Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny Ranch #3)(17)

“It might get me thrown in jail.”

In a few long strides, Jud joined them.

“For what?” he asked.

“Mama just invited Truman and Dora June to live with us,” Fiona said.

“That’s sweet of you, but I’m surprised Truman agreed,” Jud said.

“It’s amazing what an old coot will agree to do when it’s freezing outside, his house is gone, and the toilet won’t work in his shack of a building on Main Street.” Fiona sighed. “And we were going to have a family evening one day this week and put up the Christmas decorations.”

“We still can,” Jud said. “Christmas is my favorite holiday and not even Truman is going to ruin it.”

Blake joined them but he was not smiling. “Katy, are you sure about this? Allie and Lizzy are not happy.”

“We can’t do any good here,” Katy said. “So we’re going back to the house and y’all are going to help me clear out my bedroom and move my things to one of the rooms upstairs.”

“Yes, ma’am, but—” Fiona said.

Katy held up a palm. “No more buts, remember?”



It was really happening. Katy gave orders and everyone, including Jud and Deke, obeyed. Clothing was carried up to another room. Drawers were emptied and the dresser cleaned off—everything gotten ready for guests. Lizzy and Allie had put clean sheets on the bed and fresh towels out in the bathroom.

“Now we’ve got about five minutes before Dora June and Truman get here.” Katy led the way into the living room. “Lizzy, tell me what it says about heaping coals in the good book.”

“It says something about being kind to your enemies and it will be like heaping coals of fire upon his head. Poor old Truman’s brain is most likely burning like hell about now,” Lizzy said seriously.

“He probably won’t even come out of his room when we come over here for a visit,” Blake said.

Katy nodded and smiled. “Dora June loves Christmas, so she’ll love helping with the tree when we put it up. Besides, it will help her feel some normalcy after losing everything she had. I bet some of the ornaments on her tree were handed down from her mother and grandmother, just like ours were.”

Allie nodded. “That which does not kill us makes us stronger, right?”

“Who are you trying to convince? Yourself or the rest of us? And if that saying is true, I’ll be able to bench press a damn steer by the time Christmas rolls around.” Fiona rolled her eyes.

A soft rap on the kitchen door brought Katy to her feet. “Fiona, you’d best come with me to welcome them.”

“That’s only fair since she’s had to put up with the least crap from them,” Lizzy muttered.

“I expect I’m about to make up for that at least twelve-fold,” Fiona said through clenched teeth.

“You sure you don’t want to move back into the travel trailer?” Blake asked Jud.

Fiona transferred her mean look toward her brother-in-law. “No, he does not. I need all the backup I can get, so don’t you even answer that question, Jud Dawson.”

“Smart sister you got there, Lizzy,” Toby said.

“I told you she got all the brains.” Lizzy rolled up on her tiptoes and kissed Toby on the cheek.

Fiona stood to the side and let Katy open the door. Looking at those two old folks standing there with plastic grocery bags full of used clothing, she felt a stab of pity and guilt. Not so much that she didn’t still wish they’d have been able to find housing at one of Dora June’s friends, but she knew what it was like to hit rock bottom.

“Come right in and from now on, this is your home, so you don’t have to knock,” Katy said.

“Can I help you with those bags?” Fiona asked.

“We’ve got it. I’ve been here often enough with committee meetings to know where to go. Thank you again, Katy.” Dora June headed across the kitchen, through the dining room, into the foyer, and to the bedroom at the end. “I’ll be right back.”

“How much rent do you want?” Truman stopped inside the door, his thin face set like stone and his nose tilted up a couple of inches.

“We won’t take a penny from you,” Fiona said.

“I don’t take charity. I’ll pay you same as if it were a hotel.”

“Truman, pride carries a lot of pain with it, so let go of it and hush about charity,” Fiona told him. “I’ll show you the way to your room.”

Dora June met Truman in the doorway. “You go on and take your afternoon nap or take a shower to get all the smoke off you if you want to. I’ve got things to say to this family and then I’m going to help clean up those dinner dishes from the dining room table.”

“You don’t have to do that. You are guests,” Fiona said.

“If I don’t have to knock, then I’m not a guest.” Dora June tilted her head up, stretching all of her chins. “Is everyone waiting in the living room?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Fiona said.

Dora June removed her coat and tossed it on top of the bags, smoothed back her gray hair, and marched back through the foyer. She didn’t stop until she was in the middle of the floor with the family all around her.

“Here’s what I’m going to do,” she said with authority. “Truman will be gone over to our place taking care of things like normal. He’ll be here for breakfast, lunch, and supper because that’s the way he is. Tomorrow we are going to the grocery store and I will buy food and do the cooking for whoever wants to come around for those meals.”