Wild Cowboy Ways (Lucky Penny Ranch #1)(92)

Everyone stood and Blake, bless his cowboy heart, said a two-minute prayer without missing a beat. It couldn’t have been easy with the picture Allie had put in his mind, but he managed.

“That was downright mean,” he said as soon as everyone else echoed his Amen at the end of the prayer. “I bet he saw us whispering.”

“I’m just glad he didn’t ask me to do it,” Allie said.



Blake was so damn nervous that he could hardly be still during Sunday dinner at Nadine’s after church. It had more to do with the ring box in his pocket than the four women sitting around the table with him. Having it in his pocket made him want to put it on her finger. He wondered how in the world he’d ever wait six months.

“So one more week and Mitch is coming home, right?” Blake asked Lizzy.

She nodded. “The day after Valentine’s Day, less than a month from our wedding day. The church is planning a wedding shower the week after he gets home.”

“And where are you going to live?” Blake asked.

“He rents an apartment in Wichita Falls, not far from the church where he hopes to fill the preacher’s shoes in the summer when he retires. Right now he helps out when the preacher needs to be gone or wants a week off.”

Blake nodded, his mind on the ring. “And you’ll commute to work?”

“It’s a distance but…” She shrugged.

“If the weather is bad, she can always stay with us,” Katy said.

“Crazy damn notion if you ask me, which nobody did,” Irene piped up. “They could live halfway between the two places or he could commute but oh, no, not Mitch. He’s got to be in control.”

“Granny!” Lizzy exclaimed.

Allie raised an eyebrow in Blake’s direction. “Looks like you stirred up a hornets’ nest.”

“I’ll fix it,” he whispered, and then said, “Miz Irene, can you believe that it’s such a beautiful day when two weeks ago the whole area was covered in a foot of snow?”

“It’s Texas. If you don’t like the weather, stick around. It will change. And the only thing that’s dependable in this place is that in the summer it’s going to be hotter’n the blue blazes of hell. I’m hungry. Is Nadine having to wring that turkey’s neck and pick the feathers before she can make my turkey and dressin’ dinner plate?” she answered.

Katy laughed. “At least it won’t be that frozen crap that you hate, Mama. I think the waitress is bringing our dinner right now.”

“Well, I hope so. I’d like to live to see my sixtieth birthday.”

“Granny, you will be seventy-one on your birthday,” Lizzy said.

Mary Jo set their plates in front of them. “Be careful. The plates are hot.”

“I’m old, not stupid,” Irene said.

“And don’t you look beautiful today.” Mary Jo stopped to give her a hug.

“Granny, you were rude,” Lizzy said.

“For that smartass remark and since you are bound, damned, and determined to marry that worthless son-of-a-bitch, wannabe preacher, you can say grace before we eat this good food.”

Lizzy dropped her chin and said softly, “Father, thank you for this food. Forgive Granny for her dirty language and the rest of us for our sins. Amen.”

“That wasn’t a prayer. God didn’t even hear that short two sentences,” Irene fussed.

“It’s enough, Mama. Eat your dinner,” Katy said.

Irene picked up her fork. “Okay, but if I die tonight and God won’t let me in the pearly gates because I ate unblessed food, then I’m going to tell him it’s y’all’s fault.”

Blake chuckled. “I think I’m fallin’ in love with her.”

Irene’s head popped up. “Who’s fallin’ in love with who?”

“No one, Granny. I hear Nadine made cherry pies and she’s got ice cream and chocolate syrup,” Allie said.

“I said that I was falling in love with you,” Blake said.

“Bullshit! I’m old. You’re not in love with me. You are in love with Allie.”

Blake nodded. “You are right. I have fallen in love with Allie. I’m downright crazy in love with this woman and I don’t care who all knows it.”

Irene clapped her hands.

Allie blushed.

“Hey, if you can declare that I’m your boyfriend right here in the middle of this café, I can tell the whole world I’m in love with you in the same place.” Blake leaned to his left, tipped her chin up with his fist, and kissed her right there in public.

“Well, would you look at that, Katy? I think he means it?” Irene giggled.

“I was going to wait for a private moment, but this seems like a perfect place and time.” He pushed back his chair and dropped down on one knee. “Allie Logan, I love you. Plain and simple and I can’t imagine life without you. Will you marry me?”

He flipped open a red velvet ring box to reveal a brown diamond solitaire ring surrounded by more than a dozen sparkling clear diamonds. “I chose this because it’s the color of your eyes.”

“Yes!” she said without hesitation.

He slipped the ring onto her finger, picked her up out of the chair, and swung her around the floor several times before his lips settled on hers. Most of the folks in the café clapped. The ones who didn’t were already talking on their phones.