Holidays on the Ranch (Burnt Boot, Texas #1)(45)

“Okay, now dig in before it gets cold. Ain’t nothing worse than cold gravy or eggs, neither one,” Verdie said. “The decorations are up in the attic and you get up there through an opening in the nursery closet, so when you cowboys get done with chores, we’ll send Finn to get them. They ain’t been brought down since Patrick died twenty years ago, so there’ll be some dust. I lost the desire to put them up and”—she leaned forward and lowered her voice—“there are spiders up there, and I do not go where there is a spider.”

“They ain’t all bad. Some of them eat other bugs,” Martin said.

“That’s all fine and good, but I don’t like any of them.” Verdie straightened up.

“I didn’t think you’d be afraid of anything.” Callie smiled.

“Spiders and snakes,” Verdie said.

Martin shivered. “I understand about snakes. Callie is afraid of mice. What are you afraid of, Finn?”

“I’m not real fond of mountain lions. One cornered me when I was out huntin’ wild hogs one time. I was about fifteen, and that big old cat with green eyes let me know he sure wasn’t afraid of me,” Finn answered.

“Will you take me huntin’ for wild hogs sometime?” Martin asked.

“We’ll see when you get old enough to get a huntin’ license,” Callie said quickly.

Martin dug into his breakfast. “I won’t be afraid of mountain lions. Shotgun will protect me.”

After breakfast, Callie found herself in the living room alone, warming her hands by the fire, when Finn came out of his bedroom. He crossed the room, pulled Callie close to his chest, and said, “I wanted to hold you all morning and tell you that I slept better in that recliner last night than I do in my big king-sized bed. I believe it’s because you were right there and you kept the nightmares at bay.”

“You’re welcome.” She rolled up on her toes and kissed him hard. Someday they were going to take the next step, but she had decided to be patient and enjoy the sweetness of kisses, hugs, and touches until that time.

***

“Okay, now they’re gone and the kitchen is cleaned up. Let’s talk,” Verdie said.

“In here or the living room?” Callie asked.

Verdie pulled two glasses down from the cabinet. “The living room over drinks.”

Callie raised an eyebrow. “It’s only ten o’clock.”

“Like the song says, it’s five o’clock somewhere.”

She set the glasses on the coffee table and went to the bookcase beside the fireplace. “This old house has lots of secrets, Callie. This morning I’m going to show you the first one. Patrick’s daddy liked his liquor, so he built a safe place back during prohibition days.”

She pulled a book from the case and threw a switch located behind it. The whole thing moved to the right three feet, and there was another bookcase, only this one would put some liquor stores to shame. “We’ll have a shot of Jack Daniel’s this morning. Mainly because I’ve been craving it, and those folks at the funny farm don’t sanction drinking. They didn’t bother to tell me that when I signed a six-month lease with them. It might have been in the small print, but, hell, I can’t see that shit.”

She poured a healthy two fingers in each glass and held it up to the sunlight. “Damn pretty, ain’t it?”

Callie touched her glass to Verdie’s and said, “Merry Christmas.”

Verdie sipped, shut her eyes to enjoy every smoky bit of the flavor, and held it in her mouth awhile before she swallowed. Callie did the same. It had been a very long time since she’d had liquor. A beer once in a while, but the last time she’d had anything stronger was in Afghanistan when she and Finn finished off the last of what was in one of many mouthwash bottles smuggled in by Finn’s cousin Sawyer.

When she opened her eyes, Verdie was in the recliner, a smile on her face and her feet propped up. “Tell me how the feud is going. I want to hear more about you shooting at those women, and then tell me all about any rumors you’ve heard.”

“They were acting like hussies,” Callie said.

“Run, dog. Hussies are coming,” Joe said.

Verdie giggled. “He is entertaining, but is there nothing he can’t repeat? Ignore him and enjoy your whiskey.”

“Joe is spittin’ dust. He needs a drink.” He made noises like he was spitting.

Verdie shook her finger at him. “Shut up, bird. Now back to the whiskey. It’s not to be thrown back like an old cowboy would in a Western movie but savored and sipped. It’s time for us to talk. I like to cook for a family. Hated to make a mess for just me all those years, but I do like to fix and fuss around in the kitchen for a family. Way I figure it is I’m too damned old and my bones aren’t strong as they used to be for me to get out there and do ranchin’. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have sold the place to Finn. But I can cook.”

In one swift leap, Angel was in Verdie’s lap. She turned around a couple of times and settled down for a nap.

“She likes you,” Callie said.

“Always did like cats. Last house cat passed on right after Halloween. That kind of fixed it in my mind that it was time to get serious about selling Salt Draw. Got real lonely without nothing to talk to around here, and that damned old barn cat wouldn’t have a thing to do with me.”