Hot Cowboy Nights (Lucky Penny Ranch #2)(33)

The store phone rang and Lizzy set the cat down on the checkout counter. She promptly jumped down, picked something up in her mouth, and with one leap she was back with a dead mouse, which she deposited beside the phone and purred loudly. There was no way Lizzy was answering the phone with a dead mouse laying right beside it.

“Looks like she brought you a present. Think it would offend her if I took it away?” Toby chuckled.

Lizzy took two steps back and wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t care if it hurts her little feline feelings. That right there is the number one reason I’ve never had a store cat. I absolutely hate mice—dead or alive.”

Toby picked up the vicious creature by the tail and slung it out the back door, then went straight to the bathroom to wash his hands. She picked up a spray bottle of disinfectant cleaner and wiped down the whole counter with the cat right behind her, leaving paw prints everywhere before the cleaner had time to dry. Lizzy’s cell phone rang and she recognized the tune so she answered without even looking at the ID.

“Hello, Allie,” she said. “This cat brought a mouse and put it right by my cash register.”

“She’s showing you that she appreciates you letting her live in your store,” Allie said. “I called the store phone. Was the mouse close to it? Is that why you didn’t pick up?”

“Yes, it is. Do you need something?” Lizzy asked.

“Well, that was abrupt,” Allie answered.

“I’m sorry.” Lizzy rolled her eyes toward the ceiling in time to see another wet spot not two feet from the actual hole. “I think I may need a whole new roof and the back room will have to be rebuilt and I’m stressing out, Allie.”

“Okay, settle down. I’ve already called the lumberyard and gotten my estimates for repairs. Deke has promised to give me a couple of weeks’ work so we should have the roof fixed and the back room rebuilt within a week,” Allie said.

“Blake is going to let you put a roof on?” Lizzy asked.

“My marriage contract doesn’t say a damn word about being submissive. It does say love and respect.”

“Whoa, sister!” Lizzy held up her free hand defensively. “If you want to put a roof on my store and build a new storage room out back, I’m not saying another word.”

“Good. That is settled. Toby already talked to Blake about putting your supplies out here until we get finished. Two miles for a vendor to bring the stuff or for your customers to get feed and wire and posts is a hell of a lot closer than having to drive all the way to Throckmorton or Olney.”

“Thanks, Allie. I appreciate that.” Lizzy dropped her hand. “We should know something by the end of the week about the insurance, and then you can get started on your part of the job. I feel better already.”

When she hung up and turned around, Toby was right behind her, cat in his arms again. “Blake isn’t going to let her fix a roof and rebuild that room for you, is he?”

“We Logans aren’t delicate flowers. We’re tough as cow tongue cactus. I’m not arguing with her and if you and Blake are smart, you won’t either. Deke will do the heavy lifting, trust me. He loves her,” Lizzy said.

Toby’s phone buzzed and he set the cat on the counter so he could check the message. A broad smile covered his face and he shoved it back in his pocket without replying. “At least she’s tame and she’s a mouser.”

“Are we talking about my new cat, Miz Stormy, or the woman on the phone?” Lizzy asked, and immediately wished she could cram the words back in her mouth.

“Miz Stormy? Name fits her well. As for the other, what makes you think it was a woman?”

“You would have answered it if it had been family.” No way was she telling him that she’d guessed it was a woman by the smile that the message created. She’d been right in breaking off the fling with him; Toby was probably never going to be ready for the things she wanted in life.

“Yes, it was a woman. Why? You jealous?” he teased. “It’s nothing I’m going to answer,” he added quickly. “I can’t be talking to other women when we’re dating.”

“Fake dating,” Lizzy reminded him, steeling herself. She was so not jealous. Not the least little bit.

“Even so”—he took a step closer—“I’m not a cheater. Fake or otherwise.”

Lizzy tried not to get dizzy looking up into his blue eyes. It was hard not to be mesmerized. It took everything she had not to push herself to her tiptoes and bring her lips to his.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “So you’re naming her Stormy?”

She swallowed hard and nodded. Clearly he hadn’t felt the intensity of the moment the same way she had.

He ran his hand down the length of the cat from ears to the tail. “Sounds fitting. Should have been your name.”

“You don’t like Lizzy?”

“I love your name, but Stormy fits your attitude better.”

The cowbell sounded above the door but Lizzy didn’t move an inch. Unreal or not, she needed to convince folks that what she and Toby had was genuine. Besides, she admitted to herself, she liked being close to him.

Lizzy looked over Toby’s shoulder and asked, “What can I do for you, Truman?”