”

  He shrugged. “Not unless you choose to leave. You saw people at the café respond to you. Soon you’ll have more patients than you want.”

  “I don’t wish people ill health, but I do wish they’d consult me when they have ailments.”

  “They will. Tell me about these Christmas decorations you’re making.”

  “Really?” Shannon couldn’t believe her ears.

  She stood and led Riley through the house. “The decorations are through here. I don’t know what this little room off the parlor was for, but I’ve set up Santa’s workshop.”

  “Will used this as a library. He didn’t have that many books that weren’t about medicine, but this is where he kept them.”

  “I put them all in this one bookcase. I’ve read several of them. Anyway, here are my decorations.” She showed him a wreath. “I’ll add greenery closer to Christmas and hang this on the front door. These are tree ornaments.”

  He held an angel up by his face. “You captured me pretty well.”

  “Ha, ha. Not even close. But, this one is supposed to be Sylvester.” She displayed a stuffed dog made from brown wool.

  He laughed. “That’s good right down to the color. And I see from the eyes and nose that you do embroider in spite of your disdain for women who pursued that activity.”

  “I didn’t say I couldn’t embroider, just that I don’t want that to be my life’s work. I sew, cook, embroider, crochet, and knit. Medicine is what I enjoy, though.”

  “Like saving babies and their mother? I can understand that. Saving Emily Fraser’s life and safely delivering her twins must have been close to a religious experience.”

  She touched his arm. “Thank you, Riley. That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me.”

  Gently, he grasped her shoulders and met her gaze. “Have I been that hard on you?”

  “N-Not lately.” Oh, my, he was so close.

  His mesmerizing brown eyes cast a spell. She knew he was going to kiss her, wanted that kiss as much as she’d ever wanted anything. When he lowered his head, she tilted hers to meet his lips.

  At first, his kiss was gentle as a caress. He took a breath and pulled her closer within his embrace. The pressure of his lips increased and she thought she might dissolve into a blissful puddle at his feet.

  Instead, she met him with the heat she sensed building within her. She held on to him as if she would fly away otherwise. The ridge of his response pressed against her lower abdomen. When he released her, she yearned to hold him near again. Hold him forever.

  “I hope you don’t think I intended to take advantage of you, Shannon. I honestly wanted to check your fuel. We always have a blizzard around this time.”

  She rested her forehead against his chest. “I don’t need more heat right now, thank you. Nice to know I’m prepared for winter, though.”

  He cradled her against him. “Yeah, I noticed that suddenly the room’s a little warm. Feels good, though.”

  “Very good.” She pulled away from him reluctantly. “Would you like another cup of coffee to cool off?”

  He scrubbed a hand across his face. “I suspect I’d better go while I have the willpower. Need to check on Sylvester.”

  “Tell him I miss seeing him.”

  He leaned in for a quick kiss. “I will.”

  “Riley, if there’s a blizzard, don’t come check on me. Conserve your strength and keep warm.”

  When Riley left and she locked the door behind him, she floated through the house. Time enough to make a couple more replicas of Sylvester before bedtime.

  Chapter Seven

  On Friday evening, the blizzard blew in. Shannon hurried to feed and water Plato. She found a horse blanket and covered him then gave him an extra measure of hay and feed.

  She watched the snow from her parlor window. At first the sight was beautiful but then the snow increased until she couldn’t see the carriage house. The wind increased and rattled the windows.

  She was grateful she had a warm place to take refuge. She worried about others in town who might not be as well off as she. Thank goodness, Mrs. Zimmerman was still staying with the Frasers to offer them her counsel.

  Not a soul came to her door and she didn’t venture out except to feed Plato. She realized the true purpose of the line she’d believed to be a clothesline from the back door to the stable. Without it, she couldn’t have found her way to and from the carriage house.

  On Tuesday, Riley came to check on her. Once he was inside, she started coffee while he took off his coat, hat, and gloves. He’d carried Sylvester with him.

  “Did you carry him all the way here?”

  “No, just after he got tired. He enjoyed jumping into the snow for a couple of blocks, but then he was through. I was afraid the pads of his feet would get too cold.”

  Shannon patted a spot on the floor. “Look, Sylvester. I found this blanket especially for you.” She set a bowl of water and a dish of chopped meat down.

  The dog wolfed down the food and drank half the water. Then, he rearranged the blanket and lay down.

  Riley smiled at his pet. “He’s happy now. Pretty good treatment, eh, boy?”

  “In case you’re jealous, I baked a pie. I didn’t have dried peaches, but I had canned ones.”

  He rubbed his hands together. “Sounds great. Carrying Sylvester whipped up my appetite.”

  She cut him a slice of the pie she’d baked in hopes he’d come by tonight. “Lucky for my waistline you’re here. I love to bake in cold weather. I’ve made two kinds of cookies during the storm.”

  Good heavens, she had to control herself. She acted like a schoolgirl with her first beau. At least, she hoped Riley qualified as a beau.

  Just because he’d kissed her didn’t mean he thought of her that way. Men put less importance on kisses than did women. Or so she’d heard. As much as she knew clinically about the human body, she hadn’t much romantic experience.

  Face facts, she had no personal knowledge of dealing with men as anything other than patients. While technically Riley was one of her patients, that definitely was not how she pictured him now. Since she was the only doctor in the county, she wondered about the ethics of having a relationship with a patient.

  As if anyone here would care. Mistletoe was a world away from most of the rules she learned in New York. How could she encourage Riley without seeming obvious—as if baking his favorite pie wasn’t evidence enough.

  He took a bite of pie and closed his eyes. “Mmm. Delicious.”

  “Thank you. Let me refill your coffee.” She couldn’t tamp down her licentious thoughts. The man was handsome and he genuinely cared about everyone in town.

  “You keep busy this week?”

  “Fortunately, I’d mailed my presents to my family in New York before the blizzard arrived. While I was snowed in, I finished my Christmas decorations. Has the cold kept the criminals indoors?”

  “Yeah, worried about a few of the older people, but I check on them when I can. Old Mr. Igo needs help but he’s too stubborn to let anyone take care of him. Mr. Jensen is the same.”

  She started to say that was like a man, but didn’t want to ruin the moment. “Would you like to help me decorate the house for Christmas?”

  He pushed back from the table. “Why not. Where shall we start?”

  “The parlor. I have the decorations divided into rooms.” She led the way to the so-called library where she’d sorted her creations.

  Riley followed but Sylvester was asleep by the stove. Riley scanned the piles. “What goes in the parlor?”

  “These.” She picked up a garland. “This goes on the fireplace.

  “You gonna hang stockings?”

  “Not this year. Maybe sometime in the future if I ever have c
hildren.”

  He stopped and stared at her. “You mean you plan to marry and have a family and keep working as a doctor?”

  “Yes. There’s no reason not to. I want a family. If I were allowed to remain here, I’d love to build on more bedrooms for children.”

  He chuckled as he laid the garland along the mantel. “Sounds like you plan to match the Doans.”

  “Maybe. Four might be a better number. In the meantime, I have this cozy home to live in. But, I’ll starve to death if I don’t have more patients soon.”

  “Give people time.”

  “That’s what Vennie Gibson says, but how much time?”

  “Hard to say. Where are you going to have your Christmas tree?”

  “I want two. I’d like a small one in the medical office and a larger one in the parlor. Is that crazy?”

  “Not if that’s what you want. I guess I should put a wreath on the door of my office and one on my house.”

  “Where do you live?”

  “Across the alley from the jail and down a couple of doors. Not that great a house and it’s tiny with only one room, but the place is convenient to work.”

  “I don’t think the size of a home is as important as feeling you belong there. My parents’ home is… well, maybe nine or ten times the size of this one. I feel more comfortable here than I’ve ever been anywhere.” Oh, my, why had she confessed that? Why let anyone know how uncomfortable she’d been with her home in New York?

  “Did you go away to medical school?”

  She shook her head as she hung a wreath inside the parlor window. “I lived at home. My father is one of the professors as well as a practicing physician. Our house was only a couple of blocks from the medical school. And the college I attended was no further.”

  ***

  Riley tried to picture her as a student in medical school. She had to be way smarter than him or anyone he knew. “Frankly, I imagine most men are as intimidated by you as I am. You have a lot of education and skills not common for women.”

  “You don’t act scared, Brave Sheriff McCallister. What made you decide to become a sheriff in the first place?”

  He figured he might as well tell her. “Pure luck and my story is a shocking one. I’d been drifting from Georgia, through Texas, and then northwest to here. Made a living gambling, which is kind of the family trade.”