Cowboy Honor--Includes a bonus novella

by Carolyn Brown

  “And I imagine Retta and I’ll be pretty busy in the house.” This time she chose a peanut butter cookie. “But we’ll have the nights together, right?”

  “Yes, darlin’. A million times, yes.”

  Claire awoke the next morning to see Levi propped up on an elbow staring at her. The way his eyes twinkled told her that he’d enjoyed sharing her bed as much as she’d liked him being there. But now it was time to get dressed and go to the ranch house, to face Justin, Cade, and Retta. She wasn’t a child but hoped that it wasn’t awkward like that morning when Justin’s one-night stand had been cooking breakfast.

  “Good mornin’,” he drawled. “I could sure enough get used to this. Just thinkin’ about it comin’ to an end when you move into your house makes this old cowboy want to weep.”

  “But you can still come spend nights with me, right?” Claire said.

  Levi sat up so fast that he jerked all the covers off her. “Every single one that you want me to.”

  “That will be all of them.” She rolled out of bed and opened up her dresser drawer to find underpants and a clean bra. She’d never done it before, but there was something downright exhilarating and free about sleeping in the raw.

  Levi got out of bed and pulled on his jeans. “Then I’ll be there as soon as I get the evening chores done every day.”

  Beau and Gussie met them that morning as they went hand in hand from the bunkhouse to the ranch house. Beau romped on ahead to send a squirrel up the dormant pecan tree, but with her tail high like a regal queen, Gussie stayed right beside Claire and darted into the house when the door was opened.

  “I wonder where Hopalong is this mornin’,” Claire said.

  “Probably holed up in a mesquite thicket with his girlfriend,” Retta answered.

  “It’s warmer in a bunkhouse under a nice quilt,” Claire said.

  “It’s a good thing those bunkhouse walls can’t talk.” Retta giggled.

  “Amen to that,” Claire said.

  Cade and Justin yelled at Levi from the living room, and Claire followed Retta on into the kitchen. She got out a cast iron skillet and started frying slabs of ham while Retta made biscuits.

  “Claire, you are welcome to stay here as long as you want. You can live in the bunkhouse until you get your new house all ready. We don’t need it until summer when the kids arrive,” Retta said.

  “Thank you, but I’m hoping to get things set up to move in right after Christmas. I thought signing the papers would be a big thing, but it wasn’t. I think the day that I move into the bedroom, it’ll seem real,” Claire said.

  Retta pointed toward a cabinet door. “Would you hand me a pan? My hands have dough on them. I see a future in which you are part of the family.”

  Claire jerked her head around so quickly that it made her dizzy. “Did Levi say something?”

  “Nope, but I can see it in his eyes and the way he is when you are around. That cowboy is in love. It just takes him a while to say the words.” Retta rolled the dough out.

  “Seems like everything has happened in a whirlwind, and at the same time it seems like I’ve lived on the ranch forever and ever,” Claire admitted.

  “I know the feeling. I arrived the first of June and by July fourth, I was so in love with Cade that it hurt to think of ever being away from him. You’ve heard that old saying that God works in mysterious ways. Well, I believe it now,” Retta said.

  “Did you ever feel like something bad was going to happen?” Claire asked.

  “At first.” Retta nodded. “It seemed like when things were going good for me that something always happened, so I expected things with Cade to go sideways at any time, but…” She paused. “Maybe that’s the mysterious part because here we are. That don’t mean we don’t disagree and get angry with each other.” She lowered her voice. “But the makeup sex is amazing.”

  Claire slapped at her with a dish towel. “I’d miss this and you.”

  Retta laughed. “Me too. God might’ve sent you to Levi, but he also sent me a friend.”

  “Well, thank you for the offer to stay, and I’ll take you up on it. After all, one should not try to argue with God’s plan, should they?”

  Levi parked the four-wheeler in front of the cabin and just sat there looking at it. If he could buy any five acres on the ranch it would be this little corner, because it was where he first met Claire. He wished he’d thought to take a picture of her with that pistol in her hands to hang above the mantel. But there was no way he would have reached inside his pocket for his phone at that moment for fear she’d pull the trigger.

  Beau ran past him, up onto the porch, and put his paws on the doorknob. Then he ran back to Levi and barked before he ran back to the door a second time.

  “Okay, old boy, what’s the problem? Is there another damsel in distress in the cabin this mornin’?” He followed Beau and opened the door. No one was there, but he took a long, hard look at the cabin. If he took those bunk beds out and put in a queen-size bed and maybe built a few more cabinets, it would be livable until he could build a real house.

  Beau flopped down in front of the cold fireplace and put a paw over his nose.

  “I know it’s crazy thinking. Claire deserves more than a rundown hunter’s cabin way back here in the sticks.”

  As if Beau understood, he yipped once and hopped up on the sofa. Levi sat down beside him and scratched his ears. The dog laid his head over on Levi’s lap and whined.

  “If someone had told me two months ago that marriage would be on my mind in the next ten years, I’d have asked them what they’d been smokin’. But I can’t imagine life without her, Beau. It’s just happened too fast. She’s had wings, not roots, and what if the fire goes out and she doesn’t want roots? Kind of like what happened with Julie and Cade?” Levi recalled how Julie had been engaged to Cade, but she broke it off on their wedding day. Thank God he had found Retta, who turns out was his soul mate after all.

  Beau shut his eyes and went to sleep. “Some help you are. Wake up.” Levi shook him. “It’s almost noon and Retta and Claire will have our dinner on the table.”

  Beau bounded off the sofa and ran to the door. Levi let him out and rode the four-wheeler back to the barn where the hired hands were sitting around with their lunch buckets, sack lunches, and thermos bottles. Some of them had already finished and were laid back on hay bales taking a power nap with their cowboy hats over their eyes.

  Skip pushed his back with his finger. “I got an extra sandwich over there in my lunch pail if you want it.”

  “What are you doin’ out here?” Levi frowned.

  “Don’t want to stay home by myself and ain’t about to stay in the house with three women—no sir,” Skip whispered.

  “Thanks, but I’m on my way inside.”

  “Ah, the ways of young love.” Skip pulled his hat back over his eyes.

  “Wonderful, ain’t it?” Levi said.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  There was no doubt that Vernon Maguire was Justin and Cade’s father. They all had the same angular face structure and blue eyes. Vernon wasn’t quite as tall as Cade but more the height of Justin. But Gloria wasn’t anything like what Claire had imagined. Not even the family picture above the mantel prepared her for Gloria’s size. The woman was about Claire’s height and was at least twenty pounds lighter. She had blond hair and clear blue eyes, and when she entered the room that Sunday afternoon, it was like a force had arrived. No wonder Retta was intimidated by her.

  “I’d like you to meet Claire,” Levi said after the hugs were given.

  Gloria took a step forward and sized Claire up from head to toe and then grabbed her in an embrace. “I believe in Texas-size hugs, especially when someone is part of our family.” Then she whispered, “Levi is like a son to me.”

  “I’m glad to meet and hug you,” Claire said. “And I understand that Levi spent a lot of time on the ranch.”

  “You guys get on outside and help Vernon get the RV all hooked
up. Retta, let’s have a glass of sweet tea and talk about this baby. Have y’all picked out names? There’s no use in choosing a girl’s name. Maguires have sons, not daughters.” She led the way to the kitchen, talking the whole time.

  Man alive, that woman had clout because all four of those grown cowboys got their coats and headed out the back door without a single argument. Claire poured three glasses of tea and put a variety of cookies on a platter.

  When they were all three seated around the table, Gloria shook her head slowly. “You both failed the test.”

  “What test?” Claire asked.

  “Retta, this is your house now, not mine. You shouldn’t have let me boss Cade like that. And Claire, whether you break Levi’s heart or elope with him tomorrow is your business,” Gloria said.

  “You scare me a little,” Retta said.

  “Don’t ever let anyone do that. Walk into a room like you own the whole damn place and haven’t decided whether to keep it or burn it down. According to Mavis, you are both full of spit and vinegar. I expect to see more of that and less of this yes, ma’am, shit. That’s what it takes to run the Longhorn Canyon.” Gloria picked up a cookie. “Now about this baby. If you’re already over morning sickness, then I reckon it’s one of those jet airplane babies.”

  “What?” Claire asked.

  “One that arrives on a jet airplane rather than takin’ nine months. I want grandkids, and I’m going to claim Levi’s too, so both of you better get busy,” Gloria said.

  “Baby is due at the end of May. I was pregnant when we got married, but I didn’t know it at the time,” Retta admitted.

  “So was I. Cade is one of them fast babies, born eight months after we were married. I really, really wanted a daughter, so you could give me a granddaughter. And if she doesn’t, then…” She turned to Claire.

  Claire threw up both hands. “Levi hasn’t even asked me to live with him much less marry him.”

  “He will,” Gloria said. “Now let’s talk about Christmas dinner. Retta, what have you got planned?”

  Retta inhaled and let it out very slowly. “I thought maybe we’d do something different for Christmas dinner this year—like maybe steaks.”

  Gloria slapped the table. “I love it and so will Vernon. We’ve had enough turkey and dressin’ to do us for a year.”

  “We still have some frozen leftovers from Thanksgiving,” Claire said. “If anyone disagrees with steak, then they can heat up that.”

  “Them boys won’t ever turn down a good juicy T-bone. I vote that we make them grill them, and we’ll just make the sides,” Gloria said.

  “Is this another test?” Claire asked.

  “No, but if you’ve got another idea, I’m willin’ to listen,” she answered.

  Retta laid her hand on Gloria’s arm. “I think we’re going to get along just fine.”

  Claire got up to get more tea and peeked out the kitchen window at the four guys standing in front of the enormous RV. Was Vernon telling them that they’d failed the test too?

  Vernon tapped Levi on the shoulder. “So tell me, son, what’s this spark I see between you and Claire? She’s sure not what I expected to come home and find you ridin’ the river with.”

  “What did you expect?” Levi asked.

  Vernon rubbed a hand across his chin. “Tall, blond, blue eyed, hangin’ on your arm all the time instead of havin’ some independence and sass.”

  “So you think Claire is sassy?” Justin asked. “You only met her for a few minutes. How did you come to that conclusion?”

  “It’s in her eyes. Dynamite comes in small packages.” Vernon chuckled. “And I know that because I’ve been livin’ with your mother for more than thirty years.”

  Levi nodded and changed the subject. “You want to take a tour of the ranch now or wait until later this afternoon?”

  “I’m not through talkin’ about women.” Vernon poked Justin on the arm. “I was wonderin’ if maybe there’s one more of them sassy girls out there who’ll fall out of the trees for Justin here. I’d like to see him settlin’ down too.”

  “Who says I’m even thinkin’ about settlin’ down?” Levi asked.

  “Nobody has to say it, son. It’s written all over you.”

  “And why would I want a woman who is dumb enough to fall out of a tree?” Justin teased.

  Vernon chuckled. “Never look a gift horse in the mouth, son. Now let’s get this RV hooked up, and then we’ll take a drive around the place. Looks to me like you boys are doin’ a fine job of carryin’ on without me. I wouldn’t expect anything less, but I always like seein’ all the progress you’ve made.”

  Cade drove with Vernon riding shotgun and Levi and Justin in the backseat. The conversation went to cows, hay, winter wheat, and the feed bill, and Levi nodded when he should and said a few words when asked for an opinion. But Levi’s thoughts went to what Vernon had said about Claire. Was it really that obvious that he’d fallen in love with her?

  All the quilts were wrapped in pretty paper, ready to take up to the ranch house and put under the tree. Claire stacked them up on one of the recliners that evening while she waited on Levi—one each for all her new friends. And a queen-size wedding ring design for Grant and Angela’s Christmas, plus a couple of doll-size ones for Teresa and Zaylie along with half a dozen outfits she’d made for their dolls.

  And nothing for Gloria and Vernon? The voice in her head asked.

  “Oh!” she gasped as she grabbed her coat and shoved her feet into her shoes. Mentally, she went through the boxes in the boys’ bunkhouse. There was a patchwork quilt over there that she hadn’t listed on Etsy yet. She hoped she had enough paper left to wrap it.

  She was digging through the boxes when she felt Levi’s presence. Turning slowly she found him with a shoulder braced on a doorjamb and a grin on his face.

  “It’s a little late to be mailin’ something if you want it to get there by Christmas,” he said.

  “Don’t need to mail it. Just need to wrap it up. There it is.” She pointed over his shoulder. “I almost forgot to get something ready for Gloria and Vernon.”

  “I’m sure they aren’t expecting anything, but if this is one of your quilts, I’m equally sure they’ll love it.” He pulled her to his chest. “We didn’t get to spend hardly any time together today. I missed you.”

  “When I open up shop, Levi, there will be days and days when we scarcely see each other. You’ll go to work in the morning and be out all day. It’s life,” she said.

  “But let the sun go down and the nights will belong to us. Is it too soon to ask for a drawer in your dresser and a place to put my toothbrush in the bathroom?” He tipped up her chin.

  “Not at all. You can have a whole chest of drawers of your own and a shelf in the medicine cabinet.” She got lost in his dark green eyes before they closed slowly and his lips found hers in a searing kiss.

  He took a step back. “Where’s your mind?”

  “On the future,” she answered honestly as she picked up the box. “Let’s go get this wrapped up. I hope I’ve got enough paper left.”

  “If you don’t there’s probably a dozen rolls up at the house. I’ll go get you some. What about the future? I’ll carry that for you. You can switch off the lights and make sure the door is closed,” he said.

  A cold wind blasted down from the north and whipped her ponytail around in her face as she covered the distance from one bunkhouse to the other. Dry leaves crunched under her feet as she decided that maybe she’d wait to go over to Grant and Angela’s place until after the girls had gotten up on Christmas morning. They’d need to have that time to bond as a family.

  “Are you going to answer me?” Levi asked.

  “About what? I didn’t hear a question.” She slung the door open and stood to the side to let him get through the door with the big box.

  “The future as in not so far away. Aren’t we going to get up early and drive up to Randlett on Christmas morning?” He set the box on the
table.

  She took a deep breath and then spit it out. “Yes, we are. My mind was just whipping around in circles about the new shop and us. Everything’s happened so fast that I feel like I’m living in a whirlwind.”

  He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to a recliner where he sat down with her in his lap. “This is going wherever you want and at the speed you want. I’ve fallen in love with you, Claire. I want a future with you, but I don’t want to rush you into anything.”

  She searched his face. They’d just told each other that they were in love, and the wind was still howling outside; time didn’t stop, and neither of their hearts stopped beating. Levi Jackson was the most honest person she’d ever known in her whole life, so she believed him but…

  No! There are no buts this time, she fussed with the pesky inner voice trying to trip her up and give her doubts.

  “Let’s leave after the gift opening, find us a hotel in Wichita Falls, and then drive on up to Randlett in time for Christmas dinner,” she said.

  His eyes twinkled. “I’ve got a better idea. Will you trust me with your life for one night? We’ll be in Randlett for Christmas dinner, I promise,” he said.

  “My heart and my life are in your hands,” she told him.

  Chapter Thirty

  Oh. My. Goodness!” Gloria squealed when she and Vernon opened their gift from Claire. “This is priceless and way too pretty to be using every day.”

  “No, no!” Claire threw up both hands. “You are supposed to use it, not put it on a shelf. That’s what quilts are for.”

  “Well, I’m going to use mine. It’s going to lay right over there on my chair, and I’m going to cover up with it while I watch television.” Cade’s eyes twinkled as he looked over at Retta. “You can cuddle under it with me.”

  She finished opening her gift and said, “I’ll be glad to, cowboy, but I’ve got one of my own, and would you look at this, there’s a matching one for the baby. I’m taking this to the hospital to use when we bring her home.”