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

  She considered for a moment. She’d come here to start anew…maybe going out with someone was just the right answer. “I’d like that. When?”

  “Tonight. Where are you staying?”

  Things were moving faster than Debbie would like, but she knew if she spent too much time thinking about it, she’d put the brakes on the whole thing. “I’m in the staff cabin.”

  “I’ll come get you at six. Does that work?”

  Debbie nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be ready at six.” And she would. She never went back on her word. She wasn’t sure what her kids would think about it, but they were now grown, and it was time for her to start living her life for a change.

  “Good.” He leaned to one side as he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and threw a twenty on the table. “That’ll cover lunch and a tip. I’ll see you tonight.”

  As Frank left the café, all he could think about was the pretty woman he’d just had lunch with. He’d seen her at Christmas time, sitting with Miranda and a young man, but he hadn’t dared approach. When Kelsi had sat them together, it felt like fate was smiling down at him. Fate or Jaclyn’s fairies. He was sure Jaclyn would claim it as a victory for the fairies. She always did.

  He hummed as he walked across the ranch toward the airstrip. Suddenly the prospect of flying a couple of spoiled twenty-something boys around in his helicopter all afternoon didn’t bother him. He was flying without his wings. He was going to knock her socks off.

  Debbie watched him go, wondering what she’d just agreed to. A date with a man she’d only just met? Dale had asked her out six times before she’d agreed, and she agreed to Frank after talking to him for forty-five minutes? She didn’t think she’d lost her mind, but she was sure acting a lot more wild and free than she usually did.

  She left the café and walked over toward the Old West Town, stopping into the bakery to see Miranda. There was a short line, but at least it wasn’t all the way out the door like it had been at Christmas time.

  When she reached the front of the line, Miranda smiled. “What can I get you, Mom?”

  “I want a chocolate chip cookie, but only if you put twelve chips in it and not fifteen.”

  Miranda rolled her eyes. “You must have had lunch with Bob.” Miranda and her husband had fought over the correct number of chocolate chips in a cookie for months before they started dating. Mostly because Bob was difficult.

  Debbie grinned. “I had lunch in the café, but Bob stayed in the kitchen where he belongs. I had lunch with Frank.” She hadn’t meant to tell Miranda about her lunch, but the words just kind of popped out.

  “You did? What do you think of Frank?” Miranda’s eyes were excited, though her face was pale.

  “Are you sick?” Debbie asked.

  “I’m fine. What did you think of Frank?”

  “He seemed like a very nice man. He’s going to cook dinner for me tonight.” Debbie studied her daughter’s face, worried that it would bother her if she started dating. It had been so long for her.

  “Sounds good to me. I’ve heard he makes fabulous steaks. What’s he making for you?”

  “He was in a hurry, so I have no idea. I just know he’s going to pick me up at my cabin at six.”

  “Your cabin.” Miranda smiled happily. “I’m so glad you’re living and working on the ranch, Mom. And you’re doing something you enjoy. You always hated being in real estate.”

  “I did. But I was good at it, and I was able to raise you kids. That’s what mattered at the time.”

  “Promise me that you’ll be the one to matter now!”

  Debbie smiled. “I was just telling myself that over lunch. I’m not living for you kids anymore. It’s time to live for me.”

  Miranda handed her the cookie and a bottle of water. “I’m glad.”

  Chapter Two

  Debbie spent the afternoon moving her things into the little cabin. It was only one bedroom, but it had a decent sized kitchen and living area. It wasn’t as big as the house where she’d raised her kids, but she didn’t need a lot of space for just her. And like it or not, it was going to be just her now. The kids no longer came back during school breaks because they actually had lives. Hopefully there would be grandbabies soon, but she didn’t really feel old enough to be a grandmother, and she had promised herself she would not turn into one of those women who hounded her children about having kids.

  When she’d finished getting everything set up the way she wanted it, she made the drive into Riston to get some groceries. Unlike Frank, she couldn’t see herself eating two meals a day at the café. As much as she liked Bob’s cooking, she liked to have her own space more, and having her own space meant cooking for herself.

  At five-thirty, she started to get ready for her…dinner. She didn’t want to call it a date, because a date sounded so much more formal than what she expected to happen with Frank. He was a nice man, very attractive and easy to talk to. She didn’t have any friends on the ranch yet, so why not spend time with him?

  She showered and fixed her hair, but she decided to stay casual for the evening, choosing to wear a pair of jeans and a lavender blouse. She couldn’t imagine that Frank would dress up for dinner at his own house.

  When she was ready, she looked into the mirror. Her face showed the lines that came with being a single mother of two, but only around her eyes. Her blond hair was the same shade it had been at twenty, and there were no signs of gray.

  She put on pale pink lipstick just as she heard the knock on her cabin door, and hurried over to open it. Frank was standing there, informal in blue jeans and a button up shirt, but he looked really good to her. “Hi.” She stood staring at him, not sure what else to say. It had been much too long since she’d gone out with a man. What was she thinking?

  Frank grinned at her. “Hi. Are you ready?”

  She nodded. “Just let me grab my purse.” She hurried to the kitchen counter where she’d left it after her shopping trip, dropped her phone into it, and went back to the door. “Let’s go.”

  Frank had seen the cabin a hundred times in his years at the ranch, through several different occupants. Each person had made subtle changes, but all he could see from her was a small picture frame with her, Miranda, and a young man who must be her son. “What’s your boy’s name?” he asked, closing the door tightly and waiting while she locked.

  “Scott.”

  “And he’s a college student, right?” He knew she’d mentioned him at lunch but with the joking about him not being a drug dealer, he couldn’t remember the real facts.

  “Yeah. He’s majoring in criminal justice. I think he’ll be heading off for the military after graduation. He’ll probably go into the Air Force to follow in his father’s footsteps.”

  “He’s doing it backward. Why not get the GI Bill working for him?”

  She shrugged. “Scott marches to the beat of his own drum. He’s a good kid, but all the advice in the world isn’t going to get him to change his mind once he’s decided to do something.”

  Frank led her to his pickup truck, parked in the driveway of the cabin. “I’m not on property, but I’m close.”

  Debbie nodded. “That’s fine. How long does it take to get there?”

  “Ten minutes. I’ll point out some of the local sites on the way.” As they drove, he showed her things on the ranch as they headed for the main road, and then he pointed out Kaya and Glen’s place. “They’re opening an equine therapy ranch for autistic kids. Well, Glen is. Kaya’s a romance writer.”

  “Really? I’d love to read something she’s written. Will you write down her name for me before you drop me off?”

  “Happy to. I’m sure you can find her on Amazon. Do you have an eReader?”

  “Of course. I may be old, but I live in this millennium.”

  “Old?” Frank raised an eyebrow at her as they stopped at a four-way stop. “Who told you you’re old?”

  “I have a daughter who’s married, and a son whose about to finish college.
I’m old.”

  “Best looking granny I’ve seen in a long time.” He pulled off onto an unpaved road, driving back beyond trees to stop at a small cabin set back in the woods. “It’s not much, but it’s home.”

  “It’s beautiful!” Debbie looked out at the small, rustic-looking cabin. “Did you build it?”

  “No, but I did design it. It’s not very big, but it works for me.” He got out of the truck and walked up to unlock the door. “I get snowed in here at times and have to salt my little road myself, but I like the seclusion. No one is bothering me here. Ever.”

  “Not even Bigfoot?” she asked, remembering what her daughter had told her about Kelsi’s obsession with Bigfoot.

  “Only place I’ve seen Bigfoot recently was when the women of the ranch were planning Kelsi’s baby shower.” He opened the front door.

  “You don’t lock your door here?”

  “No one even knows my place is back here, unless they’re friends. If I don’t trust someone, I don’t call them friend. So…nope, never lock up!”

  Debbie was pleased with how neat his place was. She wasn’t sure if it was because of his military training, or if he’d taken the time to clean up since they’d talked. The smell of the food cooking had her drawing a deep breath. “That smells delicious.”

  “I threw the lasagna into the oven just before driving over to get you. I’m going to slip the garlic bread into the oven and toss the salad. Then supper will be ready. What would you like to drink?”

  “Water.” She had no idea what he had to offer, but she preferred water over most anything anyway. “How was your tour this afternoon?”

  He shrugged. “Couple of twenty-something know-it-all kids. They were fine. At least I didn’t crash this time.”

  “Crash? Have you crashed?” He obviously hadn’t been permanently injured, but that was scary.

  “Just once.” He sighed. “I wasn’t injured, but my passenger was.”

  “That’s terrible! I can’t imagine how I’d feel. Is the passenger all right now?”

  Frank nodded, putting the bread into the oven. “He absconded with the head maid, and took her back to Oklahoma with him. He’s a judge there.”

  “I’m glad he’s all right. That must have been hard.”

  “It was. I felt a lot of guilt for a while, but he’s better now.” He served their salad into two bowls. “I really hope you’re hungry. I made enough to feed an army, which is why I don’t cook much. I always over-cook, and there’s no one to eat leftovers.”

  “I’ll happily take leftovers for my lunch tomorrow. There’s lots to do to get the daycare up and running.”

  “Have you always worked with kids?”

  She shook her head. “No, but my degree is in early childhood education. My dream was to always work with kids, but when Dale died, I had to make more money. There’s not exactly a fortune to be made as a preschool teacher. So I got my real estate license. I never loved the job, but it was an income that provided well for my kids and me.”

  He handed her the two salad bowls and served lasagna onto plates, adding a piece of garlic bread to each. He got them each water while she put the plates on the table as well. “So you’re moving to the ranch to be near your daughter and going back to the life you love?”

  “I hope I’ll love it as much as I remember loving it. It’s been a long time.” She took her seat across from him. “Thank you for cooking tonight. It all looks delicious.”

  “Thank you for joining me. Even I get sick of eating at the restaurant every night. Though Thursdays and Fridays are fun. Trivia night and amateur night.” He eyed her curiously. “You don’t happen to sing, do you?”

  She shook her head. “Only where there’s a fussy baby in my arms. Why, do you sing?”

  “Sure. Loudly and off-key. I end up being a judge for amateur night a lot, because I love to listen.”

  “Sounds fun to me.” She took a bite of the lasagna, expecting it to be merely mediocre, but the man really could cook. “This is delicious.”

  “I told you I could cook.” He pointed his fork at her. “If amateur night sounds fun to you, then we should go this Friday.”

  Debbie frowned. “I don’t know. If I go out with you twice in one week, will our names be forever linked together?”

  “Possibly, but I doubt it. No one’s name is forever linked with Andrew’s, and I think he’s gone out with every single woman on the ranch at least once. Or maybe that’s only once. I’ll have to remember.”

  She laughed. “I think Miranda said she went out with him once, but there was no real chemistry or something. I think my daughter needs to have a man torment her for months and months before she’ll consider dating him.”

  Frank rolled his eyes. “Bob’s a mess, but he can cook like nobody’s business.”

  “I think that’s the only reason anyone other than Miranda puts up with him.” She took a sip of her water, watching him over the top of it. It was very strange to have a date again after all those years.

  “Bob’s really a good guy. He’s just odd, but I think that’s what makes the ranch special. It’s filled with odd people who work together to get along and create a unique place for the guests.” He tilted his head to one side. “Do you ski?”

  She shook her head adamantly. “I’m just not coordinated enough for skiing, I’m afraid. The few times I’ve tried it, I’ve ended up in a snowbank on the side of the bunny hill. I’m more of a sledder.” She hadn’t been in a lot of years, but she remembered some very fun times sledding when her kids were little.

  “Really? I have this lovely little hill out behind my house. You could come over and go sledding on Saturday.”

  Debbie was torn. Half of her really wanted to go sledding, because it had been years. The other half of her was wary of jumping headfirst into a relationship. “I’m not sure.”

  Frank sighed. “Are you worried about what people would say?”

  She shrugged. “I’m not sure that I’m ready to be half a couple. I just got here, and I need to learn the ropes, figure out my new job. I don’t think a relationship is a good idea just now.”

  “Let’s be friends then. We can just do stuff together, so you have someone to hang out with. Miranda and Bob both work Saturdays. Besides, they’re newlyweds. They don’t want Mom hanging around!”

  “You’re right. All right, let’s go sledding on Saturday. But I’m bringing the refreshments.”

  “You’re not going to get a complaint about that from me. I’m not stupid!”

  “What time?” she asked. She wanted to have some time in the afternoon to explore Riston. Miranda and Bob lived there, but she knew little else about it. Besides, she wouldn’t be able to stay in the staff cabin forever. Maybe there was a little house for sale that would suit her.

  “We could do noon and stop at the café on the way out.”

  “How about ten, and we stop at the café on our way back?” That would ensure they weren’t out too terribly long.

  He shrugged. “Sounds fine to me. I’ll dig out my old sled.”

  “You don’t have a toboggan, do you? I feel safer and more secure in a toboggan.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Sledding isn’t about feeling secure! It’s about having fun and letting gravity do its thing!”

  “Does that mean you don’t have a toboggan?” Debbie would go get her own toboggan if he couldn’t provide one.

  He sighed. “I think I do. Somewhere. But I want to let you know that I think it’s the coward’s way out.”

  “So you use a sled, and I’ll use a toboggan. Simple.”

  “I’ll race you.” His eyes lit up at the idea.

  “Really? I thought we were friends!”

  “It’ll be a friendly race! I promise.”

  “Are you hyper competitive?” she asked, frowning at him.

  He shook his head. “Oh no. Not at all. That might be why I’m not allowed to take part in trivia night anymore, but we’re just not discussing that.”
/>   “Oh really?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “We’re not? I think that’s something we should discuss.”

  “Nope.”

  “I’ll just ask Kelsi then. From what I can tell, she’ll tell me what I want to know.”

  Frank grumbled under his breath. “She probably would. She’ll tell anyone anything.”

  “Really?”

  “No, not really. She won’t tell any of her siblings’ secrets, but she would probably tell mine.” He shook his head. “The Weston family is very tight-knit. When you see them, and how very different they are, it’ll surprise you, but it’s true. Even the two girls are extremely close, no matter how different they look.”

  “Aren’t they twins?”

  “They are, but Kelsi’s very girly, and she keeps her hair blond and she wears dresses and make-up. Dani is more—rough and tumble, I guess is the way to put it.”

  “That makes sense.” She saw that he was finished eating, so she gathered the empty plates from the table and carried them to the sink. “Supper was wonderful. Thank you for inviting me.”

  “I’m glad you came.” He got the empty glasses. “Did you get enough? I made key lime cheesecake for dessert.”

  Debbie’s eyes widened. “I couldn’t eat another bite at the moment, but that sounds amazing!”

  He dug through a cabinet for a throw-away plastic bowl and cut her a slice, putting it into the bowl and sealing it. “Now you can have it whenever you want.”

  “You’re a good guy, aren’t you, Frank?”

  Frank shrugged. “Those words have been applied to me once or twice.”

  “Then I’m glad I get to go sledding with you on Saturday. It’s supposed to be warm tomorrow. I hope all the snow doesn’t melt on us.”

  “It won’t. It’s only supposed to get up to thirty. It’ll be great sledding weather on Saturday. I’ll dig out my old sled and find the toboggan…although I still think you’re playing it too safe.”

  “You’ve never seen me ride one, though. I can tip over on anything, including one of those discs kids sled down hills on. I’m not risking it!”