Saving the Cowboy’s Christmas (Rowdy Ranch #12)

Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

L ani wasn’t particularly proud of her singing ability, but she let Desiree talk her into joining the carolers since Sara and Kieran were going.

“You won’t have a thing to worry about,” Desiree said. “We have strong singers like Kieran, Faye, Gil and Tyra to keep us in tune. Rance has a decent voice. I’ll rope him in when he and Andy get back.”

“Am I right you’ve never done this before?”

“We haven’t. I got the idea when I realized we’d be renting a flatbed to transport the sleigh into town on Christmas Eve and it would make a perfect hay wagon for caroling. Buck’s offered to use his truck to pull us around to all the houses.”

“I guess you’ll skip Gil and Faye’s though, since nobody will be in their cabin.” Lani polished off the last of her hot chocolate and returned the mug to the tray.

“Actually, someone will be there. Faye and Ella’s folks are staying there from tomorrow night through Christmas, so we’ll definitely stop for a song or two.”

“They’ll be here for Christmas dinner, then. How many does that make? I’ve lost track.”

“It keeps growing. We started with under thirty, not counting kids. We’re over that, now, and all three dads want to come.”

“Four dads.”

Desiree made a face. “Four dads. Unless the animosity gets to him and he leaves early. I wish he hadn’t picked Christmas to descend on us. Weird timing. He has a wife and kids.”

“Really? He’s leaving them to come here?”

“He’s determined to make a significant gesture or so he said. He’s spent every Christmas with them and no Christmases with his firstborn and he wants to right that wrong.”

“Wow. He gets to ruin Christmas for us and them at the same time. That’s special.”

“I won’t let him ruin ours. His family may be delighted to spend Christmas without him, especially since he didn’t tell them about Rance until last week.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope. Rance was a big dark secret. If I were his wife I’d be ready to strangle him, both for abandoning a child he’d fathered and lying to her and his other two kids all these years.”

“No wonder he’s coming here for Christmas.”

“Well, if he expects a warm welcome he’ll be sadly disappointed. Sky and Beau remember him. They didn’t like him then and after it became clear he wasn’t going to acknowledge, let alone visit Rance, they had no use for him. They’ve encouraged their siblings to despise him, too.”

“What was the appeal? Wait… that’s too personal. Sorry. Never mind. I didn’t mean to?—”

“That’s okay. It’s not a secret. I’d read one of his books and thought it was pretty good. He had a signing up in Missoula, so I left the kids with Buck and Marybeth and drove up to get my book autographed. We talked for hours. I’d never known another successful writer and it was great fun to find a kindred spirit. One thing led to another.”

Lani nodded. “And he’s good-looking.”

“Yeah, I was a sucker for that smile. Rance has it.”

“I suppose he does, now that you mention it.” Her act likely wasn’t fooling Desiree, but she’d keep it up for now. “How long were you together?”

“A couple of months. My first mistake was making the New York Times list while he was here. He claimed it was all rigged, had nothing to do with popularity, blah, blah, blah. Then he started criticizing my work.”

“Charming.”

“I was ready to send him packing, but I hadn’t decided when and how. Then I discovered I was pregnant. I gave him the news and he couldn’t leave fast enough. His call this morning was the first contact he’s made since he walked out the door.”

“He was only here for two months and yet Sky and Beau remember him?”

“Oh, yeah. Clint and Cheyenne say they do, too, but they were only four, so they could be piggybacking on what Sky and Beau remember.”

“Was he mean to them?”

“I wouldn’t have stood for that. He was outwardly kind, but all the kids took a dislike to him right away, which I should have seen as a bad sign. Kids sense when somebody’s not genuine. Buck and Marybeth didn’t care for him, either, but I didn’t find that out until the day he left. We had a party to celebrate. We had cake, ice cream, the works.”

Lani chuckled. “I can see how that stuck in their minds. Cake and ice cream make things memorable when you’re a kid.”

“I also think that’s why everyone loved Angie’s dad Gene so much. He came along after I had Rance and adopted Lucky. Gene was the flip side of Irv. Sky and Beau pointed it out constantly. Mommy, Gene fixed my bike! Irv couldn’t do that. Gene taught us to whistle! Bet Irv doesn’t even know how. ”

“It’s sad that he died.”

“It was awful. But I wouldn’t change anything. Because of Irv I have Rance and Lucky. In the final analysis, I ended up with the best of the best.” She glanced toward the entry as the door opened. “Does that man know his cue or what?” She winked at Lani. “Hey, you guys! We were about to notify Search and Rescue!”

“We decided to give Sam plenty of time to enjoy the snow,” Andy called back. “And before you ask, he’s been dried off. He was a good boy so I’m getting him a treat.”

“Thanks, my love.”

Moments later, Rance walked in, cheeks ruddy, either from the cold or excitement or both. Sam trotted after him, a dog biscuit in his teeth, and headed for his dog bed near the fire. Andy followed and took his customary seat to the left of the sofa.

“Ta-da!” Rance stepped over to the coffee table and set down a slightly bigger box than the one he’d given her. Opening it, he took out the top manuscript. “Presenting Tequila Shots in the Dark by Rance McLintock.”

Desiree clapped her hands together. “Great title! You’re using your own name?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ve always liked it and it fits the genre.” He handed it over and took out the other one. “Andy, here’s yours.”

“Can’t wait. Looks like a good length — not too long and not too short.”

Lani couldn’t be sure, but Desiree’s copy looked crisper than Andy’s. He’d likely given Andy the one she’d read, which was slightly dented up, even though she’d tried to be careful with it.

Desiree held hers on her lap and smoothed her hand over the title page, almost caressing it.

Would she turn to the next page? Lani couldn’t wait for her reaction to Rance’s heartfelt dedication. She’d been moved by it. Guaranteed Desiree would be over the moon.

“Your first book.” Desiree seemed content to leave the manuscript unopened. “I remember when I finished my first one. It’s like giving birth — a hell of a lot of work, but oh, the feeling when you’ve finished.” She glanced up. “You’re proud of it. I can tell.”

He stood with his hands in his pockets and a little-boy grin on his face. “Yeah.”

Andy reached for his glasses lying on a side table. “It really is a catchy title. I hope you get to keep it.”

“I hope so, but Lani’s boss may want something different.” He glanced at her.

“It’s hard to say. I like it, but in the end it’s a marketing decision.” Should she tell Desiree to turn the page? No. This wasn’t her deal.

Desiree sighed. “Marketing is such a mixed bag. Sometimes my publisher’s marketing department gets it right, but they also can get it wrong. I have more say than I used to, but lately I’ve been thinking about publishing the books myself.”

“Seriously?” Rance’s eyebrows shot up. “After all this time?”

“A lot of authors are doing it these days.”

“What about getting books into the stores?”

“I’d have to handle it, or better yet hire someone to handle it. I have the resources to do that now. Plus I’d take home more of the profits.”

“True.”

“And if I don’t end up in every single venue, that’s okay. I’ve had my day of seeing my books in the airport. I’m over it. But when I started out, I wanted to be in every bookstore in the country and I needed a publisher to make that happen.”

“And you’re everywhere. That’s why I want to keep our relationship on the downlow. I don’t want anyone tipping off the New York Times. ”

“I’ll keep my mouth shut. Is that one of your reasons for choosing Lani’s publishing house? Less chance of a leak?”

“Yes. Assuming they choose me. I can’t take that for granted.”

Desiree gazed at him. “Humility becomes you, son. Keep that attitude and you’ll be okay, no matter how famous you get.”

“You think I’ll be famous? Even before you’ve read the book?”

“I’ve always thought you’d be famous.”

“You never told me that.”

She grinned. “If I’d told you any sooner than today, when you’ve laid your heart and soul on the chopping block, you would have been insufferable.”

Lani hid a smile. Desiree knew her son and clearly loved him, warts and all.

“Hey, Dez,” Andy said. “You might want to look on the second page.”

Finally .

Desiree flipped the title page aside. “What’s… oh. Oh, my.” She fumbled in the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a tissue. “Oh, Rance. That’s… damn. I’m gonna blubber.”

“That’s the idea.” He crouched next to her chair. “You’re my inspiration, always have been. You lit the path.” His voice grew husky. “I owe you everything.”

“I got… I got tear stains… on the page.”

He put an arm around her shoulders. “Happy tears.”

“Uh-huh. So h-happy.”

Lani’s throat tightened. She glanced over at Andy, who’d taken off his glasses to wipe his eyes with a bandana.

Tucking the bandana in his hip pocket, he gave her a soft smile. “Good stuff.”

“The best.” Such wonderful people. No matter what the future held for her and Rance, this moment would stay with her forever.