“You don’t have children to worry about.” Debbie walked to the toboggan and sat down, wiggling a little to get the feel of it. Then she used her mittened hands to scoot the conveyance the few inches it needed to go forward before she let gravity take over. Halfway down, she let out a whoop of excitement. She hadn’t sledded in a long, long time.
When she reached the bottom, she was still sitting upright, but her cheeks were bright red from the cold. The ride had been fast and furious, even if Frank thought it should be faster. He was entitled to his opinions.
Frank reached the bottom shortly after she did. “No fair taking off without me!” he said with a frown.
She rolled her eyes. “We’re not racing, remember?”
He grabbed the ropes from both the sled and the toboggan and started the long trek back up the hill. “We need a ski lift to get them back up the hill.”
She laughed. “Are you such an old man you can’t pull a couple of sleds up a hill? I’ll take mine. We don’t want you to have a heart attack!”
He shook his head at her, even as she reached for the rope. “I’m a gentleman. I could never let my girl drag her own toboggan up the hill. Too much work for your delicate hands.”
Debbie shook her head at him. “You have a strange code of conduct, Frank.”
“Thank you!” Finally, they reached the top, both of them slightly out of breath. “Want to trade this time?”
“Nope. I’m content on the toboggan. You have to be content with your sled.”
Frank grinned. “Let’s face it. I’d be content with a piece of cardboard. I remember using cardboard for sledding more than once when I was a kid.” He looked over at her, enthralled by the twinkle in her eye. She was truly enjoying herself. It was all he could do not to lean over and kiss her.
As Frank’s eyes locked onto hers, Debbie held her breath for a moment. She wanted him to kiss her more than she’d wanted anything for a long time. This gentle, sweet man who was doing everything he could to honor her wishes about being friends for a while was stealing her heart. She couldn’t just tell him to kiss her though, could she? And how would she feel if he did?
She tore her gaze from his, refusing to contemplate kissing him for another moment. Jamming her hands into the snow on either side of the toboggan, she pushed off, and went careening down the hill, laughing the whole while. As she reached the bottom, she realized that Frank had gotten there first, and he had a triumphant look on his face. It didn’t matter though.
They stopped to sip the hot chocolate and eat the cookies, joking the whole while. “Your hill is fun! We’re going to have to do this again.”
He took a sip of the hot chocolate she poured into a Styrofoam cup for him. “Only if you promise to bring your hot chocolate again. No one makes it quite like you do.”
She laughed. “I use the recipe my mother used when I was a kid, but with one small addition.”
“What?” He leaned forward, very curious about her secret.
“I add milk chocolate chips. It makes it creamier. And Mom always added a huge scoop of marshmallow cream to the whole batch, so I do that too.”
He took another sip, nodding. “Well, it’s the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. I will let you make it for me every day for the rest of my life.”
At his words, she started visibly. “I don’t know about that.”
Frank sighed. He wished he knew exactly what would work to get through to her. He’d thought for a moment at the top of the hill it was time to kiss her, but she’d pushed off before he had the chance. “I have a flight this afternoon,” he told her. “A couple is leaving, and they don’t want to have to drive back to town, so I’m flying them in.”
“Do you do that a lot?” Debbie asked, grateful for the change of topic.
He shrugged. “Usually a few times a month I’ll have to fly into Lewiston or Boise to pick up guests who don’t want to rent a car and drive. We’ve talked about having a shuttle at the area airports, but at this point, we’re too far away for it to make sense.”
She downed the last of her hot chocolate and ate her last bite of cookie. “Are we going again?”
He nodded. “Sure! Café stops serving lunch at two, so we want to make sure we’re back at the ranch by one or so. No one wants to get on Kelsi’s bad side, by getting there just before she closes up for the weekend.”
“So the diner’s not open on Sunday’s, right?”
He shook his head. “Nope. It’s hard to find food when they’re closed.”
“Aren’t there restaurants in Riston?”
“Sure. But they’re not the same.”
“You really are a creature of habit, aren’t you, Frank?”
“Yup. Not even ashamed of it.” He got out of the truck where they’d taken their break and headed back for the sleds. He wished he had the words he needed to convince her that dating him would be all right, but he didn’t. She’d have to figure that out on her own.
After several more trips down the hill, they decided to head back to the ranch. When they walked into the café, they were both dripping wet from the snow. Kelsi took one look at the two of them and made a beeline for them. “What have you two been doing? Rolling in the snow?”
Debbie laughed. “Close enough. We were sledding.”
Kelsi grinned. “I love sledding! Shane won’t let me go until little Willardita arrives, though.”
“Willardita? That name is the worst you’ve come up with, Kelsi. Widget is better than Willardita.” Debbie shook her head at the soon-to-be-mother.
Kelsi sighed. “Pastor Kevin’s been tracing the ranch’s history, and it looks like it was initially settled by a brother and sister named Willard and Francine. I thought Francine would be a good name too, but Shane just keeps shooting them all down!”
“Francine is better than Willardita.”
“That’s what I told him. We could call her Frankie, which is what my ancestor was called. Doesn’t Frankie Clapper have a nice ring to it?”
Frank grinned at Kelsi. “I’m all for it. I think Frankie is the perfect name for your little girl.”
Kelsi frowned at him. “You’re Frank.” She looked over at Shane and called, “I changed my mind! I don’t want a Frankie!”
Shane was obviously distracted by some paperwork on the table in front of him. “Whatever you say, dear!”
“I’m going to name the baby Widget!”
“No, you’re not!”
Kelsi sighed. “I thought I had him when he wasn’t listening!” She shook her head, obviously annoyed with her husband’s attentiveness. “Two specials and two waters?”
“Sounds good!” As she walked away, Debbie looked at Frank. “Are we ever going to look at the menus?”
“Why would we?”
Someone slid into the booth beside Debbie, and she turned, surprised to see Miranda. “Hi there. What are you doing out of the bakery?” She hugged her daughter quickly.
“I have a college student who helps out in the afternoons a couple of days per week and on Saturdays now. I have to go in and make sure everything is baked, but she takes care of the customers as soon as it’s open.”
“Why didn’t you want to spend the day with your mother then?”
Miranda shrugged. “I figured you’d be spending the day with Frank. Rumor around the ranch has it that the two of you are always together.”
Debbie felt her face heat up, and wanted to kick herself for it. The blush was as good as an admission of guilt. “We’re just having fun together. I need a friend on the ranch.”
“I’m not accusing you of anything! What did you guys do today? You’re soaking wet!”
“We went sledding!” Debbie knew the excitement was obvious on her face.
Miranda looked at Frank. “Now she’s going to like you more than Scott and me. We never wanted to sled with her.”
Frank leaned forward, lowering his voice as if to impart a great secret. “She’s too scared to sled. She rides a toboggan.”
“Really, Mom?”
Debbie shrugged. “I have to be in one piece. You kids don’t want to be left orphans, do you?”
“You’re not going to die sledding.” Miranda shook her head. “She used to say she’d die from skiing too.”
“It’s possible! I’ve seen the movie Other Side of the Mountain.”
Miranda patted her mother’s arm, looking over at Kelsi. “I want a special!”
“Gotcha!” Kelsi called back. “What do you think of the name Willardita?”
“I think it’s the worst name in the entire history of bad names. You can’t do that to your unborn child.”
“Okay! Just checking!” Kelsi went about her business as Miranda turned back to her mother and Frank.
“What are you two doing this afternoon?” Miranda asked.
“I have a couple to fly to Lewiston,” Frank told her. “I would love a co-pilot, but your mom said something about working.
“She would.” Miranda shook her head. “For the past twenty years, she’s done nothing that wasn’t work or for us kids. Nothing. I want to see her go do something fun!”
“I went sledding this morning! That was fun!” Debbie hated that Miranda was making her sound like a fuddy duddy. Then she realized that only a fuddy duddy would even think the term fuddy duddy. She might as well give in.
“Sure, Mom. What are you going to work on?”
“I want to make pillows for the infant and toddler rooms. The fabric was delivered yesterday. You know how much I enjoy sewing.”
“Do you want me to come over and help?”
“What do you have planned?” Debbie really didn’t want to take Miranda away from her husband if they had a day together planned.
“Bob and I were talking about seeing a movie, but we can go another time.”
“You spend the day with Bob. I’ll make my pillows. We’re already spending tomorrow together. A marriage is two people, and one of those is not your mother.”
Kelsi came from the kitchen with three plates, heaped with shrimp, rice, carrots, and biscuits. Debbie looked down at her plate with a frown. “Why is there meat in my rice?”
“It’s dirty rice,” Kelsi responded quickly. “It’s one of Bob’s specialties. He lived in Louisiana for a long time.”
“I guess I’m having dirty rice for lunch then.”
Kelsi pulled a small green container from her pocket, leaving it on the table. “Just in case it’s not spicy enough.” She walked away, patting her belly as she went.
Debbie took a bite, and immediately reached for her water. “Not spicy enough?”
“Kelsi’s taste buds are broken,” Frank said, waving a hand in front of his mouth. “Bob’s food is delicious, though. Spicy, but good!”
“I can’t deny that.” Debbie finished her water and smiled as Kelsi arrived with a pitcher of ice water to refill their glasses at the same time. “You read my mind.”
“No one around here can handle spice.” Kelsi was mumbling under her breath as she walked away.
Chapter Six
Debbie found herself growing closer and closer to Frank as the days went by. On Wednesday, she found a cook, and she told him about it as they ate lunch at the café.
“Her name is Samantha, and she’s got a degree in culinary arts.” She grinned and raised her voice to be heard on the other side of the diner. “She cooked a snack for me, and she’s a better cook than Bob is.”
Bob came out of the kitchen brandishing his spatula. “Who said that?” Debbie raised her hand, and he narrowed his eyes at her for a moment, before shaking his head. “If you weren’t my mother-in-law…”
Frank and Debbie both laughed as he headed into the kitchen, and Kelsi waddled over, a huge grin on her face. “That made me a lot happier than it probably should have!”
Debbie grinned. “How’re you feeling today?”
“Very, very round. I swear I feel like I’m a beach ball.”
“You look beautiful!”
Kelsi sighed. “Are we still on for the snow sculpting contest this weekend?”
“I don’t know that you snow sculpting is a good idea. How far along are you?” Debbie hated the idea of letting Kelsi get out there in the snow. She knew it wouldn’t kill her, but it might cause her to go into premature labor.
“Thirty-eight weeks. If the baby comes this week, it’s no big deal.”
Debbie frowned at that. “But your mom isn’t here yet!”
Kelsi shrugged. “I really want her to be here, but you said you’d fill in for her if she’s not, and that takes a load off my mind.”
“I wish it took a load off mine,” Debbie mumbled.
“Birdie and I heard that!”
Not another ridiculous name! Debbie didn’t want to ask, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. “Birdie?”
“I woke up to the sound of birds singing this morning, and I thought it would be nice to honor singing birds by naming my baby after them. Don’t you think?”
Debbie shook her head. “No, I really don’t.”
Kelsi frowned. “Why does no one like the names I choose?” She walked away from the table, going to pick up the two specials in the window. “Chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes.” She put the plates in front of Debbie and Frank. “Enjoy, and let me know if you need me to bring you my spice.”
At that, Bob stuck his head out of the kitchen. “Not everyone puts Cajun seasoning on every single thing they stick in their mouth, Kelsi!”
“Well, they should!”
Debbie looked at Frank with a grin. “Do we come here for the good food or for the show?”
“Both. Definitely both.” He cut off a bite of his steak and popped it into his mouth. “I swear everything he cooks makes my taste buds jump up and sing!”
“Do you have your team all ready for the competition Saturday?” Debbie asked.
He nodded. “I do. But you get no information, because you won’t give me any.”
“I told you who’s on my team! I just didn’t tell you what we’re making.” Not that any decisions had been made about what they’d sculpt.
Frank leveled her with a look. “No information at all.”
“Fine.” Debbie sipped her water. “Everything’s just about ready to open the Kids’ Korral. I think we’ll actually be ready a day or two early.”
“Wade will make you open early then!”
“Good! Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed working with small children? It’s been so many years.” She couldn’t believe how excited she was at the idea of opening the Korral.
“It’s going to be hard work to keep that open. It’s seven days a week, right?”
Debbie nodded. “I have an assistant manager who is taking night shift. Two college students will be managers on the weekend, and we’ll take turns being on call. It’s going to be a lot of work, but I can’t even express how excited I am.”
He grinned at her. “I’m glad you’re doing it, then.” He looked down for a moment. “How would you feel about going to a movie with me on Saturday night? I was thinking it would be nice to have some time away from the ranch together.”
Debbie studied him for a minute. “Are you asking me on a date, Frank?”
Frank met her gaze, his brown eyes steady on hers. “What if I am?”
She took a deep breath and slowly nodded. “I think I’d say yes if you were.”
“Really? No more of this ‘only friends’ thing?”
“Now we’re in the taking it slowly stage.”
“Of course. It’s not like I’m going to try anything. I haven’t even held your hand yet.”
She smiled at that. “One step at a time. This is new for me.” She couldn’t believe she’d actually agreed to go out with him as more than friends. She’d wanted something more to happen, but she’d been the one to put brakes on things. “Thank you for taking some time to be my friend first. It means a lot to me.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kis
sing the tips of her fingers. “Our relationship can only be stronger for the time as friends.”
“I think so, too.”
Kelsi was suddenly beside their table. “Did I just see Frank kiss your fingers? Does that mean you two are going to start dating?” Her hands were clutched together on top of her huge belly, and she was obviously ecstatic about their relationship progressing.
Debbie sighed. “We’re going out on Saturday evening, after we beat his team in the snow sculpting contest.”
“Yay! I can’t wait to tell—”
“Let’s not tell the world just yet,” Frank said softly. “I’m sure Debbie would rather Miranda heard it from her lips than yours.”
Kelsi nodded. “I wasn’t thinking. Mums the word. And Birdie, of course.”
Debbie looked at Frank as soon as she’d left. “We’re going to have no privacy. None.”
“No, we’re really not. Privacy is out of our reach at the moment.”
She sighed. “I guess I need to get used to living in a fish bowl.”
“And I need to get used to the fact that I’m dating a woman with two kids in their twenties. I’m not sure how that’s going to go.”
“Does it make you nervous? Because they’re definitely part of the package.”
“A little. I know Miranda, but I’ve never met Scott. Is he going to hate me? I think I’d hate meeting a man who was dating my mom.”
“Nah. Scott is pretty easygoing if you keep him filled up with his favorite foods. I’ll feed him, and then you can come over after dinner. You’ll be best friends in no time.”
Frank nodded. “I like this plan!”
“Seriously, Scott will respect you. He wants to join the Air Force, and he’ll respect you simply because you’re retired from the military.” She liked the idea of him getting to know Scott.
“We’ll bond when I take him up in my helicopter!”
She smiled. “Don’t worry about bonding with my kids just yet. We have to get through our first date.”
“Think we can?”
“I’m pretty sure we’ll survive it.”
“There’s a new Chinese place in town. We’ll go there for dinner, and then go see a movie. I have no idea what’s showing, but I don’t care. As long as we can sit in the dark theater and hold hands.”
Flyboy's Fancy (River's End Ranch Book 21) Page 6