It's a Christmas Thing (The Christmas Tree Ranch #2)(41)

She tested the cart to make sure the wheels were quiet before pushing it toward the produce section, where she selected lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, avocados, poppy seed dressing, and a small bag of croutons.

She had most of the ingredients for the chocolate cake she’d planned, but she picked up a disposable pan that she could leave at the ranch, as well as cream cheese for the icing. After getting a few more items she needed at home, she headed for the checkout stand.

Rounding the end of an aisle, she nearly bumped into Rush, who was pushing a cart with Clara inside. This morning she was wearing her princess costume.

“Hi, Tracy!” Clara gave her a grin. Rush greeted her with a smile and a strangely sexy twitch of his eyebrow.

“Hello, Your Highness.” Tracy gave the little girl a deep curtsy.

“We’ve got a Christmas tree,” Clara said. “We’re going to buy some decorations.”

“She wanted to wear her princess dress so people would recognize her,” Rush said.

“I’m sure they will,” Tracy said. “We’ve never had royalty in Branding Iron before.”

“I’ve been telling people about the kittens,” Clara said. “But remember your promise. You mustn’t give Snowflake away.”

“I’ll remember,” Tracy said. “So, for now, we just need homes for Tiger and Midnight, right?”

“Right.” Clara gave the royal wave to a passing shopper, who smiled and waved back.

“Maggie says you’re coming to dinner today,” Rush said.

“That’s right. It was nice of her to ask me.”

“And it was nice of you to accept. We’ll all be glad to have you there, especially the princess. You’ve become her favorite person.”

“Daddy,” Clara said, “after we shop, can I go to Tracy’s house and play with the kittens?”

Rush met Tracy’s eyes and gave a slight shake of his head. “Maybe another time. Tracy probably has things to do. And this morning we need to go home and decorate your tree.”

“But the kittens are getting big. Soon it’ll be time for their new homes.”

“Tomorrow would be a good day for me,” Tracy said. “But you’ll have to ask your dad first.”

“Please, Daddy!” Clara’s pleading expression was irresistible.

Rush frowned, then nodded. “I’ve got some appointments tomorrow morning. Barring an emergency, I should be able to pick her up around noon. Would that be too long?”

“It would be fine,” Tracy said. “As long as she doesn’t get bored.”

“I won’t get bored.” Clara tugged at her father’s sleeve. “Please, Daddy!”

“We’ll see. You’ll have to promise to behave yourself and not pester Tracy for things you can’t have.”

Like the white kitten. Tracy knew what he meant. “I was just about to get in the checkout line,” she said. “I’ll see you later, for dinner, okay?”

“Okay. Let’s get shopping, princess.”

Tracy watched him walk away with Clara waving and smiling in the cart. Sooner or later, Rush would find the right person and marry her. Whoever she was, she would be one lucky woman. Tracy sighed. Too bad that woman wasn’t going to be her.

At this early hour, the checkout line was short. Tracy made it to the register in a few minutes and paid for her purchases.

The bagger was a young man she recognized. Daniel, nice looking with dark eyes and hair, had Down syndrome. Last year, when his family was new in town, he and Katy had discovered each other. Now they were sweethearts. There’d been talk of a wedding, but for now they lived with their families and spent as much time together as possible.

“Can I help you to your car?” he asked Tracy as he put her bags in the cart.

“Thanks, Daniel, but I can manage fine,” Tracy said.

“Please let me help you,” he said. “I need to ask you something.”

“Of course.” Tracy let him lead the way to her car, pushing the cart. What could this nice young man possibly want to ask her?

“I hear you have kittens,” he said.

“I do. They’ll be ready for new homes by Christmas.”

“I want to give Katy a kitten,” he said. “I already asked her mom. She said it would be okay. Are any of the kittens girls? I think Katy would like a little girl cat.”

“There’s one girl,” Tracy said. “She’s a little tabby. So cute. Katy would love her.”

“She sounds perfect.” He grinned as he lifted the bags into the trunk of Tracy’s car. “Would you save her for me? I can pay you.”

“No, the kittens are free. And Dr. Rushford will give them shots—and I’ll send a little bit of food with her, and some litter,” Tracy added as an afterthought.

“Will you tell me when I can pick her up?”

“It’ll be a few days before Christmas. Do you know where I live?”

“My dad will know. I don’t drive, but he can bring me.”

“Wonderful. I’m so glad Katy will be getting one of the kittens.”

Tracy drove home with a smile on her face. Two of the kittens, Ginger and Tiger, would soon go to good homes. Only Midnight was still available—and Snowflake, too, if Clara couldn’t find a way to keep him.