Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny Ranch #3)(79)

She started that way, but Sharlene caught her arm. “Did you see that hussy making a play for Jud? You’d better go rescue him. She’s the one who took Deke out to the car to ‘cool off’ when we went dancing. That’s her grandmother with her and the old gal owns half of the county around Olney.”

“What’s her name?” Fiona asked.

“Lacy, and her grandma says that she has to be married in the next year or another grandchild is going to inherit the ranch.”

“Why?” Fiona asked.

“Because the grandma is eighty years old and wants to retire. But she wants someone who is settled to run the ranch,” Sharlene said.

Fiona nodded and took a few more steps toward Jud, who was looking pretty frantic. She’d only gone a few feet when Mary Jo waylaid her and dragged her into a corner.

“This is a really nice party. I’m glad that the Dawsons are making the Lucky Penny into a ranch,” Mary Jo said.

“Thank you,” Fiona said.

“But that’s not why I grabbed your arm. You need to tell Jud to watch out for that woman over there. She wanted Deke but bombed out there, so she’s on the prowl again. I imagine that Jud is the whole reason she and her granny are here. I’d tell him but the way he keeps looking at you, I expect he’ll listen to you better,” Mary Jo said. “I’m going to the bar. Want me to bring you something?”

“Yes, a glass of red wine would be great. Thank you, Mary Jo,” Fiona said.

She finally made it to the group and held out her hand to the older woman. “Hello, I’m Fiona Logan. I don’t believe I’ve met you.”

“Yes, you have, darlin’.” The older lady smiled. “I knew your grandmother, Irene, and your grandfather very well. But I haven’t seen you since you were a little girl. Please let me introduce you to my granddaughter, Lacy. I expect she’s about your age.”

Fiona turned slowly and flashed her best Southern smile. “I’m Fiona. I hope you’re enjoying the party?”

Lacy looked at Jud like she’d gladly have him for a midnight snack. “Oh, honey, it’s a great party, but I can’t believe I didn’t dance with this good-looking hunk when I met y’all a couple of weeks ago. When does the dancing begin?”

“I’m afraid we don’t have room for dancing tonight. Maybe next year we’ll plan to hire a band when the sale barn goes up,” Fiona said sweetly.

“Wine?” Mary Jo handed Fiona a glass.

Fiona took it and extended her arm toward Lacy. “You don’t have anything. Please, take this and I’ll get a beer later.”

“Thank you,” Lacy said.

“Oh, Jud, there are some people over here that you have to talk to. They have a little spread down around Throckmorton and they always have a fall sale. We should go to it next year to get an idea of how to build the new barn on the Lucky Penny.” She looped her arm in his.

Just as Lacy was raising the glass to her lips, Fiona stepped on her toe. Wine went everywhere: inside all that cleavage, down the front of her dress, the last drops hitting the tops of her ridiculously high heels. Surprisingly enough, not one drop hit the floor and yet the glass was empty.

“I’m so sorry,” Fiona said. “Please come upstairs with me and I’ll help you clean this up. We’ll get some club soda at the bar. It works wonders.”

“It’s all right,” the grandmother said. “We’ve got another party this evening in Olney, so we’ll just run by the ranch and she can change. It’s been wonderful meeting you again, Fiona. Come on over to our place anytime. We’ll catch up about Irene. Come along, Lacy. We’ll have to hurry.”

Lacy set the glass on the nearest table and shot Fiona a dirty look. It was meant to kill Fiona on the spot, drop her like a ton of bricks into nothing but a black dress right there at Jud’s toes. But Fiona apologized a dozen more times and invited them to come back to the Lucky Penny anytime.

“Did you do that on purpose?” Jud whispered.

“Would you care if I did?” she asked. “Honey, I know how to pick up bits and pieces of conversation. I was saving your ass.” Fiona unhooked her arm from his and went to greet another couple coming into the room.

Blake clamped a hand on Jud’s shoulder. “I want you to meet Mark Hutchins. He’s got a sale barn that we need to look at before we build one. If all goes well, we can have our ranch sale and party in our own barn in a couple of years.”

Jud never let her out of sight the entire time he talked to Blake and Mark about a new barn and joined her as soon as he could wrangle his way out of the conversation. He draped his arm possessively around her shoulder when the rattle of sleigh bells sounded on the stairs.

“Ho, ho, ho!” Truman bellowed in his deepest voice.

Fiona had trouble finding Truman beneath all that belly and gray beard. If it hadn’t been for his eyes and those heavy dark brows, she might have thought Herman had decided to play the part after all. “I’ve got a bag full of presents for boys and girls of all ages, and I’ll be right over there in my chair for any of you who want to tell me what you want for Christmas.”

Folks were still eating, drinking, and talking but the focus shifted to the kids. Cameras came out and Truman was the center of attention for the next hour. Audrey was the first baby to sit on his lap and he was a little awkward, but when she cooed at him and flashed a toothless grin, he softened right up.