The Trouble with Texas Cowboys (Burnt Boot, Texas #2)(86)

“Is it in this antique store? The one we are having lunch in?” Finn asked.

“When did you two stop arguing and start listening to us?” Jill asked.

“When he convinced me that he needed Rhett more than I did, and besides, I think Rhett would be damn good at keeping peace in the bar.” Finn covered Callie’s hand with his. “What are we buying to celebrate our date today?”

“I’ll find something,” she said.

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “It can’t cost any more than their ice tray.”

“We’ll just see about that.” She smiled.

The waiter set an enormous onion blossom and a platter of jalape?o poppers in the middle of the table and refilled all their tea glasses. “Your food will be ready in about fifteen minutes. We’ve been really busy today. I apologize for the wait.”

“No problem. We’re not in a hurry,” Callie said.

The waiter flashed a brilliant smile and headed off to another table.

“Is it?” Finn reached for a popper and dipped it in the sauce.

“Is what?” Sawyer followed his lead.

“Is the bear in this store?” Finn asked.

“No, it’s in the one next door, but I want to look in this one when we get finished eating. This is really cool, having a café adjoined to the store, isn’t it?” Jill answered.

She felt like she’d known Finn and Callie her whole life instead of a few short weeks. They felt like family, and she couldn’t wait for the opportunity to spend time with their four kids.

Finn was probably right. The dinner was good, but it wasn’t like Granny made. After they’d finished, they shopped in the store, and Callie bought one of those cute little jewelry boxes with a tiny ballerina that twirled when it was opened. Then she found a couple of old baseball cards for each of the boys.

The bear was gone when they reached the next store on the block. The man behind the counter that day told them that his wife had sold it the week before to a young couple who planned to use it in their nursery.

“Great minds think alike,” Jill said.

Sawyer planted a kiss on the top of her head. “We should have bought it last week.”

“At least it will make some little baby laugh.” Jill sighed.

Finn and Callie had just wandered off to the back of the store. Jill and Sawyer were near the middle, looking at cream pitchers, when she felt someone staring at her.

Kinsey Brennan wasn’t six feet from her when she looked up. “Well, hello, Sawyer. I’d like you to meet my date, and my boss at the firm where I work part-time. Gage, this is Sawyer; Sawyer, Gage. And this is Jill Cleary. Her aunt has a little spread next to River Bend.”

Sawyer extended his hand. “Pleased to meet you. Y’all finding anything interesting?”

Kinsey looped her arm through Gage’s, and he patted her hand. “Oh, yes, we found a lovely little side table for my office. I’m moving from part time to full time.”

A tall man, but not quite as tall as Kinsey, he wore a three-piece suit and loafers. His thick blond hair was styled in a perfect, feathered cut, and judging by the crow’s-feet around his eyes, Jill would guess him to be ten years older than Kinsey.

“Y’all have fun now. See you later,” Kinsey said.

Sawyer waved and went back to the cream pitchers. “One down. One to go.”

Jill slipped her hand in his. “Don’t count on it.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Did you ever hear of the turd theory?” she asked.

He shook his head.

“It goes like this. You think if a certain obnoxious person wasn’t in your life, then everything would be just peachy. Then that person is miraculously out of your life, and behold, another turd floats to the top,” Jill said.

“Well, hello, Sawyer,” Betsy said. “I’m surprised to see you here. Jill, not so much, but a guy?”

“I rest my case,” Jill said. “Are you buying something special, like Kinsey is? We just met her new boyfriend and heard she’s going to work full time.”

Betsy leaned a shoulder over toward Sawyer. “What wonderful news. Now she’s out of my way with you, Sawyer. Got to run. Grandma is next door having ice cream with some of my cousins. I just snuck away to say hello when I saw y’all coming in here.”

Sawyer didn’t even acknowledge that the woman was talking. He squeezed Jill’s hand and whispered, “We won’t ever be able to get away from them, darlin’. They are part of Burnt Boot, but we don’t have to let them control our lives. How about this one for our second-date present?” He picked up a carnival glass pitcher and held it out to her.

“I vote we get something more practical. Like this.” She held up a cast-iron pan that made muffins in the shape of corn on the cob. “Grandma Cleary had one like this, and I loved the muffins when I was a little girl.”

“Granny O’Donnell still uses one like that. Let’s buy it,” he said.

Dusk had begun to settle when they got home that evening. Jill called Gladys before they left town, and she wanted them to pick up fried chicken for her and Polly. When they went by the house, she met them at the door.

“We’ll come in for only a minute. It’s cold out here, and we’re doing the chores tonight. You and Aunt Polly just stay warm and have chicken for supper.”