Holidays on the Ranch (Burnt Boot, Texas #1)(50)

“This is too perfect, Finn. There’s a grenade somewhere, and the pin is pulled. It’s just a matter of time until it all goes boom. I figured if I left now, it would be with good memories and not horrible ones. But I don’t want to leave. Just thinking of walking away from you and Salt Draw, even Verdie and the animals, breaks my heart.”

He tangled his fingers in her hair and held her head against his chest. “I’ll help you work through the fear if you’ll do the same for me.”

She drew her head back, her aqua-colored eyes swimming in tears. “Don’t bullshit me, O’Donnell. You’d face off with the devil.”

He let go of her hair and bent just enough that their lips touched in a salty kiss. Her arms sent desire shooting through his body when they laced around his neck. The kiss deepened into more as she opened her mouth and let his tongue inside to make love to her mouth.

“Darlin’, never doubt that my fears are every bit as big as yours, with commitment topping the list in big bold letters. Don’t run away, Callie. I need you to stay,” he whispered softly.

“I want to stay,” she said just before he kissed her again. She drew away and laid her head back on his chest. “We should go. They’ll be waiting.”

“They know how to make hot chocolate, and we don’t have to leave until you’re ready,” he said.

“I like it here. Can we stay forever?”

“We might get hungry.”

“There’s things other than food that will satisfy a body,” she whispered.

“But if the body is weak, it doesn’t perform too well, does it?” he chuckled.

“I’m not fighting any more today. I don’t have it in me. But I do have to tell you this before we go out there and get lectured by Verdie. Martin’s friends are going to be split up and sent to different homes on Sunday, and there doesn’t seem to be a damn thing we can do about it. He’s going to be so sad.”

“Then let’s go take our medicine from Verdie for fighting. Afterward we will make this place as happy as we can for him,” Finn said.

“I always wanted a grandmother like her,” Callie said, but she didn’t make a move to get up from his lap.

With his boot heel, he set the rocker into motion. “I have two just like her. Love them both. They’ll come see us in the spring, I’m sure. They didn’t help with the move, and my grandfathers will have lots of advice for the ranch.”

“You are a very lucky man,” she said.

His strong arm shifted to hold her tighter. “Yes, Callie, I am.”

A gentle knock on the door was followed by a low voice. “Callie, is it time for me to pack?”

“Is he crying?” Finn asked.

“Probably. I really have to go take care of this.” She hurried to open the door.

“Hush, kid. He’s not dead,” Joe said as he flitted from one side of his clothes dryer perch to the other.

Martin looked up at her with tears streaming down his face.

Verdie was right behind him, arms crossed, her wrinkled face drawn up in a frown.

Callie dropped down on her knees and hugged Martin. “Finn and I had a fight. We do that sometimes, but we aren’t leaving Salt Draw.”

“For real?” Martin asked.

“For real, son.” Finn laid a hand on Martin’s shoulder and one on Callie’s. “Arguments don’t mean that you have to pack up and run away. It takes a strong person to work it out, but your aunt has that kind of strength.”

Martin pushed away and dried his tears. “Callie is strong, ain’t she, Finn?”

“Yes, she is. I’m sure hungry. Did you leave me any cookies?”

Martin nodded and pointed toward his toes. “And look.”

Verdie pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “They was Patrick’s old work boots. ’Bout worn out, but I reckon they’ll do for a couple of weeks for him to do chores in. Could use a coat of polish later tonight, and he had to put two pair of socks on to fill up the toes. Patrick was a little man, only about five feet four inches, and he wore a small shoe. Bein’ little didn’t mean he wasn’t a fighter.”

“Thank you.” Callie swallowed hard against the lump in her throat.

“Now, Martin, you go on to the kitchen and finish up your last cookie while I talk to Finn and Callie.”

“Joe needs a cookie. Dog! Joe needs a cookie,” the bird fussed as he sharpened his beak on the wood rod under his feet.

Martin’s new boots sounded like size tens rather than the sixes they probably were as they clomped down the hallway.

Finn looped an arm around Callie’s waist and waited. “Are we in big trouble?”

Verdie nodded seriously. “Yes, you are. First thing is, this ain’t my place no more and it ain’t my business to fuss at y’all, but I love that kid and I can’t stand to see him cry. My dad gave me a bit of advice when our boys were little that I’m about to give y’all. You’re going to argue, but it’s your argument, not his. Don’t let him see it, and don’t go to bed angry with each other. We got enough of a feud goin’ on all around us. We don’t need one inside the walls of the house. Now let’s go have some cookies.”

Finn gave Callie a gentle squeeze. “Sounds like good advice to me.”