Wild Cowboy Ways (Lucky Penny Ranch #1)(87)

Allie caught a snowflake on her tongue. “You are kiddin’ me, right?”

“I wouldn’t tease about something this serious. We were planning a trip to Cancun where the weather would be warm, and I already bought two sweet little bathing suits, and now we’ll be going straight to his apartment after the wedding. No honeymoon because his time has to be spent on a mission trip to help build a new school. And I can’t bitch about it to anyone because he’s doing it for God and you were right. If I didn’t have you tonight, I’d be…well, I’m just glad you are here and I don’t even give a damn about you liking Blake anymore.”

Allie put her arm around Lizzy’s shoulders. “I’d be pissed, too.”

Lizzy grabbed her sister’s hand and squeezed. “Thank you. I’m sorry about being so ugly these past weeks. This is probably my punishment for trying to run your life.”

“No apology necessary. Let’s go make supper and if it keeps up, we’ll make snow ice cream for Granny.” Allie hopped to her feet and pulled Lizzy up with her. “You cussed. You fell off the wagon.”

“The words I used at the store when he called me and said he was leaving in two hours blistered the paint on the walls,” Lizzy said.

“Two hours! My God, Lizzy! And he bombed you with all this on the phone? That means he’s already headed to Dallas to catch the plane, right? What did you say?”

Lizzy slung the door open and led the way into the warm house. “I kept my cool and said that of course God’s work should come before our honeymoon. And then I hung up and cussed until I ran out of words and cried until I ran out of tears. I’m glad I didn’t have many customers or the gossip would be so hot that it would melt the North Pole.”

Both women removed coats and hung them on the rack inside the door, kicked off their boots, and tossed their stocking hats on the foyer table. Pots and pans rattled in the kitchen and the sound of Katy and Irene discussing supper floated out into the foyer.

“Does Mama know?”

Lizzy shook her head. “No, but she will in a few minutes. I might as well ’fess up because it will be all over town by bedtime.”

“Why don’t you stay home with Granny tomorrow and I’ll work the store for you?” Allie said. “That way you can put at least one day between you and the gossip.”

“You’d do that for me?”

Allie laid a hand over Lizzy’s. “That’s what sisters are for.”



Blake had awoken in a black mood on Wednesday morning. When Deke called to ask for help, he’d agreed gladly, hoping that being around cattle and new baby calves would get him out of the funk.

It did not!

Thursday at noon, when he went to the house for dinner, leaving two big piles of mesquite with three inches of snow on top of them, he finally got a handle on his problem.

It was Allie! And he fully intended to straighten it out that night when they were on their first and maybe last date. He pushed back his half-eaten roast beef sandwich, laced his hands behind his neck, and looked up at the kitchen ceiling with all its rusty brown circles. If she quit, he and Toby would have to finish putting up new drywall and they’d have to learn to texture the living room and hall.

“And insulation.” The minute the words were out of his mouth his arms began to itch.

That afternoon Herman and Deke showed up to cut firewood. There was at least a days’ worth out there piled up and Blake planned on clearing more land that day. Snow on the ground wouldn’t keep him from working. Sleet falling out of the sky was a different thing.

The dashboard clock said it was five o’clock when Blake parked the dozer. In another two weeks if this damn weather would cooperate, he’d begin to till the ground, then put in a crop of wheat and one of alfalfa. Not long after that, Toby would arrive with cows and there wouldn’t be many days that they’d have the luxury of stopping before dark.

Deke waved and crossed the field. “Hey, the calves are doing fine. Looks like that little bull might be breeder stock. I’ll have to decide later, but he’s got some fine shoulders and good markings.”

“Good. Never knew how much I missed working with cattle until yesterday. I can’t wait until the Lucky Penny is in full swing.” Blake fell in beside him and together they walked back to the house with Shooter dashing on ahead of them.

“So you and Allie got a date tonight to celebrate your bedroom getting finished. Where are you taking her? Dinner and a movie?”

Blake shook his head. “We do that all the time right there at the house. I’m thinking about a honky-tonk where we can have a drink and dance.”

“Then let me suggest Cowboy Heaven. It’s this side of Wichita Falls and it’s got a nice dance floor and it’s not too loud. I take the women I really want to impress up there,” Deke said.

“Directions?” Blake asked.

“You’ll see the signs for it soon as you cross the county line. It’s right on the highway to the right. Big parking lot and a sign that stands tall. Can’t miss it,” Deke said. “Have a good time. I’ll expect a full report tomorrow. No, don’t tell me a thing. If Allie’s able to come to work, I’ll know by lookin’ at her face if she enjoyed the evening. See you tomorrow, but it won’t be until midmorning. With this weather, I’m throwing out a lot of hay.”