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Jill shimmied down out of the passenger’s seat, pulled clippers from the pocket of her overalls, and cut away the mesh wrapping so the herd could really get at the hay. “At least with the big bales, we don’t have to do this but once a day. I’m going to talk to Aunt Gladys about making all big bales next year. There’s a little more waste, but in dollars and cents, it makes more sense…”
“She’s old school, so I doubt that she’ll go for that idea, darlin’,” Sawyer said. “The old ranchers don’t feel like they can face winter without a couple of barns full of the old-fashioned hay bales. The round ones don’t compute to them.”
“She and Aunt Polly are both too old to be doing work this hard. They should be retired and enjoying life, maybe taking one of those senior citizens’ cruises. They could take Verdie with them and have a big time.”
“Good luck with that,” he said. “See that mesquite thicket over there? That’s the one I want to clear off and plant more grass for grazing or for baling. If we make it another six weeks until spring without buying hay, we’ll be lucky. The barn is empty.”
“I know, Sawyer. I vote we put in more acres of alfalfa for baling and wait another year to increase the herd. There’s at least a quarter of the ranch we could reclaim, and then we’d be ready for more cattle.” She slapped a heifer on the flank, and the cow shifted a couple of feet to the left so Jill could make her way back to the tractor.
“I talked to Gladys, and she said for me to go ahead and see if Rhett was interested in a job right now. At first, he’s going to help clear land.”
Jill’s heart fell into her boots. Another man in the bunkhouse would mean a lot of changes, and she liked the way things were. She had free run of the whole place, including Sawyer’s bathroom and bed. His cousin might be wild with his tat and ponytail, and he might not even blink at her coming out of Sawyer’s room in the morning, but just thinking about it put high color in her cheeks.
“We can clean out the room I was going to make into an office for him.”
“I thought that was going to be my movie storage room,” Sawyer said.
“We can’t throw him out in the yard with a blanket and a pillow.”
“Why? He’s tough.” Sawyer chuckled.
“So when are you going to talk to him?”
“Maybe this evening when we get back from our second date,” he said. “Hey, do I get a kiss or maybe even get lucky on the second date?” He put his hands on her waist and lifted her from ground to tractor seat in one fluid movement.
“Lucky doesn’t arrive until the fourth or fifth date, in my books,” she teased.
He kicked at the cold dirt like a little boy. “Well, shucks.”
“But we can find another antique to remember our second date by,” she said. “I really like that old ice tray. It’s amazing how much easier the cubes pop out of it than they do when I twist one of the plastic ones. Never know about the lucky issue though. If that cute little bear with the daisy on her belly is still there and you buy her for me, I might rewrite the rules in my book, and you could get lucky on the second date.”
The smile on his face rivaled the sun when he looked up. “Then we’ll definitely look for the bear. What makes you think it’s a girl bear?”
He jogged around the back end of the tractor and climbed inside the cab.
“It’s a girl bear because no self-respecting boy bear would have a daisy on his belly,” she answered.
Sawyer started up the engine and turned the tractor around. “Maybe he’s not afraid of his feminine side. Maybe he even watches old movies.”
“Nope, it’s still a girl bear, and her name is Daisy.”
“And if we buy Daisy today and bring her home, I might get lucky?”
“Maybe you won’t, but I might,” she teased.
He stopped the tractor in front of the barn and pulled her across the bench seat to his side. “Lucky takes on a whole new meaning with you, Jill. I’m lucky for every single moment I get to spend with you.” He tipped up her chin, and she got lost all over again in his dark eyes. When his lips covered hers, the kiss was so sweet and so passionate that she had to keep the tears at bay.
* * *
“I thought the preacher was going to talk forever. I’ve looked forward to this all week. It’s our first date since we got married,” Callie said as the waiter seated them in the little café at the back of one of the antique shops.
“Blue plate special today is your choice of chicken-fried steak or meatloaf, served with mashed potatoes; your choice of okra, pinto beans, or green beans; and a basket of hot rolls,” the waiter said. “Or you can choose from the grill menu. You should try our onion blossom or jalapeño poppers for an appetizer. They’re really good. I’ll take your drink orders now and be back when you’ve decided.”
“Sweet tea,” Jill and Sawyer said at the same time.
Callie and Finn nodded.
“And bring us a double order of the poppers and an onion blossom,” Finn said.
“You hungry, darlin’?” Callie asked. “Or do you think we are?”
“Starving. My stomach was growling so loud, folks around me thought I was snoring in church,” Finn answered. “Hey, I thought Mavis and Naomi might lock it up right there in the church house after church. Anyone else see what happened?”
Jill shook her head.
“They came up to shake the preacher’s hand at the same time. That meant one had to step aside,” Callie explained. “Even Verdie held her breath.”
“Why?” Sawyer asked.
“Because it would be like losing a battle in the war to whoever took second place, right?” Jill asked. “Which one lost?”
“Neither,” Callie said. “Verdie stepped between them and started talking. She steered them out of the church without stopping to visit with the preacher at all. She rambled on and on about Salt Draw and the kids, and neither of them said a word to her or to each other. When they were outside, they went straight to their own trucks.”
“Damnedest thing I ever saw. Verdie said that she did it because she didn’t want our date ruined.” Finn laughed. “I love that woman.”
Callie touched his arm and looked up into his eyes. “As much as you do me?”
“Oh, honey, I don’t love anyone that much.” He kissed her on the tip of the nose.
“How would two old women rolling around and tearing up their panty hose ruin our date?” Sawyer asked.
“I didn’t ask. I just figured Verdie knew what she was talking about,” Finn answered.
“Sweet tea for everyone,” the waiter said at Finn’s elbow. “The appetizers will be here in about three minutes. Have you decided on dinner?”
“Chicken-fried,” Jill said. “Steak fries, pinto beans, and ranch dressing on my salad.”
“Sawmill gravy or brown gravy?” he asked.
“Sawmill,” Jill said.
“Same for me,” Callie said.
Finn handed him the menu and said, “Make it three.”
“Meatloaf and mashed potatoes, corn, and ranch dressing,” Sawyer said.
“It won’t be as good as Granny O’Donnell’s,” Finn whispered when the waiter was out of earshot.
“Neither will the chicken-fried steak.” Sawyer grinned. “Did I tell you that they’re all coming for Easter?”
“Mama says my side is coming to Salt Draw. I thought we’d have the egg hunt at Salt Draw, since we’re the ones who already have kids,” Finn said.
Alreadyhavekids? The line ran around in Jill’s head in a continuous loop. Jill felt the color leave her face.
“Are you okay?” Sawyer asked.
Her head bobbed twice. “How many family members are you talking about?”
“Couldn’t begin to get a head count,” Finn said. “My family is coming to Salt Draw, and then there’s Uncle Cash’s crew from over in Ringgold. They usually have Easter at their ranch, but Granny says since I’m the newest one married, everyone is coming to Burnt Boot.”
Callie laid a hand on Jill’s shoulder. “Most of them came to see us a few weeks ago. Couple of the cousins were standoffish until they figured out that I wasn’t some kind of crazy, pistol-toting woman. By the time they all left, I think they’d accepted the fact that Finn and I were married and adopting four kids fairly well.”
“If we have Rhett hired on at Fiddle Creek, his family might load up and come too. So that would be even more O’Donnells,” Sawyer said.
“Rhett is lookin’ for a job? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have put him to work weeks ago,” Finn said.
“Gladys said I can hire him, so don’t you go tryin’ to steal him from me. I need the help more than you do,” Sawyer said.
Callie moved her chair closer to Jill. “Let them argue like cousins. Tell me, how are things going? Any more trouble with the feud? It has kind of died down this week.”
“I think it’s just simmering,” Jill whispered. “They’ve figured out they aren’t getting Fiddle Creek through me and probably think that since Sawyer and I are going out on dates that he’s angling to get it. But he’s not that kind of man, Callie.”
“Don’t know an O’Donnell that thinks like that. They are all the salt of the earth, which reminds me, don’t be scared of them. I saw the fear in your eyes. They’ll love you because you love Sawyer,” she said. “Now tell me more about this ice-tray thing. Finn told me y’all bought an ice tray on your first date.”
Jill had a moment of mixed emotions. First, she wondered if Sawyer told Finn everything they did, and it brought heat to her cheeks. On the other hand, she was glad that he was as excited about the ice tray as she’d been. And then her cheeks burned like fire when she realized that Callie had said that she loved Sawyer, right out loud in public.
Jill cleared her throat and tried to get control of the blush by talking. “We found the old metal ice tray and the cute little handmade bear on the same shelf. We bought the ice tray to remind us of our first date and how much fun we had.”
“And this week we’re buying the bear,” Sawyer said.
“Is it in this antique store? The one we are having lunch in?” Finn asked.
“When did you two stop arguing and start listening to us?” Jill asked.
“When he convinced me that he needed Rhett more than I did, and besides, I think Rhett would be damn good at keeping peace in the bar.” Finn covered Callie’s hand with his. “What are we buying to celebrate our date today?”
“I’ll find something,” she said.
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “It can’t cost any more than their ice tray.”
“We’ll just see about that.” She smiled.
The waiter set an enormous onion blossom and a platter of jalapeño poppers in the middle of the table and refilled all their tea glasses. “Your food will be ready in about fifteen minutes. We’ve been really busy today. I apologize for the wait.”
“No problem. We’re not in a hurry,” Callie said.
The waiter flashed a brilliant smile and headed off to another table.
“Is it?” Finn reached for a popper and dipped it in the sauce.
“Is what?” Sawyer followed his lead.
“Is the bear in this store?” Finn asked.
“No, it’s in the one next door, but I want to look in this one when we get finished eating. This is really cool, having a café adjoined to the store, isn’t it?” Jill answered.
She felt like she’d known Finn and Callie her whole life instead of a few short weeks. They felt like family, and she couldn’t wait for the opportunity to spend time with their four kids.
Finn was probably right. The dinner was good, but it wasn’t like Granny made. After they’d finished, they shopped in the store, and Callie bought one of those cute little jewelry boxes with a tiny ballerina that twirled when it was opened. Then she found a couple of old baseball cards for each of the boys.
The bear was gone when they reached the next store on the block. The man behind the counter that day told them that his wife had sold it the week before to a young couple who planned to use it in their nursery.
“Great minds think alike,” Jill said.
Sawyer planted a kiss on the top of her head. “We should have bought it last week.”
“At least it will make some little baby laugh.” Jill sighed.
Finn and Callie had just wandered off to the back of the store. Jill and Sawyer were near the middle, looking at cream pitchers, when she felt someone staring at her.
Kinsey Brennan wasn’t six feet from her when she looked up. “Well, hello, Sawyer. I’d like you to meet my date, and my boss at the firm where I work part-time. Gage, this is Sawyer; Sawyer, Gage. And this is Jill Cleary. Her aunt has a little spread next to River Bend.”
Sawyer extended his hand. “Pleased to meet you. Y’all finding anything interesting?”
Kinsey looped her arm through Gage’s, and he patted her hand. “Oh, yes, we found a lovely little side table for my office. I’m moving from part time to full time.”
A tall man, but not quite as tall as Kinsey, he wore a three-piece suit and loafers. His thick blond hair was styled in a perfect, feathered cut, and judging by the crow’s-feet around his eyes, Jill would guess him to be ten years older than Kinsey.
“Y’all have fun now. See you later,” Kinsey said.
Sawyer waved and went back to the cream pitchers. “One down. One to go.”
Jill slipped her hand in his. “Don’t count on it.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Did you ever hear of the turd theory?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“It goes like this. You think if a certain obnoxious person wasn’t in your life, then everything would be just peachy. Then that person is miraculously out of your life, and behold, another turd floats to the top,” Jill said.
“Well, hello, Sawyer,” Betsy said. “I’m surprised to see you here. Jill, not so much, but a guy?”
“I rest my case,” Jill said. “Are you buying something special, like Kinsey is? We just met her new boyfriend and heard she’s going to work full time.”
Betsy leaned a shoulder over toward Sawyer. “What wonderful news. Now she’s out of my way with you, Sawyer. Got to run. Grandma is next door having ice cream with some of my cousins. I just snuck away to say hello when I saw y’all coming in here.”
Sawyer didn’t even acknowledge that the woman was talking. He squeezed Jill’s hand and whispered, “We won’t ever be able to get away from them, darlin’. They are part of Burnt Boot, but we don’t have to let them control our lives. How about this one for our second-date present?” He picked up a carnival glass pitcher and held it out to her.
“I vote we get something more practical. Like this.” She held up a cast-iron pan that made muffins in the shape of corn on the cob. “Grandma Cleary had one like this, and I loved the muffins when I was a little girl.”
“Granny O’Donnell still uses one like that. Let’s buy it,” he said.
Dusk had begun to settle when they got home that evening. Jill called Gladys before they left town, and she wanted them to pick up fried chicken for her and Polly. When they went by the house, she met them at the door.
“We’ll come in for only a minute. It’s cold out here, and we’re doing the chores tonight. You and Aunt Polly just stay warm and have chicken for supper.”
“Thanks, darlin’,” Gladys said. “I was dreading getting out in this.”
Jill bent and hugged Polly and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Stay warm, and we’ll see y’all tomorrow.”
“Thanks, sweetheart. Maybe I’ll feel like a couple of hours in the store tomorrow morning,” Polly said.
* * *
“Too late for a nap.” Jill removed her denim duster and tossed it toward the sofa. The cats jumped on it, clawing and attacking the stones with their hind feet. She had to scramble to get it away from them before they left it in shreds.
Sawyer hung his jacket on the rack inside the door and scooped her up in his arms. “I don’t want to sleep, but I want you,” he said softly as he headed for the bedroom. He kicked the door shut with his boot heel. “And I don’t want to share you with the children.”
“Confession time. I couldn’t wait to get home for this,” she mumbled.
He set her on the edge of the bed and removed her boots and shoes. He ran a hand up the inside of her thigh and inhaled sharply when he found no underpants.
“Surprise! Surprise!” She grinned impishly.
“My God, Jill.”
“If you hadn’t been so busy arguing with Finn at the dinner table, you might have discovered it earlier.” She brushed his hand out of the way and stood up, removing her sweater and bra as she did.
“If I had, the shopping trip would have never happened and we would have had sex in the bathroom at the antique store.” His lips settled on hers as he removed her skirt and let it fall to the floor.
She pushed him back on the bed, straddled his body, and removed his boots.
He cupped the cheeks of her butt in his hands and massaged gently as she removed his socks, then she flipped around, and his hands went to her breasts, his eyes never leaving hers as she finished undressing him.
She took advantage of him being ready and guided him into her in a firm thrust. Putting her hands on his chest for leverage, she began a steady rhythm. She’d had a full day of foreplay. Every time he threw an arm around her shoulders, it turned her on. When their hands brushed against each other at the antique stores, she burned for him. When his fingertips tucked an errant strand of hair back behind her ear, she’d wanted to haul him to the nearest motel.
“I want to kiss you,” he said as he flipped her over on her back. “And this isn’t going to last five minutes if we don’t slow down.”
“Quality beats out quantity every time,” she mumbled just before his lips landed on hers.
In a wild blast of sparks, it was over. Her head felt as if it would explode, and he said something that sounded faintly like, “I love you,” but she couldn’t be sure if that’s what she heard with her ears buzzing the way they were. She might have answered with the same thing, but her breath was coming in such short gasps that she couldn’t utter a single word, not even his name.
Chapter 27
The advertisements came out in the Gainesville newspaper on Wednesday. As luck would have it, the quarter-page ads for the two celebrations were side by side. The one for the church advertised romance, good Christian fun for the whole family, refreshments, and a potluck dinner at the Burnt Boot church, beginning at six o’clock on Friday night, February 13. The admission fee was a covered dish, and there would be speed dating for the single folks.
The Burnt Boot Bar and Grill ad was right there beside it, with a pretty heart border and martini glasses clinking together. It advertised no cover fee, a sweetheart deal of two-for-one all night on pitchers of beer and burger baskets, and promised that the jukebox would be playing love songs from six to midnight on February 14 at no charge to the patrons. Down at the bottom of the ad in small print was a paragraph that advised folks not to drink too much and/or to bring a designated driver.
“It’s official. Our butts will be dragging so bad by closin’ time tomorrow night, we won’t need to sweep the barroom floor.” Jill tossed the newspaper on the tractor seat between her and Sawyer.
“Polly says she only does this when Valentine’s Day falls on Saturday, so it just happens every seven years. She wanted to come help us. Said she could hobble around behind the bar and at least do some grilling,” Sawyer said.
“She and Aunt Gladys are going to man the store all afternoon for us to decorate. Neither of those old gals realize they aren’t twenty anymore, so that will tax them both.” Jill shook her head. “I’m glad we’ve started using big hay bales, so she’ll stay in most of the afternoons and let us take care of things.”
“We need to convince Gladys to let us make more big bales.” He started up the engine and drove the tractor to the line of round bales at the edge of the pasture. Driving the fork on the front into the middle of the four-foot, firmly packed bale, he raised it up and carefully backed up.
“We’ve got the equipment for small ones, and as long as Aunt Gladys is alive and the hay barn is standing, I reckon we’ll be making both sizes,” Jill said.
Sawyer wiggled his eyebrows. “Time to do other things.”
“Speaking of which, did you talk to your cousin Rhett?” she asked.
“I did, and he didn’t even hesitate. He’ll be here Tuesday morning, so after this party is done on Saturday, we should clean out the office for him,” Sawyer said. “His first job is clearing land, so we can start planting. I don’t want to get this low on hay another year.”
“Hey, look here,” she said.
Sawyer whipped around, and she snapped a picture of him with her phone. “Mama wants to know what you look like. I’m sending this to them right now.”
“What brought that on?” Sawyer asked. “We were talking about Rhett.”
“I’m going to be occupying a bunkhouse with two cowboys. Mama is not going to be happy about that. I’m sending her a picture of you now, so she can get used to the idea of what you look like, before I send her one of Rhett with a tat and a ponytail.” Jill poked the right buttons to shoot the photograph through cyberspace.
Sawyer parked the tractor and helped Jill down to the ground, drawing her closely to his side with one arm, kissing her cold lips, and taking a selfie picture with the other hand.
“Why did you do that?” she asked.
“My family has seen pictures of you, darlin’. I’m sendin’ this one to Rhett, so he knows before he gets here that you belong to me,” Sawyer said.
“Your family,” she gasped. “When did you take pictures to send them?”
“Which time?”
“You sent more than one?”
He chuckled. “Well, there was one day I only sent one.”
“Sawyer, are you joking?”
He shook his head and took her hand in his, pulling her toward the bunkhouse. “I promise I did not take any of you in my bed or in any other compromising situation. But you were so darn cute in that outfit you wore when we bought the cast-iron pan that I took several in the antique store. And there’s some of you taking the roses to the office room and playing with the kittens.”
“How…?”
“You thought I was texting.” He grinned.
“And?”
“Mama says that she can’t believe I’ve fallen for a redhead. Daddy thinks you are cute, and Rhett, well, he needs to know that he hasn’t got a chance.” Sawyer removed his coat and hat and helped Jill with hers. “How about hot chocolate while we spend some quality time with Miss Piggy and Miss Chickadee? Then we’ll go to the store a couple of hours early and make Gladys take Polly home. She’ll be tired by then.”
“The cats’ names have evolved. They sound like hookers in an animated movie.” She laughed. “Is it the truth? Have you fallen for me, Sawyer O’Donnell?”
“Yes, Jill Cleary, head over boots, I’ve fallen for you.” He brushed another kiss across her lips and headed to the kitchen.
She snapped half a dozen pictures of him, one of nothing more than that tight butt as it walked away from her. “Paybacks,” she said when he looked over his shoulder and she took another one.
“Just remember that I can do the same thing.” He turned around quickly, ran toward her like a football tackle, and without slowing down, picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. “Forget the chocolate. We’ll get warm another way.”
“Hmmm. Chocolate or sex? Which one?” She cupped his face in her hands.
“You decide.” His dark eyes fluttered shut, and she barely had time to moisten her dry, still-cold lips before he found them.
No contest. Chocolate took a backseat.
* * *
The bar was so slow on Friday night that time practically stood still. They opened at six, and the first customer arrived at seven. He was a middle-aged fellow from across the river, who just wanted to sit in the corner, nurse a couple of double shots, and listen to a dollar’s worth of old Hank Williams tunes before he called it a night at eight thirty. The next customer that wandered in was Hart Gallagher, who’d gotten tired of the church party. He bought a pitcher of beer and plunked quarters into the jukebox.
“Bet you he’s playin’ beer-drinkin’ songs because he’s got the hots for a Brennan woman and he can’t have her,” Sawyer whispered to Jill.
“It’s pretty plain that something has his mind in a twist,” Jill agreed.
Sawyer was right. For the next hour, the jukebox spit out sad songs while Hart finished off his beer.
Gladys called at ten to tell them the party was winding down but that it had been a success. “Everyone had a wonderful time, and the potluck was great.”
“Mavis and Naomi?” Jill asked.
“Sat on different sides of the fellowship hall all evening, surrounded by their grandchildren and children. They didn’t kiss and make up, but they didn’t start a food fight, so I guess it was a draw where the pig war is concerned. I really don’t know what else they could do anyway,” Gladys answered.
“Aunt Polly worn out?”
“Yes, but she won’t admit it,” Gladys said. “She wants to know how things are going there.”
“Two customers all evening. Couple of double shots of Jim Beam and a pitcher of beer is all we’ve sold. Won’t even have to sweep the floors. If Aunt Polly had brought the decorations down here from her house, we could have the place ready for tomorrow.”
“Polly says for y’all to shut it down and go home. Tomorrow is going to make up for tonight, and you need your rest.”
“Yes, ma’am. You don’t have to beg me to shut the doors tonight,” Jill said.
* * *
“Mama, please tell me I didn’t wake you.” Jill shut her eyes and could picture her mother. Tall, thin, and blond. Big doe-colored eyes and a smile that was a dental record.
“Did that feud and scalding-hot cowboy suck all the memory out of your brain? Remember, I’m a night owl,” her mother said. “If I’d known he looked like that when you told me you were going to Burnt Boot, I’d have kidnapped you myself.”
“I think I’m in love,” Jill said.
“Either you are or you aren’t. Which is it?”
“I am, but I need you to talk me out of it,” Jill said. “Oh my God, I’m fanning myself with my hand, and I’m telling you this because you can’t see me, and you are my mother, but I don’t know who else to call.”
“You’ve slept with him?”
“He brought me daisies,” Jill answered.
“You didn’t answer my question. Have you slept with him?”
“And we bought an ice tray and a cast-iron pan together, and we have two kittens, Miss Piggy and Miss Chickadee.”
“Are you in love with him, Jillian?”
“Yes, just like you were with my daddy.”
“You both like ranchin’. He bought you freakin’ daisies, and you bought an ice tray and cast-iron pan together. What in the hell are you waiting for, girl? Propose to him,” her mother said.
“But, Mama, I’ve only known him six weeks.”
“I proposed to your father in three weeks. When it’s right, you know it. You still didn’t answer my question.”
Jill laughed. “I’m in the bathtub, and the water has gone cold. I’m going to end this call and get out. And, Mama, I’m not going to answer that question.”
“Where are you sleeping tonight?”
“That is need to know, and you don’t.”
“Hey, now, we’ve been sharing some pretty big secrets.”
“Good night, Mama,” Jill said and hit the “end” button.
Sitting in the rocking chair, towel drying her hair, and thinking about the conversation, she didn’t hear her bedroom door crack open. She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn’t even see Miss Piggy chasing a bit of ribbon across the floor.
“You take my breath away,” Sawyer said. “No wonder I fell in love with you.”
As if in slow motion, her head raised. The hinges squeaked when he pushed the door wide open. The thought that ran through her mind was that she’d have to put some oil on them or she’d get caught sneaking across to Sawyer’s room after Rhett arrived. Then she wondered if she’d heard what she wanted to hear, not what he’d actually said.
“Say that again,” she whispered.
“I said I’ve fallen in love with you, Jillian Cleary. My heart has known it for a while. It just took my mind a while to catch up,” he said.
“One more time, just so I’m sure there’s no water in my ears.”
He took the towel from her hands, picked her up, and sat down in the rocker with her in his lap. “I love you, Jill.”
“I love you, Sawyer,” she whispered.
“That makes me the happiest cowboy in all of Texas,” he drawled. “I’d planned all these beautiful scenarios to say those three words, but they just slipped out tonight. I guess we aren’t destined for roses and romance.”
“Roses? No, darlin’, we are not. Romance? It goes much deeper than just saying words, although they are beautiful and I want to hear them every single day. FYI, right here in our bunkhouse at the end of a workday is the best place ever to say it for the first time. Romance is wonderful, Sawyer, but it needs actions to back them up. Your bed is bigger than mine, and I’m not sleeping alone anymore, so…” She hesitated.
“Yes, ma’am, I’m right good at showing instead of telling.” He stopped any further talk with a searing-hot kiss.
* * *
Decorating the next day involved stringing up some crepe paper, putting a glittery heart garland around the mirror behind the bar, using red paper liners in the plastic burger baskets instead of the customary white ones, and hanging a big red foldout heart above the jukebox. It took all of thirty minutes to do that and take the chairs down from the tables.
“Now what? I was expecting an all-afternoon job,” Sawyer said. They could go back to the bunkhouse and spend the afternoon in bed or maybe drive around the ranch and talk about the changes they’d like to make.
