“It’s a star that got smeared a little, but it’s still a star.” She bent forward and kissed the foal on his forehead. “You are going to be a fine racer, aren’t you, Star, and we’re going to win the same prize that Danny Boy did. Your mama did real good, darlin’.” She crooned to the foal. Raylen kissed her on the top of her head and smiled. She looked up and meant to kiss him on the lips but missed and got the side of his mouth. “Now it’s your turn. I’m going to sit right here and hold Star while you open your presents, and then we’ll take him back to his mama. The big round one first with the red paper and gold bow.”

Raylen’s eyes widened. “All of these for me?”

He didn’t have a single present under the tree for her. He should have bought a hundred presents for her to unwrap in addition to the unwrapped ones out in the yard.

He ripped into a box with a brand-new Stetson hat.

She hugged Star and said, “I promise not to stomp it or throw it on the ground.”

The next present was a bottle of Stetson aftershave.

“That scent turns me on,” she said with a smile.

He could hardly wait to give her the rest of his Christmas present. Anxiety, hoping that she would like it, made him open faster so he could take her to the backyard and show her how much he loved her.

Liz was suddenly worried that she’d overdone it and he’d think she was smothering him.

The last present was a long black silk scarf.

“It’s actually for me when I dance for you,” she said.

“Very nice,” he mumbled.

***

Raylen wondered how Liz could have afforded all those expensive gifts. She used what she made working at the ranch for Wilma’s salary; she had said so herself. So where did the money come from for a new hat, Stetson aftershave, a hundred-dollar scarf, and all the rest?

But the idea of her finances quickly took a backseat when he thought about what he’d planned for the rest of her Christmas. He was almost giddy with excitement at that point. “Thank you, darlin’. You did way too much, but I love every one of my gifts.”

“So did you. This horse is a son of Glorious Danny Boy. I can’t wait to tell Blaze what I got. Someday Star is going to take his place on the ranch.” She smiled.

“Well, darlin’, can Star get back in his baby bed for now? The rest of your presents are outside.” Raylen laid his gifts to the side and stood up.

They carried Star out to the barn and settled him into the middle of a pile of clean hay in the stall with his mother. “Look, Raylen, he’s happy. Our new baby is happy in his bed.”

Raylen slipped his arm around Liz, and they stood there several minutes gazing down at the new baby horse lying in a bed of hay.