Betty turned around and poked him in the arm. “Don’t be thinking you can put that old fossil of a television in my new room. It’s not going to have a television in it.”
“But a den isn’t a den without a television,” Elmer argued.
“It’s not going to be a den like that. It’s going to be a place where friends gather up to talk and where when the kids all come home we can have extra tables set up so everyone can sit down at the same time to eat. But don’t worry, Holt. I won’t need the room for a few years. This year’s oil royalties are going for a fancy new barn. Tell me something, honey, where are you going to put a television or an eating table in that new barn?” Betty asked.
“I suppose they could sit on hay bales to eat and if we put a couple of momma cats out there, the kids would have kittens to play with,” Elmer said cheerfully.
“Momma cats? Where are momma cats? Do they have kittens? Can I see them? What color are they? If there’s an orange one can I name it and play with it?” Judd talked fast and furious.
Elmer nodded toward Judd. “See, I was right. The kids will love a barn with a bunch of cats and eatin’ on hay bales instead of tables with fancy cloths on them. Just ask Judd, here.”
Merle elbowed Elmer. “So you don’t like my room?”
“It’s a very nice addition to your home, Merle,” Elmer said.
“You see any fancy little tables other than the one with the cookies and punch?”
Judd crossed her arms across her chest. “I don’t see any momma cats or kittens.”
“I rest my case.” Elmer hurried off to talk to JC and Frank about the new pool table in the corner.
Betty refilled her punch cup. “I’ve got to have this recipe, Sharlene. We’ve got a Christmas party at the church and I’m going to volunteer for punch. What’s the secret?”
“A bottle of almond extract. It cuts the sweet,” Sharlene said.
“You making this for the Honky Tonk Christmas?”
“Yes, I am.”
“You closing down after the party that day or are you going to open up that night?” Betty asked.
“I’m going to close on Christmas Eve and Christmas both. There wouldn’t be enough folks out to warrant opening the doors. Besides, Tessa, Darla, and Luther are going up to Ardmore soon as the party is over. I’d have to run it by myself,” Sharlene answered.
“Where are you going for the holidays?” Betty asked.
Judd popped her hands on her hips and said, “Well, we aren’t going anywhere for Christmas. I done told Santa Claus to leave our present in the orange rocking chair on the front porch. There ain’t a chimney in our house so me and Waylon told him to leave our present in the rocking chair.”
“And what’s he going to leave in your orange rocking chair? A big teddy bear with a red bow around its neck?” Betty asked.
“Hell no!” Judd said.
Holt whipped around. “Judd Mendoza!”
Judd slapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry, it just slipped out. It’s hard not to say bad words when they’re in your head, ain’t it? Next week you ain’t goin’ to call me Judd Mendoza no more. You’re goin’ to call me Judd Jackson. I like that, don’t you, Merle?”
“You are trying to get out of trouble. I’ll let you off the hook if you’ll tell me what is Santa supposed to put in that orange rocking chair?” Holt asked.
She shook her head. “We’ll tell Santa when we see him at the Wal-Mart store. He always brings what we want,” Judd said. “Now, can me and Waylon go out there and walk around on those steps?”
Merle squatted down in front of Judd. “Whisper in my ear and I promise I won’t tell anyone. What is it that’s supposed to be in the rocking chair on Christmas morning? What if you miss seeing Santa at the Wal-Mart store? I could tell him for you that way. ”
Judd narrowed her eyes and set her jaw. “Okay, but the only person you can tell is Santa. You promise?”
“I promise I won’t tell anyone but Santa,” Merle agreed.
Judd whispered.
Merle’s eyes widened out so big that half her wrinkles disappeared. “My lips are sealed.”
Judd looked her right in the eye. “Only Santa?”
Holt sighed. Merle was a saint or an angel, maybe a mixture of both. He’d tried guessing for weeks what the twins wanted but they wouldn’t budge.
Merle hugged Judd tightly. “You got it, kid, and you and Waylon can sure enough go out into the garden and walk around. You can even sit on the bench and talk about Christmas and what else you want. If you change your mind or decide you want to add something to that list, then let me know and I’ll visit with Santa about that too.”
“We ain’t askin’ for nothing else. If Santa brings that we’ll be happy.” Judd ran off to grab Waylon’s hand and drag him out to the yard.
Betty and Sharlene were talking punch recipes but Sharlene didn’t miss a single word of what had gone on beside her. Sharlene’s heart dropped to the floor. There was a good chance they wouldn’t even be living in the house at Christmas. Merle’s job had taken five weeks. The next one could easily be done before Christmas even if there was rainy weather. How could Santa leave their present in the orange rocking chair if they had already moved to another location?
“Well?” Holt asked Merle when the kids were finally outside. He had plenty of time. It was only the first of November. He would have Saturdays to shop for Santa’s present. He’d write a note to remind himself to leave it on the rocking chair.
Merle’s eyes twinkled. “Only one thing and they’re willing to share.”
“I know. It’s all I’ve heard since we went out to Larissa’s place and played with the goats. They made a pact that they were only going to tell Santa and I’ve been worried that they’ll be disappointed,” Holt said.
“Hello, everyone. I heard what you said, Holt. I bet you those kids want a goat cart,” Larissa said as she carried Ruby into the new room. Everyone navigated in that direction to get a peek at the cute dark-haired baby dressed in pink ruffles.
Babies always draw the attention, Sharlene thought. Even a gorgeous new room and Santa Claus takes a backseat to a baby. Of course, Ruby is at that cute stage when she smiles at everyone. It doesn’t matter if they’re an angel or a homeless beggar.
Holt slung an arm over Merle’s shoulder. “They’re going to see Larissa and the baby and come running here in a minute. Tell me, please.”
“Do you promise to do your best to get it for them?” Merle asked.
“This is our first Christmas together. I want them to have what they want. Is it costly?”
“You’re damn right. You can’t imagine the price,” Merle teased.
Holt shut his eyes. “Okay, enough. Tell me.”
“Sharlene,” Merle said.
“Yes ma’am.” Sharlene turned away from Larissa and the baby to see what Merle needed.
Holt’s eyes popped open. “Good God!”
“Did you need something?” Sharlene asked.
Merle shook her head. “Not me.”
Sharlene let someone else have her place next to Larissa and headed toward Merle and Holt. Merle was grinning like she’d won the lottery. Holt looked like he’d been struck by a lightning bolt.
“What’d the kids want for Christmas?” she asked.
“I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone but Santa. Now he knows and I kept my word,” Merle said.
“So?” Sharlene looked at Holt.
“It’s a secret,” he mumbled.
“You can’t even tell me? I could help you look for it,” Sharlene offered.
“No, it’s something I’ll have to deal with,” he said.
***
Luther didn’t have to turn anyone away when the Tonk opened that night. With the new room the maximum capacity had doubled and now the problem wasn’t getting inside, it was finding a parking spot. Cars lined the sides of the road up to the Tonk and some folks were even parking down in the Smokestack parking lot and riding with f
riends.
“Looks like everyone and their puppy dog is out tonight. Your cowboy coming around?” Darla asked.
“He’s got kids and they’ve got school tomorrow and he’s not my cowboy,” Sharlene said.
“Well, since he’s not your cowboy can I make a play for him? I saw him at Merle’s this afternoon. That’s exactly what I’m looking for. Responsible. Has a good job. I love kids and those two of his are so cute. I’d feel like I died and went to heaven on a big fluffy cloud if I could get that man,” Darla said.
Jealousy shot through Sharlene’s veins like a slug of cheap whiskey thrown back in one big gulp.
“You’ve rendered her speechless, Darla. I didn’t know anyone could make Sharlene stop talking,” Tessa laughed. “And stop teasing her.”
Darla opened the dishwasher and removed dozens of pint Mason jars. “Who said I was teasing.”
Kent claimed an empty barstool right in front of Sharlene. “Who’s teasing?”
“No one,” Sharlene said quickly. “What can I get you?”
“Nice party out at Merle’s, wasn’t it? I wonder if Elmer and Betty will have a barn open house?” he asked.
“Betty says they’re having a Thanksgiving barn dance. Not on the holiday but the weekend after so she can decorate the barn in Christmas colors. She’s looking for a live band and the whole nine yards. Says if Elmer gets a barn and she can’t have a room like Merle’s then she’s going to have a party,” Sharlene said.
“That ought to be fun. I’ll have to make sure Loralou has the night off. There she is, coming in the door. Fix me up a couple of pints of Coors,” Kent said.
“How’s things going there?” Tessa asked.
“Looking serious. I’m thinking maybe an engagement ring for Christmas but don’t you tell. I want to surprise her,” Kent whispered.
“And the charm strikes again,” Tessa whispered to Sharlene.
Sharlene set about making a pitcher of Coke and Jack. “It can hop around and make couples like rabbits make baby bunnies as long as it stays away from me.”
Darla raised a hand. “And me. Keep that damn little naked angel and his arrows away from me. I wouldn’t even look twice at your cowboy seriously.”
“I keep telling you…” Sharlene started.
“We know,” Tessa said. “He’s not your cowboy.”
“Who? Holt?” Kent asked.
Sharlene had forgotten he was still sitting on the barstool.
“Me and the boys got a bet going as to how long it’ll take you two to wake up and admit you’ve got an attraction for each other,” Kent said. “Want to give me some insider tips so I can either up my bet or lower it?”
“You’d better take all your money out of the pot if you don’t want to lose it,” Sharlene said.
Behind her, both Tessa and Darla were pointing at the ceiling.
Chapter 16
The smell of sweat, beer, smoke, perfume, and aftershave already filled the air and the Honky Tonk had only been open an hour. Line dances mixed with slow two-stepping songs kept the customers drinking and happy. The jukebox music was loud but could barely be heard among the buzz of laughter and talking. Merle was holding royal court at the pool tables in the new room with a line of admirers waiting for a chance to knock the eight ball queen off her throne.
Tessa was handling the mixed drinks, Darla the draft beer, and Sharlene was taking orders and taking care of buckets and bottles. They had no time for conversation past how many beers, was the dishwasher’s last cycle finished, and did someone have time to gather up the trays from the tables.
“Pint of Coors,” Holt said when Sharlene made it to his end of the bar.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Buying a beer.” He grinned.
Tessa called out from the mixed drink station. “Hey, Sharlene, we’re out of trays again. Want to gather them up for us?”
“Gotta go,” Sharlene said.
“I’ll get them if you’ll let me buy you a beer after work,” he said.
“You take care of trays and I’ll buy you a beer after work,” she told him.
“You got a deal.” He left his barstool and another person claimed it immediately.
By midnight he was behind the bar loading and unloading the dishwasher and drawing beer when the load got too heavy for the three women to handle.
“Hey, handsome.” A woman pushed her way between two die-hard ranchers at the bar. “Come out from behind there and let me teach you to line dance. I’ll pay you double whatever Sharlene is giving you.”
“Mindy! Where in the hell have you been? I haven’t seen you since June,” Sharlene said as she stuck six bottles of Miller into a bucket and covered them with ice.
“Got married but it didn’t work so here I am, on the prowl again. Where’d you find this handsome hunk? If you’ll point me in the direction of the rock that you turned over to find him, I’ll go see if there’s any more hiding,” Mindy said.
Sharlene grinned. “If I told you where I found him, you wouldn’t believe me. What can I get you?”
Mindy pointed at Holt.
“He’s not for sale. Beer. Mixed drink or both but you can’t have my help. It’s too hard to find these days,” Sharlene said. “Did you marry someone you met in the Tonk?”
Mindy shook her head. “Then give me a pint of Coors. And hell, no, I didn’t marry someone I met in the Tonk. Met him up at the Boar’s Nest. If I’d met him here it would have lasted. I don’t know of a marriage that started in the Tonk yet that ended up in divorce courts. He was from Abilene. Just passing through and three weeks later we wound up in Vegas for a weekend. Got married by Elvis while we were both looped. Don’t know if it was us getting hitched or two bottles of Jim Beam. Big mistake. Don’t ever say ‘I do’ in front of Elvis.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Don’t draw that beer just yet. Give me a whole pitcher of Jack and Coke and a pint jar and your pretty bartender,” Mindy said. “I bet he could make me forget all about Elvis.”
“You can have two out of the three. Why would you be on the prowl already if you just got out of a five month horrible relationship?” Sharlene picked up the square bottle of Jack Daniels.
“Relationship only lasted one month. Took me four months to get up the nerve to go honky tonkin’ again but I’m back in full force. If you won’t let me have him then I’ll go find someone else. Talk to you later, darlin’.” Mindy picked up the pitcher and jar that Tessa set in front of her. She handed Tessa a bill and told her to keep the change and disappeared into a crowd of slow dancers in search of a table.
“Hmmm,” Sharlene mused. “I could make a lot of money pimping you out for a couple of hours at a time.”
Holt threw up his palms. “What’d I ever do to deserve that kind of treatment? Don’t answer that out loud.”
Sharlene looked up to see that Tessa and Darla had stopped work and were listening.
“What did he do?” Darla grinned.
“Nothing,” Sharlene said. “Here comes another wave of thirsty, lusty souls.”
And thank God for them. I almost said things aloud that shouldn’t even be thought about in a dark corner, Sharlene thought.
At closing time Luther unplugged the jukebox just as Waylon Jennings finished a slow song about making it through December and announced that the Honky Tonk was officially closed. “We’ll reopen at eight tomorrow evening and be open until two o’clock Sunday morning. We are closed on Sunday night.”
Smoke rushed out the door with every customer and by the time they were all gone the haze hanging close to the ceiling had practically disappeared. Luther carried his red and white cooler to the bar area, tossed six empty Coke cans in the trash, and picked a bottle of beer from the ice.
“I need this tonight. It’s been a hell of a busy week,” he said.
“Please don’t tell me you’re ready to throw in the towel. One night a week is all I can talk Kent into and besides, what would I e
ver do without you?” Sharlene said.
Luther shook his big round bald head emphatically. “Hell, no! I’m not ready to quit. I’d quit the oil business before the Tonk. I like it a lot better these days. You girls ready to go?”
“You drinkin’ that here or takin’ it with you?” Tessa asked.
“You drive. I’m drinkin’ it on the way.”
“I’ll drive. I love these busy nights. I made a hundred dollars in tips,” Darla said as the three of them traipsed across the dance floor toward the door.
“I owe you a beer.” Sharlene looked at Holt who’d taken up residence on a bar stool. “Would you please take the tops off a couple of Coors while I lock up the cash register?”
“Yes ma’am.” His Texas drawl was more pronounced when he was tired.
He had his feet propped on a chair when she joined him at a table in the new room. She kicked off her boots and propped her feet up on the table.
“My dogs are barking,” she said.
“I didn’t think it was polite to put your feet on the table,” he said.
“I own the place and it’ll get washed down good tomorrow before we open again. Try it. Feels wonderful.”
He pulled off his boots and adjusted the chair so that his feet would touch hers. He’d touched Tessa and Darla’s hands while they worked. He’d bumped against all three of them all evening. No one but Sharlene set a fire inside him, not even Mindy who’d flirted so blatantly that it was embarrassing.
“It does feel good.” He wiggled his toes and enjoyed the fire they shared.
She tipped up her beer. “It’s a tradition. Ruby started it. She taught Daisy to walk away from the mess after a hard night and do cleanup the next morning when she was rested. Daisy taught Cathy and Cathy taught Larissa. I still remember the first night she trusted me enough to join her after work.”
“That mean you trust me?” Holt asked.
“I trust you, Holt. The issue between us has nothing to do with trust.”
“It doesn’t, does it? Want to talk about it now?”
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