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

  “Fine. But you’re bringing the snack, remember?”

  “I do remember! I’ll be waiting with it.” She efficiently loaded his dishwasher, rearranging several things that were already in there.

  “Why do women do that?” he asked, puzzled.

  “Do what?”

  “Move stuff around in a dishwasher? Why is where a man puts it never good enough?”

  She shrugged. “There’s a right way to load a dishwasher and a wrong way. I make sure it’s the right way before I run it. It’s that simple.”

  “Does Miranda load the dishwasher the right way?”

  “Of course. I taught her to do it from the time she was small.”

  “What about Scott?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Scott refused to learn properly, doing it wrong every single time, until I refused to let him near my dishwasher ever again.”

  He laughed. “He did it wrong because he’s a man, right?”

  She shook her head slowly. “No, he did it wrong because he refused to learn to do it right. It was his choice.”

  “But is there really a right? Or is right just something women make up in their heads so they can tell men they did it wrong?”

  “There’s really a right. Dishes don’t come clean the way you had it. Do you constantly have to re-run the dishwasher because dishes aren’t clean?”

  “Well, yeah, but that’s just because dishwashers aren’t as good as hand washing. I don’t think a machine ever could be.” Frank shrugged. He knew he was getting her goat, but it was kind of fun. He liked her. A lot. Sure, he’d agreed to just be friends, but that was only because he wanted to have a chance with her. He was going to push for more the second he sensed she was ready for it.

  “Typical male logic.” She finished reloading the dishwasher properly and added soap.

  “It’s not all the way full!” he protested.

  “If I cram more dishes in there, they’ll never get clean. Do you want a lot of dishes to not get clean or a few dishes to get clean?”

  He glared at her. “I’m not even going there.”

  “Okay. You don’t have to.” She closed the dishwasher and ran it. She wasn’t sure what he wanted to do now. Would he take her home?

  “So do you want to hang out for a little while? We could play a game? Or I could take you right home so you can get ready for work tomorrow.”

  She frowned. “I should probably go straight home. I have a lot to do to get ready.”

  “All right. Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow?”

  She took her cheesecake from the counter where he’d left it. “As friends, right?”

  “Definitely as friends. I wouldn’t ask for more.”

  She shrugged into her coat and headed for the door, moving the cheesecake from hand to hand. She wasn’t going to risk that.

  “Sure. Let’s do lunch.” She didn’t particularly relish the idea of doing everything alone, and here was a kind man offering his friendship. She needed to accept.

  Frank smiled as he started his truck. “I’ll meet you at Kelsey’s Kafé at noon. If you get there first, get me the special.”

  “What if you don’t want the special?” Debbie asked.

  “Trust me, I want the special. So do you for that matter. Bob’s special is always worth eating. Always.”

  “All right. If I’m there first, I’ll order two specials.” Debbie figured he knew what he was talking about since he was so adamant about it.

  “You won’t regret it.” He pulled up in front of her cabin, and stopped the truck. He put his hand on his handle as if he was going to walk her to the door.

  “Don’t. It would seem like a date if you walked me to the door. Friends don’t do that for each other.”

  Frank nodded, staying in the truck. He wanted a real relationship from her, but he’d wait until she seemed ready for it. In the meantime, friendship would have to do. “Sleep well. See you at noon.”

  “Good night!” She got down out of the truck and hurried to the door, unlocked it, and went inside. As she leaned back against the door, she thought back over the evening. Frank was something else. She didn’t know him well—yet—but she had a feeling when she did, she wasn’t going to be able to keep her heart intact.

  No man had treated her so kindly since Dale had died. She hadn’t allowed them to. Now that she’d given Frank a bit of an “in” would he think there would be more to their relationship than she was ready for? He’d agreed they’d just be friends, but could he stick to that? He wanted more. She could tell. She just didn’t think she could handle it quite yet. She had to be friends for a while before she could move into more than friendship. It had been too long.

  She’d had one love in her life, and only one. When he’d died, a little piece of her had died with him. How could she even entertain the thought of dating again? It wasn’t time yet. It couldn’t be.

  She walked back to her room and picked up her eReader, searching for the name Frank had given her. She’d read a book or two by Kaya Taylor. Maybe she would distract her from her own issues. There was nothing like losing yourself in a good love story to forget all your troubles and become a brand new person. Yes, that was exactly what she needed.

  As she searched through the titles, she thought of nothing but Frank and the evening they’d just had. Maybe it was too late and a piece of her heart was already his?

  She sighed. She had to harden her heart. It wasn’t time yet. It seemed like Dale had just died yesterday, leaving her alone, pregnant and with a two-year-old. She couldn’t go through anything like that again. Her heart couldn’t handle it.

  Chapter Three

  Debbie spent the next morning making a list of things she’d need for the Kids’ Korral. The building seemed to be in perfect order to her, though she wanted some of the doors removed and replaced with half doors so sounds could be shut out when necessary. She’d have to get in touch with Maury at Polaski Construction, Inc. He was the person in charge of the renovations.

  Her list would need to be turned into Dani Weston, but she could work with the budget that was provided to her. Tiny little stackable cribs were ordered. Debbie didn’t let herself think about them too much, because to her they resembled cages, but they were the best way to have sleeping areas for multiple babies in one room.

  She worked quickly, going from room to room. She ordered a buggy that would fit six infants and a table that would fit six. For the toddlers she ordered stacking toys and learning toys—even a couple of DVDs designed to aid the children in learning to read. She knew that most parents would be dropping their children there as a way to have some freedom, but she was determined to teach them.

  For the two- and three-year olds, she ordered books, dolls, dishes, and toy trucks. The four-year olds got more learning activities, including letters and numbers they would learn to use on a white board. For the school-aged children, she ordered games and creative play activities, including puppets and a puppet stage. The children would learn how to entertain themselves quickly.

  Most children wouldn’t be there for more than a week or two at a time, so they’d have no time to become bored with the activities offered to them. Debbie liked the idea of having a few children who belonged to the ranch staff, but having a large group of rotating children as well. It would be nice to constantly face new challenges. There would be no way to grow stagnant.

  By the time she needed to leave to walk over to Kelsey’s Kafé for lunch, her list was done, and she’d talked to the construction company about making sure the doors were made to her specifications.

  She headed out and walked the path from the Old West Town toward the café, pleased with all that she’d accomplished. Frank wasn’t there yet, so she took a seat and when Kelsi waddled over to her, she gave her and Frank’s order.

  “Are you two going to be eating together every day?” Kelsi asked, her pen poised over her notepad.

  Debbie blushed, feeling like an idiot. She had two grown children, so she sh
ould be long past the blushing stage. “We’re friends. I’m not sure how often we’ll eat together, but he’s kindly providing me with company since I don’t know anyone.”

  “And that’s all it is?” Kelsi asked, one eyebrow raised.

  Debbie nodded, refusing to take the bait. “It is. How are you feeling?”

  At the question, Kelsi slid into the booth across from Debbie. “Can I be frank?”

  “Well, Frank is Frank. But I suppose you can be forthright!”

  “I feel like the only thing keeping me together is static cling. I ache in every muscle of my body.” Kelsi patted her belly affectionately. “If little Begonia is this much of a pain when she’s born, I’m going to give her to Dani to raise.”

  “Why Dani?” Debbie asked, a grin on her face.

  “Because of the twin code. She has to take her and raise her as her own. The others could shove her off on each other, but Dani has to keep her!”

  “I wasn’t aware the twin code said that.”

  “Oh, I scribbled it in with crayon just last week.” Kelsi propped her feet up beside Debbie. “I promise I’ll get up as soon as Frank is here, but for the moment, I can say you looked lonely.”

  “Is your mom going to be here when the baby is born?” Debbie asked, eyeing Kelsi’s huge stomach. “You look like you could pop any minute.”

  “I feel like I could too!” Kelsi sighed dramatically. “Mom and Dad promised to be here, but what if I go into labor early? Then who’s going to sponge my forehead and tell me when to breathe?”

  “Isn’t that Shane’s job?” Debbie asked. “He’s not planning to be there?” Most husbands were in the room when babies were born.

  “Oh, sure, he’ll be there. He’ll be passed out cold on the floor, but he’ll be there!” Kelsi shook her head. “No, I need a mother-figure there.”

  “What about Jaclyn? I’ve heard stories about her.”

  Kelsi nodded. “I love Jaclyn. I do. But she’s never had a baby. She’s never married or been the giver of life. I need a mom! Someone who’s been there.” She leaned forward, looking to see if anyone was listening as if she was imparting a great secret. “So this is what I need. If my mom doesn’t arrive, you have to be my fake mom while I’m in labor.”

  Debbie’s eyes widened. “No, your mom will be here. You won’t need me.”

  “But if I do?” Kelsi reached out and grabbed Debbie’s hand, a desperate look on her face. “Please tell me you’ll be there if my mom can’t.”

  Debbie took a deep breath, astounded by how beautiful Kelsi’s ice blue eyes were. She knew all the Weston’s had the same eyes, but there was something almost magical in Kelsi’s, pulling her in. “I’ll do it, but only if your mom can’t.”

  “That’s all I ask.” Kelsi got to her feet. “I’ll get your drinks.” She hurried away as if nothing had happened, and Debbie felt as if her world had just tilted on its axis.

  Frank slid into the booth, looking after Kelsi. “What’s up with her?”

  Debbie sighed. “She wants me to be there when the baby’s born if her mom can’t make it. What do I know about helping someone have a baby?” The very idea petrified her, but if it would make Kelsi calmer as she waited for her baby to arrive, then she’d agree.

  Frank shrugged. “I don’t know. What did you tell her?”

  She groaned, running her fingers through her hair, even though she knew she was mussing it horribly. “I told her yes. There’s something mesmerizing about her eyes.”

  He laughed. “I figured she’d get you. That girl. There’s something awfully special about her—about the whole family, really. Now that they’re all paired up, I’m not sure how things are going to be around here. River’s End won’t be the same without Jaclyn working to match up the Westons.”

  “She’ll still match other people up though, right? I know Miranda said she nudged her and Bob together.”

  Frank laughed. “She did more than that. She wrapped all of Bob’s Secret Santa gifts for Miranda. I don’t think Miranda ever figured out that she was the one wrapping them, either.”

  Debbie smiled. “That was really sweet of her.”

  “Oh yeah. A real sweetheart, that’s Jaclyn.”

  Kelsi set their drinks on the table in front of them. “I’ll be back in a minute with two specials.”

  “What is the special today?” Debbie asked. She had ordered a meal, having no idea what she was getting. She’d never done that before.

  Kelsi laughed. “Today’s special is Bob’s barbecue bacon cheeseburger. It’s served with an onion ring right on the burger. Trust me, you do not want to miss this! And of course it’s served with onion rings. Bob says it’s so good it’ll make me want to slap my mama, but I would never slap my mama. Now that I’m going to be a mama, I have a lot more respect for what mine went through to bring me to this earth.” With those words she waddled away.

  Debbie noted that she was moving much faster than she had earlier. It was as if she was no longer hurting nearly as much now that she’d talked Debbie into being there.

  Frank grinned, shaking his head. “That girl has serious issues.”

  “Yes, she does! I never know what’s going to come out of her mouth next. Does she seem more predictable after you’ve known her for a while?”

  He laughed out loud, a booming laugh that seemed to fill the café with merriment. “Nothing she could do would surprise me at this point, but only because I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. Does that make sense?”

  “I guess it does. I just wish I could figure her out.”

  “You me and the rest of Riston.” Frank nodded to where the sheriff had just walked in. “And poor Sheriff Shane. Can you imagine being married to her?”

  Debbie shook her head. “I can’t imagine trying to live with her at all. She told me she’s going to name the baby Begonia. What kind of name is Begonia?”

  “Oh, don’t worry, it’ll be something else tomorrow. Like Widget. That’s become a favorite. It’s the only name I know of that she’s circled back to. Every day it’s something new.”

  “What does Shane say to that?”

  “Oh, the sheriff likes the name Victoria. He says that will be the baby’s name if he has to hogtie his wife. We’ll see who wins. There’s a pool going on the baby’s name, and Shane’s odds for getting a Victoria are not very good at all.”

  Debbie bit her lip, stifling a laugh. “Poor Shane.”

  “I don’t know about that. He’s married to the woman he’s loved for years. As soon as he heard she’d broken up with her boyfriend, he was here and asking her out. It was a whirlwind romance, but we were all pleased for him. He was always a good, happy man. Now there’s a level of satisfaction with life no one ever thought they’d see in him. Of course, it’s tempered with utter bafflement all the time, so you never know which is going to win out.” Frank nodded at the sheriff who was heading for his wife.

  “Kelsi, I told you to sit in the back and work on your paperwork today. You’re too tired to be out here waiting tables. Your feet have swollen to twice their normal size.” Shane shook his head at Kelsi, an exasperated look on his face.

  “Instead, I sent Joni to the back to do the paperwork. I’ll stick my feet in snow and the cold will help the swelling.” Kelsi patted Shane’s cheek absently.

  Shane sighed. “Why can’t you ever do anything the easy way? You have got to be the most stubborn female this side of the Rocky Mountains!”

  “You wouldn’t love me any other way!” Kelsi stood on tiptoe to kiss her husband. “You know it’s getting harder and harder to kiss you. Little Begonia is in the way all the time.”

  “Victoria.”

  “Fine. Begonia Victoria.”

  “I’m going to go sit down. I need lunch.” Shane wandered over to one of the booths.

  “Why doesn’t he sit at the counter?” Debbie asked, having enjoyed the display between the soon-to-be parents as much as everyone else in the café had.

  “He always s
its in that same booth. Sometimes his men join him, but usually it’s just him. I’m not sure why, but I know there’s where he’s sat every day for the past five years. Once when he didn’t show up, Kelsi took a meal to him, because she was sure he was dying or something.”

  “Before they were dating?” Debbie asked.

  “Yeah. She was still dating someone else.” Frank shook his head. “He knew he loved her years ago, and I think deep down, she knew she loved him. They were made for each other.”

  “Obviously,” Debbie said softly. It was the kind of love she’d shared with Dale. For the short while she’d had him in her life, anyway. They’d only known one another a few months before they married, and then Miranda had come ten months after the wedding. Everything about their lives together had been whirlwind. Sometimes she wondered if she really missed him or if she missed being in a relationship.

  Kelsi slid their food onto the table in front of them, and Frank smiled, rubbing his hands together. “I love his burger specials.”

  “You love everything Bob makes. I’d tell him, but he can barely fit his big head in the kitchen as it is!” Kelsi all but shouted the insult, obviously wanting Bob to hear it.

  “My head is as big as it should be! I’m the best chef this little café has ever seen, and I won’t be ashamed of that fact!” Bob spotted Debbie, raising his hand in a wave. “And don’t try to insult me around my new mother-in-law. What are you thinking?”

  Kelsi rolled her eyes. “Is he like this at home too?”

  “Fortunately, I’ve only been around a few times when they were there…but yeah, I’d say he’s like that at home, too.” Debbie picked up her burger and took a big bite. She chewed slowly, savoring the blend of flavors. “He has good reason to be. This is a good burger!”

  “Enjoy. Holler if you need anything else. I’ll be harassing my husband.” With that, the waitress strolled over to her husband’s booth and slid in across from him. “My feet hurt. Will you rub them?”

  Shane’s deep voice carried. “I shouldn’t because you were supposed to sit and do paperwork today!”