Flyboy's Fancy (River's End Ranch Book 21) Read online

  Debbie smiled. “I spent my first weekend here at the ranch sewing them. I love the idea of the room having my own personal touches, just like my children’s nurseries did back when they were small.”

  Mr. Weston frowned. “Are you salaried or hourly?”

  “I’m salaried.”

  “Well, you need to let Wade know you put in extra hours that way. You deserve a comp day off.”

  “I couldn’t do that. I made the pillows because I wanted to.” Debbie didn’t add that she made one to match the quilt her daughter made for Kelsi’s babies as well. Now she and Miranda were pushing to get the second quilt done. They didn’t want to slight one of the babies. It would have been nice if Kelsi had told everyone about the twins.

  “You’ll find that we’re very fair employers,” Mrs. Weston said. “If you spent a weekend making pillows, then you deserve to have that time off. Maybe during the summer when you’ll have your college students who can take over easier.”

  Debbie nodded. “Maybe.”

  Mr. Weston smiled at Debbie and nodded. “I like what you’ve done here. I think Wade made a good choice on a director for the Kids’ Korral. You obviously know what you’re doing.”

  “I’m very happy to be working here at the ranch. My daughter Miranda is the baker here, and I’m really thrilled to be able to live so close to her.”

  “And you’re dating our pilot,” Mrs. Weston added, a grin on her face.

  “I heard you two had spies everywhere.” Debbie wasn’t sure how she felt about her name being on people’s lips, but she couldn’t stop it in such a small community.

  Mrs. Weston laughed. “Not spies. We just have people who have been loyal to us for so long, they don’t know any other way to be. I think you and Frank would make a good couple.”

  “The fairies think so too,” Debbie blurted out.

  The Westons merely laughed. “Jaclyn is a character, isn’t she?”

  “Where are you two staying while you’re back at the ranch.”

  “We didn’t want to put anyone out, so we’re in the RV park. We like living in our simple little vehicle.” Mrs. Weston reached out and hugged Debbie. “Thanks for taking care of our girl. I’m sure we’ll see you around.”

  After the two of them left, Debbie stood staring at the door for a moment, trying to remember what she’d been planning to do before they’d changed the course of her day. Oh, yeah. She and Belle needed to have a meeting to make sure they were both on the same page. She gathered up her notes and went to Belle’s office, a bit confused about the people she’d just met.

  When Frank arrived for supper a few hours later, Debbie greeted him with a quick kiss. “You will never believe who came to visit the Kids’ Korral today!”

  “The Westons?” he asked.

  “How’d you know? Do you have spies too?”

  “They’re just showing up everywhere. They were at the café for breakfast and visited the blacksmith shop. Kelsi got home from the hospital today, and they saw that she was settled at home and headed out to check out the ranch. It’s almost like they’re evaluating all the work their kids did while they were gone.”

  “I sure hope they’re not stressing everyone out. Wade doesn’t need any more stress in his life!”

  “None of them do. It’s been a rough time since they left. They call every so often and demand that the kids do something else. The event barn and the Kids’ Korral and the spa and the kitchen upgrade are all examples of that. The ranch is on a totally different level than it was even eighteen months ago.”

  Debbie nodded, stirring the stew she’d made for supper. “I’ve heard all that, but I didn’t see it in the sweet couple I met. They were so nice! They wanted a tour of the rooms they’d have grandkids in, and they counted Maddie’s little girl as one of their grandkids, and Wade and Maddie aren’t even married yet. I was expecting ogres…but that’s not what we got.”

  Frank shrugged. “I’ve always gotten along well with them. They’re a nice couple. I love that I’m not just flying a small plane anymore, and I get to spend time in a helicopter. I have no complaints about any of the changes they’ve made, unless maybe it’s that they’ve put undue stress on the kids.”

  Debbie started at a knock on the door. She glanced over her shoulder at Frank. “Would you get that? I need to get the biscuits out of the oven.”

  “Oh, sure.” Frank opened the door and saw someone who was vaguely familiar to him. “I’m Frank.”

  “Why are you at my mom’s house?”

  Debbie turned at her son’s voice. “Scott! What are you doing here?”

  “Both of my Thursday professors are out tomorrow, and I don’t have any classes on Fridays, so I thought I’d come and see my mom.” Scott walked to her and leaned down to hug her tightly, before pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. “Who is this joker?”

  “That’s Frank. He’s my…friend.” She wasn’t sure what to call him, and she thought friend would be easier for Scott at first. She’d explain it all later, but there was no need to get into that discussion in front of Frank. “He’s the pilot here at the ranch. You may have met him in December when we were here.”

  “I don’t think so. Why’s he here?”

  Frank frowned. “Maybe I should go. I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow, Debbie.” Without another word, Frank opened the door and left. He’d get dinner at the restaurant. He kept hearing her say friend. Why hadn’t she introduced him as more than that?

  Debbie frowned at Scott as soon as Frank had left. “Why were you so rude? I raised you to act better than that! The man’s a veteran, and he deserves your respect.”

  Scott frowned. “Veteran or not, I don’t like strangers sniffing around my mom.”

  She blinked a couple of times. “Sniffing around your mom?” She took a step toward him, ignoring the fact that he was almost a foot taller than her. “Do you realize that I’ve spent the last twenty years totally alone? I didn’t so much as have a lunch date with a man, for fear that it would divide my focus between my children and a relationship? Well, guess what? You and Miranda are adults on your own now, and where does that leave me? Totally alone in this world!”

  “Well, you didn’t want to date anyone. You still love Dad.”

  She closed her eyes and counted to ten. “I will always love your father. Your first love is a love you never forget. Especially when he’s also your husband and the father of your children. But I’ve been seeing Frank since I came to the ranch. We started out as just friends, but we’ve become more than that.”

  Scott stared at her for a minute, looking shocked. “You’re dating that guy?”

  “Yes, I’m dating that guy.” She sighed. “Sit down and we’ll talk over supper. I made enough for two, but I didn’t think I’d be sharing with my son.”

  He frowned as he walked to the sink and washed his hands. Debbie couldn’t help but wonder if he was washing his hands for her sake or if he did that when she wasn’t around. “I’ll listen, but I’m not going to promise to like him.”

  “You know what, Scott? I don’t care if you like him or not! You’re a grown man who is about to go into the military. You sister is grown and married. Who I see is my business, and no one else’s. You can hate him with everything inside you, and it won’t matter to me, because I think he’s wonderful.” She filled his bowl with stew and set it on the table in front of him. “What do you think of that?”

  Scott frowned. “I don’t like it. First Miranda marries Bob. Now you’re dating Frank. What is up with that?”

  “You don’t think your sister and I should marry? What’s wrong with you?”

  He sighed. “I feel like it’s my job to check these guys out first, but I didn’t get that chance with you or with Miranda.” He ate a bite of his stew, looking his mother in the eye for the first time since his arrival. “I’m sorry. I’m being a jerk. Tell me about Frank.”

  “You are being a jerk, but I’ll tell you about him anyway. You know why? Because I
like him a lot. And if he wants to take on a forty-something woman with two grown kids, I’m more than willing to marry the man. He’s wonderful.” She went on to talk about Frank, telling her son all the things he didn’t need to know about the man she’d just realized she was in love with.

  Chapter Ten

  Scott slept on Debbie’s couch that night, and Debbie tiptoed out early in the morning so as not to wake him. She’d not eaten breakfast at the café since she’d gotten to the ranch, but she really wanted to talk to Frank. Scott had agreed he’d apologize to him because he knew he’d been a jerk, but she felt that it was partly her fault for not telling Scott she was in a relationship. She knew the whole idea of his mother dating was foreign to him. It wasn’t something she’d done.

  She drove over to the café instead of walking, the chill in the air too much for her. Usually she loved early morning walks in the cold, but for some reason the very idea offended her today.

  When she stepped into the warmth of the café, she immediately looked around. She was still having trouble adjusting to not seeing Kelsi as soon as she walked in. After a minute, she spotted Frank, sitting in a booth by himself, a glass of orange juice in his hand.

  She walked over, and tapped him on the shoulder, putting on her sexiest voice. “Got any room for me, flyboy?”

  Frank looked at her, his eyes as cold as the frigid morning air. “It’s a free country.”

  Debbie frowned, slipping into the booth across from him. “Are you upset with me?”

  “I don’t know. Should I be?”

  “I’m sorry about the way Scott talked to you last night. He’ll be talking to you himself today. It won’t happen again.”

  Joni came to the table. She was in charge during Kelsi’s maternity leave. “What do you want to drink?”

  Debbie shrugged. “Hot chocolate and water would be great.”

  “Do you know what you want to eat yet? Frank’s already ordered.”

  Debbie’s eyes met his. “What do I want to eat?” She’d never seen the café’s breakfast menu.

  “Give her what I’m having.” Frank knew her tastes well enough by now that he had no qualms about ordering for her.

  After Joni walked off, Debbie reached out for Frank’s hand, winding her fingers through his. He didn’t pull away from her, but he didn’t exactly squeeze her hand back. “Are you upset about how Scott acted?”

  “Not really. If he didn’t know we were dating, then he had no reason to respect me.”

  “He had every reason! He’s been raised to show respect to everyone, not just when he feels like it.”

  Frank shook his head and pulled his hand away from her grip. “Maybe if you’d introduced me as something more than a friend…”

  Debbie sighed. “I’m in my mid-forties. You’re older than me. What the heck am I supposed to call you? My boyfriend? That doesn’t sound right. My beau? I’d feel like something from a bad romance novel. My suitor? Well, that makes me feel like I live in 1894. There’s no real word! You’re not my lover, because we haven’t…you know! So I went with friend, expecting that I’d expound on it quickly, which I did, but you were already gone!”

  Frank wanted to argue with her, but he saw her point. There were no good words for their relationship in the English language! “So what did you end up telling him?”

  “I told him we were in a relationship, but that feels weird too. We’re dating, which works, but…I don’t know how to use one word to sum up ‘the only man I’ve wanted to date in twenty years’ ‘the man who makes me feel alive again’ ‘the man I love’ ‘the only man I’d consider a serious relationship with’. There’s no way to put all that into one word!”

  “How ‘bout calling me your marshmallow head?”

  “Umm…that phrase never even occurred to me.”

  “Well, I’ve decided that I must be soft in the head. I’ve spent the last twelve hours furious with you for not introducing me as more than a friend to your son. And now you’re telling me it was only because you didn’t have the right word, which means that I was an absolute idiot.” He shook his head. “I love you too, you know.”

  “I didn’t know, but I sure hoped.” She put her hand next to his, not feeling like she could be as bold as she’d been a minute ago.

  He took her hand in his. “Can you forgive me?”

  “Sure thing, marshmallow head.”

  Joni stopped beside the table, looking back and forth between the two of them. “I’m not sure I was supposed to hear that. Or anyone was.”

  The confused look on her face had Frank laughing. “Inside joke.”

  “Let’s keep it that way, shall we?” Joni set hot chocolate and a big glass of water onto the table. “I’ll be back with your breakfast in just a minute.”

  Debbie grinned at Frank. “I’m not sure that name is going to work.”

  “How about snarltooth?”

  She laughed. “Sounds like something Kelsi would call one of her babies.”

  “I does, doesn’t it? How about love machine?”

  Her eyes grew wide and she dissolved into a fit of giggles. Bob came out of the kitchen to see who was making so much noise, and shook his head at her. “You need to learn to behave!”

  “Frank’s the one making me laugh!” She shook her head. “I’m not calling you love machine. That’s absolutely ridiculous.”

  He frowned. “Well, then why don’t you call me fiancé? So much better than any of those other names anyway.”

  “That would be a lie.” She shook her head. “I can’t lie to people.” Her heart sped up at the mere idea, though. She loved the idea of being engaged to him…almost as much as she loved the idea of being married to him.

  He leaned to one side, sticking his hand deep into his front pocket. “It doesn’t have to be a lie. I got you this. I’ve been carrying it around for a couple of weeks now.” He flipped open the small box in his hand, showing her a diamond ring. “If you don’t like it, I’ll find another.”

  She blinked at it, then up at him again. “Frank? Are you asking me to marry you?”

  “I’m obviously doing an awful job of it if you have to ask me that! Yes, I’m asking you to marry me. This is my first marriage proposal, and I’m obviously messing it up…but please?”

  She took a deep breath. “I’d love to marry you.” She held her hand up. “But I want you to wait to give me the ring. Tomorrow night, I’ll fix dinner for Scott, Miranda, Bob, and you. We’ll eat at my place, and you can give me the ring in front of my kids.”

  Frank frowned. “Scott doesn’t like me.”

  “Scott doesn’t know you.” She shook her head. “I booked a helicopter tour for him this afternoon. You two can talk and get to know each other.”

  He groaned. “I don’t want to.” He felt like a petulant child, but after the way the previous evening had ended, he had no desire to spend time with her son.

  “Please? For me?”

  He groaned. “How can I turn you down when you look at me with those beautiful green eyes?”

  Joni plopped food down between them. “Enjoy.”

  Debbie stared down at her plate, poking at her French toast with her fork. “Does Bob always make French toast shaped like hearts?”

  Frank stared down at his plate. “He never has before. I guess he knew something was up.”

  “How could he not have?” She grinned at him. “So you and Scott will spend the afternoon together, and I’ll invite everyone over to my house tomorrow night. The kids need to share our joy.”

  “It’s a good thing I like Miranda,” he muttered, stabbing his food with unnecessary intensity.

  Frank didn’t know what to expect as he waited at the helipad for Scott. He didn’t really want to spend any time alone with the kid, but he didn’t want to upset Debbie either. Truly, Scott had made his opinions clear the previous evening, and he didn’t think anything was going to change his mind.

  Scott walked over to the helicopter, and straight to Frank, of
fering his hand. “I’m very sorry for the way I treated you last night. My mom’s never dated before—not in my lifetime anyway. I didn’t know how to react. I should have known better.”

  Frank was floored by the apology. Debbie had said he’d be getting one, but he hadn’t believed her. “I guess I can understand that.”

  “Will you forgive me?”

  Frank was surprised by how serious the boy looked. He seemed to really care if he was forgiven. “Yeah. I guess I’d have reacted the same way if I’d had someone as special as your mom in my life and I was worried someone wasn’t treating her right.”

  Scott smiled, nodding. “Thank you, sir. Maybe we can start over today.”

  “I’d like that.”

  At lunch the next day, Frank told Debbie how much he’d enjoyed the time with Scott. “He was very respectful, and full of questions about the Air Force. I couldn’t help but like him.”

  “I’m so glad. Thank you for giving him a second chance. He really didn’t deserve it.” She was still a bit frustrated with how Scott had treated Frank, but she thought she understood where he was coming from.

  “I want to get along well with him. He’s your son.” He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. “When do you want to get married?”

  She shrugged. “I did the big wedding thing with Dale, and all it did was stress me out. I don’t feel the need to go through all that again.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that. We could do a little wedding in the chapel in the Old West town. Say a month from now?” Frank hoped she wouldn’t insist on a long engagement. He didn’t want to have to wait to have her be his wife.

  She shrugged. “I’m all for the chapel. We could marry this weekend or next month.”

  He swallowed hard. She’d given him the answer he really wanted. “You wouldn’t feel like you were rushing into it if we got married this weekend?”

  “I feel like my kids are already here, so we should just get to it.” Her hands joined with his in the middle of the table. “I’m well aware that life can be short. I’ll never again wait for a year or two to do something, knowing that things can change in the blink of an eye. I believe in grabbing the brass ring. Now that I know I’m in love with you, let’s just do it.”