One Texas Cowboy Too Many (Burnt Boot, Texas #3)(87)

“I’ll be there, Leah. It won’t be just your immediate family.”

She smiled up at him. “Darlin’, you and Dammit are my family too.”





Chapter 27


Leah loved the simplicity of the dinner. Pot roast with potatoes and carrots, salad, and a loaf of sourdough bread, sliced and toasted in the oven.

“This is taking it back to the basics,” Declan said.

Russell wiped his mouth with the paper napkin and said, “Don’t you love it? Food is great, Leah.”

“Save room for ice cream. We’ve even got caramel topping and chopped pecans if you want to make it into a sundae.”

“I really do love it,” Declan said. “You are a lucky dog, Leah.”

“Is that a polite way of calling me a bitch?” She grinned.

“No, ma’am. I’m not stupid. Anyone that would buck up against Granny has my respect enough that I’d never call her names.”

“Would you look at that?” Rhett pointed to the corner of the kitchen.

They’d brought Leah’s mama cat, Ella, into the house to get her acquainted with the place. Now Dammit was lying close enough to the carrier that the kittens were sticking their paws out to touch him. He licked every one that came out the slits in the sides.

“He’s getting his scent on them so that Ella will trust him. Smart dog,” Russell said.

“You think we could open the door?” Leah asked.

“If you’re careful not to let her out for a day or two. She might try to bring a kitten at a time back to River Bend and wind up getting killed on the road,” Declan answered.

Leah left the table and pulled the door open. Dammit didn’t move, but Ella tiptoed out with her hair fluffed up, a low growl in her throat. She eyed Dammit and laid her ears back like she might be about to claw him into shreds. He wagged his tail and licked her from chin to ears. She sputtered and spewed and then ignored him completely. The kittens tumbled out one after another and attacked Dammit’s moving tail, crawling over his body like he was a big throw pillow.

“I think they’ll be friends,” Rhett said.

Leah had it all—cats, a dog, and a man that she loved.

Whoa! Love was a pretty strong word right there in the middle of all the chaos surrounding her.

That is your grounding wire, Eve said in her head. All the rest you can take care of a little at a time, but Rhett O’Donnell has been your solid ground since the day you met him. So yes, you love him. When do you plan on letting him know?

*

After ice cream and coffee, Rhett really wanted a nap, but country manners said that he should ask Declan and Russell if they’d like a tour of the ranch. “I’m just now figuring out what is going on here. I’ve been a rancher my whole life, at least when I didn’t have big dreams about being a bull rider or a Hell’s Angel. But y’all know the land and the climate up here better than I do and I’d appreciate any advice you might give me.”

Russell chuckled. “I was going to be a fireman or a science teacher.”

“Really?” Leah asked.

“Of course. My first love was science. My second was ranching. But man, those firemen looked cool in all that gear,” Russell said.

“I wanted to grow up and be an astronaut. My advice is to stay away from the feud and put up lots of hay. And shoot any Gallaghers that set fire to your property,” Declan said.

“We’d love to look at the ranch,” Russell said. “Can’t even remember the last time I was on this place.”

“I’ve never seen the lay of the land,” Declan said.

“Well, you cowboys go on and I’ll clean up the kitchen,” Leah said.

“Paper plates, paper napkins, and disposable cups,” Declan laughed.

“That’s cleanup around here. I’ll stay behind to be sure my cats don’t hurt Dammit.”

The dog’s ears popped up at the sound of his name, and he trotted over to her, five kittens chasing along behind him.

Rhett helped her carry all the paper goods to the trash can. “Dammit will want to go with us. He probably already knows places that I haven’t seen. Maybe he’ll take us on an adventure.”

“Then my cats and I will have a nap,” she told him.

Rhett dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Sounds good. If Honey shows up, tell her that Declan is already eyeballing the space in front of the fireplace.”

*

The guys had barely gotten the back door shut when someone pounded on the front door. Dammit had gone with them, and a mama cat and five kittens wouldn’t offer much help if it was Tanner again, so she peeked out the curtain.

“Honey?” she said aloud as she swung the door open.

“I got here as fast as I could. Granny is seething that Uncle Russell and Declan are here for dinner. She says that they’re taking your side. I swear we may have a civil war in the Brennan family before this is all over. Is that roast I smell? I couldn’t eat over there, and I’m starving. Got any leftovers?” She talked the whole way to the kitchen.

“It was a big roast. Get a paper plate out of the cabinet and help yourself.” Leah poured two red plastic cups of sweet tea and carried them to the table, being careful not to step on a kitten on the way. “Salad is in a plastic container in the refrigerator. Bread is on the top of the cabinet beside the roast. We had ice cream for dessert.”