“That’s priceless.” Iris giggled. “I really thought I’d talk to you before he arrived, but my therapy session went a little longer than usual. Has he got those boxes out of his room?”
Bridget poured three glasses of sweet tea. “Where’s Wanda going to sleep?”
“She’s not coming after all. One of her friends at Oak Grove—that’s the assisted living center where I’m going—anyway, one of her friends isn’t doing well. Seems the little old guy buried his son, and he’s depressed. So she’s going back there this evening so she can be with him for Christmas,” Iris told her.
“We’ve bought gifts for her.” Bridget put the butter, salt, and pepper on the table.
“You can take them to her when you take me up there in the afternoon on Christmas,” Iris said.
Bridget sat down in her chair at the table. “Are you sure about going to that place? You didn’t even go look at it.”
“I’ve been there several times to visit friends. It’s very nice, and I’ll be happy with people my age around me all the time. I’m looking forward to it,” Iris said. “Now it’s time for me to go to the dining room. I’ll have all of my stuff packed up and ready to move out of here when Paxton picks me up for church in the morning. I’ll see you and Maverick and the baby there. Bye, now.”
“Is that Granny I’m hearin’?” Paxton asked as he came into the kitchen.
“It was.” Bridget nodded. “You’re to pick her up for church tomorrow morning.”
Paxton chuckled. “I’ve already got my orders, right down to the minutes.”
“And I’ve got mine.” Maverick brought Laela in and put her in her high chair. “This all sure looks good. I love meat loaf.”
“Me too.” Paxton pulled out the chair right across the table from Bridget and sat down. “I’ll pay you double what Mav is giving you if you’ll come back to Canyon Creek Ranch and cook for me and Hudson.”
“Hey, now!” Maverick scolded.
Laela bowed her head and closed her little eyes.
“That’s my cue,” Maverick said as he did the same and said a short prayer.
“Wow!” Paxton said when grace was finished. “How old is this little girl? She can’t be more than four or five months old. Annie is bigger than her and she’s six months. They say grace at every meal and she doesn’t do that.”
“Laela is seven months old, but both her parents were small. Her mother was barely five feet tall and her father was only a couple of inches taller than me,” Bridget explained.
“That’s still pretty smart for a baby.” Paxton helped himself to the meat loaf and passed it over to Bridget.
“She’ll be riding a pony next year at this time.” Maverick beamed.
Bridget wondered what she’d be doing this time next year.
* * *
When they had finished eating, the guys went back out to the barn to talk about what all needed to be done on the ranch. Bridget got Laela down for her nap and had all her work done. She started sorting through the papers on the desk, organizing them by date.
She was still smiling when the phone rang. Figuring it was Maverick, she answered with, “I guess we’ll be sleeping in our own bedrooms tonight.”
“Oh, really now? Where have you been sleeping?” Sean chuckled.
“I thought you were someone else.” She blushed.
“Maverick?” he asked.
“That’s right. His brother came, and…” She told him what she’d done.
She got the same reaction out of him that she’d gotten from Iris. A belly laugh and then he said, “I called to tell you that your things are on the way.”
“Thank you so much, Sean,” she said.
“Like I told you before, I don’t want to die without having known real love. We never know just how long or how short our time is on this green Earth, but we do know that the future is fickle. I’ll find the right woman someday,” Sean said. “I’m going to work at the bakery and let fate bring me the right woman. Fate didn’t do too bad a job when she brought Maverick to you.”
“So when did Sean Cleary become a philosopher?” she asked.
“When I figured out that you needed one.” He laughed.
“I love Maverick.” She put the phone on speaker and leaned her head back on the sofa.
“Have you told him?” Sean asked.
“No, but I will when the time is right.”
“Better not wait too long,” Sean warned her.
“Thank you.” She ended the call, and Alana yelled hello as she came through the front door.
“In the living room.” Bridget raised her voice.
Alana dropped her coat on a rocking chair and plopped down on the sofa. “I talked to Iris this morning. She says she’s determined to go to the assisted care center. I tried to talk her out of it. And she said Paxton is here? Is that permanent or just for the holiday?”
Bridget put up both palms. “I have no idea.” Once again she told the story about thinking Paxton was Maverick.
“That is priceless!” Alana almost snorted.
“I’m a whole lot still embarrassed,” Bridget said.
Alana winked at her. “Honey, we all have our arguments. And the make-up sex is the best in the world.”
“Oh, really? And have you had make-up sex with Paxton?” Bridget cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow.
“Nope, but I intend to one of these days.” Alana laughed. “I ran by to pick up a box of decorations. Iris said they’re in her closet with CHURCH STUFF written all in capital letters on the side. We need them to finish up the props tonight.”
“Follow me and we’ll find them. I could have brought them with me.” Bridget said. “Whoa!” She stopped in the foyer. The light finally came on! “You thought you might get to see Paxton, didn’t you?”
Alana shrugged. “A girl can hope.”
“Why don’t you just go out there in the barn and tell him hello?” Bridget started down the hall.
“That might give him the impression I care,” Alana said. “He tends to run like a scalded hound dog when a woman shows the least bit of interest in him. I’ll see him tonight. Iris said that she told him he has to come to the church to help us.”
Bridget wondered if that was why Maverick had pursued her. If she’d fallen all over him from the beginning, would he be running like a scared pup?
* * *
The tires on Maverick’s truck slipped several times on the frozen ground as they drove around the entire ranch, checking the fence lines. Maverick drove. Paxton made notes about what places were in such bad repair that they had to be fixed soon, and which ones could wait a while longer.
“I should just come on home,” Paxton said. “But I don’t feel right leaving Hud and Tag right now.”
“I understand,” Maverick said. “I’d feel the same way if things had happened that you were the one who was here. I can hang in until you get here, but once you are, we’ll have to put in some long hours, brother.”
“I’ll be ready for that,” Pax said. “I’d like to stick around until the spring planting is done. I’ll be here permanently the first week in May.” Paxton grinned. “Besides, you and Bridget need a little time in the house alone for a honeymoon.”
“Slow down, brother,” Maverick said. “As far as that honeymoon business, you better pull back on those reins. She’s just now decided to stay in Texas. I can’t rush her.”
“There’s a difference in rushing and dragging your feet, brother. Don’t wait too long. She’s the right woman for you.” Paxton nodded toward a length of fence that needed repairing and made notes.
“Why do you think that?” Maverick asked.
Paxton shrugged. “It’s the way you look and act around her. And it’s the same with her. You’re happier than I’ve ever seen you since”—he paused—“like ever. I remember Grandpa looking at Granny when we were kids. Grandpa told me once that theirs was one of those matches made in heaven. Those don’t come along too often,
so don’t mess it up.”
“I’m doing my best not to do just that,” Maverick said. “By the way, did Granny tell you that Alana and her dad are helping with the Christmas stuff at the church?”
“No, she did not!” Paxton dropped his notebook on the floor of the truck and then bumped his head when he tried to retrieve it. “Dammit! I get all tongue-tied around Alana.”
“Maybe she’s the one for you,” Maverick teased.
“Not that woman,” Paxton said. “She can out-ride, out-rope, out-drink, out-everything any man in the whole state of Texas. I want someone who thinks I’m the king of the mountain.”
Maverick patted him on the shoulder. “I hear they’ve got a few women left in Ireland.”
“I’d be willing to go over there if I could find one who would light up my eyes like Bridget does yours. Now, let’s finish up this job and then take a look at what cattle we’ve got to work with,” Paxton said.
Maverick found himself wondering when it would be the right time to propose to Bridget. Should he get her an engagement ring for Christmas? He only had five days to make that decision.
Paxton pointed at a small herd under a grove of pecan trees. “There’s about a dozen head. How many is Granny running now?”
“I think about seventy-five, but she hasn’t kept her books in months, so I’m not sure what’s going on. We’ll have to cull them out come spring,” Maverick said.
“Are we going to have to go to the bank for a loan to get us through this first year?” Pax asked.
“No, she told me the checkbook was on the desk. I took a look and almost fainted like a girl. She’s been hoarding money for all these years, and there’s plenty to keep us afloat. We won’t be running in the red for a long time,” he answered.
Chapter Twenty-three
Maverick figured that finishing the last-minute decorations at the church would only take an hour at the most. For the most part, things were in place and ready.
“You’ve been awfully quiet this evening,” Bridget said as they got into the truck. “Does it bother you that Paxton isn’t coming back until May? I’m willing to do what I can to help with ranch work. The house and cooking sure doesn’t keep me busy all day long.”
“I didn’t really expect him until summer, and thanks for the offer. If you’ll get some kind of computer program for the business up and running, that would a big help. I might just take you up on that offer to drive when I need supplies from town. We’ll just take it a day and a week at a time.” He didn’t say a word about what Paxton had said about the honeymoon business.
“I’m here when you need me. Why didn’t Paxton come with us?” she asked.
“He decided that he was going to see Granny. She’s called him several times about this new arrangement with the ranch, but he wanted to talk to her face-to-face,” Maverick said.
“And he’s avoiding Alana, isn’t he?” She smiled and then chuckled.
“Oh, yeah.” Maverick kept both hands on the steering wheel, and his eyes straight ahead. Deer were out feeding at this time of the evening, and he sure didn’t want to hit one.
“Don’t they realize that there’s a spark between them?” Bridget asked.
“Yep, but they’ve been fighting it for so long that I’m not sure they can do anything else.” Maverick pointed to the right and slowed down. “Look at the deer herd over there.”
Bridget unfastened her seat belt so she could get her phone from her pocket. She snapped several photos before the buck realized they were there and led his herd toward a copse of scrub oak trees.
“With the snow still lying on the ground and the stars beginning to pop out, these pictures would make lovely Christmas cards,” she said as she flipped through them.
“I was thinking more of a card with us on it next year,” he said.
Bridget laid her phone on the console between them and turned to face him. “Why, Maverick Callahan, are you proposing to me?”
“You deserve a better proposal than one sitting on the side of the road in a pickup truck. But when I do propose, what kind of ring do you have in mind?” He was surprised that he could talk about such a big step without beads of sweat popping out on his forehead.
“Just a simple gold band, like Nana had,” she said.
“No big diamonds? Or maybe even an emerald for the Irish green?” He put the truck in gear and pulled back onto the highway.
“A big diamond would be for Texas, since everything is bigger in Texas. An emerald would be for Ireland. A band just says that I’m eternally yours, no matter where we go or live,” she said.
“I like that.” He turned onto the highway leading into Daisy. Now, he had to think about finding the perfect place to propose to her. His hands got clammy just thinking about what he’d do if she changed her mind between now and when he actually got down on one knee and popped the question.
“You missed the turn,” she said.
“Guess I did.” He made the next right. “The truck must’ve thought it was going to the rehab center instead of the church.” He made another right and pulled into the church parking lot.
Matt was waiting on the small back porch and came right out to the truck to open the door for Bridget. “I just got here and saw y’all coming so I waited for you. Want me to carry in the diaper bag? I’ve already set the stuff from Iris’s house inside the door.”
“Sure and thank you.” Bridget nodded. “Where’s Alana? I thought she was bringing the box of decorations.”
“She ran out on us tonight.” Matt grinned. “She said to tell you there’s a picture of the decorations from last year in the box. If you want to do things a little different this year that’s fine, but she’d planned to use the picture for a guideline.”
Maverick finished getting Laela out of her car seat. “Poor baby, she’s been getting in and out of this thing a lot lately.”
“You’re a lucky dog.” Matt held the door for them and then set the diaper bag on top of the box and carried it into the sanctuary. “I sure miss the days when Alana was a little kid.”
“Is Alana still out Christmas shopping?” Bridget asked.
“Nope, she decided to go see Iris. She said that Iris probably needs some company, since it’s her last night in rehab. Truth is, I think she’s avoiding Paxton and she knew he was going to be here tonight.” Matt handed the picture to Bridget.
Maverick chuckled and then laughed, and then he guffawed. Bridget got tickled right along with him. Laela giggled with them, as if she knew what was going on, but poor old Matt just stood there and stared at them like they had lost their minds.
Finally, Maverick wiped his eyes, hiccupped a few times, and explained, “Paxton made an excuse to go see Granny tonight so he wouldn’t have to come here.”
Matt bypassed the first stages of laughter and went right to the guffaw stage. Laela giggled right along with him again. When he got control, he snatched several tissues from the box at the end of the pew and wiped his eyes. “It’s good enough for the both of them.”
“All right, let’s get this thing started,” Maverick said, glancing at the photograph Alana had provided. He put Laela on the floor to explore the church and got a second string of lights from the box. This summer should be a hoot, he thought, with Paxton and Alana living so close together for the first time since they had graduated from high school. Hopefully, by the end of summer, he and Bridget would at least be properly engaged. He didn’t dare hope for anything more than that, since he didn’t intend to rush her into anything.
* * *
Bridget didn’t have a bit of trouble getting Laela to sleep that night. Poor little lassie was so tired from crawling among the church pews that she barely even drank a third of her bottle before she was ready to be put in her crib. Maverick was reading something on his phone when she went from the bedroom to the living room. When he looked up and saw her, he grinned.
“What? Do I have something on my face?” she asked.
“I just
got a text from Paxton. He’s on his way to the Wild Cowboy Saloon, that honky-tonk I told you about. Seems like he needs a drink after having to sit in the same room with Alana for an hour,” Maverick answered. “Looks like we got the house all to ourselves for the evening.”
Bridget sat down in his lap and nibbled on his ear. “What do you think we should do?”
“I was thinking one of those skinny-dippin’ baths might be right nice, and then maybe afterward, I’d give you a massage. After that, you can…”
She cupped his face in her hands. “How about we just skip the bath and massage and go straight to bed. You never know when Alana might show up at that honky-tonk because she needs a drink too. Then Paxton will come running back home.”
“Are you telling me that we can’t sleep together with him in the house?” Maverick leaned forward and kissed her with so much passion and heat that she could hardly breathe.
“It would just be too awkward,” she said.
He cupped his hands under her butt and stood up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He carried her back to his bedroom, and shut the door with the heel of his boot. “Then we’d better make the best of this time, hadn’t we?”
“That’s what I was thinking,” she said.
Maverick chuckled. “Great minds think alike, darlin’.”
* * *
Maverick awoke the next morning and reached for Bridget, but she wasn’t there. He already hated waking up without her by his side. He grumbled on the way to the bathroom and the whole time he got dressed, then remembered that it was Sunday. That meant getting chores done in time to take a quick shower and get ready for church.
He heard voices in the kitchen when he reached the foyer. Laela was crawling toward him, so he scooped her up into his arms. “Good morning, princess. Are you hungry?”
She reached up and touched his cheek with one of her tiny hands, and immediately, he felt better. To get to have Bridget and this child in his life forever would be worth a few nights of sleeping alone.
Christmas with a Cowboy Page 24
