Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny Ranch #3)(38)

Truman and Dora June were both at the table when he reached the kitchen and immediately Dora June pushed back her chair.

“Three eggs? I got biscuits and sausage gravy and the waffle iron is hot,” she said.

“Sit still, Miz Dora June. You don’t have to wait on me.”

“It’s all on the stove,” she said. “I appreciate you gettin’ it for yourself, Jud. My old knees are feelin’ this cold weather.”

“Can I warm up either of y’all’s coffee while I’m getting mine?”

“I’d love a warm-up, thanks,” she said. “And Truman’s cup is nearly empty, so he’ll take more, too.”

Jud filled all their cups and then set the coffeepot back on the warmer. “I thought I’d go with you this morning, Truman. It’s a nasty day out there. Are your cell phone batteries charged?”

Truman puffed out his chest. “I don’t carry one of them damn things. They are the ruin of society and I didn’t ask for your help.”

“You could fall and freeze to death in this weather if you’re out there alone.” Jud carried a plate of food to the table. “You don’t have to use it unless you need it. Miz Dora, we need to buy him a pay-as-you-go phone for Christmas.”

“If you do, I’ll throw it out in the yard,” Truman declared.

“Well, you’re not big enough to throw me out in the yard,” Dora June said. “So either Jud goes with you until this weather clears up or I’m going with you every morning. Your choice but you need to make it now because I’ll have to get into my warm clothes.”

“Hmmmph.” Truman snorted. “I ain’t takin’ you out in this weather. You’d catch cold and maybe pneumonia. I guess Jud can go with me.”

“Thank you for offering, Jud. I do worry,” Dora said softly.

“So would I if it were my grandpa out there without a phone or any way to get in touch with us if he got hurt,” Jud said.

“I’m not your grandpa,” Truman said tersely.

Jud let him have the last word but he caught the sly wink from Dora June.





Chapter Ten



It was time for Fiona to go to work, but she lingered over her coffee that morning. “Mama, I need one more hug before I leave. You will call when y’all settle into the hotel for the night, right?”

“I will.” Katy wrapped her arms around her youngest daughter. “I’ll make sure to have time to hear all about your first day on the job.”

“I love you. Please be careful.” Fiona’s voice almost cracked.

“No tears,” Katy whispered. “This is an adventure for both of us. I get a vacation and you get to run the store all by yourself.”

Fiona took a deep breath and hugged her mother even tighter before she let go and stepped back. “Wish me luck. I’ve never been the boss.”

“You’ll be a wonderful boss. Call one of Herman’s granddaughters to help you if things start to get overwhelming. But I have faith in you.” Fiona kissed her on the forehead. “That’s your kiss on the forehead. You gave them to us when we were little girls and we thought they were magic.”

“They were and I’m sure this one is, too,” Katy said. “Now go before you make me cry. I can be on the next flight home if you need me or if anything happens with your grandmother.”

“Go and don’t worry,” Fiona urged her.

“Get on out of here. I bet the old guys are fuming because the store isn’t open so they can catch up on the gossip and eat doughnuts,” Katy said. “I’m looking forward to warm weather, a little sunshine, and the beach.”

“Without a single guilt trip, right?” Fiona opened the door and waved.

She’d been home almost a whole week. This was her third day at the store but her first one without her mother there. She made sure the coffee was brewing, but the pastry guy had left a message on the store’s answering machine saying the roads were too slick, so he wouldn’t see her until Monday. The guys weren’t going to like that one bit. They’d have to eat the prepackaged things off the shelf if they wanted their snacks today.

Sleet fell sporadically. The tiny pellets beat against the windowpane for five or ten minutes, put down enough ice to lay a coat on the snow that had already fallen; then it stopped. But it was just teasing. In ten minutes it would start all over again and the roads would be even greasier.

Fiona shut her eyes and imagined sitting on the beach with a book in her hands, watching the sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico. In her imagination, she could hear the children laughing and making sand castles, see their parents walking hand in hand across the beach, all with the sounds of Christmas music in the background.

How often had she wished for a chill in the air to make it seem like Christmas? How many parties had she attended when they’d turned down the air-conditioning so the ladies wouldn’t sweat in their cute little velvet cocktail dresses? Now she had real Christmas weather and she was dreaming of the beach.

She could not have her cake and eat it, too, but that morning she was determined to worry about nothing other than her old guys who wouldn’t have their morning doughnuts.

The phone her mother gave her as an early Christmas present rang. She fished it out of her pocket and smiled when she saw Katy’s picture appear. “Yes, Mama,” she answered.