Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny Ranch #3)(61)

Fiona nodded at the right moments. When she’d swallowed the last bite Fiona pointed at the clock on the microwave. “Oh my! It’s already seven o’clock. My coffee drinkers will think I’ve died. I’ve got to get going. Save all the ugly cookies for me.” She took the stairs two at a time with Dora June’s voice following her.

“You wear something warm. Your mama will be disappointed in me if you get sick. And drive safe!”

“Yes, ma’am,” Fiona threw over her shoulder.



Dora June was a prophet. Not even the regular coffee drinkers came by the store that morning. The sleet had stopped, but the freezing drizzle coated every twig on the mesquite and scrub oaks in that part of Texas. Even the cow tongue cactus got a blanket of ice on the spiny little needles protruding from their thick leaves.

Nadine came by in the middle of the morning to drop off the week’s journey tapes and the business from her café. “I’ve hung a sign on the door that I’m closing early and won’t be in tomorrow or Friday. I hate winter. This didn’t start until you came back. Did you cause it?”

“Not me. If I would have brought anything, it would have been heat. It never does this in Houston.”

“Well, crap! I was hoping I could blame you for this.” Nadine sighed.

“Maybe it would warm up if you’d go home and spend the whole afternoon in bed with your new husband,” Fiona teased.

“I tried that last night and look what happened. We got freezing rain. I’m afraid to do it again for fear we’ll have a downright blizzard. Maybe you need to help out and take that sexy man you’re livin’ with to bed.”

Fiona fanned herself with the back of her hand. “Oh, darlin’, there would be a heat wave come through here that would fry the whiskers off Truman’s goats if I did something that wild.”

“I don’t have a doubt that you are right, so go home and try it. I’ll see you Friday unless this keeps up. I don’t mind a white Christmas, but I hate ice.” Nadine ducked her head against the driving wind trying to push her back into the store.

At noon, Lizzy popped inside the back room. Ice crystals covered her brown suede jacket and stuck to her stocking hat. “God almighty! What did we do to deserve another hard winter?”

“Should be good for business. Don’t farmers and ranchers need more cattle feed when it’s this cold? Fix us both a cup of hot chocolate and pull up a chair. Are you closing, too?”

Lizzy filled two mugs and swiped two maple-covered doughnuts from the glass enclosure. “Too? Did Nadine close the café?”

“She just left. The beauty shop and the day care have signs on the doors so I guess I’m the only person in town who’s still open.” Fiona reached for a doughnut. “What are you going to do all day if you close up?”

“I’m going to help Dora June make cookies for the party.”

“Hey, where’s Lizzy…Oh there you are.” Allie pushed her way through the back door with Audrey in a carrier covered with a bright colored baby quilt.

“Holy crap, Allie! What are you doing out in this with a baby?” Fiona scolded.

“Dora June said to bring three dozen eggs and a bottle of vanilla extract with me. I didn’t have that at the house so I ran by to get it. Audrey is fine. See.” Allie whipped the quilt off to show Fiona a smiling baby girl all bundled up in pink fleece.

“Come here to Aunt Fee-Fee, darlin’ girl,” Fiona crooned as she unhooked all the buckles and took the baby from the carrier. “Aren’t you the cutest thing ever? You look like a princess in all that pink. I believe you need a tiara with pink rhinestones in it for your Christmas present.”

Lizzy’s brown eyes twinkled. “You look good holding that baby.”

“She really does,” Allie agreed.

Fiona’s full lips curled in a smile and then it hit her like a wrecking ball. She hadn’t even thought of protection the night before. Jud had most likely thought she was on the pill, but she hadn’t used them in a year. Why buy something that cost a fortune without the help of insurance when it wasn’t necessary?

“Are you okay?” Lizzy asked worriedly. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“I’m fine.” Fiona managed a tight smile. “Don’t start trying to fix me up with every eligible bachelor in the county.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Allie laughed. “But give the baby one more kiss because if I don’t get the eggs and vanilla to Dora June soon, she can’t make any more cookies. According to her, it won’t matter if the ranchers have to use sleds and mules to pull them, the party will be huge and a success.”

“Oh, yeah?” Lizzy asked.

“She says that no rancher would stay home when Bubba Joe’s catering barbecue and when there’s free booze on a cold night,” Allie said. “Besides, everyone in this part of Texas will turn out just to see Truman dressed up like Santa damn Claus.”

“Who’s going to Wichita Falls to buy the liquor?” Fiona asked, but her mind was still on unprotected sex.

“Jud volunteered to pick it up next week. You going with him?” Lizzy asked.

“Depends on how many cookies y’all get made. I might need to stay home and help cook.” Fiona kissed Audrey’s chubby cheek once more and handed her off to Allie.