Holidays on the Ranch (Burnt Boot, Texas #1)(51)

***

Martin was standing right under the phone when it rang, and it startled him so badly that he knocked over the chair below it. It hit the floor with a thud, and he grabbed the receiver before Verdie came out of the hallway to answer it. If anyone could talk sense to Callie and Finn, it was Verdie, and he sure didn’t want her to answer a telephone right then.

“Hello,” he said cautiously.

“Could I please talk to Martin Brewster?”

“Who is this?” he whispered.

“It’s me, Olivia. I have to talk low or Miz Beth will wake up. They’re sending us away on Sunday, Martin, and they’re going to split us up. We go to three different places, and that means we’ll never see each other again. The last place we was at, there was a boy there and they did this to him and his sister. He didn’t even know where she was anymore.”

“Oh no!” Martin gasped.

“We’re going to run away tonight.”

“Do you know where Salt Draw is?”

“It’s where the school bus gets you every morning. Down the road from us and then down a lane.”

“It’s all lit up for Christmas. You can see it from the road. I know you can. I’ll leave my light on so you can come around behind the house and knock on my window. Y’all can stay out in the tack room. You won’t freeze until we figure this out, Olivia. I’ll help you,” Martin said.

“I trust you, Martin. Will you watch for us?”

“I’ll leave my curtains open. Tap on my window when you get here. Here comes Granny Verdie. I got to go.”





Chapter 15


Callie kicked as much snow from her shoes as possible before she went inside the general store, then she stomped a few more times on the big rug in front of the door. “Glad I caught you before you closed up, Gladys. Verdie says we need flour, sugar, and cooking oil.”

“She called me and said to tell you to add baking soda to that.” Gladys tipped her head toward the back of the store.

Callie looked that way, and there was Betsy Gallagher. Their cold gazes locked as Betsy made her way right up into Callie’s space, not stopping until they were practically nose to nose.

“You are like a bitch in heat. You can’t be satisfied with one man hanging on you. Now you’ve got to go and mess up my cousin’s relationship with Orville. Ilene has been in love with Orville since they were in school. Do you want an ass whipping, woman?” Betsy’s tone got colder with each word.

“How in the hell did I do that? It was your damn feud that brought him to my door to begin with.”

“He brought you doughnuts. He’s never brought Ilene doughnuts,” Betsy said.

“That doesn’t mean a damn thing, so get out of my face, and, darlin’, you don’t want to call me a bitch again,” Callie said.

Betsy leaned in until they were nose to nose. “I call it like I see it.”

Callie smiled.

“What’s so funny…bitch?” Betsy drew out the last word.

“I think it’s funny that the Gallaghers want the sheriff in their back pocket so bad that they send one of their own out to seduce the poor old guy. I’m not stupid,” Callie whispered and rubbed her nose against Betsy’s.

Betsy jumped back and swiped a hand across her nose. “Don’t touch me.”

“Oh, darlin’, this relationship has gone too far for you to close me out now. Remember, I’m a bitch, and bitches rub noses with other bitches,” Callie said.

Betsy’s hand came up in a flash, but Callie was faster. She caught it midair and held it in a vise grip. When her left hand shot up, Callie caught it, too.

The woman shivered from head to toe and kicked Callie in the shin. “Are you a freakin’ crazy bitch?” she yelled.

Callie kept a grip on her hands and nipped her on the arm, leaving faint teeth marks but no blood. “Bitches are lady dogs. They bite. You had enough, or you want to call me that again? Next time, I promise there will be blood and you will need rabies shots.”

She shoved, and Betsy had to do a lot of fancy scrambling to keep from knocking down a display of canned peaches. When she finally got her balance, she stormed out of the store without looking back.

Gladys slapped the checkout counter and laughed so hard that she had to sit down. “I swear to God that was the funniest damn thing I’ve ever seen. If Honey wasn’t so hell-bent on having Finn, the Brennans would invite you into their fold with open arms.”

“I don’t want to be a part of none of their shit. I just want to live my life and be left alone,” Callie said.

“Then you come to the wrong part of Texas,” Gladys said.

Callie steamed all the way home and didn’t even feel the cold from truck to kitchen. She carried in the groceries and set them on the cabinet before she even noticed the doughnuts on the table.

“Shit!” she mumbled. “That’s all I need today.”

“That you, Callie?” Verdie yelled from her room.

“Yes, it is.”

“I made part of the yeast dough into doughnuts. Just finished fryin’ and glazin’ them. They’re on the table if you want one to warm up. Coffee is fresh.” Verdie’s voice got closer with each word.

“Well, hot damn!” Callie said.