JE gets all the money and glory for her characters, but I can hope that she sees it the way it should be. Delaney is mine. Lee Anne

Once upon a time, a little girl had a Christmas Wish …..

A Wish Come True

Chapter 1

"We have to open presents!" Delaney yelled running into the living room.

Ranger brushed his face against Stephanie's curls; very real tears were in his eyes. "Thank you, Babe," he murmured, "it's a Christmas beyond words."

Her hand cupped his cheek, "I know, but if we don't get in there, Delaney will have a few."

He chuckled knowing how true that was. Walking into the living room, the little girl has stacks of presents set aside all ready.

"Let's go!"

Each sat by their presents. There were a few with Ranger's name and Delaney's was the biggest stack. He gave Stephanie an eyebrow seeing his name on the tags.

"Santa Claus hoped you would be here," Stephanie said quietly.

The paper went flying and the wavy haired girl was lost. A shriek went out when she opened the large square box. "I got it! I got my Wii!"

Ranger stopped in mid-unwrapping when he heard, "Dad, we have to set this up! I want to go bowling!" Only able to nod at his happy little girl, his heart was doing flip flops and his throat clenched hearing that word.

"Delaney, we have to eat breakfast and clean off the sidewalks. I don't want Grandma and Grandpa falling when they arrive, then you can play games!"

She looked somewhat defeated for a second, "Dad and me will do it! Then I want to bowl!"

Paper started flying again. "I got an American Girl doll! And clothes! Who's this?" She held up a small handmade doll with a bright patterned dress.

"When I was in Mexico I bought her," Ranger told Delaney. "The reason I'm here and not still roaming who knows where in that hot sun is because I asked my rabbit's foot for some help because we couldn't find the men Lester and I were after. I asked and there they were. We captured them and came home."

"See, I told you to believe in Lady Luck!"

Stephanie was giggling, "A bright green rabbit's foot ended your job!"

"Yes, and don't tell," Ranger smirked with her.

"Oh, this is beautiful," She said holding up the blue Angora sweater from Ranger that Ella had picked out. Opening a smaller box was a pair of perfectly matching gold and blue sapphire hoops.

"Whoa, Mom! Santa Claus read my letter when I asked for something special for you because you take such good care of me and Ghost," Delaney was impressed with someone's selection.

"Babe," Ranger opened a box taking out something. It was a stainless steel flashlight in a canister that could be removed or positioned in the stand when someone needed both hands. It was just right for car problems along the road because you could change it to a red flashing light.

"What does Santa bring the man who has practically everything?" Stephanie asked.

"He brought him a perfect set of Babes."

In another box, Ranger received a travel razor in a sterling silver case with his initials RCM engraved on it and a fleece hoodie with 'DREXEL' embroidered on it. In his stocking with 'Carlos' on it, Santa put an apple, banana, pens, 'Post-It' notes, and a couple of 'Matchbox' cars. "Babe." He opened a small box from Delaney which had a black beaded keychain she made and in the middle was "OK" in white beads.

He immediately attached his Cayenne key from his pocket to it. "Delaney, this is the best."

"You went from 'OK Man' to 'OK Dad'," she told him proudly.

"Sounds good to me, Shark."

Stephanie called from the kitchen, "Breakfast!"

Delaney, Ranger, and Ghost all went running. The dog was enjoying his very large chew bone that Santa left under the Christmas tree for him.

"Mom, it smells good!" Delaney eagerly sat down on one of the benches topped with a black cushion.

There orange rolls on a Christmas tree shaped plate in the middle of the rectangular white table. There were white upholstered chairs on the long sides and benches at the ends. Ranger pushed in Stephanie's chair taking the one next to her with the place setting.

"I hope this egg casserole is all right for breakfast," Stephanie waited for Ranger to take a taste. He gave her an affirmative with a nod of his head tasting eggs, ham, peppers, mushrooms layered over hash brown potatoes. The warm rolls smelled and tasted of sweet oranges.

"Babe, if this is what you feed your guests, then I'd say they start their day out right," Ranger told Stephanie between bites of his Christmas breakfast.

"Usually I serve some type of egg dish or strawberry filled French toast, Amish ham, some fresh fruit, and muffins or rolls with orange juice," she gave her menu. "The mornings that we have guests and Delaney has school, then Millie will help with breakfast. Millie and Stu, her husband, helped Sue, and they wanted to stay on. Stu is my driver for 'BLOOMS' and handyman if I need one. After school began, I made arrangements with the cosmetology school and now 'The Quiet Corner' also offers massages, facials, pedicures, and manicures on the third floor. Many of my male neighbors really like us because we assist with their gift giving. There's a quaint Italian restaurant within walking distance so they can do a package, flowers, spa service, and dinner for special occasions or because they screwed up," the B&B owner laughed because she had quite a few of those near the stressful holidays.

"Babe, I'm impressed and I'll remember that."

"Yeesh, Dad!" Delaney got indignant, "I hope Mom isn't making her own bouquet and stuff if you put your foot in your mouth. You have to date her yet! Men!"

Ranger bent his head laughing because his daughter always told it like it was. "Hopefully, Delaney, I still remember how to romance a woman and it's not her making her own bouquet of flowers."

"Good!"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "If we're done eating, let's get those sidewalks cleared before Grandmas and Grandpa get here."

'Yeah, Dad gets to meet Momma Petunia. This will be a Christmas to remember!" Delaney announced taking her plate to the sink and running for her boots, gloves, and coat.

'It's already a Christmas to remember," Ranger gave a sexy eyebrow telling Stephanie as he walked her under the Mistletoe.

"Just wait," she said against his lips.

"Babe."

XXXXXXXX

The sidewalks were cleared with the snow blower. After Stephanie instructedRanger how to operate it, he went to town clearing the front sidewalk along the street wearing his fleece hoodie. He and Delaney cleared in front of the garage, all the way to the corner and around it to Stu and Millie's house, filled it back up, the rear walkway was cleared to the back deck and over to 'BLOOMS' and down the driveway leading to it. And in the midst of all that, father and daughter were throwing snowballs at each other.

Stephanie had hot chocolate, green tea, and coffee waiting for when the two came in.

"Dad, it says so in the 'Dad Book'. You're supposed to get hit with snowballs!"

Delaney challenged Ranger arching an eyebrow with a cold finger.

"Where?"

"I'll get it!" She told him stomping off with a mug of hot chocolate.

He looked at a laughing Stephanie, "Should I be worried?"

"Probably," she giggled going back to the kitchen.

Once his boots were off and his extra warm sweatshirt was hung up, Ranger picked up his mug of green tea smiling at it because Stephanie knew him.

"What do you need me to do, Babe?"

"Aren't you tired after plowing practically the neighborhood?" she teased handing him clean plates to stack on the table.

"Delaney and I were having fun," he told her back.

The little girl came running back holding a folded piece of colored paper with 'The Dad Book' written on it. He was doing his best not to laugh at his daughter standing there with crossed arms. Opening it up he read his instruction manual.

'Dads do: 1. Give a black car

2. Buy a big rig.

3. Teach to drive car and big rig.

4. Get hit with snowballs

5. Allowance (at least $5)

6. Take Mom on dates

7. Hook up stuff with wires.

8. Play with stuff that was hooked up and let the little kid win sometimes.

9. Tuck me in sometimes.

10. Eat ice cream and wings.'

"That's it?" Ranger asked.

"It is your first day," she reminded him what he knew with all his heart. "There is a Wii in there and I want to go bowling before I'm seven."

Ranger hung his head and picked up his mug, "OK, I can take a hint."

Peeking in the living room a few minutes later, Stephanie stood watching. Everything was hooked up; father and daughter were bowling like they had been doing it all the time.