Holidays on the Ranch (Burnt Boot, Texas #1)(85)

“Did you hear that?” Callie asked Finn.

“Marry me,” he said.

Callie was stunned into silence. “What did you say?”

“I asked you to marry me.”

“Are you drunk?”

“No, but I figure if you marry me, I might save you from a life of alcoholism,” he said.

“Finn, you can’t tease me out of this. I’m going to drink until you have to carry me into the house tonight like you did that New Year’s Eve over there in the war when we put away all that whiskey your cousin sent to us in mouthwash bottles. And I’m going to make you tell the kids, because I can’t tell, but you aren’t doing it until after their trip with Verdie. She’s liable to have a heart attack or else run away with the whole lot of them, and she’s got the money to stay gone until they’re all grown,” Callie said.

“Marry me, and we’ll adopt them, and Verdie will be safe, and the kids will have a home,” he said.

“I’m not sure that’s a good reason to get married,” she said. “But it is tempting.”

“We wouldn’t have to tell anyone we’re married. As long as it’s legal on paper, then Amanda can’t turn us down. She said that a married couple wanting to adopt took precedence over foster care, didn’t she?”

Callie’s heart did a backward flip. He would be marrying her just for the kids, not out of love and commitment. He did say that one time that he loved her, and they did have a pretty damn good relationship in and out of the bedroom, but still, she wanted the whole thing. A wedding with the dress and flowers in a church, not a twenty-minute trip to the courthouse in Gainesville to be kept a secret. She wanted to stand on the front lawn with Christmas lights all around her and yell that Finn O’Donnell was her new husband.

“Why do we have to keep it a secret?” she asked.

“I thought you might want to keep it under wraps, since we’ve only been together three weeks.”

“When I marry, the only thing that’ll be a secret will be what goes on in our bedroom.”

“So will you think about it?” he asked. “I’ve kind of grown attached to that old gal and those kids being underfoot. And I don’t imagine those new people will let them bring all the animals with them, either, so there’s that to think about.”

It was a piss-poor reason to get married.

“Don’t give me an answer right now. Just think about it until after the New Year, and then we’ll decide,” Finn said. “And, Callie, you’re not like your sister. You are probably like your father. What was his name?”

“Tommy Jones.” The words came out in a hoarse whisper. “He and Mama weren’t married, so I got her maiden name, just like Lacy did, because Mama didn’t marry her daddy either.”

“A cowboy, I take it.”

“Yes, he was a cowboy. Grew up on a ranch in the little town where they both lived in east Texas. Place called Jefferson right on the Louisiana border. With my background, you should be runnin’ from me, not proposin’ to me,” Callie said.

“My offer still stands. Secret. No secret. Any way you want to call it,” Finn said.

“I need a beer or two or ten after this night, and I need time to think about callin’ it.” She kicked the shoes off and yelled, “Hey, Polly, I’ll have a Coors.”

“Make that two,” Finn said.

“Two Coors comin’ right up. A helicopter took that glass, didn’t it? I heard a whirring noise but didn’t pay any mind to it. Figured it was one of them medical things and hoped no one in Burnt Boot needed it. Brennans were behind it. Everyone knows it, but they won’t be able to prove it. I’m just wonderin’ how in the hell they ripped it out so clean.” She asked as she set the mugs in front of Callie and Finn.

“Someone cut the glass and put heavy-duty suction cups on it,” Finn said.

“They’ll find it floatin’ in the Red River most likely,” Callie said.

“Sounds like something out of a military movie to me,” Polly said. “There’s Gladys. I called her to come on down here and help me tonight. With this kind of news, everyone will be coming to the bar to talk about it. Y’all need some change for the jukebox? It still plays three songs for a quarter if you like Merle Haggard and George Jones. I’ve got a new one ordered all digital and costing more. This one ain’t got no Christmas music on it.”

“Yes, please. Finn promised to dance with me.” Callie fished out a five-dollar bill from her purse and handed it across the bar.

Polly gave her three dollars and eight quarters. “That should be enough to dance some leather off his fancy boots.”

Finn ran a finger up under Callie’s shawl from elbow to shoulder. “You were, hands down, the prettiest girl at the party.”

“And you were, hands down, the best-lookin’ cowboy. I don’t want to talk about Gallaghers or Brennans the rest of the night. Go put some quarters in that jukebox and let’s dance.” She filled his hand with quarters.

“Any particular song?” he asked.

“You choose. I’ll dance.”

He plugged in two quarters and motioned for her to join him. She slid off the bar stool and padded across the wooden floor in her bare feet. Surprisingly enough it wasn’t cold. That old potbellied stove over there beside a life-sized Santa was doing its job in keeping the place warm.