A Grand Teton Sleigh Ride: Four Generations of Wyoming Ranchers Celebrate Love at Christmas (30 page)

“And he makes your smile a little brighter. How could a father not notice? But darlin’, he isn’t ranching material. You get your heart set on this boy, and he’ll hurt you.”

“Why do you say that?”

He stared at her. “I’ve been around a long time. Men like him—they use people. All he cares about is getting his hands on this ranch so he can sell it off for the money.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t. Don’t even say that he only cares about the ranch. That he doesn’t care about me.”

She ran up the steps and into her room. How could Daddy be so cruel? She swiped at the tears, more angry at her father now that she’d gained control over the hurt. He didn’t understand that things weren’t like that between her and Ty. They were just friends.

As Hayley stared at her reflection in the mirror, she ran a finger over where he’d touched her cheek a few nights ago. His touch had made her skin tingle all over. There was something more between them. At least she’d felt it, but she wasn’t sure if Ty had felt it. Considering Daddy took a long time to warm up to new things, Hayley was happy to take her time with Ty, if their relationship even grew to something more.

Daddy had a point about Ty. He didn’t have a lot going for him in the way of aspirations. She wasn’t sure if he was even husband material, if things went that far. Should she let herself get closer to him, if in the long run they wouldn’t be good together? Her sisters had married good, solid men, one an engineer and one an architect, who provided stability for the families they wanted. But that’s why they’d ended up moving to the city and away from the ranch, so their husbands could keep their jobs. Her sisters contributed, too—one a schoolteacher, and the other worked at the post office. What in the world would Hayley do if she couldn’t run the ranch? It wasn’t like her art made her a living.

She sighed. She wasn’t looking for a husband, and she hadn’t known she was missing anything until she’d met Ty. But Daddy was right, Ty wasn’t a rancher. She shoved those ridiculous thoughts away, all of them, including Daddy’s hurtful words. She wanted to enjoy the day learning to ski.

When Hayley was at the back door with her keys in hand, Daddy appeared in his coat. “I’m driving you, Daughter.”

She pursed her lips “No, thank you.”

“Hayley, I’m sorry about what I said, but I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Then why do you say cruel things?”
Why do you keep me shackled here?
But that wasn’t true either. Daddy needed her. That was all.

He reached for her arm and gently squeezed. “You know I love you. I’m just an overprotective father. You know fathers never like potential future sons-in-law.”

“Good thing you’re getting way ahead of yourself,” she said.

“Uh-huh. And things can heat up pretty fast. I knew your mother five whole weeks before I proposed.”

Hayley pushed through the door, her father following, insisting on driving her.

He climbed into the driver’s seat, started the ignition, and turned up the heat on his dually truck.

“Ty and I are just friends working on a project together.”

“All it takes is a little kindling to start a fire blazing.”

W
ishing he had picked her up at the ranch, Ty waited for Hayley outside the entrance to Teton Village Sports, at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

He glanced at his watch. She was only fifteen minutes late, so he shouldn’t worry. The snow had stopped falling in the lower elevations and the roads had turned to slush. Besides, Hayley was a big girl and had grown up in this town. Lived here longer than Ty had.

A few cars, trucks, and utility vehicles steered into the parking lot, but none Ty recognized. A steel-gray dually pulled around the front, and the girl in the passenger seat waved.

“Hayley?” Ty opened the door for her.

Ty stiffened when her father climbed from the driver’s side and hiked around the grill of his truck.

The man adjusted his baseball cap and glanced around. Then he turned his attention on Ty. “Didn’t want Hayley driving in this. Figured I’d run a few errands in town then come back to pick her up. How long will you be?”

Technically, Ty should have been working today, and technically he was—giving a private lesson. But he’d had every intention of making today special.

Having her father inserting himself into the mix put a damper on things. But maybe Ty was trying too hard. Pushing too fast. Likely he’d ruin the friendship he had with Hayley, if he wasn’t careful.

“A few hours, actually. We have to get her ski gear and rent boots and skis, and then”—Ty cleared his throat, uncertain if he should add the last part—“then I thought I’d take Hayley to dinner. So I’m happy to bring her home. But … you’re welcome to join us for something to eat later.” Ty hoped the man would turn that offer down.

“Oh, that sounds fun, Ty.” Hayley’s eyes sparkled.

Which part—where they ate alone? Or where her father joined them? Ty waited for her father’s answer, though, because it seemed like he was commander-in-chief.

The man studied Ty without a hint of a smile. What was he thinking? Ty had a feeling that her father suspected Ty had a romantic interest in her. Maybe he wasn’t worthy of Hayley Covington, but maybe … maybe he could get there. Meeting her had definitely changed his perspective on life. He could see that God had in fact answered his prayer that morning—giving him direction. Or more like sense that he needed direction.

He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew he was heading somewhere, and he’d let God be in the driver’s seat.

“Daddy?” Hayley spoke up, when her father didn’t answer. “Ty will bring me home. I don’t want you to have to wait around. And I don’t want to have to rush, either, okay?”

The man grumbled something unintelligible and moved around his big manly truck. “You.” He pointed at Ty. “Be careful with my daughter. Call me when you’re headed out to the ranch, Hayley.”

“I will,” she said. “I love you.” She smiled at her father and waved as he drove away and then her lips flattened.

She blew out a breath and looked at Ty. “Sorry about the third degree. It’s like I’m sixteen or something, going on a first date, only this wasn’t a …” Hayley’s blue eyes, accented by the white stuff behind her, searched his gaze. “Was it? I mean, dinner and … Oh, Ty, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put pressure on you.”

He hadn’t known whether or not she thought about him like that. A person can only suspect that someone else feels the chemistry, but they can’t know until words are said or kisses are shared. “I’ll never tell.”

She laughed. “Oh, you. Now I feel—”

“Don’t.” He grabbed her gloved hand and squeezed. Even though he couldn’t feel her soft skin against his, holding her hand lit a million candles inside his chest. “Let’s have fun today.”

The next hour they spent in the sports shop buying ski clothes and renting the boots, skis, and poles. No point in buying those until she knew she wanted to do this again. After they geared up, Ty led her outside to a level area to give her the basic skiing instructions, then he showed her the moves in a place where she could practice before they tried the green slope for beginners.

Hayley fell down a few times, and Ty helped her up, but that was to be expected.

She tugged her goggles over her head. “I don’t know if I’m ever going to get this. You’re not disappointed, are you?”

“Disappointed? Are you kidding me? You’re doing great, and in fact, I think it’s time to take the lift.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Oh wow, I’ve always wanted to do that. But I … just never did.”

Yeah. Ty had his own tale of
just never did
. “Then let’s go.”

They rode the ski lift to where the beginner’s slope began then slid off at the right moment. At the top of the ski run, Ty positioned himself next to Hayley. “You can do this, just take it slow and easy, and stop if you need to. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Thanks.” Hayley held his gaze for a few seconds longer than necessary.

Was Ty reading too much into that? She pulled her goggles down over her eyes and pushed off with her poles. She took off a little too fast, and since Jackson was considered one of the most vertical slopes in the continental United States, maybe even the green was too hard.

Hayley screamed as she skied.

Ty yelled at her to throw her skies into a wedge, which would stop her.

But she just kept skiing faster.

Ty yelled for her to drop on her backside. If nothing else, that would bring her to a stop.

Finally, she fell, and Ty skied up to her. He tugged off his sunglasses. “Are you okay?”

Breathless, she looked up at him and grinned. “That was awesome!”

“You scared me to death.” Ty gasped, trying to calm his racing heart. “You’re some kind of crazy, Hayley Covington.”

Hayley finished the ski run and went back for more.

She and Ty laughed and talked as they rode the ski lift, and he showed her all the other green runs. She hoped to advance enough before the season ended to try the intermediate, but he cautioned her. She wouldn’t worry, she had Ty Walker as a ski instructor, didn’t she?

At the bottom of the slope, on their last run, Hayley could feel the endorphins kick in, just like if she’d gone jogging, or after an exhilarating ride on her horse. She followed Ty to take off her boots and return her skis.

“No wonder Daddy never let me ski,” she said. “He knew I’d get addicted and wouldn’t have time for the ranch.”

Ty helped her get out of the jacket she’d gotten tangled in. “Well then, I sure hope he doesn’t hold that against me,” he said. “Of course, he’ll know your new evil vice is because I’m a bad influence.”

When Hayley turned, he was oh, so close. Hayley could have kissed him at that moment, and the thought took her breath away. It seemed a natural next step, but they were in a public place. Ty hadn’t exactly said they were on any kind of date. But he just stood there and stared down at her. Was he thinking the same thing?

“Are you ready?” he asked. His voice cracked a little.

For you to kiss me?
“For what?” she asked.

“To eat. I know the perfect place.”

“Yes, I’m famished.”

Ty took her to a wonderful restaurant featuring international cuisine instead of Bubba’s Barbeque—which she loved—but she and Daddy went there far too often. This was a seriously high-end place. A fire blazing in the fireplace—and suddenly Daddy’s words came back to her:

“All it takes is a little kindling to start afire blazing
.”

She had a feeling she knew what he meant. She’d met Ty in the art gallery only a few weeks ago, and from the moment she’d met him, they’d connected. Felt comfortable together. Enjoyed each other’s company. Hayley found herself thinking about him a lot, thinking about something more than friendship. But did he feel the same way?

Ty sat across from her, his gaze penetrating. “What are you thinking about?”

“You said you wanted to teach me to ski, and I wasn’t expecting all”—she gestured to the ambience—“this.”

Hayley couldn’t hold his gaze any longer and wished she’d kept that to herself. If they were to be more than friends, how did they go there? Was it even a good idea?

“I hope I haven’t made you uncomfortable choosing this place,” he said.

“No, not at all.”

“Earlier, you mentioned that this wasn’t a date, and then you asked if it was.”

“Right. You said you’d never tell.”

He grinned, one cheek lifting into multiple dimples. “If I had asked you on a real date, what would you have said?”

He kept the tone light and fun—that was who Ty was—but she understood the serious nature of his question.

“Yes.” She swallowed. “I would have said yes.”

“Well then”—he swirled the water in his glass—“what do you say we make this a real date?”

She smiled, feeling that tingling over her skin again. “I think you know the answer to that.”

He leaned forward. “I want to hear you say it.”

His question and demeanor seemed out of character. But Hayley decided that she liked it. She liked it a lot. But then Daddy’s other words came back to her—the words that warned her of guys who only wanted her to get to the ranch and her money.

“Yes, I want this to be a real date.”

Leaning back, he smiled. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.” She looked at the waiter, who finally appeared with the dishes they’d ordered.

Once he’d left, Hayley cut into her steak and savored the tenderness. “What did you want to ask me?”

“You’re a beautiful girl, Hayley. And you have a rich history here … and I’m just … Why aren’t you with someone? Why aren’t you already married? I guess what I’m really asking is what are you doing here with me? Why would you want to be on a date with me? The local ski bum?”

Hayley heard both the accusation and the insecurities in his question. She liked his honesty—that he was transparent. She sensed he didn’t want to play games. Neither did she.

An ache burned behind her eyes. “I don’t know, Ty. There was someone once. But things didn’t work out. I think maybe, I think … Daddy ran him off. Daddy was scared Ray was only after me to get at the ranch. And in turn, Ray didn’t want to deal with my intimidating father. But you … I don’t know. When I met you, you didn’t treat me like you were on the hunt and I was the treasure.”