Holidays on the Ranch (Burnt Boot, Texas #1)(53)

***

The window creaked when Martin raised it all the way to the top, letting in a blast of arctic air. “Y’all okay? I know it’s cold, but we’re lucky it ain’t rainin’ or sleetin’.”

“It was scary and we heard coyotes and we’re cold,” Adam said.

“But we kept going until we saw your light.” Olivia shivered.

“We done talked about y’all hidin’ in the barn, but it’s too cold. Give me your hand, Ricky, and I’ll help you inside. There’s plenty of beds in here and it’s warm,” Martin said.

“But what if your aunt finds us?”

“I’ve got an idea that will keep her out of my room,” he said.

“Okay, anything to get warm. My feet are so cold, I can’t feel them,” Olivia said.

All three kids scrambled over the windowsill. Martin put a finger to his lips and tiptoed to the door, peeked out, and shook his head. “Granny Verdie’s light is out, and if Callie had heard anything, she’d already be on the way, so she must be asleep, too. Take off your coats. What did you bring with you?”

“Nothing,” Ricky said.

“Okay, then you guys can use some of my pajamas. Olivia, you got a problem sleeping in one of my shirts and my loungin’ britches?”

She shook her head.

Martin opened up a drawer and handed out sleep clothing and then opened his closet door. “You can change in here, Olivia. And we’ll hang up y’all’s jeans so they’ll be dry tomorrow mornin’. Anybody hungry?”

All three heads bobbed up and down.

“I snuck some peanut butter, bread, and jelly in here while nobody was lookin’. And I got some milk and some plastic cups.”

“I hope they don’t take you to jail for helpin’ us,” Olivia said.

“We can’t let y’all get split up.” Martin pulled the wooden thread spool at the end of a long cord, and the light came on in the closet. “I cleared out the whole floor, so anyone knocks on the door and I’m not here, you get in here and shut the door. It’ll be your hiding place until we can figure out our next step.”

It was well after midnight when all four bunks were filled.

“Martin?” Olivia whispered from the bunk above his.

“Yes?”

“Thank you. I get mad at my brothers, but I don’t want to never see them again,” she said.

He remembered how terrified he was when he was in foster care. “I’d just die if they took me away from Callie, so I know how you feel.”

“They’re already asleep. They were brave little guys, even when the coyotes howled.” She yawned.

“Good night, Olivia,” Martin said.

“This bed is so warm. I could just stay here forever.”

***

Callie awoke early and made her way to the kitchen, where Verdie was already sitting at the table with a mug of coffee in front of her.

“Good mornin’. Coffee is made and oven is heating up for biscuits. Thought we’d start off the day with sausage and eggs. Snow hasn’t melted much, but the sun will take it down some today. Then it’ll be muddy tomorrow, and on Monday we’ll get a fresh layer on top of frozen mud. You and Finn still plannin’ on runnin’ in this shit?”

Callie poured a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. “This is Saturday. We take the weekends off, but I have to admit, it just makes Monday rougher. Did you sleep well?”

“Thought I heard a window squeak and then voices, but convinced myself I was dreaming. Pistol would have told us all about it if anyone came around the house,” Verdie answered. “But for the most part I slept much better than I did down there at the funny farm. Home is where your heart is.”

“Home is where your boots are, according to Finn.” Callie smiled. “Thank you for letting Martin borrow Patrick’s boots.”

Verdie grinned. “He would have liked the idea of a kid wearing them.”

“Verdie, I love your cooking and I love having you here at the ranch, but you don’t have to make three meals a day around here. You can be our guest,” Callie said.

“Got to stay busy at something, or my bones will think I’ve quit. If that happens, the damned old things will stop working altogether, and I’m not ready for that. If it makes you feel better, we’ll work together. You get out the eggs, and I’ll start making sausage patties.”

“Good mornin’, ladies.” Finn’s voice still had the morning gruff in it. He sported bedroom hair, and his blue eyes had that early-morning look in them that was so damn hot it took Callie’s breath away. She stepped back and her shoulder touched his hard chest. She poured a cup of coffee with trembling hands and carefully handed it to him.

“Martin must be worn out. He’s sleeping later than usual,” Verdie said.

“Good mornin’.” Martin yawned from the doorway. “Is that sausage I smell? And waffles? I could eat a horse. Y’all better make a lot.”

“Not waffles. Just eggs and sausage and hot biscuits,” Callie said.

“Did you hear from Polly yet?” Martin asked.

“She might call today,” Verdie said. “How many biscuits does a boy who’s hungry enough to eat a horse need?”