Forever's Affection (Forever In Luck Series Book 3)

by J. Darling

  “Not others?”

  His interest was clearly peaked now. “No, not others,” she confirmed, shaking her head.

  “Why?”

  “Your kisses are tender, your lips soft.”

  Eyes brightening upon hearing the confession, he started placing tiny kisses all over her face. Stopping, he looked at her grinning. “Then kisses it is, lots and lots of kisses. Plus, I’ll be buying a shit load of Chapstick.”

  She laughed a little and looked down, feeling kind of shy.

  Giving her another little kiss and hug, he said, “I better go, let you get some rest. You’ve got a big day tomorrow. I’ll take your truck and come back in the morning.”

  Releasing her, he went to step back, but she held him to her.

  Pausing, he waited a few moments for her to let go. “Dani?”

  Silence. She should really let him go. It would be best if she let him go.

  “Dani…”

  He put his hands on her arms and tried to move them, but she wouldn’t let go.

  Taking a deep breath, he said, “Okay, you’re either in a really bad place, or you’re trying to tell me something. You mind letting me, so I know what to do?”

  Normally, she didn’t have trouble articulating, but this was…not normal, and she didn’t know how to say it…without things getting out of hand, and…he was a man…a big man…and she had left Wyoming, and Junie was here, she needed to work the Friesian, and soap her saddles, and—alright, her mind was buzzing, jumping and leaping all over the place. Slow down. Breathe. Stay focused.

  “Can you—”

  She put her hand over his mouth, stopping him, as she put her forehead on his shoulder. This was so damn hard! How to…say it. Why was it easy to do when it was a business transaction? How come she had no problems asking for help finding quarter inch nails, or dewormer, and she had no trouble going up to complete strangers looking for hay and help, but then come to this part of the human experience and she…

  He took her hand from his mouth. “Can you talk to me from another point of view? Would that be easier?”

  What? Lifting her head up, she looked at him in confusion. “I don’t know what you mean by that?”

  “You do, and you automatically went into it the last time we got close to what was in your heart. Tell the rooster what the hen is thinking and how he can help her.”

  Thaaa-thump, was her heart skipping a beat. He didn’t yell at her, he didn’t demand answers, he didn’t get frustrated and start swearing, calling her names and throwing things. He didn’t hit her, or shove her around. Instead, he showed her a way. He gave her a voice. It poured out of her. “The hen is scared. The hen likes the rooster and she’s scared, because she doesn’t know if she can…can… The hen doesn’t want to make the rooster angry, but she would like it if the rooster would stay knowing things may not work out.”

  Staring at her and studying her face, he didn’t answer right away. “The rooster wants to stay, but the rooster is trying to think of a way to make the hen feel safe and not scared. Maybe… Maybe setting some limits to follow would help them both. What say the hen?”

  Thaaa-thump. Dani felt her eyes water, and she blinked once, twice. This was no ordinary rooster! Generally roosters just took what they wanted. “The hen thinks this is one fine rooster and likes the idea of limits. All she knows is she likes being by the rooster and kissing him, the thought of the rest has her clucking crazy.”

  He busted out laughing. Reaching over, he turned out the kitchen light. “Alright, the Rooster says the limits are hugging and kissing. The rest they will work on when the two of them are not so tired.” Turning her, he put his hands on her shoulders and massaged them as he nudged her towards the bedroom, moving her along. “The rooster wonders about a code word for the bedroom for when things get clucking crazy.”

  Stopping, she turned her head back and leaned into him, putting a kiss on his jaw. “The hen thinks this is the smartest, kindest rooster she’s ever met, and thinks scrambled eggs would be a good code word because her mind gets scrambled.” Then she turned back and started walking again.

  Putting his hands to her waist, they walked in tandem down the hall. “How about one for when the hen likes what the rooster’s doing and wants to keep going?”

  Smiling, liking this little game, she said, “How about sunny-side up for when things are going good, and when things are going a bit fast and need to slow down she’ll say over-easy?” Grabbing a nightgown from the dresser drawer, she turned to him as he pulled off his shirt. Oh my…

  Reaching for the fly of his jeans, he stopped, noticing that she stood looking at him and smiled. “I always did like eggs, and I like the way you’re looking at me. We good?”

  There was a lot to appreciate here, she thought, as she looked at his broad, muscular chest and the line of dark hair that started at his navel and disappeared behind the waistband of his jeans. “Sunny side up for sure.” She sighed, and he actually blushed a little.

  “Come on, you keep looking at me like that and I’ll be hard boiled.”

  “Well, I always did like deviled eggs,” she teased.

  He groaned as he unbuttoned his pants. “You keep this up and I’ll be kicked off the ranch for being too cocky.”

  She laughed. “Perish the thought.” With that, she clicked off the light.

  CHAPTER 9

  Two weeks later, Dani stood in the kitchen of the ranch house staring at the lump of meat on the counter. What the hell was it, and what was she supposed to do with it? Kris had been spending more and more of his evenings at the ranch, and she suspected he was getting tired of cereal, because while at the last rodeo competition, she came home to a freezer full of meat.

  Problem was she didn’t know how to cook, and she couldn’t follow a recipe to save her soul. And even if she could, it’d be pointless, because unless you knew what words like mince and dice, or sauté and broil meant, it was hopeless. Or her personal favorite, cook X over medium heat until you get Y, then turn the heat down to get Z, while you stir constantly, with the pointer of don’t overcook. How was one supposed to know what constituted overcooked?

  She heard Coco barking outside. Stepping to the window, she saw Linnie’s car parked out front. Dashing to the door, she whipped it open just as Jules was about to knock, and said, “Help, I can’t cook!”

  From the shocked looks on their faces, she’d obviously startled them, then they both busted out laughing. “It’s not funny,” she said, frantically. “How can you laugh at a time like this? I got this hunk of meat on the counter and I don’t know what to do with it!”

  More laughing.

  “Oh forget it,” she snapped at the two of them with disgust. “You two are of no help. Now what the hell am I going to do?” She carried on, talking to herself as she ignored them.

  Linnie spoke up, trying to keep from laughing. “Oh my gosh, the look on your face, that was hilarious. How about we come in? We can help you better if we see what we’re working with.” Then she started giggling.

  Stepping aside to let them in, Dani shook her head unconvinced of their potential to help the situation, but right now she’d take whatever help she could get. “Come on in, and good luck with that,” she said flatly. “It’s rather hopeless I’m afraid.” They started laughing again as she closed the door. “Junie’s napping,” she explained, as she led them into the kitchen. Pointing to the beast of meat from across the room, she said with obvious disdain, “It’s that.”

  Jules and Linnie started laughing again, and she glared at them.

  Jules reached out and touched her arm. “We’re sorry, we really are. We’re being rude, forgive us. You’re perplexity is quite endearing. What do you know how to cook?”

  “Ahhh.” Dani had to concentrate. “Umm, frozen pizza…can of soup…just add water pancakes, and I can boil a potato,” she finished proudly. Then her eyes lit up. “Oh, and as far as meat goes, fry the hell out of it or grill it till its shoe leather, then we’
re good,” she proclaimed with a firm nod of the head, only to add in all seriousness, “plus, I can make a mean trout, but then you don’t have to do much to it but gut it. Quit laughing!” she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at them again. “Kris is starving and you two are laughing.”

  “Stop,” Linnie, said, between jags of laughter, “stop, my bladder is about the size of a pea right now.” She pulled a chair over and sat, wiping her eyes.

  Dani looked at her tummy. That was going to be one big baby, but then from the size of the father it was no wonder. “When’s your baby due?”

  “Six weeks. Oh man, thank you for that, I needed a good laugh. And trust me, Kris is not starving. They eat when they’re done milking, morning and night, then lunch in between, and Jules has been making and taking food out to them when they’re in the fields.”

  Dani stood a little taller. “Really?”

  Jules nodded and looked on her with compassion. “Kris has the appetite of a horse, if he doesn’t get enough to eat, we’d all know about it. And “that,” as you call it, is a standing prime rib roast.”

  Dani stared at her a few moments, thinking about what she’d said. The statement being lost to her, she shrugged her shoulders. “Is that supposed to mean something? Because I don’t know what a standing prime rib roast is.”

  Smiling, Jules answered with an encouraging nod, “It’s one of the best cuts of beef there is to be had. Where did you get it?”

  Turning, Dani opened her freezer. “There.”

  “I thought there was more room in the freezer!” Jules exclaimed, eyeing the mother lode of meat.

  Mortified, Dani said, “I’m sorry, I came home one day and it was here. I assumed it was his way of telling me he was tired of cereal. I didn’t realize he took your food, please take it back.”

  Both Jules and Linnie shook their heads.

  “Keep it,” Linnie said. “We have two large freezers full, and then the one over the fridge upstairs. When we run low, dad keeps a cow from going to auction. We have plenty, trust me.”

  Closing the freezer and opening the fridge, Dani said, “Does that go for milk and cheese too, because every other day it just shows up.”

  They both nodded with a smile.

  Linnie reached out and gave her arm a squeeze. “It’s for you and Junie, and we have plenty. Eat, drink, and enjoy. He wants you to have it, and he has it to give, so don’t worry.”

  Closing the fridge, Dani took a deep breath and let it out slow, relieved to know Kris wasn’t starving and counting on her for sustenance. Looking at the counter with trepidation, she said, “So what do I do with that?”

  “Simple,” Jules said, trying to keep a straight face, “bring it to room temperature, put a rub on it, sear it in a really, really hot oven, then turn it down and roast it to one hundred twenty degrees, take it out and let it rest for twenty minutes, or until it is one hundred thirty degrees. Then while the roast is resting, deglaze your pan and make au jus, slice and serve.”

  Dani simply stood looking at her, thinking and blinking, not able to make heads or tails out of what she’d just said. Giving up, she turned to Linnie and said flatly, “Do you know how to do what she just said, because I don’t?”

  Smirking Linnie answered her. “Slather seasoning all over the outside, blast it in a four hundred and fifty degree oven for an hour, then turn the oven to three twenty-five and let the meat sit there baking for a while longer. Take it out, put it on a plate, leaving it sit for another twenty minutes while you add a little water to the juice and drippings left in the bottom of the pan making a dipping sauce. Cut and eat.”

  Dani stood chewing on her bottom lip letting it all soak in, determined to make this work. Nodding confidently and ready to take on the world, she said, “Okay, okay, I think I got it. Salt and pepper the hell out of it, blast it, bake it, wait, get the ketchup, pray no one dies, then eat. Perfect, I got this, thanks for the help.”

  Jules and Linnie busted out laughing again.

  “Oh, Dani, you’re priceless,” Jules said, while holding her stomach, laughing. “I’ll help you get set up, where do you keep your seasonings?”

  Dani pointed to the salt and pepper shakers on the counter. “Unless you need more, that would be up here,” she said, opening a pair of cupboard doors, taking out a large container of salt and a big can of pepper.

  Walking to the cupboard, Jules opened the doors wider and looked inside, then said with astonishment, “There’s nothing here but cereal, sugar, salt, pepper, and ketchup. Dani, I don’t want to insult you, so please don’t take this the wrong way, but do you need help buying groceries?”

  Swallowing, Dani answered feeling small, “There’s peanut butter behind the sugar, jelly in the fridge, and I have bread and potatoes too. I catch fish, and once hunting season comes, there will be meat for the freezer.”

  Jules looked to Linnie with concern. “I’ll run to the farm and be right back.” Then she turned and left.

  Obviously, what she had wasn’t the right thing. “Why’d she go? You don’t have to feed us.”

  “Dani,” Linnie said, her tone calm and gentle, “let’s talk.”

  Panic flared in her. “Did Kris send you over here again?”

  Linnie shook her head, then looked directly at her. “Kris hasn’t said anything, but I will tell you this, he’s happier than we ever remember seeing him, and that’s thanks to you and Junie. No, it’s like Jules said, we don’t want to offend you, but we see things that indicate you may need some guidance. Jules left to get stuff to cook with, and because she’ll use any excuse to drive now that she has her license, but also because you may feel more comfortable talking to just one of us to start. I assure you, you can trust us.”

  Not wanting to admit her truth, she answered, “I just never learned how to cook is all.”

  Linnie raised an eyebrow, unwilling to let this sleeping dog lie. “Is that all, because we could get you a cookbook and then all come over for dinner. There’s more isn’t there?”

  They knew! Turning to the window, her back to Linnie, she stood looking outside. She hated being stupid. Well, at least I’m not dumb, she thought, then laughed, finding that funny, because smart people thought the two were one in the same, but when you were like her, the two were about as different as night and day.

  “You don’t have to be alone in this, Dani, we will help you. If you tell us, we can and will help you.”

  Grin and bear it, she’d done it all her life. “Fine, I don’t know how to read. There, I said it. I can’t read or write. I know you know. I can’t read a recipe, or a menu, or names on packages, and I can barely sign my name. Does Kris know?” She wanted to die.

  “Yes, and it doesn’t change his feelings for you one bit, he still cares for you deeply. Can you afford groceries?”

  “It doesn’t matter if I could, because I can’t read the directions, and I never learned to cook to know what to do even if I could read the directions. Unless there are pictures on the packaging, I don’t have a clue what it is, but then again, I don’t know what to do with it. So yeah, grocery stores are a nightmare, as are food shelves, because I get a bunch of stuff I don’t know what to do with, and then feel guilty because someone’s going hungry when I’m sitting with food I can’t cook. So, I hunt and fish, because then I know what I’ve got, and I buy milk, bread, eggs, fresh fruit, plain stuff like that.”

  “How about literacy groups, are they helping you?”

  “Yes, I try to go a couple times a week, but it’s in St. Croix and it can get expensive driving back and forth. Now that I’m competing again, and with Junie here, I need to watch my expenses more closely. Not to mention I’m short on time with horses to train, rodeo’s to work, and all Junie’s appointments, I just don’t have all that much time. Her speech therapy and counseling appointments come before anything else.”

  “I’m only working two days a week, and soon I’ll be on maternity leave, plus I’ll be taking four months off
. We could work on this every day, I would tutor you if you’d like, and Jules would love to teach you how to cook, it’s her passion.”

  She knew Linnie was just trying to be kind, but man, she hated being a burden, and she felt like she’d already asked too much of them. “That would be an imposition, you’re all busy and you’ll have a new baby to care for, it would be too much to ask of all of you.”

  “You didn’t ask,” Linnie said, refusing to take no for an answer. “We’re offering, and we’d be happy to do this. Should we give it a try? We can always stop if it’s not working.”

  Would there ever be a day when she wasn’t a charity case? Probably not, so suck it up and get over it, right? Turning back to Linnie and looking at her solemnly, she answered her with some reservation, “Alright, if you’re sure.”

  Reaching out and touching Dani’s hand, Linnie reassured her. “I’m very sure, consider it our way of thanking you for making Kris so happy. We’ll talk to Jules when she comes back. As you get to know us better, you’ll come to realize that Jules is incredibly intelligent, more so than the average smart person. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if she already knew what to do and had a plan in place. She speaks several languages.”

  Shocked, Dani’s eyes went wide. “Honestly? You’ve got to be kidding.”

  Linnie held up her left hand. “No lie, she finished high school early and was in college and through pharmacy school in record time.”

  Dani stood thinking about that, then shook her head. “Damn, some people have all the luck.”

  There was a knock and the door opened. Jules popped her head in and sang out, “I’m back.”

  Heading to the door, Dani, reached for the bag of food items. “Here, let me help you.”

  Walking in the kitchen, Jules tested the waters, “I hope I didn’t keep you two waiting too long.”

  “Nope, we’re good,” Linnie said, smiling. Then looking at Dani, she added, “Dani and I were just talking, seems she’s in need of some reading and cooking instruction.”

  Jules eyes opened wide and she smiled at the two of them, clearly thrilled with the revelation. “Can I help? I’ll help if you want.”