Wild Cowboy Ways (Lucky Penny Ranch #1)(27)

Allie pulled a cast iron skillet down from the hooks in the utility room and set it on the stove to heat while she mixed up the batter. “I remember when you used to make pancakes for us girls at breakfast. And in the hot summer you let us pretend the big tub upstairs was our swimming pool and you let us take our Barbie dolls swimming.”

Irene’s thin mouth broke into a lovely smile. “Remember when you played beauty shop and cut all their hair off, Allie?”

Lizzy raised a hand. “I do. I hated her for weeks for making my dolls look like boys.”

“Boys?” The light went out of Irene’s eyes as suddenly as if someone had flipped a switch. “I hear there’s a new boy over at the Lucky Penny.”

Allie crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her grandmother. Maybe a hug would bring her back for a little while. “Yes, there is, Granny. His name is Blake Dawson. You’ve met him.”

Irene shook her head. “His name is Walter, not Blake. That’s not a first name. It’s a last name.”

“Let’s talk about my wedding. I think you’d look lovely in a dark purple dress since the bridesmaids are all wearing orchid,” Lizzy said.

Katy wore her robe and slippers to the kitchen that morning. She poured a cup of coffee and sat down at the head of the table. “I think you’d look lovely in a dark purple dress, Mama.”

“I thought you picked out pink for your wedding. When did you change your mind to purple? I’ve already bought my dress. Now what are we going to do? Besides you know I hate purple. Always have,” Irene said.

Katy patted her mother’s shoulder. “Lizzy is mixed up. Of course she’s using pink for her wedding.”

“Good. I’m going to the bathroom to wash my hands. Will my pancakes be ready when I get back?”

“Yes, Granny,” Allie answered.

“It was good to have her for a few minutes.” Katy sighed.

Allie stacked three pancakes on the side of a plate and added as many sausage patties on the other side. “Mama, I’ve figured out the triggers that send her backward in time so fast these past few days. It’s when we talk about Lizzy’s wedding and the Lucky Penny. She keeps thinking about this Walter guy who lived there when you were planning your wedding and getting times all jumbled up in her mind.”

“Makes sense,” Lizzy said. “You shouldn’t mention the Lucky Penny in front of her and you shouldn’t take that job. Which is more important? Having the money from the job, which you don’t even need, or having Granny lucid for a little bit each day?”

“Then you shouldn’t get married to Mitch. Which is more important to you? Marrying a man who’s going to expect you to be this little submissive wife who bows to his every command, or having Granny lucid?” Allie shot right back at her.

“I’m marryin’ Mitch whether you like him or not.” Lizzy tilted her head like she used to do when they were kids and she knew she was wrong but all the angels in heaven couldn’t get her to admit it.

One of Allie’s worst fears was realized in that moment. Lizzy was arguing too hard for Mitch. She had always been levelheaded when it came to business and relationships, seeing opportunities in business, knowing when a relationship was headed in the wrong direction. Her sister was marrying that snake-in-the-grass because she wanted to be married and any man would do—even a self-righteous prick who would make her life miserable in the end.

“And I’m going to work at the ranch next door,” Allie said. “So I guess Granny is going to have lots of bad days.”



Allie was on Blake’s mind that Friday evening as dusk settled on the Lucky Penny. He was in one of the spare bedrooms gazing at more unopened boxes, when someone rapped hard on the front door. Hoping that Toby had decided to surprise him by showing up that weekend, he turned around so fast that he had to catch himself on the wall to keep from falling over Shooter.

Shooter raced him to the door but he wagged his tail when Blake threw it open to find Deke.

“Come right in. What’s going on?”

Deke was dressed in creased jeans and a pearl snap plaid shirt, and his boots were shined. “Let’s slip up over the county line and go have some barbecue.” He winked.

“There’s food in the house. We don’t have to go out and buy more.”

Deke chuckled. “Frankie’s is way back in the woods and it’s more than barbecue, but in order to get a drink, which is illegal as hell right there, you have to buy some food.”

“A bar! Hot damn! How far is it from here?”

“Maybe nine miles. Got to warn you, it’s not a country bar. How fast can you be ready?”

“Give me ten minutes. Does it serve beer?” Blake was already on the move toward his bedroom at the end of the hallway.

“Yes, they serve beer but you’ll want to try Frankie’s special brew and have some barbecue before you start lookin’ at the ladies.” The crunch of tires on the gravel outside brought Shooter’s hackles back up for the second time. “Go on. I’ll get the door. It’s most likely Herman asking how early he can be here tomorrow morning. He was up around Archer City all day cuttin’ wood or he would have been around sooner. He’s real interested in getting all the mesquite he can to sell at his wood yard.”