Merry Cowboy Christmas (13 page)

Deke laughed. “So hot that butter would melt right off her naked body.”

“Hot enough to melt an Eskimo's igloo?” Toby asked.

“Are we going to get into so hot stories?” Blake chuckled.

“You used to tell them better than anyone,” Deke answered.

“You'll be reformed someday. When your baby daughter wraps her fist around your little finger and smiles at you for the first time, all those hot women stories will disappear,” Blake said.

“Now that would take magic or miracles. I'm not ever settling down to one woman. There's too many out there all lined up for a little Deke love for that kind of nonsense.” Deke grinned. “How about you, Jud?”

“Don't get me to tellin' lies.” Jud dipped his paintbrush into the bucket and kept working.

“So you're ready to settle down?” Deke's hazel eyes popped wide open. “And here I thought I'd have one bar buddy for a long time.”

“I didn't say a word about settling down,” Jud said. “But changing the subject. I'm glad we're all here because I've got something I want to talk to y'all about.” Jud went on to tell them about the old well and what Truman had told him.

“If there was oil on the Lucky Penny, don't you think someone would have discovered it?” Deke said.

“This ranch has been grown up in mesquite for years. No one even thought to look past the unlucky reputation that it has had all this time.” Jud had a steady hand and was almost to the corner.

“In other words, no one looked beneath the surface and everyone thought that well had water in it. I was looking forward to using it this spring after we cleared the land around it,” Toby said. “I got to admit, I'm a little disappointed. But if it yields a gusher, it would sure turn our five-year plan around.”

“Well, I'd like to keep it under our hats until spring. I can have all the paperwork done for what we need in the meantime, and if it's got the potential I think it does, the Lucky Penny will finally live up to its name instead of its reputation.”

“Good luck,” Deke said. “Now, what's this I hear about you helping Truman? Did y'all see him peeking around the corner last night while we were decorating? What do you figure that was all about?”

“He's a lonely old coot,” Jud answered. “Y'all remember Mr. Henry?”

“Who?” Deke started back to work.

Blake laid his roller down and gulped down a third of his beer. “Mr. Henry was the scrooge in Muenster for years.”

“Like in the movies?” Deke asked.

“Exactly. He didn't give out candy on Halloween. He would call the police if a kid walked on his grass on the way home from school. Truman reminds me of him. He's even about the size Mr. Henry was and he's got that mean look in his eye,” Toby said. “I was terrified of him when I was a little kid.”

Deke stopped long enough to wipe a blob of white paint from his cheek. “What happened to him?”

“He died a couple of years ago,” Blake answered.

“But a grandson that he didn't even know he had came to live with him about ten years before that,” Jud said. “The kid was probably twelve that year because he was a few years younger than me. Anyway, that boy turned Mr. Henry's life around. I intend to turn Truman's around. Mr. Scrooge is going to be Santa Claus on Christmas morning.”

“I'll bet you fifty dollars that won't happen,” Deke laughed.

“I'd rather bet a case of beer. If he's wearing a red suit on Christmas morning, you owe me a case of beer. If not, I'll buy you one,” Jud said.

“That's a deal. Is our word good enough or do we need to shake on it?”

“Deke Sullivan's word is good enough for me any day of the week.”

Jud had lots of things he wanted to share with Fiona, starting with a couple of beers he'd talked Deke out of after they'd finished the painting. She was sitting in one of the chairs in the hall outside her door, and when she looked up, his heart kicked in an extra beat.

“I'm returning last night's treat.” He held the beers up. “Did Lizzy and Allie call you? If not, I'm supposed to tell you that we're expected at Lizzy's tomorrow night to help with Christmas decorations and supper. When we get done there, we're supposed to go to Allie's and help put up her stuff.”

“They called already.” Fiona headed to her spot on the bed. “Nice haircut.”

“Thanks. Mary Jo does a good job.” He grinned as he handed her a beer.

Jud sat down on the edge of the bed instead of in his chair. “I need a huge favor, Fiona.”

“Which is?” she asked.

“I've talked to my cousins and Deke knows, too, about this oil business, but I don't want anyone else to know, including your sisters, until it's a done deal.”

“Blake and Toby are good with not telling them?”

Jud nodded.

“Then I'll keep mum about it, too. No problem. I'm sure if the gossip gets loose that there's oil on the Lucky Penny, everyone will be clamoring, wanting to know if it's on their property.”

Jud flipped around until he was sitting beside her, his back braced against the headboard. “And every oil company in the state would flock up here to get a piece of the pie. Everyone will think I'm crazy for drilling because of the Lucky Penny's reputation, but if I hit oil, I plan to reinvest my original money into equipment and start my own company with Josie as a partner. It will be a sideline business because ranchin' is my first love and we won't ever go big with it. But it would be a good moneymaker and could even bring some business to Dry Creek. We could give these folks a bigger cut of the profits than the big companies and still make a lot of money for us.”

“What makes you think your sister will want to live in Dry Creek?” Fiona sipped at her beer.

“She came to Blake and Allie's wedding and loved the place. Said it had lots of potential. Who knows, if you stick around, you might have a city built around you in a few years.”

“After living here the first eighteen years of my life, that's really hard to imagine, Jud.”

“Nothing is impossible. It might all take time but sometimes even miracles still happen. Hey, I wanted to come by the store after my haircut, but the guys were painting and wanted me to help,” he said. “How was your day?”

“I finished getting Mama's books in order. Now it's just a matter of a little weekly maintenance. Oh, and Mama called and told me to put the snow tires on the car because of this weather.”

“I could do that for you,” Jud said.

“I know how to change tires. Daddy made sure that all of us girls could do that and change oil.”

“Then we could do it together.”

“With any luck, we won't even need them since the latest report says the bad stuff will end at midnight and the sun is supposed to shine tomorrow. It'll be slushy by noon but not as slick. I'm just glad it's going to be cleared off by Friday night. I'm ready for a night away from Dry Creek,” Fiona said.

“Me too. That reminds me. Deke wants to go with us. And Sharlene's boyfriend is out of the state for a few days, so she and Mary Jo are going along, too.”

Well, damn it to hell on a rusty poker,
Fiona thought.
I'd rather call it a date as be stuck between those two after they've been drinking all night.

W
hen the clock struck five on Thursday evening, Fiona wasted no time locking up the store and heading to Lizzy's house. She was still in a snit that she'd have to ride all the way to Wichita Falls the next night in the backseat with Sharlene and Mary Jo and then most likely all the way home with them in a drunken state.

But that wasn't the whole ball of wax of her bad mood. If Jud's sister came to town, then he wouldn't need Fiona to talk to in the evenings, to bounce ideas off of or share secret beers with. He'd have Josie, and Fiona would be right back in her room—all alone. Fiona loved the evenings when she and Jud visited. It was something that she looked forward to all day.

Judging from the number of trucks out in the front yard, everyone was already at Lizzy's when Fiona arrived. She checked her reflection in the rearview mirror, shook her hair out of the ponytail she'd worn all day, and reapplied her lipstick.

“Hey.” Lizzy met her halfway across the room with a hug. “You're just in time for dinner.”

Fiona peeked over her sister's shoulder. “Your place looks amazing! It looks…like a brand-new house.” She took a step back so she could see the whole living room and kitchen. “I love the soft off-white with the pure white woodwork. You did good picking that out, Lizzy.”

“I hear we're going to make a party out of tomorrow night. It's been years since I've danced with you.” Deke nudged Fiona on the shoulder.

“Be prepared to be worn out by the night's end.”

“I expect whoever I take home will finish the job,” he laughed.

“Let's eat and then we'll put up my first Christmas tree in my new home with my new husband,” Lizzy beamed. “Tonight Toby is going to hold the lights and the garland and I'm going to place them on the tree.”

“Just like Mama and Daddy did when we were kids,” Fiona said softly.

“That's right. Deke, say a quick grace for us and we'll have supper,” Lizzy said.

Since the small kitchen table would only seat four people, Lizzy declared that the guys could eat in the kitchen. The ladies would take their food to the living room and sit on the floor around the coffee table.

Allie chose the outside because she wanted to be close to Audrey's infant seat. Lizzy claimed the far end, leaving the other for Fiona. The low buzz of conversation and laughter in the kitchen came through the walls, but Fiona couldn't make out individual words. She could easily distinguish each man's unique drawl and knew who was talking at what time and wondered if Jud would miss talking to her in the evenings when his sister came to town.

“So how do you feel about going out with Sharlene and Mary Jo?” Allie's nose looked as if she'd smelled something bad.

“Not my choice,” Fiona mumbled.

“What was he thinking?” Lizzy whispered. “But you said you didn't want to make it a date, so it's your own fault.”

“I don't want to talk about it. Where are you putting your Christmas tree?”

“Well, I'm going to put my two cents in and then we'll talk Christmas,” Allie said. “Don't let this one horrible evening dictate your decision about the future.”

“Enough about the future. Let's enjoy the right now. Now, about that tree? And this is really good soup, Lizzy, but then you always were a good cook.”

“Just not a good housekeeper.” Lizzy smiled.

“What are you giving Toby for Christmas?” Fiona diverted the subject away from the next night.

“I found one of those coupon books online and ordered it. It's for all kinds of sex things and it does not expire until Christmas day of next year. Other than that I have no idea,” Lizzy answered. “Confession time, though. Allie, I kept back a box of decorations from the attic when we brought them down. We always had way too much stuff for one tree since Mama bought more every year when it went on sale.”

Allie patted her sister on the shoulder. “So did I! I stole the one marked the year I was born. I think it probably has a lot of Granny's stuff in it. You aren't mad at us, are you, Fiona? We'll share what's on the tree at Audrey's Place with you if you move away, or if you stay, it can all be yours.”

“No, I'm not upset at all.” A picture of a huge tree in her house in Houston flashed through her mind. It sat in a twelve-foot expanse of glass overlooking an acre of green grass. All done up in blue with a huge bow on the top rather than a star or an angel, it had been designed by someone on the firm's payroll. When she and Kyle had their Christmas party, the tree, with the blue and white striped packages underneath, was a huge success.

Last year, she'd bought a twelve-inch fake tree at a discount store for three bucks, fluffed out the limbs and strung microwave popcorn for a garland. She'd bought a few ornaments at the thrift store and made a construction paper and glitter star for the top. The presents that her mother and sisters mailed dwarfed the little tree but she'd been proud of it.

“You ready for me to bring in the tree?” Toby yelled from the kitchen.

“Yup!” Lizzy hollered back.

“Did you get a real tree? You rat! I bought a fake one in Wichita Falls last week when we drove up to see Granny,” Allie said.

“I've always, always wanted a real one, but Granny was allergic to them and cats. Now I've got Stormy out in the barn with another batch of kittens. She comes into the house when she wants to and she and Toby's dog, Blue, have become best friends. Toby and I went out in the pasture and cut down a tree before y'all got here. It's leaned up against the back fence.”

The clock said midnight when Jud finally eased up the stairs, bypassing the squeaky step and going straight to his bedroom. He'd planned to come home right behind Fiona at ten-thirty but he and Deke got into a conversation about oil drilling and then he wound up over at Deke's place having a couple of shots of whiskey with him while they continued to talk.

Now it was too late to knock on Fiona's door. He slipped into his room, kicked off his boots and clothes, and fell into bed naked, shivering against the chill of the sheets. He felt cheated out of his nightly visit with Fiona and wished he'd begged off with the excuse of being sleepy rather than going to Deke's place.

Fiona was in his dreams that night. She drove her mother's little Chevy Malibu and they came upon a bridge, the likes of which he'd never seen before. It was an arch so tall that the top of it was buried in the white puffy summer clouds. There was enough steel bracing under it to verify that it was secure but it was only one lane wide and there were almost no side rails.

Fiona stopped the car at the end of the thing and shook her head. “I can't do this. I'm terrified of heights. Always have been.”

“I'm right here beside you. I've got faith in you, Fiona. Keep your eye on the road. Don't look to one side or the other. Just drive and in fifteen minutes, it will be over and we'll be on the other side.”

She took a deep breath and held on to the steering wheel in a death grip. One simple swerve and they'd both plummet into a glassy blue river below them, but she made it across and pulled her car up to a place that required a passport for them to go on. She whipped hers out but Jud didn't have one. He woke up while trying to explain to the guards that he was with the woman and didn't need a passport.

He checked the clock to find that he'd overslept by half an hour. Truman would be finished with his breakfast and gone. The old codger didn't wait around for help and things had to be done his way.

Usually Jud had a morning shower to wake him up, but that morning he threw on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved knit Henley shirt and carried his boots down to the kitchen. Truman, Fiona, and Dora June were all having coffee at the table. Hot cinnamon rolls were on the cabinet along with a pot of hot cereal, a pile of bacon, and a stack of toast.

Jud stopped inside the door and blinked half a dozen times. Truman at the table after six o'clock. Was the world coming to an end?

“If you wouldn't stay out until daylight, probably chasin' after hussies, you wouldn't oversleep,” Truman barked.

“Truman O'Dell!” Fiona exclaimed.

Truman crossed his arms over his chest. “You best eat some of that oatmeal Dora June made. It'll stick to your ribs while we get the livestock taken care of this morning.”

“Yes, sir.” Jud dipped up a bowl full of oatmeal with raisins, pecans, and brown sugar in it. He set it aside and slipped two cinnamon rolls, two pieces of toast, and half a dozen pieces of bacon on a plate.

Dora June bustled around behind him, filling a cup with coffee for him and topping off everyone else's cup. “I've got a favor to ask, Fiona. You can say no, especially after the way we were with your mother last year when we excommunicated her from the ladies' group at the church. I always have the ladies of the church, not just the auxiliary group, but any ladies who want to come, to my house for a little Christmas get-together. We don't have presents, just food and a singing.”

“And you'd like to have it here?” Fiona asked.

“Bunch of folderol if you ask me,” Truman muttered.

“The house is beautiful and so big and I wouldn't have to take everything to the church to have it in the fellowship hall, but I can if you'd rather I didn't have it here with what all went on.”

“When?” Jud asked.

“Tonight. That's why you can say no and I wouldn't feel bad. Henrietta says we can have it at the church, but we always do it on the first day of December. We got so involved with the fire and all that we plumb forgot until last night.”

“Mama said to treat this like it was your home, Dora June, so of course you can have your party here. I'm going dancing with Jud, Deke, Sharlene, and Mary Jo, so you don't have to worry about us getting in the way.”

“Thank you.” Dora June smiled. “We were wrong in the way we handled things with your sisters, Fiona. At the time we thought we were helping them see the error in their ways.”

“Water under the bridge. We aren't even going to think of it anymore, Dora June,” Fiona said.

“Are you afraid of heights?” Jud blurted out, and immediately wondered if he'd said that out loud.

“Me or Truman?” Fiona asked.

“I ain't afraid of nothing,” Truman said staunchly.

Fiona shivered. “Well, I'm terrified of heights. I don't even like mountains. Give me flat land. A few rolling hills like we have here is okay, but nothing any taller than this. And I don't like mice or spiders either, since we're talking of fears.”

“Tall bridges?” Jud pressed on.

“Why? Are you thinking of taking some route to Wichita that involves a tall bridge? If so, don't. Just flat out don't or I'll get out of the truck and hitchhike back home. I hate big bridges with a passion. We had to cross one on a business trip over in Tennessee once and I almost fainted.”

“Nope, just wondered.” The fear she'd had in his dream was real. Now all he had to do was figure out what in the hell that bridge meant and why she needed a passport to get into whatever country they'd landed in on the other side.

Fiona's hair floated on her shoulders that morning with an errant curl falling on her cheek. He wished he had the right to reach across the table and push it behind her ear and then briefly touch his lips to hers, promising to do more later on when they were alone. She looked up and caught him staring and he gazed into her mossy green eyes for several seconds before he went back to eating his second cinnamon roll.

He had no doubt that she had the strength to cross that bridge even if it scared her half to death. She'd faced a divorce, losing her job, working for pennies, and living alone for a year. She could cross any bridge in front of her with no problem. But would she trust him enough to go with her?

“You are both awfully quiet this morning,” Dora June said.

“It was a late night getting both Lizzy and Allie's trees all set up and done,” Fiona said.

“Then Deke and I got into a long-winded conversation and it was midnight before I got home.” Jud picked up the coffeepot and refilled his cup. “Anyone else?”

Fiona held out her cup and his fingertips grazed hers as he poured. Her expression left no doubt she'd felt them, too. Well, hot damn! At least he wasn't rowing this boat alone.

“Deke thought we should leave at seven tonight. Is that okay with you?” Jud set the pot down.

“I suggest you hurry up and swallow the rest of that coffee and we get busy with what we got to do right now rather than worrying about tonight,” Truman said shortly.

“Sounds good to me.” Fiona's voice had deepened. “Are we going to pick up Deke and the girls or what?”

Jud shook his head. “Everyone is meeting here so we don't have to drive folks home.”

Fiona rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “If they're too drunk to drive, those girls are sleeping in Sharlene's van.”

“Well, I should say so,” Dora June agreed.

“Hussies, the both of them,” Truman muttered.

“Now, Truman, it's Christmas and besides the preacher said we have to love our neighbors. Where would we be if Katy hadn't shown us some love and if these two kids weren't being nice to us?” Dora June fussed at him.

“I don't like Christmas and never will.”

Jud winked at Fiona and she gave him a thumbs-up.