Texas Christmas Bride: The Gallaghers of Sweetgrass Springs Book 6

by Jean Brashear

  “Oh, that’s a good one. You’ll like that, I bet.”

  Brenda nodded. “And Granny Cosgrove is going to make a bread pudding, and Raymond Benefield says he’ll contribute a fruitcake.”

  Ruby snorted. “He most certainly will not. He’s been trying to pawn off that fruitcake every year since God was a pup.”

  Brenda’s eyes rounded. “But…how can I tell him no?”

  “You won’t have to. I’ll take care of it when he shows up for breakfast tomorrow. I will not have him poisoning anybody on Christmas.”

  “Oh, and there’s going to be a tree in the courthouse, and one outside, too.” Brenda was practically vibrating with excitement.

  “Are we having a tree trimming? Might be a nice way to end Cookie Day. We can bake over here and at the courthouse kitchen. Mary would like that, don’t you think?”

  “She sure would,” Penny answered.

  “So what’s Cookie Day?” Brenda asked.

  “When I was growing up, my mother set aside a whole day for the entire family to bake cookies of all kinds. Each of us picked one recipe, and we worked together to make them. Then we would assemble plates with an assortment and we’d take them around to folks who didn’t have family and to our friends.”

  “Oh! Could we do that? All of us?” Brenda’s face fell. “But I’m not a Gallagher.”

  “We’re all Gallaghers on Cookie Day, right, Penny?” Henry said fiercely, always ready to leap to Brenda’s aid.

  “Absolutely. Heaven help you.” Penny smiled as Ruby chuckled. “But you two have to help me out so Scarlett doesn’t wind up doing all the work. You know how she is about taking responsibility. Matter of fact, I think that’s the first rule. Scarlett can pick a recipe to make, but only one. We can’t have her working herself to the bone any worse than she already does. Ruby either. You two with me on this?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She looked askance at him. “Henry, what have I told you about calling me ma’am?”

  The young man flushed. “Sorry, ma—Penny.”

  “That’s better.”

  Then her phone sounded with her brother’s ringtone, and she tapped her bluetooth. “Sand tarts still your favorite cookie, Jackson?”

  “What?” her twin asked. “Where are you?”

  “I’m cooking at the diner. And planning Cookie Day. What are you doing?”

  “Well, I was trying to plan a new promotional campaign for the Doom Galaxy launch—” He began laughing. “We’ve kinda fallen down the rabbit hole, haven’t we, sis?”

  She understood exactly. “High finance, world domination…and Cookie Day. Just another day in Sweetgrass, bro.”

  She grinned at the sound of his laughter, the twin she’d lost for half their lives, the man who’d come to Sweetgrass shrouded in mystery and so long estranged from everyone and everything familiar.

  “All we need to complete the chaos is to put Abby in charge.”

  “Hey, I have plans for that girl,” she responded. “She reminds me of me.”

  “Stop. You’ll give me nightmares,” Jackson responded. Abby was a force of nature, for sure. Her brother would have his hands full, raising her. “Cookie Day, huh? When?”

  She glanced over at Brenda and Henry. “What do you think? Just under three weeks left before Christmas. This weekend?”

  “Yes!” Brenda clapped her hands, looking more like a girl than ever.

  Ruby was shaking her head and muttering, no doubt thinking about the logistics.

  But Penny was all about the organizing. She’d make this work.

  “Why do I think this won’t be happening in the kitchen at the ranch?” Jackson asked.

  “And you the big mogul world traveler. Gotta think big, brother mine. Downtown Sweetgrass, at Ruby’s and Ruby’s Dream.”

  “Two commercial kitchens?” Jackson whistled. “So the whole town is coming?”

  “Wouldn’t surprise me in the least,” she said.

  “Me either.”

  “So why did you call?”

  “Well…” He cleared his throat. “I wanted to tell you first. Vee’s agreed to marry me.”

  “Where’s the surprise in that? Not that I’m not happy.”

  “That’s the thing. I want to do it at Christmas. While everyone’s in town already.”

  “Christmas?” Not a lot flabbergasted her, but—“This Christmas? Would Veronica like some help clubbing you over the head?”

  “She was having a little trouble breathing,” he admitted. “But I can afford to pay for speed.”

  Ruby appeared to be about to explode with curiosity. Brenda was frozen in place.

  Jeanette walked to the window. “Where’s my order?”

  “Brother mine, you are such a guy. How can anyone so smart be this clueless? I have to cook now, but you’d better get yourself down here tout de suite, hear me? On second thought, Veronica’s the one who needs to be here. You just get ready to open that big, fat wallet of yours.”

  “Penny, it’s going to be okay. I’ve got this.”

  “Don’t be an idiot. You and Veronica be here in thirty minutes. The breakfast rush is almost over. Don’t make me hurt you.”

  “Should I point out that I’m your employer?”

  Her eyes went to slits. “Not for long. I have low tolerance for stupidity.” She disconnected. Saw her rapt audience, but moved first to slide eggs on a plate and add toast. “Jeanette, how long did it take you to make Scarlett’s dress?”

  “What? Oh, don’t tell me Bridger finally—”

  “Not me. My bonehead twin. He’s convinced Veronica to marry him at Christmas.”

  “This Christmas?” echoed every woman in the vicinity.

  “Exactly. We have to rally round. The man’s clearly got more money than brains.” Evil glee filled her. “We’re going to help out this poor woman who obviously does not understand that she’s made a bad bargain. Are we agreed, ladies?”

  “And here I thought that boy was smart,” Ruby muttered. “We’d best get Maddie on the phone, too.”

  Jeanette turned away with her order. Brenda had stars in her eyes.

  Penny wanted to put a knot on her brother’s thick skull. Then she cackled and punched in the number for Rissa.

  Word began to spread like wildfire.

  Jackson and Veronica stopped stock-still when they entered Ruby’s Diner.

  The main room was full. Scarlett and Ian, Rissa and Mackey, Ruby and Arnie, Jeanette, Henry, Brenda, Bridger…plus everyone from the breakfast bunch who’d lingered, as though they would never be allowed coffee again if they left.

  Along with everyone they could manage to call as the news spread.

  “Do we have to make a big deal of this?” Jackson winced as he escorted Veronica through the door.

  “A better question: is anyone left to keep things running anywhere in this town or the surroundings?” Rissa smirked as she walked over to hug her older brother, then sock him on the shoulder.

  “Ouch.”

  “Consider yourself lucky.” She pointed to Veronica. “She should be doing worse to you.”

  Penny bent to Scarlett, standing beside her. “Serves him right,” she muttered. Scarlett snickered.

  “Right over here, Man of the Hour.” Penny gestured him to a spot reserved for the prospective bride and groom.

  “Seriously, did every ranch and business in town just close for the day?” Jackson asked, scanning the room.

  “Pretty much,” Mackey chimed in. “What? You thought you’d do this on your own? With this bunch of meddlers?”

  “Guess not,” Jackson sighed. “I thought maybe Vee and I could work with a wedding planner or something.”

  “You’ve been gone too long, boy,” chimed in Harley Sykes. “You’re in Sweetgrass now. You belong to us.”

  Beside Penny, Bridger grinned, his expression slightly dazzled. The man who’d wanted exactly this sort of community must be in hog heaven right now.

  He’d been right
when he’d once said there was nothing normal about Sweetgrass. Especially when the prodigal son and the town’s sweetheart were about to marry.

  “We thought we’d keep it simple,” Veronica protested. “Just a little ceremony sometime around the community Christmas, so everyone could be here.”

  “And there’s where your thinking went off the rails,” Rissa said. “Sweetgrass? Simple? So not happening.”

  Ian spoke up from the other side of Scarlett. “I have one requirement. Scarlett and Ruby do not cater. They’re guests.” His jaw set. “Nonnegotiable.”

  Scarlett sighed. “I thought you were going to let me deal with this,” she muttered.

  Ian merely crossed his arms. “So I’m Cro-Magnon.”

  Scarlett grinned. But didn’t argue, astonishingly.

  Well, then.

  “You could save everybody an extra trip and make it a double wedding, Penny,” Shirley Carpenter offered.

  Penny froze. Bridger darted a glance at her. She knew what he was thinking and waited for him to agree.

  “Ms. Penelope and I will make our own plans, thank you,” he responded easily, though she felt the tension in his frame. “I’m holding out for a beach wedding. With bikinis. On everyone.”

  They all laughed, and she managed a smile, but she knew he’d be so much happier if she’d pipe up and agree that Shirley’s idea was a great one.

  Jackson studied her, concern in his eyes, but she had some questions for her twin herself. Something was off with him and Veronica, she could sense it in the old twin way that had once made them privy to one another’s every thought, but she couldn’t figure the source of the uneasiness.

  She tuned back in as Jeanette volunteered to fashion Veronica a gown.

  Jackson shook his head. “I know I’ve messed up everything by pushing to do it by Christmas. You can’t possibly have time, Jeanette, as busy as you are. I’ll fly Veronica to New York or Paris or have samples flown in here for her.”

  “I don’t want anything fancy,” Veronica protested.

  It was easy to see that Jackson wanted to give her the world, however. “Abby is set on you having a princess gown like Scarlett, remember?”

  “I can do it,” Jeanette offered. “Come to my house later today, and we can at least talk about it. I can’t produce a billionaire bridal gown, but—”

  “Scarlett’s was absolutely gorgeous,” Veronica said. “I know you’d do a beautiful one, but it’s not fair to you.”

  “You let me be the judge of that.”

  Penny spoke up. “Jackson, you could bring in seamstresses to help once Jeanette’s designed it. That might help her out.”

  “I won’t need—”

  “Jeanette,” Scarlett said gently. “Let Jackson pay his penance if you wind up needing the help.”

  “There are several good seamstresses in town,” Melba remarked. “We can help her just fine.” She turned to Jeanette. “What we can’t do is design like you can. You have no business waiting tables.”

  But what on earth would they do if she left the diner? Penny thought.

  “They won’t let me cook,” Rissa piped up. “But I can smack Harley in line nearly as well as you can. I can take some of your hours.”

  Well. That was unexpected.

  Scarlett spoke then. “One cranky waitress for another. No one will ever notice.”

  The room filled with chuckles.

  As the laughter slowed, Penny heard Jackson again. “No expense spared, Jeanette. Sky’s the limit on fabrics. Anything you need, you ask, and I’ll make it happen.”

  The glow on Jeanette’s face didn’t slip past Ruby or Scarlett, Penny could see.

  “I knew we’d lose her sooner or later,” Scarlett said. “Who could have imagined I’d be sad?”

  “Girl’s needed to leave Sweetgrass for years,” Ruby added. “Hayley’s been after her to come to L.A.”

  “Hayley.” Scarlett’s face darkened.

  Penny snickered.

  “Wait ’til she’s flirting with your man, missy,” Scarlett warned.

  “But she’s got fabulous shoes,” Penny said. “Give the woman her due.”

  Bridger chuckled beside her.

  The planning went on. Brenda asked shyly if Veronica would let her help with the flowers. Jackson insisted that Veronica not be working on her wedding day and promised to get together with Brenda later.

  “Hey! I can bake the cake,” Rissa volunteered.

  With Eric’s lopsided, runny-icing birthday cake fresh in everyone’s minds, laughter erupted again.

  “You’re all heart, babe,” Mackey said, tugging at her ponytail.

  “I was serious,” Rissa grumbled.

  Then laughed straight from the belly.

  Chapter Four

  Afterward, when Veronica left to get back to her greenhouses, Jackson headed for the kitchen at Scarlett’s request. He winked as he passed Penny.

  Love looked good on her twin. It softened the tense, ragged edges Jackson had arrived in town with.

  She smiled at her brother and blew him a kiss.

  He nodded and smiled back, but she could see a strain she didn’t understand, and she worried. She’d talk to him about it, first chance. Maybe there was something she could do to help. He was carrying a lot on those broad shoulders.

  “Penny for your thoughts,” said Bridger from behind her, sliding his arms around her waist. “Pun intended.”

  She turned to him, newly aware of how easily this could be lost. “I love you. And you know I want us to be together, right? But I don’t want a double wedding. Is that awful?”

  “You should be the star of your own show, Legs. It’s okay, really.”

  She could see it in his eyes, though, the longing to make their relationship official. To settle down. He’d never had that.

  “Stop worrying,” he said. “I’m okay. I don’t care what Shirley thinks. I’m not in love with Shirley.”

  “It would be easier, though. Shirley’s simple.”

  Bridger hooted. “Shirley is a busybody with a Machiavellian mind for gossip and intrigue.” He kissed her forehead. “Ditch the frown. I like my bluetooth-addicted, stiletto-wearing cook just fine.” He glanced down. “I thought you seemed shorter. What happened?”

  “My feet hurt.”

  “So you’re cooking in red cowboy boots? Most folks who have to be on their feet all day at work wear something with more support.”

  “I cook with style, country boy.”

  “You do everything with style, Shark Girl. Want to go off in the corner and neck?” He pressed his mouth to her throat and had her moaning.

  “Good goshomighty, have you two no shame?” Rissa hollered.

  “Get your own hottie,” Penny shouted right back.

  “Funny about that,” her sister retorted. “Mackey, where are you?”

  “Penny, may I have a word with you?” Joyce Walden asked, Linda Vise beside her.

  Uh-oh. “I’m helping at the cafe. I can’t come to quilting.”

  Joyce smiled. “We’re not going to kidnap you. We only want your help with something. We’d like to make a quilt for Veronica and Jackson.”

  “I thought you weren’t going to kidnap me.”

  “I suspect you’ll want to help when you hear what we’re planning.” Earlene Dorsa, Ruth Sudduth, Linda Johnson, Ceci Sinnwell and Melba Sykes joined them.

  “What?”

  “We each have pieces in our fabric stashes that were used in quilts we did with your mother, but we’d like something of hers to put in it. It would be a double wedding ring quilt.”

  “Do you have time to do that before the wedding?”

  “It’s going to be tight. Mary wouldn’t mind us piecing it on the machine—we couldn’t possibly finish in time, otherwise—but we must quilt it by hand, as she would want.”

  “So what do you need from me?”

  “We would like you to quilt at least a little section in honor of your mother. She would have wanted
this.”

  She would have. “All right.”

  “But first we need you to find us fabric from something of hers.”

  Penny went still. When her mother died, they’d all been so grief-stricken. She barely remembered some of her mother’s friends coming over to help pack things up. Rissa had been inconsolable. Had unpacked some of the boxes as quickly as they’d filled until Dad had made her let the women work. Remembering that period was painful still. “I have no idea if anything was even kept.”

  “We boxed up her fabric stash for you girls,” Jane Shurtleff said. “I’m sure it’s there somewhere.”

  “Really?” What else of her mother’s might still be at the ranch?

  And why hadn’t she thought to ask until now?

  Jackson’s battles with their father had escalated after their mother’s death. Then the accident. Penny had been trying to help out, to cook, to be their mother’s substitute while keeping up her schoolwork—

  Then Jackson had vanished.

  She’d consoled a terrified, heartbroken Clary.

  But she’d left for freshman orientation the week after graduation. She’d hardly ever returned home.

  “Will you look, please? And could you do it right away, you and Rissa? This would mean a lot to your mother.”

  It would. Of that, Penny had no doubt. Oh, Mama.

  “I’ll go to the ranch right now,” she promised.

  At the Star Bar G, she found her father first. “Daddy, what happened to Mother’s things?”

  Nothing was more guaranteed to make the man freeze up. “Why do you want to know?”

  She explained about the quilt, regretting that it clearly caused him pain, even after all these years.

  “There are boxes in the attic,” he said gruffly. “I’ve never opened them. I…couldn’t.” He cleared his throat and glanced away.

  She thought about losing Bridger, as unformed and newborn as their love was, and she comprehended in a whole new way the blow her mother’s loss would have been to her dad. She barely knew Bridger in comparison, but she would never get over losing him, the light he cast, the safety he granted, the humor and warmth he’d brought into her life.

  Her mother had been their beacon. Their shining light.