Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny Ranch #3)(39)

“I just wanted to tell you that Trudy has snow tires on the van and that we’re heading due south all the way down to Interstate 10. Fifty miles south of us the roads are completely dry. But the main reason I called is that you need to put the snow tires on the car. They are in the storage shed out back. I haven’t used them since last year, so get Jud to check the air in them.”

“I’ll do that. Now go on and have a great time,” Fiona said.

“I’ll call when we check into a hotel so you can give me an update on the store. Bye, now!”

“Bye, Mama.”

“Hey, Fiona!” Sharlene shook snow from her blond hair and fluffed it back away from her face. “Is the coffee ready? The electricity is out at our house this morning. Can you believe this weather? We’ve still got another day left in November and it’s snowing and sleeting. It’s downright crazy.”

“Y’all need a place to stay?” Fiona asked.

Sharlene hung her coat on the back of a chair. “No, we’ll be fine. We’ve got a gas hot water tank and gas heat, so we aren’t going to freeze, but the cookstove is electric and so is the coffeepot.”

Fiona picked up the biggest cup and filled it. “Here you go.”

Sharlene grabbed two honey buns on the way to the back table. She set the coffee and the pastry on the table. “I’m starving and really glad I don’t have any kids arriving at the day care this morning until nine. You got any of your Christmas shopping done?”

Fiona couldn’t do a lot of shopping on less than three dollars, but she didn’t tell Sharlene that. On Friday she would have a paycheck and she planned to buy a few gifts each week until Christmas arrived.

“Not yet but Lizzy, Allie, and I are going with Dora June after church on Sunday to do a little bit.” Fiona left the counter, pulled out a chair, and sat across from Sharlene.

The cellophane paper around the honey bun crinkled as Sharlene pushed it across the table. “Want a honey bun?”

Fiona sent it sliding back across the table. “No, thanks. Dora June made a big breakfast this morning.”

“I envy you for having Dora June’s cooking, but I still wouldn’t want to live with either of those old farts. Do you miss the city?”

“Sometimes, but being home for a few months isn’t a bad thing, especially during the holidays. How about you?”

One of Sharlene’s shoulders inched up toward her ear. “Remember, I had both. I commuted from here to work. So I got all the fun of the small-town gossip and close-knit community and then when I was in the city I got Starbucks and lunch specials at all the restaurants.”

“Does Mary Jo miss it?” Fiona asked.

“She loves having her own beauty shop and not having to commute an hour to work every day. Sounds like the coffee bunch is here,” Sharlene said as truck doors slammed outside. She slipped on her coat, then picked up the extra pastry in one hand and the coffee in the other. “Figure up my bill and I’ll give them the table and scoot across the street. I need to get ready for my first batch of kiddos. Who would have ever thought I’d enjoy a day care so much, but I do.”

“Having a day care and having kids of your own are two different things,” Fiona said.

“I know, but I just love them all. Someday I’m going to run that family that has nineteen kids some competition. Oh, look. It might be snowing but I’d know that swagger anywhere. That’s Jud Dawson going into Mary Jo’s place.” Sharlene pointed to the salon across the street. “I’d love to get my hands all tangled up in that blond hair of his.”

Fiona had no right to be jealous, but she was.

“You forgot to ring up the coffee,” Sharlene said.

Fiona fought against the crimson filling her cheeks, but it didn’t do a bit of good. “Coffee’s on me today. You’ll need it since the kids can’t go out in the backyard and play.”

“You got that right, darlin’,” Sharlene said. “But don’t think that blush escaped me.” She leaned across the counter. “And don’t worry. If you didn’t have the hots for him, I’d worry about you. What you do or don’t do about it, that is your business, but if you ever decide to act on that attraction y’all have for each other, I will expect a full report.”

Three men, including Truman and Herman, pushed through the door and stomped the snow from their feet on the coarse welcome mat. “Mornin’, Sharlene. How’s that babysittin’ business goin’?” Herman asked.

“It’s keepin’ the bills paid and food on my table and it sure beats commuting in this weather,” she answered. “Y’all boys have a good day now.”

The door shut behind her at the same time Fiona picked up the coffeepot and three mugs to carry to the table. By the time the old guys had hung their coats on the backs of their chairs, she had filled their cups. “You boys are late today. I expected you to be waiting for me.”

“Took us longer to get the chores done in this weather. Where’s the doughnuts?” Herman asked.

“Y’all are out of luck today. You’ll have to eat the prepackaged stuff on the shelf if you want a midmorning snack or go up to Nadine’s. I hear she’s making apple pies this morning.”

“Just bring us a dozen of those things up there on the rack. If we go to Nadine’s, the wives will get upset because we didn’t invite them. This is just a convenience store. That’s a real restaurant,” Herman said.