Darn Good Cowboy Christmas

by Carolyn Brown

  Whoa, boy, don’t go there. Think about mistletoe, not toe rings.

  “What are you looking for?” she asked.

  “Mistletoe.”

  She led him to the doorway and pointed up to a ball of mistletoe attached to a beam with a red velvet ribbon. He grinned and gave her a kiss that curled her toenails and had her panting.

  “It’s beautiful,” he said when he broke away.

  “What?”

  “You first. The barn, second.”

  “Yes, it is. I love it and all the fun we had making it look like this. Christmas at Thanksgiving time.”

  Red cloths covered all the tables, and cedar centerpieces with red candles and gold bows graced each one. The tree was a huge conversation piece, but not any more than all the other decorations, including an archway with cedar branches, lights, and garland woven into it, white wrought iron benches from Maddie’s flower garden beside it, and Cash dressed as Santa Claus in a rocking chair in front of it.

  Christmas music played in the background when the musicians weren’t fired up, and the spirit in the barn was as jolly as if it were Christmas Eve instead of the month before.

  Raylen led Liz to the food table where they fixed plates and carried them to the table that still had a few empty chairs. Blaze and Colleen sat side by side, their heads together in whispered tones most of the time. Slade and Jane, Pearl and Wil, Austin and Rye, Gemma, Dewar, and Ace were all scattered around the rest of the table.

  As soon as they sat down Blaze stood up.

  “I’ve got a toast to give here in front of all these witnesses.” Blaze held up his beer bottle. “I was wrong.”

  “Wow! Never heard that before,” Liz said.

  “Never was wrong before,” Blaze grinned and went on, “I was wrong about you, sweetheart. You belong right here. Roots look good on you.”

  “Hear, hear.” Colleen clinked her beer bottle with Blaze’s.

  “Raylen, be aware, she’s got a temper,” Blaze said.

  “Oh, I’ve done seen that.” Raylen laughed.

  Colleen leaned over and whispered in Liz’s ear, “You get ready to sell those wings of yours, I’ll give you top dollar for them.”

  Pearl held up a glass of iced tea but kept her chair. “We’re all here, so Wil and I have an announcement. It’s twins and they’re due in July. If they’re girls they can have red hair but they’re going to get Colleen’s skin and no freckles. I don’t care if we aren’t blood kin, I’m claimin’ shirttail kin.”

  Everyone started talking at once and didn’t even see Marva Jo pulling out a chair at the end of the long table. “Sounds like you all have been doing a lot of toasting over here. Congratulations, Pearl. I can’t imagine having two kids at once.”

  “I can’t imagine having one.” Pearl smiled. “But then I couldn’t imagine being married to Wil the first time he came into my motel. He was cocky as hell, and the next morning the cops arrested him for murder.”

  “And?” Marva Jo asked.

  “Mistaken identity,” Wil said. “But she came to my rescue in her vintage Caddy, and I swear I was in love from that day.”

  “You were not! It took a shot contest to make you see you’d met your match,” Pearl said.

  Wil smacked a kiss on her cheek. “Red, darlin’, that’s just when I sort of admitted it to myself. My heart knew the first time your devil cat and Digger got into it.”

  “Red?” Marva Jo asked.

  “Pearl to everyone else, believe me.” Jasmine laughed. “But she lets Wil call her Red.”

  Marva Jo nodded. No wonder her child loved the area. They’d accepted her into their fold as tight as any carnie family. All but Colleen, and it looked like she was coming around, thanks going to Blaze.

  Marva Jo looked at Blaze. “I heard your toast. After the way you carried on when Liz left, I know what that one cost you to deliver. But I agree. Roots look good on her. Y’all finish up your dinner and get Liz to introduce you to all our friends. Truth is, Raylen, I think you beat her on the fiddlin’ contest, but I think the only way you’ll get her fiddle is to take the woman that goes with it. That’s goin’ to take some doin’. Good luck, son. ”

  Liz blushed. Raylen had said that he loved her that one time but he hadn’t mentioned it again. He said they were together and that was enough for tonight. In a few months, maybe he’d be ready to take the fiddle and the girl. She’d been ready to take the man with or without a fiddle for a very long time.

  Marva Jo went on to the next table where Franny and Tilman were entertaining a table full of carnies with stories about the O’Donnells. She stayed there a while before moving to the next one, where Maddie and Cash were laughing at something Tressa was telling about the year it snowed at their first gig.

  Two families were blending very well. She couldn’t ask for a better man than Raylen for her daughter. They were a perfect pair, and even if it did cost her more than it had cost Blaze to make his toast, she sincerely hoped that things worked out for them.

  Thanksgiving was much, much better than she’d ever thought it could be that year. Only Liz could come up with such an idea as having a Christmas party at Thanksgiving. She looked up at the angel on the top of the tree and a tear formed on her eyelash. Her baby girl had given up her wings for love. She hoped that she was never disappointed.

  ***

  Liz curled up in Raylen’s lap in front of the fireplace. The clock above the mantel said that it was midnight. The party had begun to break up at eleven, but Liz had stayed until the last guest left. Tomorrow they’d reload the cinnamon roll, funnel cake, and gyro wagons back on the flatbed, and at two o’clock, all of them planned to start the final leg of their journey to Claude. They might have started earlier, but Liz had begged her mother and Tressa to stay until she finished her work day.

  The trip would be over by six and the next day they’d winterize the travel trailers, unload the wagons in a long row beside the barn, and park the trucks. One by one, Poppa would use his little tractor to pull the wooden wagons inside for renovations throughout the winter months.

  And all the people would be gone. A majority of the vendors lived within two hours of Amarillo. They’d unhook their trailers from their trucks and the exodus would begin by noon as they headed for their winter homes. One couple lived in Destin, Florida, and another in Willets, California. Marva would take them to the airport. Then the last week in February, they’d come driving in, a few each day, or making arrangements for Marva Jo to come get them. Everyone would be excited, and the new year would begin the same way the previous one ended with Poppa standing on the porch waving at everyone.

  “It was a wonderful party,” Raylen said.

  She nodded. “But it’s over.”

  He hugged her tightly. “Memories last forever. I remember this little girl who could stay on the fence longer than me. And one who watched me ride, and I wanted to show off for her but I was afraid Momma would kill me if I hurt her horse. Those memories were etched into my mind for years before she came back.”

  “Don’t be sweet to me. Fight with me. I want to kick something or pitch a fit. It’s like when the winter ended and it was time to go on the road. I was happy because everyone was so excited about a new year, but a little bit of me was angry because I didn’t want to leave the horses and Poppa. It always made me cry to see him waving good-bye from the porch. I felt like I do now. Happy and sad at the same time,” she said.

  His cell phone rang in his shirt pocket so close to Liz’s face that she jumped.

  “It’s Becca,” he said.

  Liz had found the perfect person to fight with even if she had to do it by phone.

  “Hello. Why weren’t you at Liz’s party tonight? We missed you,” he said.

  Liz reached out and Raylen put the phone in her hand.

  “This was a big thing for me and Raylen both tonight. If you were really Raylen’s best friend then you should’ve been there instead of staying home pouting. Blaze came and Raylen wasn�
��t too fond of him but you stayed home. Are you mad because I told you what the cards said? You knew that I wouldn’t lie when I laid those cards out, and besides…”

  “Shut up and listen to me,” Becca said so loud that Raylen heard it.

  Well, Liz had said she wanted a fight. That ought to do it!

  “What did you say to me?” Liz raised her voice two octaves.

  “I said shut up, Liz. I wasn’t there because Taylor and I got married today. I wanted you and Raylen to be the first to know. I did what you said and Daddy said I could have the down payment for a house to be built on the ranch or a big, fancy wedding. Taylor and I decided to take the house and we flew to Las Vegas for three days. After that, I’m putting in ten-hour days at the ranch, learning what I should already know, so when the time comes I can keep it running. So shut up and wish me good luck.”

  “I’ll be damned,” Liz said.

  “I finally got the best of you.” Becca laughed.

  “You did not!” Liz argued, but a grin spread across her face.

  “Oh yes I did. Now give the phone to Raylen.”

  “He’s going to be so disappointed, Becca. He wanted to be your Maid of Honor, and now he’s got this beautiful apricot-colored dress that he won’t ever get to wear.”

  Becca’s laughter shot through the phone and echoed off the walls.

  Raylen wrested the phone from Liz’s hand and shot her a dirty look.

  “Congratulations, and I do not have a dress of any color,” he said.

  Becca lowered her voice. “She’s a smart cookie. Hang on to her.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “She’ll make you toe the line like Taylor does me. Neither of us could ever be satisfied with a wimp.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Good night. Taylor was on the hotel phone ordering room service and he’s finished. I love him, Raylen. Have for a long time. This will change things between me and you, won’t it?”

  “Sometimes change ain’t too bad,” he answered.

  Liz looked at him with questions on her face when he turned the phone off and laid it on the arm of the sofa.

  He raised a dark eyebrow and grinned. “What?”

  “Yes, ma’am?” she said with both eyebrows raised.

  “I was agreeing with my friend when she paid you a compliment.”

  She snuggled back against his chest. “I can’t get a rousting good argument out of anyone.”

  “That’s because we haven’t had makeup sex from the last one yet. You can’t work up the anger for another fight if you haven’t completely settled the last one. Passionate people couldn’t handle all that intense emotion at once. It would blow a fuse in their heart and they’d drop graveyard dead,” he said.

  “You are full of bullshit,” she mumbled.

  “So?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  “It’s five hours until I have to go to work.”

  “Well, forget it,” he said.

  “Are we fighting?”

  He grinned. “No. Five hours just isn’t long enough for good makeup sex.”

  She shivered.

  “My point is proven. If thinking about five whole hours of sex puts chills down your back, just think what enough to settle two fights would do to you.”

  She giggled. “Kiss me and go home, darlin’. I’m going to take a cold shower and go to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I’ll be here when the exodus begins.” He kissed her hard on the lips, giving her a very small taste of what the future held when they got around to the making up business.

  She walked him to the door, stole a dozen more kisses and a short, stand-up make-out session before she stumbled to the bathroom and took the fastest shower of her life. She was asleep two minutes after her head hit the pillow, but she was restless all night, tossing and turning, reaching out for Raylen, only to find an empty pillow beside her.

  Chapter 25

  Hugs were given.

  Promises made.

  Then it was time for Liz to stand on the porch like her Poppa had done for years and wave as the parade went down her lane. Flatbeds first, semis next, and then the pickup trucks pulling the living trailers. She’d flipped the lights on all the artwork even though the sun was bright and the day fairly warm.

  Tears dripped off her cheeks and dropped onto her sweatshirt. She’d made up her mind and she was at peace with her decision. She liked her roots. She loved Raylen. But why did clipping her wings have to hurt so damn bad?

  When the last taillight was out of sight, she tucked her head into Raylen’s shoulder and sobbed. “I miss her already.”

  “She’s four hours from here, Liz. You can go see her any weekend that you want to. You can take off when you get off at two on Saturday and come home the next day. It’s not like you won’t see her for a year.” His tone was soothing.

  “Oh, hush.” Colleen rounded the end of the house and she was crying as hard as Liz.

  Raylen held out his left arm to Colleen and she walked into it, laid her head on his other shoulder, and sobbed loudly. He didn’t know what to do with one weeping woman and he had two hugged up to him, soaking his shirt.

  “You still want those wings?” Liz asked.

  “More than ever. What’s the price?”

  Liz wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands. “I’ll sell them to you for your roots.”

  “Honey, today I’d rip them up and hand them to you on a silver platter. Watching him leave was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. How can I feel like this after only a week?”

  Liz smiled through the tears. “Damnedest thing in the world, ain’t it?”

  “At least you don’t have to have a long-distance relationship,” Colleen said.

  “Neither do you. Four hours out there. Take your vacation time and go spend it with him,” Liz said.

  Colleen swiped at her eyes with her denim jacket sleeve. “Momma will have a fit.”

  “Mine did. Didn’t kill me. They come around when it’s got to do with their kid’s happiness,” Liz said.

  Colleen nodded and pulled out of Raylen’s embrace. “I’ve got to go to Randlett. Got to be at work at four today. I’ll call you, Liz.”

  Liz stepped away from Raylen and put a hand on Colleen’s arm. “Think about going out there. He’ll call you but…”

  Colleen hugged Liz. “I know. He’s cocky as hell, but there’s a little insecurity there. I promise I’ll think about it, but it takes at least a week after I put in a request for that kind of time. I’ll call you when I figure it all out.”

  “I’ll be right here or at work or riding horses to pay for all my help, but I’ll have my phone,” Liz said.

  Colleen disappeared around to the backyard. Liz swallowed another lump in her throat just thinking about the decisions ahead of Colleen. If that had been Raylen driving away, her heart would have shattered.

  “Well, that puts things in perspective,” she mumbled.

  “What’s that?” Raylen asked.

  “There could be a worse scenario than Momma and Aunt Tressa leaving,” she said.

  “And what would that be?” Raylen tucked her hand in his and started walking toward his truck.

  “Watching you drive away,” she answered honestly.

  “That ain’t happenin’, darlin’,” he whispered as he sealed that vow with a long, lingering kiss.

  “Where are you takin’ me?” she asked.

  “Momma says Danny Boy needs a slow walk around the pasture and she wants me to do that. But there’s about a dozen mares that need some exercise. Want to ride off those tears?” Raylen asked.

  Liz nodded. “Let’s go.”

  They rode to the horse barn in comfortable silence.

  Two very different emotions rattled around in Raylen’s soul. He was elated to hear Liz say that she wanted roots, and his heart floated when she said that about not wanting to watch him leave. But it was bittersweet, because his sister was pulling up her roots and growing carnival wings
right before his eyes. He’d always figured all five of the O’Donnells would settle down right there close to Ringgold. They’d all come to Sunday dinner when Maddie called them in like a hen with her chickens. And raise their kids together. If Colleen and Blaze got really serious and wound up together, Rachel would hardly know her carnie cousins. And Gemma? What did the future have in store for her? Would both of his sisters wind up living far away?

  Maddie waved at them from the barn door where she leaned on a scoop shovel. She wore jeans and a gray sweatshirt. Both were stained with dirt, and her work boots left no doubt that she’d been mucking out stalls.

  When Liz was close enough, Maddie hugged her tightly and said, “It can’t be easy to watch your family leave like that. We’ve all lived in a pretty close pile. I’m not so sure how much longer that’ll be the way it is. I saw the way Blaze looked at my daughter and it scares me. Colleen has always been the one with the…” She stumbled.

  “The most pessimism.” Raylen smiled.

  “No, the one who took care of everyone else,” Liz said.

  “That’s right.” Maddie nodded. “I always thought she’d probably wind up with someone older who’d adore her.”

  “Blaze might not be older but he adores her,” Liz said.

  “And that is probably the most important part. But right now, this minute, I think you need some good old hard work. I understand you ride?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Liz said.

  “Well, start on the south side of the stables at the end. That’ll be Missy. A couple of turns around the forty acres over there,” Maddie pointed to her left, “should do it. You can ride as many as you have time for and I appreciate the help.”

  “Thank you, Maddie.”

  “I’ll clean out her stall while you ride,” she said.

  Raylen draped an arm around Liz’s shoulder and directed her to Missy’s stall. “She’s partial to that saddle.” Raylen pointed to one on a sawhorse beside the stall door.