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

Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

T he heat in Rance’s eyes made Lani squirm in her seat. If only he could pull over and do something about it. Wishful thinking. He had to go to work and she’d have questions from her folks the minute she walked through the door.

Or not. As her parents’ turnoff came into view, their yellow truck pulled onto the main ranch road.

Rance beeped a greeting and her dad did the same. Her mom gave a wave.

“Looks like you’ll have the house to yourself.”

“It does. I’m not sure where they’re going. They didn’t have any specific plans for today.”

“Wish I could stay and steal a few kisses.”

“It would be more than a few and you know it.”

“Yeah, it would.” He made the turn. “Just as well I can’t stay. We don’t know where they’re going or when they’ll be back.”

Lani’s phone chimed. “We’re about to find out.” She quickly read the text from her mom. “They offer their congrats on the book. They’re heading to the barn so Buck can give them lessons in driving the sleigh. They want to take a turn on Christmas Eve.”

“Yeah? That’s awesome.”

“After that they’re going into town to meet with the committee for the event. The chair called this morning.”

“There’s a committee?”

“Evidently.”

“Clearly the idea’s taken on a life of its own. Shows you how little attention I’ve paid to anything but the book. That’s cool, though, about your folks getting involved.”

“I’m not surprised. It’s their kind of thing.”

“And I’m really sad I can’t stay.” He pulled up to her folks’ cabin. “Listen, I don’t think this pound cake idea will work the way I hoped. Between my book and Irving Quick, the gang will want to have a potluck tonight at Rowdy Roost. I can feel it coming.”

“Then no dinner at your house?”

“I doubt it. That doesn’t mean we won’t eventually have time alone. I’m determined to find a way. But you still need a pound cake.” He got out his phone. “What if I call and see if she’d have time now?”

“Okay, but I’d have no way to get… oh, wait. Kieran and Sara are at Lucky’s. That might work, depending on timing.”

“If not, someone else can run you home. I can check with?—”

“You know what? Don’t worry about it. If Granny doesn’t mind having me around, I’m happy to spend the day with her. Go ahead and call.”

He turned on his phone, which greeted him with a rapid set of pings.

She blinked. “Texts?”

“And even more voicemails. I turned it off so we could drive over here in peace.” He tapped the screen and waited as Granny’s phone rang. “That’s weird. Why isn’t she answering?”

“In the shower?”

“She likes to shower before dinner.” When the voicemail came on, he frowned and disconnected. “No point in leaving a message. She won’t find it.” He tapped the phone again. Still no answer. “We’re outta here.” Throwing the truck in reverse, he backed quickly around and hit the gas going down the lane to the ranch road.

He drove even faster once he made the turn, spraying snow, his jaw set. With his attention glued to the road ahead, he quietly unbuckled his seat belt.

Her gut clenched. “I’m sure she’s fine.” She wasn’t sure at all. It was a dumb thing to say, but she couldn’t come up with anything better. Granny was fine . She’d been in great shape last night at dinner, right?

Of course she’d worked all day on that dinner. She’d excused herself early, which Lani had taken as part of the scheme. What if she’d pushed too hard making that dinner? What if?—

Rance skidded on the turn onto his road, came out of it quickly and shot forward. Slamming on the brakes when they reached the cabin, he rammed the gearshift into park and flung open his door. “Sit still. Let me see?—”

“The hell with that!” She unbuckled and scrambled out.

He was already on the porch, calling for Granny as he wrenched open the front door and barreled inside.

Lani charged after him. Did he know CPR? If not, could she do it? She’d taken a class once, but she hadn’t practiced. What were the steps?

Racing past the open door, she found Rance smothering Granny in a hug and rocking back and forth while they both laughed. He was swearing and Granny’s feck, feck, feck likely qualified as swearing in Ireland.

She was okay. Lani’s breath whooshed out. Thank God. Rance’s manuscript lay upside down on the floor, pages splayed out. Obviously Granny had been reading it. Had she been so engrossed she hadn’t heard the phone?

Peeking out from Rance’s tight embrace, Granny spotted her. “Oh, luv, tis scarlet I am, scarin’ ya so! Now if ya will excuse me, I’ll go put in m’ears.”

Oh. Lani swallowed a laugh as she met Rance’s long-suffering gaze. “Well, if we needed any more proof that she’s deaf….”

“I did not. And I just aged at least ten years. See any gray in my hair? I’ll bet I have gray hairs, now.”

“Tis back I am.” Granny bustled in, all smiles.

Rance turned to her. “We need to make some rules.”

“Ya want me to wear my hearin’ aids when yer out and about?”

“Yes, please.”

“I didna expect ya to call.”

“I didn’t expect to call, either, but I thought you put your hearing aids in first thing in the morning.”

“That I do, so I can hear what yer sayin’, but when ya leave, I take ’em out again.”

“I didn’t know that.” His chest heaved. “I haven’t been that scared in… forever.”

She reached over and patted his cheek. “Yer a good boy, Rance McLintock, rushin’ to find out if I’m dead.”

“I didn’t think you were?—”

“Yeah, ya did. Yer face was white as a polar bear’s ass. So what were ya callin’ me for?”

“To ask a favor for me,” Lani said. “Since my folks adore your pound cake, I’d like to make them one as a Christmas present, if you’d be willing to teach me how. And if you have time.”

“That’s brilliant!” She clapped her hands together. “When?”

“Now? I hate to interrupt your reading, though.”

“Oh! Rance’s book!” She glanced at the floor. “Where did?—”

“Right here.” He held it up. “I have a favor to ask, too. Can I borrow this for the day? In fact, I can bring you a fresh copy. This one’s kinda dinged up.”

“Threw it in the air, I did. Thought an avalanche was bearin’ down on us.”

He smiled. “We’re too far from the mountains to be hit by an avalanche.”

“Now ya tell me. After I memorized all the ways ta survive one. Anyway, sure, take it. Lani needs me ta help her make a pound cake.”

“In that case, I’ll shove off.”

“Are you workin’ till five, again, lad?”

“I am, but I’ll find someone to come and fetch Lani whenever you two are finished.”

Granny looked at her. “Are ya in a hurry to go somewhere, luv?”

“No, but I don’t want to impose.”

“Ya wouldn’t. We’ll have a grand time gettin’ ta know each other better. Take off yer coat. Make yerself at home.”

“Thank you.” She hung it on the rack by the door while Rance and Granny held a murmured conversation. She turned back in time to catch Granny standing on tiptoe to give him a kiss on the cheek. So cute.

Then she made a shooing motion. “Go on with ya, boy, before ya make yerself late.”

“Thanks, Granny. Oh, and get Lani to tell you the latest news. Better her than me. She can probably do it without swearing.” Tipping his hat, he headed out the door clutching his manuscript.

He must have found a source in town for printing more of them. Probably Lucky, who’d have a printer at his shop and then he’d be the first of the siblings to get a copy.

Excitement was building throughout the family. That had to feel good, despite his frustration about the rendezvous that might never happen.

“Ya fancy him.”

“Pretty obvious, huh?”

“Like yer wearin’ one of those sandwich boards. Do yer mum and dad know?”

“I haven’t told them, but….”

“Yeah, they know. Like I said, it’s stickin’ out all over ya.”

She laughed. “I’ve got Rance fever.”

“There’s worse things, luv. He’s a fine lad.”

“Yes, he is. But I know myself. If I left Square Glasses Press to move out here, there’s no comparable job for me. Eventually I’d become resentful.”

“Know somethin’ about that, I do. When my Fiona left for America, I was teachin’ school. Loved it. I quit ta care for little Kieran. By the time I could’ve gone back, everythin’ had changed and m’heart wasn’t in it. I held it against Fiona for years.”

“I’ll bet you were a great teacher.”

Her face lit up. “There were those that said so.” She motioned toward the kitchen. “Let’s get started. Ya can see for yerself. Got a spare apron, I do.”

Lani had never worn an apron in her life, but she put on the flowered one Granny offered her.

That competent lady had clearly taken charge of Rance’s kitchen. She moved around it with authority, assembling ingredients. “Rance thinks we’ll all be at a gatherin’ tonight. He said so before he left.”

“I think so, too. That’s why he wants to get copies made, so he can pass them out.”

“But yer plan’s banjaxed.” Taking two sticks of butter from the fridge, she laid them on the counter. “We hafta let these warm up. Eggs, too.”

“What’s banjaxed?”

She pulled out a carton of eggs and put six in a bowl. “Ya know, when everythin’ goes to shit.”

Lani snorted. “Then we’re banjaxed.”

Turning around, Granny gave her a bright-eyed glance. “Any ideas?”

“Not yet.”

“Then we’ll hafta come up with some, won’t we, now?”

“You and me?”

“Why not? I told him we would. That boy’s too busy and we’ve got all day.”