Hot Cowboy Nights (Lucky Penny Ranch #2)(19)

“Lizzy, are you even aware that Deke has been in love with you for years. You’d do a hell of a lot better with him,” Nadine whispered.

“Deke is Allie’s best friend and like a brother to me. You’re just trying to free up my man for Sharlene.” Lizzy laughed. Deke, indeed! He’d never given any indication that he had feelings for her.

Before Nadine could say another word, a rooster crowed in Lucy’s purse. She fetched her phone out, checked the caller ID, and put it back.

“I swear to God, Herman is right. Phones are the bane of society. The kids got me the damn thing so if I fall over with a heart attack when I’m feedin’ cows or workin’ in the garden I can hit that nine-one-one number and get some help, and now every time I turn around someone is callin’. Most days I want to throw it down the well. I leave it in the truck when Herman is home because he hates the thing worse than I do,” she said.

“I started a wildfire with Dora June, didn’t I?” Lizzy whispered. “But she made me so mad that I couldn’t control my tongue, no matter how hard I tried.”

“That’s what happens when you get a good night kiss like you did,” Lucy said.

“How did you know that?” Nadine asked. “I’ve been trying to find out all morning and no one knew.”

“I have special powers,” Lucy answered. “It’s time for my morning coffee down at your café, but if Dora June comes back and starts her bullshit, Lizzy, you call me and I’ll come runnin’.”

Nadine shook her head and pursed her lips together. “Sharlene and Mary Jo are minding the café right now so I guess I’d best go with you, Lucy. You remember what I said about Deke, Lizzy.”

She waved as the door shut behind her and suddenly there was nothing but quiet surrounding Lizzy. Holy smokin’ crap! What had she done? She had made up her mind that morning on the way to work that she wouldn’t go to the bar with Toby. If he wanted to go somewhere and eat and maybe catch a movie, she might be game. But the idea of a crowded bar with loud music didn’t sound like her idea of a fun Saturday night.

“But I guess I will be going now,” she muttered.



Lizzy picked up the romance novel she’d been reading along with a glass of sweet tea and carried them out to the porch. A slight breeze brought the smell of roses from the barbed wire fence separating the Lucky Penny from Audrey’s Place. She set her tea on the table at the end of the porch swing before she sat down with her back against one end and her legs stretched out to the other. She opened the book and heard a vehicle coming down the lane at the same time. Allie had said she might come over after she finished the job she was doing for Nadine at the café, so she hurriedly read a few pages before she glanced up.

As usual her breath caught in her chest when Toby stepped out of the truck. He’d evidently come straight from the fields because his jeans were dusty, his white T-shirt sweat stained, and he had a day’s growth of dark stubble. When she could breathe, she immediately thought of Allie. Oh, no! Had she had trouble with the pregnancy? Did they send Toby to bring bad news?

Toby removed his straw hat and sat down on the top step. “We need to talk.”

“Is Allie all right?” Lizzy’s voice was little more than a high-pitched squeak.

“Allie is making fried chicken right now and Blake is making biscuits. Want to come over for supper?”

“I’ve already eaten. Is that what you came to talk about?”

He shook his head. “No, it’s not, Lizzy. I need to be up front and honest with you. I heard that those women practically hung you on a cross this morning and that you held your ground.”

“Like I’ve said a thousand times, I can take care of myself, Toby.”

“I like you, Lizzy. You are spunky and fun and I don’t ever want to be dishonest with you. But I need to make sure you understand, I’m not the settlin’ type,” he said.

She picked up the glass of tea and handed it to him. “Since we’ve kissed and done even more than that, I don’t suppose it will hurt to share a glass of tea and you look hot.”

“Thank you.” He took a large gulp and handed it back to her. “So knowing where we both stand, do you still want to go dancing Saturday night?”

“Guess we’d better or else Dora June wouldn’t have a thing to talk about. If she couldn’t gossip, she’d die and Mama would make me go to the funeral. I hate funerals so I guess we’ll go dancing,” she said, and smiled. “Toby, I’m not sneaking in on your blind side. This is a business deal. Can you believe that we didn’t get caught or even suspected all those weeks and all I had to do was get into the truck with you last Sunday to set all this in motion?”

“Small towns!” He slapped his hat against his leg and dust flew. Then he stood and headed toward his truck. “See you Saturday night. Seven thirty all right?”

“I’ll be ready.” She picked up the tea and downed the rest of it before coming up for air. It did absolutely nothing to cool the desire running hot through her body. She’d thought Toby was the sexiest man in the state of Texas before, but seeing him all sweaty and dirty again got her hormones swirling.



On Friday morning she wasn’t a bit surprised to see Lucy, Dora June, and three other ladies waiting in their parked vehicles outside her store. She waved at them and opened the door with the ancient key that her grandpa had used.