Candy Kisses (Romance on the Ranch #4)

by Verna Clay

  "Yes. Very much."

  Ann said to her child, "Angel, this is Miss Newport. She's taking care of Tessa."

  The girl smiled shyly and said, "Hello, ma'am."

  Sarah said, "And this is my daughter, Hannah."

  Monica couldn't help her wide smile. Maybe I'll have a little girl as sweet as these. She said, "Hello Angel and Hannah. I'm looking forward to your cake."

  Both girls grinned proudly.

  Sarah pointed toward the swings. "Tessa and the boys are playing over there."

  Both girls glanced at their mothers and Angel asked, "Mommy, can I go play with them?"

  "Yes, but don't leave the swing area."

  Sarah nodded at Hannah. "Same for you. Now go have fun!"

  The girls held hands and ran happily toward the other children and Ann sat on the bench beside Monica. Both Sarah and Ann had great senses of humor and soon Monica was laughing at hilarious stories about their husbands and children.

  *

  Dirk crutched his way toward the bench where Monica sat with Sarah and Ann. He'd been bombarded with autograph seekers, and even now, a skinny boy of about twelve approached him with worship in his eyes.

  "Um, Mr. Branigan, um, I seen you when you rode that bull that broke your leg. Boy, what a ride! You woulda won if he hadn't tossed ya! Um, sir, can I have your autograph?"

  Dirk smiled at the kid who kept smoothing one hand nervously over his crew cut hair. "You sure can." He reached for the pen and paper the boy held toward him. "What's your name and where are you from?"

  "My name's Danny and I live in Cortez, but when I heard you was in the parade I begged my mom and dad to let me come. I rode over with my friend Tator and his mom. Tator's in the bathroom, but I know he'll be askin' for an autograph too."

  Dirk scribbled a nice message for the boy and then reached in his pocket. "Here are a couple of free tickets to the finals in Denver and here are two more for you to give to Tator."

  The boy accepted the tickets and the autograph and exclaimed, "Golly gee! Wow! Thanks, Mr. Branigan."

  Dirk laughed, "Son, just call me Dirk."

  "Oh, wow! I sure will."

  Dirk started toward the bench again. The smaller cast was much easier to maneuver and he was thankful for that, but he couldn't wait to be rid of the damn thing. He'd suffered broken arms and legs before, but this one was a bitch. The nagging voice in his head took opportunity for release. It's because you're getting too old for this. It's time to concentrate on getting your ranch going. He answered, Yes. I know. I know. Just a couple more seasons and then I'll retire.

  His mental conversation was interrupted when he turned his attention back to Monica. Her hair was mussed from its usual perfection and she was wearing jeans and a paisley cowgirl shirt with pearl snap buttons. She even had cowboy boots on. Her perfect makeup appeared to have been wiped off and she was laughing with Sarah and Ann. She looked adorable and he had an image of pulling the snaps apart, slowly, one by one.

  Crap, Dirk. What's your problem? Monica is off limits. Besides, she's pregnant. He glanced at her rounded tummy, but that didn't stop his desire for her.

  He stopped at the bench, said hello to the women, and then was approached by another autograph seeker who said his name was Tator.

  *

  Throughout the afternoon, Monica marveled that so many celebrities lived in Paxtonville. At least one of them was being asked for an autograph every few minutes. Sage Tanner gave his autograph to a bevy of giggling women mostly under the age of forty; Sarah gave hers to every age of women, teenagers to grandmothers; Miles was approached by both women and men, not only for his suspense novels, but for the romance tales he had begun writing a few years back; and although Tooty had released a collection of poetry, she was most noted for an historical romance about a man maimed in the civil war and taken in by a family when he was at death's door. He had subsequently fallen in love with one of the daughters and they had gone on to have five children. In some ways, it was similar to Tooty's relationship with Miles.

  However, the person with the most requests for autographs was Dirk and he never appeared bothered or hurried talking to his fans. In fact, he seemed to love the attention.

  The screeching of a microphone brought everyone's focus to a centrally located gazebo. "HOWDY, FOLKS!" shouted a jovial and portly man who could have been Santa's twin with his white hair, white beard, and rosy cheeks.

  Tessa ran to stand beside Monica, and Dirk joined them. The Santa wannabe put his mouth close to the mike and even sort of ho ho hoed before shouting, "IS EVERYONE HAVING FUN!"

  The crowd yelled affirmations and someone called, "Hey, Mayor, ya done good this year! Great parade!"

  Again the crowd roared their agreement.

  The mayor grinned and lifted the mike again. "THANKS FOLKS FOR COMIN' OUT TO SUPPORT THE HUNDRED AND FIFTH YEAR OF OUR GREAT TOWN!"

  The crowd cheered wildly and the mayor gave a rundown of the town's accomplishments the past year. Finally, he said, "I CAN TELL YA'LL THAT I'LL NEVER FORGET SERVING AS YOUR MAYOR." He paused for effect. "IN FACT, I'VE DECIDED TO RUN AGAIN IN THE NEXT ELECTION."

  More cheers erupted and the drummer in the band did a drum roll.

  The mayor laughed and even held his belly like Santa. "BEFORE THE MUSICIANS KICK THE DANCE OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK…"

  For the next several minutes, he called off names from memory, and added at the end, "LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR OWN BEAUTIFUL PARADE PRINCESS, TAWNIE TRUEBLOOD, AND OUR HOMEGROWN RODEO STAR, DIRK BRANIGAN! COME ON UP TAWNIE AND DIRK!"

  The crowd cheered loudly and Dirk grinned as he crutched to the platform. Instantly, several men rushed to assist him onto the red, white, and blue decorated gazebo, but he shook his head in a friendly manner and they stepped back. Easily, with his short cast, he maneuvered up the steps himself. Tawnie joined him by bounding up the stairs on the opposite side, and the two of them received thunderous applause amidst shouts when the mayor pulled them together. After a few more words of praise from the mayor, some folks in the crowd yelled, "Speech. Speech."

  The portly leader grinned and handed the mike to Tawnie. With ease and grace she addressed the crowd and they loved every minute of it. Monica also cheered and was surprised by how much she liked the friendly woman.

  Tawnie said, "And now, here's the cowboy who always makes my heart pitter patter and my knees go weak. Our own, Dirk Branigan!"

  The crowd roared while Dirk adjusted one of his crutches and accepted the microphone. In a beautifully resonant voice he said, "Howdy, folks."

  From the reaction of the throng you'd have thought he'd said something profound. He only grinned and shook his head. "I'm right honored to have been invited to join Tawnie, our beautiful princess, for our town's annual anniversary parade. That's one hundred and five years, folks." The crowd burst into applause and when it died down, he continued, "We may not be big, but there's one thing I know for sure—we're not going anywhere. I'm proud to have been born and raised here." He paused for effect and then said loudly, "And our children's, children's, children, will still be celebrating our town in another hundred and five years!"

  The crowd hooted and shouted, "Dirk. Dirk. Dirk." He glanced at the ground and shook his head before looking back up and lifting the mike. "What can I say?" Then he grinned and said loudly, "Except, let's party down with a hoedown!"

  The crowd roared and the mayor waved toward the musicians under a covered awning next to the gazebo. The lead singer grabbed his mike and shouted, "Gents, grab yer gal! Gals, grab yer gent, and mosey on down to the dance floor!"

  The flurry of activity had Monica laughing as elementary school children, teenagers, moms and dads, the elderly and the not so elderly, and even a couple of dogs, rushed toward the dance area in front of the musicians.

  Monica spied an empty bench and told Tessa, "Honey, I'm going to sit on that bench. You go have fun!"

  Tessa said, "Can I sit with you? The only one I dance with is Daddy, but he can't be
cause of his leg."

  "Sure, Sweetie."

  Tessa followed Monica to the bench and together they laughed as they watched cowboys and cowgirls having a rip roarin' time. Monica pointed to a cowboy showing off his steps and turned to Tessa to ask who it was, but the child was looking at the opposite end of the dance floor with an unhappy expression. Monica gazed in that direction to see Jared dancing with a pretty red headed girl about his own age, with a bobbing ponytail. She glanced back at Tessa and understanding slammed her. The child had a love/hate thing going for Jerky Jared. With that revelation, she almost groaned aloud. Was the girl destined for a life similar to Monica's—always falling for the wrong guy?

  Her musings were interrupted when Dirk came up behind them. "There's my girls," he laughed.

  Monica wondered if he realized what he'd just said. Warmth crept up her body at the sweetness of his words. You are not going to fall for this guy.

  Tessa's attention was distracted from Jared and she smiled at her dad. He said, "If my leg wasn't busted, I'd be doing the two-step with both of you on that dance floor."

  Tessa giggled. "Next year, Daddy."

  Monica smiled. "I haven't the faintest idea what the two-step is."

  Both Tessa and Dirk turned incredulous eyes on her. Dirk was about to respond when another cowboy approached their bench. "Ma'am, may I have the honor of this dance." Although his request was respectful, his words were slurred and his eyes lecherous.

  Monica said, "No. But thank you for asking. I don't dance."

  The cowboy wasn't to be deterred. "Well, ma'am, I'm just the man to teach you, then." He gave her a wink that said he wanted to teach her more than dancing.

  Monica responded, "No. I don't want to dance."

  The cowboy squinted and started to say something else when Dirk entered the conversation. "Jerry Joe, the lady said no. Why don't you just leave it at that?"

  Jerry Joe stumbled backwards, caught himself, and glanced from Dirk to Monica and smiled slyly. "Oh, I get it. The prissy city gal and the famous cowpoke," he laughed at his play on words, "got a little dance goin' on already."

  Monica watched Dirk stiffen and adjust his crutches. He said between clenched teeth, "If I wasn't in this cast, I'd beat the…" he paused and glanced at his daughter, "…you-know-what out of you."

  The drunken cowboy stepped toward Dirk and Monica started to say she'd dance with the creep just to stop a fight that might injure Dirk, when the deep voice of another cowboy interrupted the tense moment. Sage said, "Hey, Jerry Joe, I heard your ma was lookin' for you. Said it was real important."

  Alligator stepped up behind Sage. "Yeah. Real important."

  Jerry Joe gazed up into the face of Alligator who had to be at least a foot and a half taller and staggered again. Alligator's stare brooked no argument. Finally, the drunken lout turned, and without a word, walked crookedly away. Monica let out the breath she had been holding.

  Alligator didn't mince words. "Shit head."

  Chapter 15: Bustin' a Boot

  Rosy shades of dusk began their nightly painting of the sky and Monica watched pastures and ranches whiz past her window. Except for the obnoxious cowboy, the day had been more fun than she'd had in…well, years. Tawnie had picked Dirk up that morning so they could arrive at parade headquarters well in advance of the event, but now he drove his pickup with Monica in the front and Tessa in the king cab. He was speaking and Monica turned from looking out the window.

  "I'm sorry about Jerry Joe. He's a jerk when he's drunk. I've seen him tossed out of Boot Bustin' Barn more times than I can count."

  Monica smiled. "Boot what?"

  Dirk chuckled. "Boot Bustin' Barn. It's our local honky-tonk."

  "The name certainly is creative. In fact, all the names around here are creative. I thought Shop Til You Drop Truck Stop was about the best, but Boot Bustin' Barn is even better."

  "So is the atmosphere. It comes complete with a mechanical bull and a sorta stage for the sorta musicians. Actually, I'm just kidding about the musicians; they're great." He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "Hey, why don't I take you there Friday night? I swear it's an experience you'll never forget. And you don't have to worry about smoke. The no-smoking policy is strictly enforced."

  "Oh, I don't know. I've never been anywhere like that. I'd probably look so out of place I'd embarrass you." Her attempt at a joke fell flat.

  Dirk narrowed his eyes. "Ma'am, if you think that of me…"

  Monica hastened to explain. "I'm sorry, Dirk. I was trying to make a joke. I'd be happy to go. What about Tessa? Are children allowed?"

  Dirk snorted, "No, ma'am. She can stay overnight with Shauna. The girls love spending time together. Isn't that right, punkin?"

  Tessa answered from the back, "It sure is. I'll call her when we get home."

  Throughout the week, Monica worried about two things; meeting Tooty and her friends on Wednesday, and what to wear to Boot Bustin' Barn. Surprisingly, the Wednesday morning coffee clique turned out to be fun and she almost felt a comradery with the women.

  As far as what to wear on Friday, she decided to enlist Tessa's help. Once again, she found herself at Cindy's Second Chance Clothing Store because, honestly, the designer clothes at the upscale women's shop were outdated and frumpy. No wonder so many women shopped Cindy's. Tessa helped her find a Levi skirt with a big waist and a cute, loose fitting, green blouse embroidered with yellow flowers around the drawstring neckline. When the child added a Stetson to the outfit, Monica wanted to refuse, but her happy grin kept her from doing so.

  On Friday evening, after she had dressed in her new, used duds, Monica nervously twirled for Tessa. The sweet girl said, "You look beautiful! You're going to have so much fun! Sally works there and she's really nice." Tessa handed her the cowboy hat. "Don't forget this."

  Monica glanced in the mirror at her once beautiful bob haircut that now touched her shoulders and amazed herself when she considered a ponytail. "Tessa, maybe I should forget the hat. I'll just look like a city gal trying to be country."

  "Oh, no, Miz Monica. It's perfect. Put it on. You'll see."

  Reluctantly, Monica planted the hat gingerly on her head and glanced back in the mirror. Hmm. Maybe she's right. It's kind of cute.

  *

  Dirk slanted a sideways glance at Monica. Damn, but the woman was hot. "I like your hat."

  Self consciously she lifted a hand to the brim. "Is it really okay? I told Tessa I wasn't sure about it, but she insisted I wear it."

  Dirk wanted to tell her just how sensational she looked, but decided it wouldn't be appropriate between employer and employee. "Tessa was right. It looks great."

  "When I get inside this Barn, do I leave the hat on or take it off. I'm totally ignorant of cowboy, I mean, cowgirl etiquette."

  Dirk stifled a laugh at the seriousness of her tone. "Well, the cowboys take theirs off, but the cowgirls can leave theirs on."

  "Oh, that's good. Then the crease in my hair won't show from wearing the hat."

  Dirk almost lost it on that remark. The woman was totally serious. He pulled his truck into the full parking lot of the Barn and pointed at the huge neon bull. "Watch."

  After a minute, the bull came to life by bucking and making bull sounds.

  "O…M…G." Monica covered her mouth with her hands.

  "If you think that's something, wait 'til you get inside."

  As they made their way across the parking lot, several patrons called hello to Dirk and cast curious glances at Monica. He knew tongues were wagging about his new housekeeper. Hell, they'd been wagging since her arrival, and why wouldn't they be. He was single and had a beautiful woman residing under his roof.

  At the entrance, Justin, the owner of the bar, and so burley he also acted as bouncer, greeted him warmly. "Howdy, Dirk."

  Dirk nodded and shifted his crutches to one hand so he could shake Justin's. "Evenin', Justin. I'd like you to meet Miz Monica Newport. She's helpin' out 'til I get freed up from this cas
t."

  "Howdy, ma'am. Please to meet ya."

  Dirk said to Monica, "Justin is the owner of Boot Bustin' Barn."

  Monica fiddled with her hat. "It's a pleasure meeting you, Justin."

  "Same here, ma'am." Justin turned and called loudly, "Hey, Sally, make Dirk and his guest welcome!"

  A pretty woman who looked to be in her forties with her shapely body showcased in skin tight jeans and a black tank top, hastened over carrying an empty tray. "Hey, Dirk. Ya'll follow me."

  Dirk held Monica's elbow as they trailed behind Sally to a table in a darkened corner. Dirk said as he pulled out Monica's chair, "Sally, have you met Monica?"

  Sally replied, "Haven't had the pleasure. Pleased to meet ya, Monica. Hope you enjoy yourself. Now, what can I get ya'll?"

  Dirk glanced questioningly at Monica. Since she was pregnant, he doubted she would order a beer.

  Sally said, "We got tea, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, 7-Up, and other sodas."

  Dirk figured she must know that Monica was pregnant because she didn't add the bar's main beverage, beer, to the list. Hell, the woman's stomach had started to stick out, so the way gossip traveled, the whole town probably knew she was unwed and expecting.

  Monica said, "I'd like a 7-Up. Thank you." She adjusted her hat again.

  Dirk said while he removed his hat and set it on the chair next to him, "I'll have a brew."

  Sally grinned. "You got it."

  When she walked away, he said, "Monica, I won't drink more than one beer, so you don't have to worry about my driving. In fact, if you want, you can drive home."

  Her grateful smile made him want to trail his fingers across her lips. Down boy.

  Several patrons waved at Dirk or called greetings and a few stopped by his table. Sally returned with their drinks at the same time Sage and Sarah walked over.

  "Greetings Dirk, Monica," Sage drawled.

  Sarah said, "What a nice surprise running into you here."

  Dirk noticed a look of relief pass across Monica's face at seeing them. Obviously, being here was making her nervous. He said, "Why don't ya'll join us?"