Wild Cowboy Ways (Lucky Penny Ranch #1)(73)

“Not today, Mama. You have to stay here and chaperone the kids while I drive up to Wichita Falls for supplies. When are you moving to the ranch, Toby?” Katy asked.

“I’m hoping to be here by the first of June. With two of us and a hot summer, we should get lots done. Then our cousin, Jud, will join us about Thanksgiving time,” Toby answered.

Katy nodded. “Sounds like you’ve got things planned out pretty good.”

Irene shrugged. “Who were we talking about?”

“Blake’s brother, Toby, the one right there.” Mitch narrowed his eyes at the elderly woman. “…Is arriving in June if Blake is still living on the Lucky Penny and their cousin will join them at Thanksgiving.”

“Don’t look at me like that. We don’t like each other but this is the Sunday dinner table,” Irene said, raising her voice.

Blake reached over and laid a hand on Irene’s arm. “I hear that you took care of the three sisters right here in this house while Miz Katy worked. Tell me some stories.”

She gave Mitch a dirty look and smiled at Blake. “They were a handful for sure. When there’s three, there’s lots of whining and giggling.”

Irene’s mind stayed crystal clear as she told stories from the past. Blake’s laugher was genuine. Mitch’s lack of even a smile showed that he was bored. When they’d finished eating, Katy brought out two pies—apple and cherry—for dessert, along with a container of ice cream and caramel topping.

“Lizzy likes her apple pie with a crown.” Irene smiled. “That’s what she called it when she was a little girl and said apple pie was princess food and the ice cream was the princess’s crown.”

“Me, too.” Toby nodded. “But Blake likes cherry better. He never did like apple pie. That’s when the family knew for a fact there was something wrong with him. All cowboys love their mamas, pretty girls, and apple pie.”

“Two out of three ain’t bad, though,” Blake said.

“Not me. Too many fat grams and calories,” Mitch said. “We’ll have to watch those or we’ll be as big as circus clowns, won’t we, darlin’?”

Allie placed a well-directed kick right on his shin and immediately apologized. “Oh, excuse me. I’m so sorry.” She flashed a sarcastic smile across the table.

“I think Lizzy and I will forgo dessert and have coffee in the living room while we set up the Monopoly game.” He glared at Allie.

“Yes, darlin’.” Lizzy pushed back her chair.

He did the same and slung an arm around Lizzy’s shoulders.

Allie could see why her granny thought the man should be planted six feet under. It wasn’t a loving arm around her sister, but a possessive, controlling one.

“How about you, Allie? Shall we take our coffee to the living room with them?” Grady asked.

“Hell, no! I’m having both kinds of pie with ice cream. I’ll save you a chunk of apple for later, Lizzy,” she called out.

Lizzy gave her a weak grin as she poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Mitch before she followed her fiancé out of the kitchen.

“So what are you guys doing this afternoon?” Katy asked Blake. “I hear you tore out some ceiling and put up some new yesterday.”

“We are going to take advantage of the sunshine and look at the ranch.” He turned slightly and touched Allie on the arm. “Want to go with us?”

“I promised I’d watch Granny this afternoon, so I can’t leave.”

Irene pointed at Allie. “It’s not nice to whisper. Who is that sitting beside you anyway? Is that one of Walter’s kids? When did he get married?”

“This is Blake Dawson,” Allie said. “He lives over at the Lucky Penny now.”

“I’m confused again,” Irene said.

Blake smiled at her. “It’s okay. We all get things mixed up some of the time.”

“You are a good boy,” she said. “I want cherry pie with ice cream and chocolate syrup on top.”



Toby was in the truck with the motor running but Blake lingered behind to talk to Allie. “I really want to explain about yesterday. Deke took a woman home and she had the car for both of them, so she came to get her sister and thought she could seduce me…”

Allie held up a palm and said, “Enough. I told you I don’t care.”

“And what does that mean?”

“It means…”

“Hey, Alora, darlin’.” Grady pushed his way out the door and in between them. “We’re waiting on you. We can’t start the game without you.”

“I’ll be there in five minutes,” she said.

“Go on now since you don’t care,” Blake said bluntly.

“Care about what?” Grady asked.

“Nothing,” Allie answered quickly.

“Guess that sums it up then.” Blake settled his black cowboy hat on his head and marched off the porch, his boots making a cracking sound on the wood with each step.

“Is that over now?” Grady asked. “It needs to be. He’s not the man for you, darlin’, and I’m glad that you don’t care about him. Now come on inside with me and I’ll show you a proper good time.” He slung his arm around her.