Hot Cowboy Nights (Lucky Penny Ranch #2)(8)

Mary Jo took the microphone. “I’ll be glad to take care of the balloons right here in the store,” she offered. “So if you’ll bring them and the helium down here the day before, I’ll have the ribbons cut and ready. And I’ll head that committee and be sure the prizes are for gift cards to the three stores right here in Dry Creek so we can keep our money at home. Anyone who wants to donate anything from a dollar to a million.” She hesitated while the chuckles faded. “Just give it to me. I’ll write you a receipt and your name will be listed when we present the prizes.”

“So we got a past and we’re here in the present,” Truman spoke up from a back corner. “Why would any of y’all think we have a future?”

Lizzy sat close enough to Toby that he leaned slightly and whispered right into her ear. “Who is that man?”

“That is Truman. Remember the story I told you? Don’t pay any attention to him,” Lizzy answered.

“Truman, we are hoping that with some hard work we can bring Dry Creek back to a prosperous little Texas town,” Mary Jo said.

“You might as well scratch your fanny and wish for the moon. This whole thing will be a big bust just like these fool cowboys who think they can turn the Lucky Penny around,” Truman said.

“Well, ain’t you just a ray of sunshine and help?” Lucy said. “We’ve already got Mary Jo talking about putting in a beauty shop, and Sharlene is considering starting a day care center.”

Nadine quickly took the microphone. “And that’s all we’ve got right now, so y’all have some cookies and visit about this. We’ll be putting things into the works right soon since we’ve got about three weeks to pull it together. But all three of us believe that we truly can bring Dry Creek back to a nice little town if we work at it…together.” She pointed to the refreshment table. “And we can start by showing all the folks who’ve lived here that we are positive and that we are determined.”

Allie started the applause but Toby noticed that Truman kept his arms folded over his skinny chest and glared at them from across the room.



Folks were still talking about the festival when Katy and Lizzy escaped out the front door. They were about to get in the car when they heard a horn honk, and Allie waved from halfway down the block.

“Hey, y’all come on over to the ranch and see my new kitchen. It’s so pretty and shiny,” she shouted.

“I’ve got to drive up to Wichita Falls and see Mama this afternoon. They need me to sign some more papers, and she’s been whining for a chocolate pie so I’m taking her one,” Katy said. “But Lizzy can go. If she can ride with you, it’ll save me the trip of taking her home.”

“What if I don’t want to go?” Lizzy asked.

“You do, though, so don’t argue about it. Get on down there and go with Allie. It’s a fine day for a nice walk across the pasture when you want to go home,” Katy answered.

“Thirty minutes. That is the limit of how long I’m staying. I’ve promised myself a long Sunday afternoon nap and then I’m reading that brand-new cowboy romance by Katie Lane,” Lizzy said.

“That’s up to you.” Katy fastened her seat belt and backed out onto the street.

“Hey, Lizzy,” Mary Jo hollered from the front of the café. “I need to tell you something quick before you get away.”

Lizzy held up a finger to let Allie know she’d be a minute and waited for Mary Jo to catch up. The bright sun was hot on her cheeks and there wasn’t a hint of a breeze, which in itself was about the norm for June in Dry Creek. Granny always said it was because it was so damn hot in the summer if the wind blew like it did the rest of the year, it would cook the skin right off of a person.

Mary Jo’s high-heeled shoes made a tapping noise on the old wooden sidewalks as she made her way from the café to the front of the feed store. The closer she got, the more convinced Lizzy was that she was bringing bad news because she looked like someone had died.

“I thought you should know.” She laid a hand on Lizzy’s shoulder. “That Mitch and his new wife are going to be in the States over July Fourth. Bobby Ray told him about the festival even before we announced it today and he says since he preached at this church a few times it would be a great time to see everyone.”

Bobby Ray, Nadine’s husband, was friends with both her ex-fiancé, Mitch, and Allie’s ex-husband, Riley. If Nadine didn’t keep a solid thumb on him, he’d probably be as big of a jackass as both his friends, but she did a good job of reeling him in.

“It’s a free country. I expect he can go wherever he wants. What we had is over and in the past.”

“Well, if you need any of us, you call and we’ll be there for you.” Mary Jo hugged her briefly, whipped around, and headed back toward the café.

Lizzy wouldn’t hold her breath waiting for Mary Jo or Sharlene or even Nadine to support her—especially Sharlene. That woman had Toby Dawson on the brain, and the only reason she’d help Lizzy out of any situation would be so she’d tell her about Toby.

Lizzy waited to feel anger, betrayal, or something, but nothing happened. She opened the back door of Blake’s truck and crawled inside with Toby right beside her. Frankly, she really, really didn’t care what all the gossips in town had to say about that, either.