Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny Ranch #3)(73)

“So now what?” Dora June asked.

“So now I’m through making plans. They always fail me and I’m going to see what each day brings. It’s not easy for me because I’ve always had a plan but knowing that I don’t have my life mapped out for the next ten or twenty years brings me a certain amount of tranquility.”

“Good,” Allie said.

“Does that mean you aren’t leaving Dry Creek?” Dora June asked.

“It means that I’m not closing the door to anything, even living in Dry Creek. Seems like the harder I fight against living here, the more miserable I get and the more trouble it gets me into,” she said. “And now can we please talk about the ranch party and Christmas?”

“Not until I fuss at you for sleeping in your car. You should have stopped in Claude and rented a room,” Dora June said sternly.

“Sleeping in the car and my near brush with an accident is what brought me to my senses,” Fiona said.

“Well, I’m glad that I didn’t know that’s what you were doing. I wouldn’t have slept a wink. Okay, now, girls, I expect you all to get your ten dollars’ worth at this buffet dinner,” Dora June giggled.



Before she took their order, Sharlene leaned close to Jud’s ear and whispered, “What in the hell is going on? Did y’all drug Truman?”

Jud cupped a hand over her ear and said softly, “No, he’s here of his own free will.”

“With all y’all Dawsons? He hates you,” Sharlene said.

“Not anymore.” Jud smiled.

“Good God, man! Do you whisper sweet things in all the women’s ears?” Truman asked.

“Most of them,” Blake chuckled. “It’s the Dawson in us. Be careful or you’ll be whispering in Dora June’s ear. Our bad habits are contagious.”

“Lord, I hope not,” Truman sputtered. “Do y’all have to play Christmas music in here? I swear it’s all a man hears from Thanksgiving until after the twenty-fifth of the month.”

“Well, it is the holiday. Don’t be an old scrooge, Truman. What can I get you?”

“I’m sick of turkey and dressing already, so I want a big old greasy hamburger basket with a double order of French fries and a piece of Nadine’s apple pie for dessert. And I’m paying for Jud’s dinner but not these other two.”

Blake held up a finger. “I’ll have the same and I’ll take the ticket for all of us.”

“Bullshit! I ain’t acceptin’ no charity from you.” Truman’s eyes narrowed and his jaw set so hard that Jud thought he might break the bone.

“It isn’t charity. I intend to take all your money when we play dominoes and I don’t want you to run short and quit playing after the first game,” Blake said. “It would be a shame for you to have to go pout in your room and for us to have to call Herman in to finish up the afternoon game.”

“Y’all best stop threatening me with him or I’ll go over there and eat all by myself,” Truman said. “Besides, he can’t play dominoes worth shit. So you can buy my dinner but don’t you think for one minute you’ll come out the winner when this day is done.”

“That true, Jud?” Toby asked. “Is he really that good?”

“He’s tellin’ the truth.” Jud nodded.

“Okay, then Blake is paying, right?” Sharlene asked. “And just for the books, if I was bettin’ on who’d win the most games today, I’d put my money on Truman. He won the competition last summer at our first annual summer festival. They set up tables over there in the corner and he beat the socks off everyone.”

Truman nodded curtly. “Herman was the first one to fall. Too bad we wasn’t bettin’ that day or I’d have taken all his money, too.”

“I’ll have the same thing he’s eating,” Toby said. “Maybe his luck is in the dinner.”

“My luck, son, is in my skill,” Truman told him.

“Just make it four,” Jud said.

“Will do. Sweet tea all around?” Sharlene asked. “And apple pie after?”

“Pecan pie for me,” Blake said.

Sharlene nodded and hurried off to give Nadine the order and the gossip before the next group of church folks came into the café.

“So y’all goin’ to take my advice and keep them two bull calves?” Truman asked.

“I think we are,” Blake said. “You’ve got a good eye for cattle, Truman. Why would you ever raise goats?”

“Them is Dora June’s goats. She says them kids that come along in the spring is her babies. She don’t seem as took with them the past couple of weeks since she’s got your wives to tear around the country with on Sundays.” He sat back in his chair so that Sharlene could unload four glasses of sweet tea on their table.

“Maybe Audrey has replaced them,” Blake said. “That little girl’s going to be a charmer.”

“She already is,” Toby said.

“I need some advice and I reckon you three can keep a secret, can’t you?” Truman blurted out.

“I don’t know about these two”—Jud pointed in either direction—“but you can count on me.”