“I started going to River’s End Ranch when I was a girl. My family still comes up every summer. It was our vacation spot. Two weeks every summer, we’d show up with high expectations. When I started my freshman year of college, I did the whole living on campus thing. It took me precisely one week to realize I was not meant for the typical college experience. I didn’t want to pledge a sorority. I didn’t want to live with strangers and take turns in the shower. I didn’t even want to have to share a room.” She took a sip of the water in front of her. “So, instead, I decided to see if the ranch was hiring. I finished out my freshman year and applied here for a summer job. I never went back to school and finished through online classes. It worked out so much better for me .”
“Why didn’t you like living on campus ?”
She shrugged. “Snobby roommates top the list. I fit in better here .”
Max studied her for a moment before shrugging. “I guess that makes a lot of sense. If you’re not of a certain type, I’m sure college can be miserable .”
“That first year was for me. After that, I just did my own thing. Most people didn’t even realize I was going to school, because I worked a regular shift and just kept going. I’d take finals week off. My school made us be there for finals, but I get two weeks off per year anyway. I used them for finals .”
“That’s not a week off !”
She shrugged. “It was good enough for me. When was the last time you took a week off ?”
“You make a good point. I can’t remember my last week off .”
The oven buzzer sounded and she went to get the food from the oven. She set it on the stove, eyeing it critically. It wasn’t as pretty as Bob’s, but it smelled good. She hoped it tasted just as good. “I hope you’re hungry !”
“I was until I had that salad !”
She frowned at him, putting her hands on her hips. “Surely you have room for some shepherd’s pie !”
“I do!” He watched as she served two big portions and brought him one. “That really does smell good .”
“I hope you like it.” She sat beside him and crossed her fingers under the counter as he ate his first bite .
“This is really good !”
Joni smiled and took a bite of it herself. It was good. Not quite as good as Bob’s, but she would tell the cook it was better, because that’s what she did. “Thanks. I made it myself !”
“I watched you, and I have to say I’m impressed. You’re better at making this than I am at making microwave burritos, and that’s saying something .”
“What movie did you pick out for us to watch?” She would be happy with anything if it meant sitting on her couch with him and watching it, but she couldn’t tell him that. It might go to his head, and then he’d be like Bob. No one wanted that !
“Have you seen Wonder Woman yet ?”
“No, and I’ve been wanting to! Great !”
“What about the new live action Beauty and the Beast ?”
She shook her head. “I wanted to, but that was right before finals, and there was no way .”
“I brought both .”
“You’re my hero!” She was surprised that she was so excited to see both movies. He’d picked well .
He chuckled, running his hand over the back his neck. “I try hard.” He was surprised at how embarrassed he was at her words. He wasn’t usually shy around women, but there was something about Joni that was changing him .
She slid off the stool next to the counter and took both of their plates. “I’ll shove these in the dishwasher while you get it set up .”
He walked to her living room, which was only a few steps from her dining area. The house really was small, and he wasn’t sure how she could have lived there with a roommate. “You always seem to be serving me and picking up my dishes after I finish eating .”
“It’s the sad life of a waitress,” she called over the water she had running in the sink. When she finished, she joined him on the couch. “What did you do today other than choose movies ?”
He shrugged. “I put on all that cold weather gear you made me wear and walked down to the stables. Did you know they do sleigh rides ?”
She laughed, nodding. “Of course. I’ve lived here for six years .”
“Well, I didn’t know!” Max shook his head. “I’ve never been on a sleigh ride, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. How ‘bout it ?”
“How about what ?”
“Going on a sleigh ride with me? I hope you’ll say yes, because I signed us up for Monday evening .”
Joni shook her head at him. “How do you know I won’t be sick of you by this time tomorrow ?”
He shrugged, starting the movie. “If you are, I’ll find some other pretty blonde with legs a mile long to go with me .”
“Legs a mile long? That does not sound even a little bit attractive .”
“Maybe not to you, but to me, it sounds pretty darn wonderful .”
She shook her head. “You worry me, Max .”
“Why? Because I’m Pastor Kevin’s rotten brother? Or because I make you nervous .”
Can he tell he makes me nervous? “Because you assume I’m going to spend every spare minute with you. What if I’m on a flight to Texas to interview for a job ?”
“I thought I might fly down with you. I have nothing better to do for the next few days.” He wasn’t sure how she’d react, but he loved the idea of showing her around his home .
“Are you sure that’s okay ?”
“Oh, yeah. I’ll arrange for you to stay a night in the main ranch house, so you don’t have to pay for a hotel. It’ll be fun .”
“Maybe he won’t want to interview me anyway .”
Max shook his head. “I have influence. I’ll get you an interview. It’ll be your job to knock it out of the park .”
Joni smiled. “That I think I can do.” She settled onto the couch with one knee pulled under her and a small lap quilt covering her. The quilt had been a gift from Miranda and her mother when she’d graduated. She wasn’t sitting super close to him, but she still felt a smidgeon of awareness. Her heart fluttered. Max was the most handsome man she’d ever been around. There was something about him that made her feel like she was twelve with her first crush all over again .
He used the remote to start the first movie. He’d thought Wonder Woman would be a good warm-up movie, and hopefully by the time they got to Beauty and the Beast , she’d be feeling all sentimental and maybe she’d relax against him. “Here goes !”
Joni didn’t watch a lot of action movies because they made her tense, but she had always been a Wonder Woman fan. Her mom had every one of the VCR tapes from the television series, so she’d grown up watching it .
She laughed and cried as she watched, her heart sinking in her chest when she realized who the real villain was .
Max watched her instead of the movie. He found that a great deal more interesting. He’d already seen it anyway .
When it was all over, she slumped in her seat. “I loved it! I feel like they were true to Wonder Woman’s story while still telling extra things no one had seen before. It was wonderful !”
He smiled, getting up to take out the first DVD and put in the second. He’d badly wanted to at least hold her hand during the movie, but she’d been sitting so far away. He sat down and rubbed his hands with his arms. “I’m chilly !”
Joni didn’t hesitate. She moved closer to him and pushed part of her blanket onto his lap. “I can share .”
“Thank you. I like this quilt. Did you make it ?”
She shook her head. “No, Bob’s wife and her mother made it for me as a graduation gift. It’s their thing to make these blankets for everyone .”
“Do you know her mother ?”
“Oh yeah. She runs the Kids’ Korral which is our daycare on the ranch. She recently married Frank, the resident pilot. They’re really good together .”
“I didn’t know the ranch had a pilot! Does he do tour
s ?”
“He does tours, and he flies in people who don’t want to make the drive from an airport. He’s a good guy.” Joni felt his thigh pressed to hers, and she wondered if she should move away a little, but decided against it. The quilt was a lap quilt and not big enough to cover two people unless they were sitting very close .
Max pushed the button to start the second movie, his arm going very naturally around her shoulders. After he’d done it, he was a little surprised with himself. He waited for her to tell him to back off. But she didn’t. Instead she snuggled a bit closer to him, her head resting on his shoulder. “I haven’t seen this one yet .”
“Thanks for being willing to watch Wonder Woman with me again .”
“Hey, I’m a guy who loved comic books. A superhero movie will never be turned down .”
“And I’ll never turn down a Disney princess movie, though after talking to Bridget last night, maybe I should .”
He laughed. “That girl does like Cinderella , doesn’t she ?”
“No one has ever loved Cinderella more, including Prince Charming.” Joni tried to keep her face straight as she said it, but she couldn’t manage it. “She’s just a tad bit daffy .”
“A tad bit? In Texas we’d call that girl plumb crazy. One of my brothers would have looked her right in the eye and said, ‘Bless your pointy little head.’ That always went over well .”
Joni laughed hysterically. “Hush, now. I’ve been waiting months to see this movie .”
“Yes, ma’am. Hushing immediately.” He wasn’t terribly interested in the movie, but he was very happy to sit with her snuggled into his side. He would be content .
Joni loved the movie. She leaned forward to catch little tidbits. When it was over, she sighed. “I loved the new songs. I loved that they gave both Belle and Beast more of a background. It was all wonderful!” She turned to him, tucking one leg under her. “What did you think ?”
Like he’d watched any part of the movie when she was so entertaining. “I loved it. It was fun .”
“Really?”
He shrugged. “I loved watching you love it. Is that good enough ?”
She blushed, looking down. “I didn’t realize I was going to be your entertainment for the night .”
“Neither did I, but there’s no way I’d have enjoyed the movie half as much.” He reached out and cupped her cheek in one hand. “I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun not watching a movie .”
“Is that so?” Joni shook her head. “Why get it if you didn’t care to see it ?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t have minded watching it, but I loved watching you watch it. Was a good night all around .”
“Are we still meeting after church tomorrow so I can show you around the ranch?” She had to change the subject before her face burned right off .
“If you’re still free.” He felt a bit guilty that he’d spent so little time with Kevin, but he knew Kevin would understand. He’d always been the most understanding of guys. Of course, that’s how perfect men were .
“I’m still free. Do you want to go out for lunch first ?”
She nodded. “That would be fun. I could also pack a picnic, but I think lunch out would be nice too .”
“Let me buy you lunch, and then we’ll see about the exploration.” He ran the pad of his thumb over her lips. “Am I allowed to kiss you goodnight ?”
She looked up into his eyes, brown as could be. They made her stomach do flips under her shirt. “What would you do if I said no ?”
“I’d respect your wishes, but my lips would go home sad and lonely .”
She giggled softly. “Well, we can’t let your lips be sad and lonely, now can we ?”
He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against hers. He wanted to stay forever, but he sensed she wouldn’t like that answer. “G’night, Joni .”
“G’night, Max.” She followed him toward the door, waiting as he put on his heavy winter coat. “You probably should have warmed up your truck. It’s going to be cold !”
He shrugged. “I’m a Texas boy. I can handle a little cold.” He leaned down and kissed her once more. “That’ll keep me warm through and through.” He hurried out into the cold and waved as he hopped up into his truck .
As he drove back to the ranch, his mind was on Joni. He liked her in a way he’d never really cared for a girl. Sure, he’d had a girlfriend in high school that he’d been sure he’d spend the rest of his life with, but what he felt for her paled in comparison. What was it about Joni that drew him? He wasn’t sure .
He parked in front of the cabin and jumped down, sticking his hands in his pockets as he hurried to the door. He stopped when he saw the same strange woman, still wearing fairy wings, but the rabbit she was walking this time was gray, and the last one had been black. “Umm…hi .”
“Hi. How was your date ?”
He frowned. “How did you know I had a date? Were you following me ?”
Jaclyn shook her head. “Of course not. I’m not a stalker. The fairies told me you and Joni were going to see each other tonight, and you’d be confused when you got home. Do you want to talk about it ?”
Max blinked at her a few times. He was confused, but it had nothing to do with her. Why would she care? “I’m not sure why you’re asking me this .”
Jaclyn sighed dramatically. “Haven’t you been told that I’m the person you go to for matters of the heart on the ranch? The fairies tell me what to tell people, and I tell them. I guess you could say I’m the fairy whisperer, though why they won’t just talk to people themselves, I’ll never know. I think they like doing things the hard way, but don’t you dare tell them I said that !”
“Tell the fairies ?”
“I swear you must be hard of hearing or daft, boy! I’ve never had anyone repeat everything I say the way you do. Have you had your hearing checked lately ?”
“My hearing’s fine,” Max replied, “and I’m not daft. You just say very strange things .”
“Of course, I do. I just told you I’m the fairy whisperer, boy! If you can hear, then maybe it’s time for you to start listening !”
Max frowned at her. “I’ve just never heard of a fairy whisperer. A horse whisperer, sure. A dog whisperer, all the time. Even a baby whisperer. But a fairy whisperer? Maybe you should go talk to Bridget. She believes in Cinderella and fairy godmothers .”
Jaclyn laughed. “You wait. You’ll come crawling to me on your knees, begging me to talk to the fairies about you. Goodnight, Max. I hope your dreams are pleasant.” With that she turned and walked away, the bunny hopping along beside her .
6
J oni slipped into a pew at the back of the old-timey chapel in the Old West town. She wasn’t sure if the church was a new construct or had been around forever, but either way, it was in perfect shape. It felt like the building Laura Ingalls Wilder would have attended services in when she was young .
She could see the back of Max’s head as he sat in the front row on one side of Pastor Kevin while Bridget sat on the pastor’s other side. He stood and sang hymns as if he went to church every week. Deep down, Joni hoped that was the case. She knew that a Christian man wasn’t perfect, but at least most Christian men tried .
After the sermon, she waited for Max to come for her. She’d brought clothes to change into after lunch, but she’d wanted to look her best for him. Her hair was down around her shoulders for a change, and it had finally behaved. It was hard to make her hair look decent on snowy days, but for once, she’d managed .
She watched him and realized the moment he spotted her. He was talking to Shane, Kelsi’s husband, who was there alone. She assumed they wanted to keep the babies away from people and out of the cold for one more day. Max’s eyes met hers, his lips curved into a little smile, and her heart started beating faster .
She decided not to run for the front of the church where he was standing, but instead she had a discussion with Glen about how the ranch was going. Kaya hadn’t been
able to tear herself out of bed, because she’d finished a book around six that morning. Her hours constantly confused Joni, but it wasn’t her life to live, so she said nothing .
Finally, Max managed to tear himself away from the sheriff and he meandered toward her. Every step he took made her feel a bit giddier. How had he turned her life upside down in less than fourty-eight hours acquaintance? She wasn’t sure she’d ever understand .
When he reached her, which seemed to take forever, he stopped in front of her and smiled. “Good morning, Joni .”
“Morning, Max .”
“Bob’s here, so who’s cooking at the café?” Max looked around, a slight frown on his face .
“We’re closed on Sundays. The Weston siblings have a special dinner there every week .”
“So we go to Bob’s house for lunch today?” He seemed genuinely upset that he wasn’t going to get diner food for lunch .
“We can go to the restaurant for lunch, or we can drive into Riston. There’s a new Chinese place that’s really good. There are lots of places to eat. The café will be open again tomorrow, and you can eat Bob’s food .”
“I was going to try the Western burger for lunch today. It has onion rings on it !”
“I know it does.” Joni patted his arm. “It will be open tomorrow. I promise .”
He frowned, but followed her from the church. “Is it closed on Sundays every week? I think someone should have prepared me for this !”
“Yes, it’s closed every Sunday.” She patted his arm. “You do know that when you go back to Texas, Bob will stay here .”
“But…” He sighed. “I guess I can live without Bob’s burgers, but I might be coming here for vacations as often as I can.” He looked down at her for a moment. “Especially if I can’t lure you back to Texas with me .”
“Speaking of me going to Texas, have you talked to Adam yet?” She automatically started walking toward the restaurant, not sure what else to do. He seemed to still be mourning the fact that he wasn’t going to get Bob’s cooking that day .
“I talked to him before church this morning. He said that he wants to meet you, especially if Kevin will vouch for you. Wants to know if you can interview Wednesday of this week .”
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