One Texas Cowboy Too Many (Burnt Boot, Texas #3)(76)

“Who was your first love, Betsy?” Rhett asked.

“I haven’t found him yet. You want to apply for the job?”

“Not today,” he said as he got into his truck and started the engine.

“I’ll give you a whole week to think about it and change your mind.” She laughed and waved as he drove away.

He parked in front of Gladys’s house beside Sawyer’s truck and sat on the cycle a couple of minutes before going inside. Why was the whole family there, anyway? Surely they weren’t going to fire him because of the dinner. That wasn’t his fault, and even though he had mixed feelings about what was going on with Leah, he damn sure wasn’t ready to walk away from Burnt Boot.

“Hey, get on in here, Rhett. It’s hot out there, and we’ve got sweet tea and cookies,” Polly called from the door.

“Sounds wonderful.” He parked the cycle and headed toward the porch. They wouldn’t be feeding him tea and cookies if they planned on kicking him off Fiddle Creek, now would they?

You could always take Naomi up on her offer, his conscience reminded him.

“Like hell,” he muttered under his breath. “That ain’t about to happen. I’m flat-out not interested in that shit. Me and Dammit will pack up and go back to Comfort before we consider that offer.”

“So how did the dinner go?” Jill asked the minute he was in the house.

“They tried to steal me from Fiddle Creek and Betsy tried to seduce me,” he said.

“And they told you how Leah would be so much better off if she broke it off with you and wound up with Tanner, right?” Gladys laughed.

Rhett nodded. “And like I told Gladys last night, they keep making threats about how they could make Leah disappear.”

“Don’t believe a word of that. Tanner Gallagher is a womanizer, and he will never settle down with one woman. It’s all part of the feudin’ game. If he did talk her into dating or even getting into what you kids call a relationship these days, it would only last long enough for Naomi to gloat like hell about it to Mavis. Then he’d drop her or go out with another woman so that she’d break it off with him,” Polly said. “Come on in here and sit with us at the table. That’s where deals are made in our part of the world.”

“You think Tanner would do that?” Rhett pulled out a chair.

“Don’t think so. Know so.” Polly nodded. “We hadn’t planned on doing this so quick, but Verdie reminded us that Finn and Callie are expecting their baby in October, so we can’t put it off until then.”

“I told them that I have to be in Burnt Boot when the baby comes, because Finn and Callie will need me.” Verdie came from the direction of the restroom and sat down at with them.

“We’re gettin’ old, and we’ve always talked about doing some fun stuff when we retired, so we’re going on a senior cruise in September. And we plan on doing lots more stuff after the new baby is here and Verdie is free,” Gladys said.

Jill picked up a second cookie. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Y’all have worked your whole lives. We can hold down Fiddle Creek while you’re gone.”

“That’s where the next step comes into play,” Polly said. “The man I’ve had doing the work over on my place has given notice. September first is his last day unless I sell the ranch to him. I’ve got a relative up in Oklahoma who wants to buy the bar. Rosalie has run a couple of places like mine up there in the past. Sold out a few months ago and isn’t happy staying at home. She wants to get back into the business. So I’ve sold the bar to her. She takes over on the first day of September.”

“Wow!” Jill said.

“Then we only have night jobs for another couple of weeks?” Sawyer asked.

“No, I reckon you’ll be burning some midnight oil, but it will be on Fiddle Creek because you’ll have full control of the store too,” Gladys answered.

“Yes, ma’am.” Jill smiled.

“I’ve always told you that you’d inherit the bar and my place. Aren’t you disappointed?” Polly asked.

Jill patted Polly on the arm. “Fiddle Creek is plenty for us to handle, Aunt Polly. Sell your ranch and use the money to have a good time while you feel up to it.”

“I don’t need the money. That bar and the ranch have made me a rich woman, but I don’t want you to be disappointed in my decision,” Polly said.

Jill sipped at her tea. “I’m not one bit disappointed.”

“Good,” Gladys said. “Because tomorrow morning, I’m getting in touch with my lawyer and the title to Fiddle Creek, minus this house and the one acre it sits on, is going to be put in joint tenancy for you and Sawyer. You can have this much while I’m living. You can have the last acre and the house when I’m dead. The only thing you have to promise me is that you will never let either the Brennans or the Gallaghers get their grubby little fingers on it.”

“Gladys, are you sure about this?” Sawyer asked.

“Very sure. It’s the way I want to do things. This last scare with Polly has taught all three of us—that would be us two and Verdie, who’s been our lifelong friend—that it’s time for us to get busy and do what we’ve dreamed about before one of us drops dead,” Gladys answered.