Holidays on the Ranch (Burnt Boot, Texas #1)(90)

“I love you too much to do that to you, Finn. It’s probably because of all this stress. Constant feud. Kids. Parties. Changing and accepting that I do like farming. I can’t be pregnant.”

“You like ranchin’?” he teased.

“Yes, I do. It’s different now than it was when I was a kid.”

“Callie, I would love it if you were pregnant,” he whispered.

“Are you sure, Finn? You wouldn’t just be offering to marry me because I might be pregnant?”

“Darlin’, I’d be okay with a dozen kids on Salt Draw. And I want to marry you.”

“I’m going to marry you, Finn, whether I’m pregnant or not and whether we adopt kids or not. You know that already, don’t you? And that’s about as romantic as your proposal,” she said.

He moved across the wide bench seat and kissed her soundly on the cheek. “I’ll take that as a yes. How about three days after Christmas? That’s on Sunday, and we can have it at the church. And we won’t even know for sure if you are pregnant, so you won’t feel like I’m marrying you because I’m responsible,” he said.

She braked and stopped the truck close to the feeding trough of the second pasture full of black cows. “Sometimes being your best friend is tough.”

He turned her cheek around and kissed her on the lips. “I love you. You set the date and I’ll abide by it, but I’m calling Amanda on Monday and telling her to start the adoption proceedings. And, Callie, I don’t feel like you’re my best friend when I come through that closet door.”

“Oh, yeah, cowboy? What am I at that time?”

“The woman I intend to marry and grow old with. The amazing lady who just said yes to this country bumpkin. When are we going to buy rings?”

“Rings? I don’t want rings. I want a gold band. Diamonds aren’t for feeding cattle and rounding up stray puppies.”

He kissed her again, this time with more heat and passion. “I really, really love you, Callie. You tell me when and where, and I’ll be there, but I’m still calling Amanda.”

And now he had to go home and call his mother. He hoped his dad had the roof nailed on real good, because it could shoot right off the house when he told her he was getting married, adopting three orphans plus his new wife’s nephew, and the lady who owned the ranch before had moved back in with him.

Maybe she’d think it was a Christmas miracle and not fuss at him too much.





Chapter 28


The four kids marched single file through the doors behind the choir section of the church. It was their day to shine, and the pew seemed empty with only Polly, Gladys, Verdie, Finn, and Callie and no fidgeting children.

The preacher took his place behind the pulpit, but the buzz didn’t die down until he cleared his throat the second time. “And y’all blame the pre-service noise on the children.” He smiled. “Must be the excitement of the holidays upon us, but I do believe y’all are louder than the kids. Today’s program ends our month of Christmas and is put on by the youngsters who are twelve and under. For you newcomers, we used to have a school program and a church program, but with the busy time of year, we decided a long time ago to combine them. Shhh.” He put his finger to his lips. “Don’t tell the FBI or whoever thinks we should separate church and state. Up here in Burnt Boot, we kind of do things our own way. Now I’ll turn this over to Tamara Johnson, the secretary at our public school, and she’ll narrate today’s program. Merry Christmas to each and every one of you, and may the Lord bless and keep you in the New Year.”

Finn laced his fingers in Callie’s hand and whispered, “I called my folks last night. After the first initial shock, they are excited. You just have to set the date.”

She cupped her hand over his ear and said, “I was just late, not pregnant. You don’t have to do this.”

He squeezed her hand. “Look, our kids are the first ones. Martin is Charlie Brown and Olivia is Lucy. They’re doing Charlie Brown’s Christmas. Look at their smiles. And, darlin’, I’m disappointed, but there’s always next month.”

The children lined up and sang “Christmas Time Is Here.” Callie’s heart swelled with pride when all four children delivered their lines perfectly in between verses of the song.

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” was their next song, and Snoopy popped up from the choir loft to sing with them.

“It’s Ricky,” Finn said proudly. “Guess those dogs taught him how to walk on all four legs.”

Then Snoopy picked up a cardboard guitar. Adam, who was playing Schroeder, scooted a tiny toy piano to center stage from behind the Christmas tree, sat down in front of it, and popped his knuckles. The music started for “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and all the kids started doing their version of the Christmas dance. Adam played a mean piano, and Ricky got down with a rock guitar. Charlie Brown and Lucy both had some fine dance moves.

Polly leaned forward and asked, “Wonder where they learned how to do swing dancin’.”

Finn laughed hard but not as loud as the three old women on the other end of the pew. Verdie didn’t care who heard her when she said, “Those are my grandkids.”

“Please tell me that you’ll tell her no when she wants to put a real piano in the living room and buy a guitar,” Callie said.