Polly jumped up out of the wheelchair and yelled, “Hit it,” and the music started for “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth.” They had made a few adjustments to the lyrics: “All I want for Christmas is to find my dentures.” They sang that if they could find their dentures they could whistle and say “sister Suzy sitting on a thistle.”
When that ended, they entertained the congregation with “Jingle Bell Rock” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” and then Polly wound up the half-hour show by asking everyone to pick up the hymnal from the back of the pew in front of them and open it.
“Like our preacher told us, laughter is good for the soul. So is music and singing. We’ve had a good time here this morning, and we’re tickled to be here another year with all y’all. Here’s hoping we can all ten be here again next year and that Verdie don’t get in the way of a reindeer. Now Gladys is going to play the piano like she used to do when we really were too young to get those senior citizens’ discounts, and we’re all going to finish this morning’s service by singing together. The song is right there inside the cover, and we want to hear your voices lift the roof,” Polly said.
Verdie pushed her way to Polly’s side. “Really we want you to sing loud because we’re all hard of hearing.”
Gladys hit the keys and Polly handed the microphone to Verdie, who led the whole group in “Joy to the World.”
Callie could hear Finn’s deep Texas twang over the sweet little voices of the children and wished she was standing beside him.
Callie steered clear of the ladies’ room that morning and only caught a glimpse of Honey and Betsy shooting evil looks at each other. If only they’d both have to make a run to the bathroom, she’d gladly lock them inside.
***
“Boy, I wish church was like that every week,” Martin said on the way home.
“Not me,” Finn whispered toward Callie. “I missed you sitting beside me.”
“Sometimes I nearly fall asleep when the preacher starts talking about that old stuff, but I didn’t this morning,” Ricky said.
“I like the part when we all get to sing,” Olivia said. “Someday I’m going to be a country music star and sing in Nashville. Maybe I’ll even get asked up on the Grand Ole Opry stage when I get to be really famous.”
“It was fun,” Verdie said. “Never knew how much I missed the little things about Burnt Boot until the well run dry. I’m glad to be home, and I’m not leaving again. If y’all kick me off Salt Draw, I’ll go live with Polly and be a barmaid at night.”
“Verdie!” Callie exclaimed.
“I’d rather do that than go crazy on depression pills at the funny farm. Oh, I meant to tell y’all. My grandkids called last night. They can’t come for the holidays this year, but they asked me what I wanted.”
“What did you tell them?” Olivia asked.
“I said I wanted seven tickets to the Rainforest Café in Grapevine, Texas. I thought we might go have dinner there for New Year’s Eve and then go ice-skating in Frisco at that big old mall they got down there,” Verdie answered.
Olivia slapped a hand over her mouth. “Are you serious?”
“My Rainforest tickets will be here in my Christmas card sometime this week, but we’ll have to clear it with Callie and Finn,” Verdie said.
Finn reached across the distance between the two bucket seats in the front of the new van and laced his fingers into Callie’s. “Fine by me, but now you got to convince Callie. She might have other ideas to bring in the New Year.”
“Callie, please,” Martin whispered right behind her.
“How could I ever say no to a deal like that? How many of you have ever ice-skated?”
No hands went up, but Finn squeezed her fingers.
“You?” she asked.
“Couple of times, ma’am. We were up in Montana for a rodeo one winter, and then we went to the finals in Las Vegas. One of the casinos has a rink on the bottom floor. I’ll teach you,” he answered.
“How about you, Verdie?” Olivia asked.
“When I was a girl, we had some real hard winters around these parts and the ponds froze over. We didn’t have skates, but we put old socks over our shoes and had a big time. I’m willing to learn if you are,” Verdie answered.
The buzz sounded like bees had been turned loose in the back of the van. It was still going on when they piled out of the vehicle at the house and tore off to their bedrooms to change clothes.
Verdie picked up an apron and looped it over her head. “I’m thinking that this afternoon we’ll play board games and maybe I’ll read them a book.”
“I’m taking a long nap,” Finn said.
Callie turned around for Finn to tie her apron strings. “Me too.”
“Makeup, round two?” he whispered into her ear so softly that only she heard it.
She nodded.
“Stop whispering. It’ll make me think something is going on between you two. Want to tell me what all this moony-eyed business is about?” Verdie teased.
“It’s need-to-know,” Finn said.
“What does need-to-know mean?” Martin asked. “I’ll set the table. Adam and Ricky will be here in a minute to get the napkins.”
“Need-to-know means it’s information you only get when you need it,” Finn said.
“And you don’t need to know,” Verdie said.
“Sounds like big people talk. I’m not ready for that,” Martin said. “But I’m ready for dinner. I’m starving and I love chicken baked in the oven and potato casserole. And I couldn’t hardly sing for thinkin’ about that peach cobbler over there on the cabinet.”
“And I couldn’t hardly sing for thinking about session two,” Finn whispered in Callie’s ear.
Chapter 25
Callie’s heart threw in an extra beat when Finn dropped a kiss on her cheek and crawled in behind her. One arm went under her, one around her, and his face was buried in her hair. It was absolutely amazing that they could be wound up in a cocoon with five other people in the house and yet feel so very alone in her bedroom.
“Being in your arms feels so good,” she said.
“Yes, it does,” he agreed.
His hands traveled down her arms in a lazy fashion, taking his time until she shivered and flipped over to face him, body pressed against his, hearts thumping so loud that she was amazed the kids didn’t come running to see what the noise was all about.
“I like the way our bodies fit together,” he murmured.
She wanted to touch him, to feel that he was ready, and then she wanted to make wild love, not the kind where he built her into a frenzy then backed off with sweet little kisses to let the flames cool to embers. She wanted the fire and the heat all at once.
Carefully unzipping his jeans and slipping her hand inside, she let out a gasp. Nothing between naked flesh and his zipper pushed her desire to have him even higher. She sat up, unzipped his jeans, and tugged them all the way off. Then he pulled her shirt up over her head. Everything was going so fast, it was a blur. Then he slowed down, taking his time to unfasten her skirt, to pull it all the way off, and then gently lay it over the rocking chair.
“My God, Finn, I’m aching for you,” she said.
His eyes were shut when he kissed her. His hands went under her bottom for leverage, and she grabbed the rungs of the headboard with both hands. His lips came down on hers with so much passion that it almost brought tears to her eyes.
She kept up with the rhythm, and her body responded even though her mind and soul nagged at her in worry. Something was out of sync between them.
“Callie,” he said hoarsely.
“Oh. My. God,” she whimpered and hung on to him, hoping she was wrong and when she opened her eyes, everything would be perfect again.
***
Finn rolled to one side, keeping her tightly in his arms and close to his side, so she wouldn’t look at him with those big aqua eyes. He’d thought he’d gotten over his commitment issues, but there they wer
e in living color, upsetting his world again, and she’d seen it. Even the wild, passionate sex hadn’t completely erased it.
Why did doubts about Callie leaving him flash through his mind when he crawled between the sheets with her?
“It was fear of me being like her, of leaving you, wasn’t it?” Callie propped up on an elbow. “Open your eyes, Finn O’Donnell.”
If he did, she would know, and he’d fallen in love with Callie. He didn’t want to hurt her, but she deserved so much more than a hard heart that could still conjure up doubts right in the middle of sex.
“I said to open your eyes,” she demanded.
That was his Callie. The one who’d been his partner. Bossy as hell and twice as sassy. He opened his eyes.
“Now look at me. Look right into my eyes and don’t blink. What do you see?”
“I see Callie.”
“What do you feel?” She pressed tighter against him.
“I feel your naked body against mine,” he said.
“What do you smell?”
He smiled. “How graphic do you want me to get?”
“Tell me.”
“I smell your perfume, coconut in your hair, and the musk that is your scent and no one else’s after we make love,” he said.
“That’s because I’m right here. Lala did you wrong, but that is all in the past. Shut the door on it. Slam the damn door on it. I’m not going anywhere. If you can help me to get over my commitment fears, then I’ll help you with yours. They’re going to pop up for both of us. There’s nothing we can do about it but fight the hell out of it when it happens. It will happen less and less, trust me. I love you and that’s the way it is. Now you can blink.”
“I love you, Callie Brewster,” he said softly.
“Remember something important. We were friends and partners a long time before we were lovers, so we know and understand each other. Now kiss me again.” She pointed to a sprig of mistletoe that she’d hung on the bedpost right above her head.
He drew her down for a kiss, and all doubts faded. There was only Callie, his old spotter, his best friend, his new lover.
“Please tell me those sirens I hear are in my head and not really getting closer and closer.” Her voice was muffled against his chest.
“I believe they’re real.”
“Shit! I may buy two Stinger missiles and blow both those feuding families out into the Red River for messin’ up my afternoon.” She threw back the covers and grabbed the pair of jeans hanging on the back of a rocking chair. “I knew they were up to something this morning in church. The air was almost crackling with tension.”
Finn shot out of bed. “I felt it, too. Wonder which one set fire to the other one’s barn?”
“You’re kiddin’. Would they take it that far?”
“I just hope Honey Brennan isn’t so mad at you for the soap in her eyes that she set fire to our barn.”
“The puppies,” Callie said as she hurriedly jerked on socks and rubber boots.
Callie reached the kitchen first. Verdie was on the phone and the kids waited at the table for her to return to the board game they’d set up.
“It’s a fire at the Brennans’ place,” she said.
Before Callie could answer, the doorbell rang.
“Get that door while I finish talking to Gladys.”
Expecting to see Honey or Betsy, or maybe both, ready to crucify her for arson, she was shocked speechless to see the sheriff on the porch.
Orville held a big flat box with a dozen doughnuts in it. There was a fleck of chocolate and a red sprinkle in the corner of his mouth. “Afternoon. Thought I’d stop by and say hello on the way to the fire. They won’t need me for a few minutes.”
“Doughnuts! Doughnuts! Joe wants a doughnut,” Joe yelled from his perch.
“Come inside out of the cold. What’s going on? We heard the sirens,” Callie said.
He handed off the doughnuts to her, and she took them to the kitchen with Orville right behind her.
“Doughnuts!” Martin squealed.
“Only one each and, yes, Joe can have a few bites but not a whole one. It would make him sick. Olivia, you can pour up milk to go with them,” Verdie yelled from the utility room.
“It’s the feud, I’m sure. One of the Gallaghers set fire to a big round bale of hay. There was about sixty bales lined up at the edge of a fence, and it’s burned through at least ten of them by now. Throws a lot of smoke, but it’s not a barn or a house. Trouble was when the Brennans went to put it out, every damn…oops, pardon my language, kids…danged one of their truck tires were flatter than pancakes. Not slashed or cut, just all the air let out of them,” Orville said.
“Wow!” Adam said. “How many trucks was there?”
“A bunch,” Orville said.
“Afternoon, Sheriff,” Finn said. “Reckon they need help over there?”
“Naw, they can put out that fire, but I was hopin’ maybe you or Miz Verdie would ride along with me to kinda help me buffer,” he said. “You want to go, too, Callie?”
“Let me get my coat,” Verdie said. “Finn, you’d best come along with us.”
“I’ll stay here with the kids,” Callie said. She’d had her fill of the feud, and she didn’t want to encourage Orville one bit.
***
The roads were slick and Orville didn’t seem to be in any hurry to get to the site of the burning hay, so what should have taken five minutes took fifteen.
“Is he afraid to drive on ice and snow?” Finn griped.
“He’s got his reasons. Stunt like this means the Brennans will load their guns. Last time they did that, Orville got shot. Nowadays when a call comes from Burnt Boot, he goes by the doughnut shop, eats a couple, and gee-haws with the ladies who run it before he drives out here. And he always takes his time,” Verdie explained.
The bales were smoldering and the firemen were putting the last of their equipment away when Orville drove over a cattle guard and onto River Bend Ranch. He parked beside the fire truck and was instantly surrounded by Brennans.
Most of them, women included, had pistols or rifles in their hands. A sawed-off shotgun was tucked up under Honey’s arm, and Kinsey had a Glock strapped to her leg. Verdie hopped out of the truck and pushed her way into the middle of the crowd. Finn approached with caution.
Questions were flying like ducks going south for the winter. Poor old Orville kept one hand on his pistol, still in the holster with the safety on, and the other held up trying to fend off angry comments.
“Now, y’all just wait a minute. You don’t know the Gallaghers did this. Did you see them? Do you have evidence that they’re behind it?”
“We’re in the middle of a damned feud. Who else would do something like this?” Honey yelled, and then she spotted Finn. “Unless it was that hired hand over on Salt Draw. She’s had it in for me ever since she got here. Maybe we’re blaming the wrong party.”
“Honey, you’d best watch who you are accusing,” Verdie said loudly. “Callie Brewster has been in my presence all day. There’s no way she set that fire or let the air out of a bunch of tires.”
Finn bit back a smile. As hot as things had gotten in the bedroom that afternoon, maybe a spark bounced out the window, down the road, and jumped onto the hay. The tires, now, that had to be Gallaghers for sure.
“Callie doesn’t go behind people’s backs to speak her mind. She’s up front and honest,” Orville said.
“So what are you going to do about it?” Quaid asked.
“You bring me solid evidence, and I’ll lock someone up. Your suspicions won’t carry weight in court,” Orville told them.
The feud had gone beyond the women fighting in the bathroom and at the dealership. Now it was getting down to business. Finn was determined to stay out of it as much as he could, but he’d keep a close watch on his property. Thank God the kids were enrolled in public school and wouldn’t get caught in the middle of it.
“I’d advise the bunch of you to bury
this thing once and for all,” Verdie said. “It’s gone on long enough. Most of you weren’t even born when it started.”
“That won’t happen any time soon,” Honey said. “Since the sheriff is in the Gallaghers’ pocket and won’t do anything about it, we’ll take care of it ourselves.”
“I’m not in anybody’s pocket.” Orville blushed.
“I heard Ilene Gallagher was chasin’ after you,” Kinsey said.
“I’m warnin’ the bunch of you. If y’all start something that winds up with someone hurt or killed or severe property damage that can come back on you, I’ll haul your asses to jail.” Orville headed for his car with Verdie and Finn behind him.
“Dammit!” he fumed. “Where’d they get that shit about Ilene Gallagher?”
“She’s liked you since high school, Orville. On that part, there is evidence.” Verdie laughed.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” He chuckled as he crawled into his car and slowly turned around.
Chapter 26
The atmosphere in Burnt Boot was tense, as if everyone was sitting on a keg of gunpowder with a stick of dynamite duct-taped to the side of it. The Brennans would retaliate, and the longer they waited, the worse it could be.
But the feud was the last thing on Finn’s mind that night as he tucked Callie’s arm into his and escorted her through the doors of the Gallagher ranch mansion. “Have I told you that you are stunning in that green dress? I like it even better than the one you wore last week.”
To call it a ranch house would be like calling a palace a cabin. It was built like an old plantation house with lights shining out from three floors. The entryway led to a ballroom with crystal chandeliers throwing enough light to illuminate half of Texas. Tables were covered in what must be the Gallagher plaid, a rich woven pink and green with green napkins and gorgeous pink poinsettias in the middle of each table.
A lady in black slacks, a white shirt, and a cummerbund of the Gallagher plaid took Callie’s wrap.
“Well, has the cat got your tongue?” Finn held her hand as they made their way into what could only be described as a ballroom.
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