Operation Ginger Avenger [Divine Creek Ranch 24] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Heather Rainier

  Jessica heard Charity clear her throat and say, “Mawage. Mawage is what bwings us togehvah, today!”

  “Oh, here we go again,” Grace said with a snort at Charity’s Princess Bride reference.

  “Mawage, that bwessed awangement…that dweam wiffin a dweam,” one of the ladies quoted through her laughter while fist-bumping Charity.

  The other lady sitting next to them said, “Skip to the end.”

  Without hesitation, the first lady replied, “Have you the wing?”

  Grandma Kate shook her head and led the way into the house. “I haven’t watched that movie in ages. That’s what I love about coming here. I always laugh, and there’re always new surprises.” She took a seat in a chair in the living room and lifted Bella into her lap as Jessica hugged Grace, who was sitting in a recliner, while Charity held a little pink wrapped bundle to her shoulder.

  Kate hugged Bella, kissed her forehead, and said, “I brought along new friends for you to meet, Miss Bella.”

  “You did?”

  “Why, yes.”

  Bella leaned close and whispered as she pointed a little finger at the two women who sat on the couch with Charity. “Is it those two ladies?”

  “These are my daughters-in-law, Abigail and Bernice. They married my sons.”

  “Do they like to play with tea sets? I think Rose Marie has a tea set. I can make tea for them.”

  “Maybe later you can. But they’ve brought their granddaughters, my great-granddaughters Ellie and Madison, along for this visit.”

  “Are they liddle girls?” Bella’s eyes widened a bit, and she clasped her hands together in anticipation.

  “They are. And do you know what else? They’re also little princesses, just like you. They’re playing in Rose Marie’s room.”

  “Princesses?” Bella said as she hopped down out of Grandma Kate’s lap.

  “Yes, Madison and Ellie. We told them you were coming over.”

  Bella’s ringlets flew as she turned to her mother. “Mommy, may I go play in Rose Marie’s woom?”

  “Of course,” Jessica said, holding back laughter. “But don’t you want to see Calliope Elizabeth first?”

  Grace took the baby from Charity and held her so Bella could see her. “You can call her Callie Beth if you’d like, Bella. That’s what her daddies call her.”

  Bella crept close, her little face showing pure sweet rapture. “Oh, Miss Gwace, she’s a liddle angel. Can she come play, too?”

  “In a few years, sure she can,” Grace said quietly as Callie stirred and yawned.

  Bella turned back to her mother and grinned. “Her daddies call her Cawwie Beff. Can I go play?”

  “You’ll use nice manners?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Go ahead. Do you need to go potty?”

  “Nope.” She was off like a shot, and for a second, Jessica felt like her arms had just been emptied.

  Charity chuckled and said, “I know that look. Enjoy it while you can, Mama.”

  Grace put Callie to the breast when she began to fuss and said, “Jess, I’d like you to meet two of my good friends, and as Kate mentioned, members of the Benedict clan in Lusty, Abigail and Bernice Benedict.”

  Greetings were exchanged, and Jessica let Abigail and Bernice in on how she’d met Kate on one of her trips from Lusty, when she’d forgotten her reading glasses and had stopped in to be fitted at Grace’s urging.

  Jess had felt at the time as though Grace was using the appointment for an excuse to draw her out of her shell, and it had worked. Kate and she had hit it off, and that affection had extended to Bella, when they’d visited the Divine Creek Ranch for supper one night during Kate’s visit.

  Years before, Kate had been close with Rose Marie’s grandmother. The woman whose name the little girl bore with style. Kate Benedict hung the moon as far as little Rose Marie was concerned, and Bella was of the same belief.

  Erin Grant burst in through the back door, out of breath and flustered, but she smiled when she saw Jessica and waved before heading into the kitchen. “I’ll be right there!” she called. “I need something to drink. I’m dyin’ of thirst here.” From the kitchen came the sound of a long shaky breath being exhaled.

  “Everything okay at the barn?” Grace said, a questioning tone in her voice as she nodded at Abigail and handed Callie over after she’d burped her.

  “It’s fine,” Erin called from the kitchen, a hint of aggravation in her tone. The refrigerator door opened and closed.

  Erin, who was Ethan Grant’s little sister and therefore Grace’s sister-in-law, had recently graduated from Baylor and was currently living at the Divine Creek Ranch while she decided her next move. Erin had an independent streak that had clashed with her big brother’s protective urges in the past.

  Grace tilted her head, obviously curious, and pointed toward the kitchen. “I need a refill of water, too. Anybody else?”

  The conversation turned to the grandchildren. Jessica had never met Abigail and Bernice but had heard all about them and their grandchildren. The folks in Lusty, Texas, who lived a similar lifestyle to many of the families in Divine, were a prolific lot, and all the names and ages were hard to keep up with.

  After a muffled conversation in the kitchen, Grace returned to her recliner, and Erin joined them, still looking a little flushed.

  Erin said, “Are you bringing Bella to the ranch next weekend, Jess? I’ll be here with several of the others, keeping the kids occupied for the weekend while their mamas and daddies work at the charity fundraiser events.”

  “Yes, I was planning on bringing her. You’re a brave soul, Erin.”

  “It’s going to be so much fun. And Bella is a doll. She can help with the princess fashion show.”

  “She’d love that. She’s dying to show off the new princess dress Tank and Troy bought her. This will be her big chance.”

  Erin nodded. “Absolutely. We’re also planning a little hayride with them on Saturday.”

  “I hope you’ll have help. It’s a large group from what I understand.”

  Erin chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, I’ve had several offers for help, and believe me, I’ve accepted all of them—at least the ones who are qualified. I’m brave, but I’m not crazy. I’ve been a camp counselor and babysat most of them, so I know what I’m getting myself into. Besides, the pay is good,” she said with a wink at Grace and then added, “And it’ll help to have all the kids safe and in one spot and for care to be available for whatever events are happening during the day or evening. It’ll be like camp.”

  “You’re not attending the bachelor auction?” Kate asked with an arched brow. “Oh, wait. Let me guess. Ethan Grant forbade his baby sister from bidding on any of those randy bachelors. None of them are good enough for his sister, even for a date. Is that it?”

  Erin rolled her eyes and curled her lip in disgust. “As if he could stop me, the big fat-headed jerk numbskull.”

  Grandma Kate tsked and shook her head. “Those men. Sometimes they need to be reminded that a woman can handle herself just fine.” Kate gazed at Erin a little closer. “I wonder, are there two bachelors in particular that you were interested in bidding on?”

  Erin’s cheeks turned the shade of beets. She looked up and was caught by Kate’s intent gaze. After coughing on her root beer, she said, “Uh, no. Oh hell. Grandma Kate, I know that look. Nope. Nuh-uh. Last thing I need right now is two men up in my business—I mean interfering with my smooth-runnin’ life. Nope. Please don’t give me the eagle eye, Grandma Kate. It’s not time.”

  “Darling, that’s hardly up to me. I was just observing how beautiful you’ve grown over the years. You’re a woman in your prime.”

  “Oh gawd,” Erin said, casting around for a couch to hide under. “Can we talk about something else? Anything?”

  Grace, bless her, said, “Grandma Kate, make sure you ask Rose Marie to show you her new roping skills. She’s been practicing with her daddy and showing lots of promise.”


  “That girl never ceases to amaze me.”

  “That’s one word for her. Sometimes she’s an angel and so helpful. Other times she’s a selfish little devil. Then there are the times when she scares me.”

  “The snake?” Erin said with a nod of her head. “At least she kept the thing at the end of the hoe and didn’t pick it up until its head was lopped clean off.”

  Grace chuckled and then shuddered all over, which made all the women laugh. “Don’t get me wrong. I like that she can handle herself better than a lot of girls her age. Thanks to her daddies and Angel Joaquin and Ash, she’s pretty confident with the horses, too.”

  Callie started to fuss in Abigail’s arms, and Charity reached for her as she said, “I was out in the barn, talking with Angel the other day, and he had Rose Marie working in the stall next to us, cleaning Languir’s hooves.”

  “She works with the horses?” Bernice asked in mild surprise. “She’s a first grader, isn’t she?”

  Grace nodded. “It’s young, I know, but after a brief adjustment period—for me, not her—I realized that she’s well supervised out there. She doesn’t go in the occupied horse stalls unless one of the men is right there with her, working alongside her.”

  Charity said, “Anyway, I was out there, talking to Angel, and I could hear her in Languir’s stall. I peeked in and there she is, scraping at the mud on his hooves and giving him what-for, for making a mess of them. He’s just watching her, munching on hay, taking in every word she said.”

  “What about cleaning the horse stalls?” Kate asked with amusement in her voice.

  Grace shrugged. “If you’re going to have horses, you’re going to have manure. She helps clean the stalls. But they keep those barns so pristine, it’s not like she has to get knee deep in it to help. Grant even gets out there with his daddy and helps, too.”

  “I think it’s a wonderful way to teach them a work ethic, Grace. Well done.”

  Grace took the baby from Charity and laid her against her shoulder as she set the recliner to rocking and murmured, “It scared me at first because the Andalusians are such large animals, but they’re so well-trained by Angel and the guys that I don’t worry. Esperer and Languir really tune in when the little ones are around, stepping careful, and the kids picked up horse etiquette the same as table manners. It helps that Ash’s son, Will, helps out on the weekends, too.”

  Bernice said, “It’s the same way at our place, with the grandkids. During the summers they’re underfoot in the barns, but they’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, that if you’re not careful, you can wind up getting stepped on or nipped at.”

  Grace bit her lip. “That happened once to Rose Marie. Once was all it took.”

  “She wasn’t afraid afterward?” Abigail asked. “I saw one of mine fall off a horse once, and it about gave me a heart attack, but they were back on the horse a few minutes later.”

  “Nope. Rose Marie is made of pretty sturdy stuff. You should see the way she pushes them around or sweet-talks them. Look here,” she added as she balanced the baby on her shoulder while manipulating the screen of her phone. “I have a picture of her scraping the bottom of one of Esperer’s hooves. I should’ve shot video instead because it was such a cool experience. She just walked up to him, with the guys looking on, and nudged his flank with her shoulder and said, “Time for your pedicure, baby, and…” She handed the phone to Charity with a misty smile on her face and gestured for her to show it to them.

  When the smartphone made its way around the room, Jessica saw the image of Esperer with his head tilted around, nuzzling the top of Rose Marie’s head while she cradled his leg in her arm and allowed her to clean his hoof. The lighting was perfect in the picture, and Jessica could easily imagine the affection the horse felt for her.

  “That is so sweet,” Bernice said as she looked through her cat-eye reading glasses and then handed the phone back to Grace.

  The talk ranged to news from Lusty, and at one point, Jessica looked over in time to catch Grace watching her with a smile on her face and misty eyes.

  “What?” Jessica asked, suddenly concerned when Grace sniffled and giggled. “Do I have something on me? Why are you sniffling? Did I say something to make you cry?”

  “No,” Grace said, shaking her head as she caressed the brown fuzz on the top of Callie’s head. “You just look different.”

  “Happy, I was going to say,” Kate said with a wise nod. “Love will change more than just a person’s heart. Sometimes the changes are equally visible on the outside.”

  “Oh, now I’m gonna cry,” Charity said as she sniffled and reached for the box of tissues. “I take it Tank and Troy are responsible for that smile on your face.”

  Erin scoffed. “Why does everyone assume a man, or men, put a smile on a woman’s face?”

  “Asked the budding feminist,” Charity murmured.

  “What?” Erin said, sitting up a little straighter. “Justine feels the same way.”

  Charity tilted her head and smirked at Erin. “Justine is focused on school at the moment. Not having time for dating and swearing off men in general are two different mindsets. Jeez. Who’s gotten your feminist panties in a twist?”

  “Shoot me now,” Erin whispered as she rubbed her forehead. “All I’m saying is that I don’t need some man to rub my nose in the fact I’m unfulfilled if I’m still single. I mean I’m only twenty-five. It’s not like I’ll wind up a spinster or something. I just don’t like being told that happiness can’t be found unless it’s in the arms of some man or being taken care of by a couple of men. No offense to any of you, but I like running my own life and not having anyone tell me what to do. I can change my own oil, do my taxes, and kill spiders and scorpions for my own damn self, thank you very much.”

  Grandma Kate came to her rescue. “Okay, that does sound like a strike out on that poor unfortunate man’s part. But let me tell you, sweet girl, if you think men are chauvinistic now, you should’ve seen them back in my day. It was especially bad right after the Second World War. The men had gone to war, and the women had stepped up and filled spots in the work force that had traditionally been held by men. When all those veterans returned, they were quite open about expecting the women to return to their place in the home, but it was too late. Where before they’d kept to mostly domestic roles, they had fresh knowledge that they could do a man’s job if they had to and, in some cases, wanted to. It was a battle fought in homes, work places, and college campuses all over the country and sometimes led to families being torn apart. Now, sweet girl, you might’ve been told some nonsense that smacked of chauvinism, but like the men in Lusty, the men of Divine tend to be pretty forward in their thinking about women’s roles. Men, God bless them, just want to feel they’re in control, protecting their women. A smart woman understands it’s the heart that’s motivating most of them and lets them, because she knows in the end that she has their backs, as well.”

  Erin said, “Wait, let’s them what? Be in control?”

  Kate giggled. “No, lets them think they’re in control. Because, honey, that’s a two-way street. You’re just balking at some man’s dumb word choice. Look at his heart and I’m willing to bet that you see he’s motivated by something other than chauvinism.”

  “Oh. Well…”

  “Look at his relationship with his mother…or their mother. That might answer a lot of your questions.” Jessica could’ve sworn Kate was struggling not to burst into laughter.

  Charity converted a loud snicker into a cough and said, “How about those Longhorns? Are any of you college football fans?”

  Kate flapped a hand. “I’m more of pro rodeo fan. But, Erin, I’d say you have a good head on your shoulders. Ethan can’t help but be protective of his beautiful baby sister but don’t you let him boss you around. Just try to understand where he’s coming from. And don’t you worry about what those big lummoxes of yours think now. They’re still in their ‘pre-taught’ stage. You’ll show them.”

&
nbsp; Erin took a deep breath. “Oh, they’re not mine, I assure you. And it’s not like I don’t have plenty to keep me busy.”

  Abigail giggled. “That’s all right. Being a multitasker can come in handy where men are concerned.”

  Bernice snickered and elbowed her. “You are bad.”

  Jessica felt for Erin, knowing a little of what it was like to want what other people seemed so happy with, but not wanting it shoved at her by well-meaning friends. Maybe she could encourage her privately, but she wouldn’t say anything else that might embarrass her.

  Charity had no such compunctions and said, “So…who are the lucky guys who have your feminist panties in such a twist?”

  “Ugh, can I just tell you how much I hate that expression? My panties aren’t twisted up at all. My panties are none of their damned business.”

  “Okay, who’s got your hormones in an uproar?”

  “You don’t give up, do you?”

  Charity gave her a toothy grin. “Never.” She leaned forward and tilted her head as she squinted at Erin. “Is that—”

  Erin put her hand to her jaw and shook her head. “Nothing. It’s nothing. I was brushing down Adoracion, and she zigged when I zagged, and I scraped my jaw on a rope. I—uh, that’s all.”

  “That’s it,” Charity chirped. “Yeah…it was a rope. It wasn’t beard burn. Who’s sporting a beard right now on the ranch?”

  “Easily half of the men have them,” Grace said helpfully, her gaze unfocused like she was taking roll in her head.

  “Shut up,” Erin said, rolling her eyes, and Jessica saw just a hint of a smile in the twist of her lips.

  “Can I hold Callie?” Jessica asked, ready to give poor Erin a little break from the razzing she was getting.

  “Of course,” Grace said, handing off the sleeping infant.

  The tiny warm bundle tucked against Jessica’s shoulder brought back sweet memories, and she supported Callie’s head as she returned to her seat. Callie blinked up at Jessica before her delicate eyelids slid closed again. She was a warm sweet bundle in Jessica’s arms, and Jessica was surprised by how much Callie made her want another. She glanced up and spotted all the ladies watching her with knowing expressions. Redirect! “Bernice, I really like your reading glasses. They’re very chic.”