Contractor's Cookies (Culpepper Cowboys Book 9) Read online

  Felicity nodded emphatically. “And I sure could use a little butterfly ballerina to dance down the aisle!”

  Patience grinned at the reference to her new step-daughter, Corinne. “You’ll have her. Pink all right?”

  “Pink is perfect!”

  Felicity looked over at Rikki, who was standing quietly, looking out of place. She knew what the girl was thinking by the look on her face. “You’re coming! You’re in charge of getting the cake that Grace is just about to start decorating there.” She looked at Grace with wide eyes. “Do you need my help?”

  Grace shook her head. “You tell me what you want, and I’ll make it happen.”

  “Butterflies, of course. Little pink butterflies to match the most beautiful niece in the whole wide world.”

  “I can do that.”

  Rikki frowned. “I want to help.”

  Grace shrugged. “Have you ever done fancy frosting on a cake?”

  “Nope.”

  “I guess you’re going to learn a new skill today, aren’t you?” Grace rushed to the freezer and pulled out four carefully wrapped layers of a cake. “Get over here and help me unwrap.” She looked at Felicity. “I know you hate cakes, but this is your emergency, so you get to finish up the birthday cake I was working on. Allen will have to make do with the cookies that are already made.”

  “I guess he will, but I hate that.” Felicity had two different varieties she hadn’t tried on him yet, but one was just a plain peanut butter with a Hershey’s Kiss on top, and the other was peanut butter chocolate chunk with a marshmallow center. Neither were special enough to have baked them for him already, but she knew he’d enjoy them. “All right. Starting on cake.”

  As she worked, Felicity watched the time, knowing she still wanted to take Allen his cookies on time for the rest of the day. She’d already done a bit of the decorating when she remembered she needed to call Linda. When the Culpepper matriarch answered, Felicity could hear the children playing in the background. “Hello?”

  “Linda, it’s Felicity. I’m getting married tomorrow at seven.”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful! Allen?”

  “Of course. No one else makes me weak in the knees!”

  “Sounds good. I’ll be ready.”

  “Oh, wedding’s at your house.”

  Linda was quiet for a moment, and Felicity knew she was making a mental list of everything that would have to be done. “All right. Grace taking care of the cake?”

  “Yup, and I’ve already got my dress. Patience is going to wear the same bridesmaid dress I wore. My theme is going to match my flower girl.”

  “Butterfly ballerina. Got it. I’ll leave some extra space for her to dance as she comes in.”

  “Thanks. And Linda?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You’re the best darn Wiggie on the whole planet! I hope my kids will get to call you that too!”

  “I think within a few years the whole planet is going to be calling me Wiggie.” Linda sounded excited by the idea, not disgusted, and that’s all Felicity cared about.

  “I’ll be home in a few hours. Are you going out tonight?”

  “No, I’m not. Do you mind if I bring a date to the wedding, though?”

  Felicity grinned. “I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

  “Another wedding. You Quinlan girls sure don’t do anything slowly, do you?”

  “I guess not!” She ended the call and put her phone in her pocket, getting back to the cake in front of her. It was a simple frosting job, but she really did prefer cookies to cakes.

  She glanced over at the layers of cake Grace and Rikki were working on. Grace was talking softly to Rikki, who was holding her own tube of frosting awkwardly and listening intently. She was practicing making small designs on a piece of tin foil, while Grace worked on the cake. When Grace nodded, Rikki grinned and carefully started making her designs on the cake. They weren’t as perfect and practiced as Grace’s, but they were still beautiful, and that’s what mattered to Felicity.

  Patience approached Felicity and smiled. “I think you two will be happy.”

  Felicity nodded. “I know we will. He’s a good man.”

  “He seems it. He’s definitely a hard worker, and he makes you tingle.”

  Felicity grinned. “He does do that.”

  “Let me take him a scone for his next break.”

  “No! Take him a scone tomorrow. He’s getting cookies from me today.”

  Patience made a face, but she nodded. “That makes sense. I’ll do that then.”

  “Don’t start playing big sister and threatening him. He doesn’t need to deal with that nonsense.”

  “But you’re my favorite sister!”

  “I’m your only sister.” Felicity put the finishing touches on the birthday cake and carried it to the cooler at the back of the store. “Time for cookies!”

  “I hope he likes sweets. If not, he’s been letting you torture him for days.”

  “He proposed because my cookie was so good, but we’ll pretend he was overwhelmed by my beauty and personality.”

  Patience laughed. “I’m sure that was really the case. You’re pretty darn special, Felicity.”

  Felicity grinned as she arranged three of the peanut butter blossoms on a plate. “I hate taking him cookies I didn’t make specially for him. I feel like I’m cheating.”

  Patience shook her head. “I’m sure he’s going to be happy either way.”

  “I sure hope so.” Felicity grabbed water and used her back to push the door of the bakery open. “Ahoy there!”

  Allen turned to her, a big grin on his face. “Ahoy there? Why 'ahoy there'?”

  “Seemed like the thing to say.” She frowned at the cookies on the plate. “I didn’t get to bake a special batch of cookies for you this time, because my cousin made me finish frosting a birthday cake so she could get started on our wedding cake.”

  “And how’s the wedding cake coming?” he asked, surprised they were already able to frost it. “Don’t you have to bake the cake first?”

  She laughed, giving him the first bottle of water. “Grace keeps layers made up and in the freezer. We have to around here. The weddings happen so fast!”

  “That’s mainly just you Quinlan girls!”

  She shrugged. “And Doc and Nancy too.”

  “Well, that’s true. I think Nancy and Doc just thought that’s the Culpepper way now.”

  “It is, isn’t it?”

  He just laughed, taking one of the cookies. “This is delicious!”

  “Of course it is. I didn’t bring you an inferior cookie, just not one baked specifically for you.”

  “How many different kinds of cookies are in that display case?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “A lot right now. I usually bake two or three different kinds per day, but I’ve been enjoying baking so many different kinds for you.”

  “So I’m not always going to get this kind of treatment?”

  “Oh, you will. Not everyone will, of course, but you will.”

  “Are you sure I can’t kiss you yet? ‘Cuz that’s a statement that really deserves a kiss.”

  She shook her head. “Nope. Not yet.”

  He sighed. “You’re going to make my life difficult, aren’t you?”

  “Maybe a little. But it’s going to be so much fun, you’re going to thank me for it.”

  He laughed as she turned to go back inside with her empty plate. Felicity Quinlan was something else.

  When Felicity got back to the big house with Rikki that evening, she hurried over to Linda. “How are the preparations going?”

  Linda grinned. “Well, I thought I’d pick flowers tomorrow. I’m making a small reception meal. Just finger sandwiches, sausage rolls, and pinwheels. I figured I’d make some layered dip.”

  “That all sounds wonderful.”

  Rikki stepped up beside Felicity. “How can I help?”

  “Oh, you don’t need to help.”

  “I want
to.”

  Linda put Rikki to work on the sausage rolls, showing her how to make them.

  Felicity quickly kissed Linda’s cheek. “I need to go call my mother and let her know I’m marrying tomorrow.”

  “Your dad will be home from work, won’t he?”

  Felicity shrugged. “He usually has business meetings on Thursday nights. I should be safe.”

  When she got back to her room, she showered and sat down on her bed to call her mother. She didn’t feel as close to her mom as she knew Patience did, but she was still excited to hear her voice.

  “Mom, it’s Felicity.”

  “Felicity! It’s so good to hear your voice! How’s the bakery? Have you met someone?”

  Felicity laughed. “Bakery is great. We’re expanding, and the contractor and I are getting married tomorrow.”

  “Of course you are. Your father is going to be annoyed.”

  “Don’t tell him until Saturday, then.”

  “I won’t.” There was a pause for a moment then, “Tell me about him.”

  “His name is Allen Jennings, and he’s the sexiest man I have ever seen in my life. I took one look at him, and my knees started melting.”

  Her mother laughed. “Oh, really?”

  “Really! All day while he works, I take him cookies every hour. He loves my cookies.”

  “Everyone loves your cookies!”

  “People with good taste do,” Felicity responded with a grin. “He’s definitely got good taste!”

  “He does if he’s marrying my daughter!”

  “How’re things at home?”

  Her mom sighed. “You know your dad. I love him, but he’s making me crazy. He’s all offended that I let you girls go without making sure you’d be properly chaperoned at all times. He keeps asking me where you are, but I haven’t told him. I’m afraid he’d try to drag you back to Kentucky since you’re not married yet.”

  “Well, we sure don’t want that. And after tomorrow, I’ll be married and he won’t have worry about it.”

  “I’m glad you’ve found a good man. You girls are making wonderful lives for yourselves out there in Wyoming, and that makes me very happy.”

  Felicity smiled. “We really are. I’ll have a stepson.”

  “Oh?” Felicity could hear the question in her mother’s voice, but there was no censure.

  “Allen’s wife ran off with an underwear model. Long story, but this city lost most of its women to underwear models a few years back.”

  Her mother laughed aloud. “Oh, that’s funny. Don’t tell your father I laughed.”

  Felicity grinned. “I won’t. I’m not going to go into the whole story, but the ex wants nothing to do with Allen or his son, Tristan, so there shouldn’t be a lot of battling over Tristan.”

  “Tristan. I like that name!”

  “Me too. I haven’t met the son yet. He’s been at football camp all week.”

  “I wish I could be there with you for the wedding. Is Patience going to be your matron of honor?”

  “Of course! And Grace is already working on the wedding cake. Hope made the dress. Now, we just have to marry.”

  There was a pause. “There’s been time to do all that? How long have you been engaged?”

  “A few hours. Because weddings seem to happen really fast in Culpepper, Hope made a dress not long after I arrived so I’d have one ready. And Grace keeps frozen layers of cake in the freezer.”

  “Of course. I should have guessed. Those cousins of yours have always been prepared for anything.”

  Felicity smiled. “That they have. Well, I’m going to go and get ready for bed. I need my beauty rest if I’m getting married tomorrow.”

  “Have your sister take millions of pictures and get video if she can. The stories I’ve heard about that Brother Anthony have me in stitches. I’d love to have a chance to see him in action.”

  “I’ll tell her. Love you, Mama.”

  “Love you too, Felicity.”

  Felicity ended the call and looked down at the phone in her hand. She really did wish her mother could be there. She’d still be surrounded by family, which was important, but having her mother at her wedding—well, it’s just didn’t seem right not to have her there.

  She looked up at a knock on her door, and Rikki came in wearing her pajamas. “Can I sit?”

  Felicity pulled her feet up under her and waved to the foot of the bed. “Of course!”

  “I feel funny going to the wedding, because I’m just an employee. I’m not family or anything.”

  “Oh, Rikki. You know better than that. You’re an employee, but you’re also a very dear friend. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “Sleep less, for sure.” Rikki grinned. “Are you certain?”

  “I’m positive. We’re very happy to have you here.”

  “Linda said I could stay even after you marry, but I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to do.”

  “Why wouldn’t it be? I don’t understand. Of course, you’ll stay.”

  “I’m not family.”

  Felicity made a face. “Neither am I! I’m the cousin of her daughters-in-law. Nothing more! I stay here because she’s a good, kind-hearted woman. You should stay as well. Really. Linda Culpepper is one of the most amazing women I know. You don’t want to hurt her feelings by abandoning her, do you?”

  “How would that hurt her feelings?”

  “She’d think you just moved here to live closer to me.” Felicity sighed. “The truth of the matter is you’re not ready to live at the Savoy Ranch when Jesse and Valerie are out of town. Stay here. Please. I think we’ll all feel better if you do.”

  “You really don’t think Linda minds?”

  “I know she doesn’t! She loves having people over. She’s one of those people you can drop in on any time. She’s a very natural hostess.”

  Rikki finally nodded. “Okay. I’ll stay.” She looked at Felicity. “Are you nervous?”

  “About being Allen’s wife? Not at all. He’s a wonderful man, and I love him. I think I fell in love with him the first time I babbled on about nothing and he acted like I was insane. It was great!”

  Rikki laughed. “Sometimes I worry about you, Felicity, but I do think he’s going to be the perfect husband for you.”

  Felicity nodded emphatically. “He is. I couldn’t have found a better man.”

  6

  Felicity turned to look at the back of her dress in the full-length mirror, fidgeting nervously. “Does it make my butt look weird?”

  Patience laughed. “Your butt always looks weird. It’s no weirder than usual.”

  Felicity stuck her tongue out at Patience, making Corinne giggle. “I think your butt looks just fine, Auntie Felicity. Mama’s just being mean.”

  “Your mama’s always mean to me. It’s part of having a sister, I think.”

  Corinne tilted her head to one side, thinking about that. “I want a sister. When are you going to have a baby so I can have a sister, Mama?”

  Patience glared at her sister. “Look what you did!”

  Rikki giggled and took Corinne’s hand. “Maybe you should practice your dance down the aisle.”

  “Okay. Are my wings on straight?”

  Rikki helped the little girl adjust her butterfly wings before opening the door. The last Felicity heard as they left was, “Your tutu’s a little crooked. Will you let me help or do you need your mama?”

  Felicity looked at Patience. “Sorry about that. I didn’t know she’d latch on to the idea of a sister that way.”

  Patience shrugged. “Oh, don’t worry about that. We’re trying. I’m just not pregnant yet, and I don’t want her to freak when I’m not next week either.”

  “Is there a problem?” Felicity asked, looking at her sister worriedly.

  “We’ve only been married a couple of months. At my age, it’s not a problem until I’ve been married for at least a year. No big deal. I just don’t want Corinne to get her hopes up.”
r />   “I’ll say a little prayer for you.”

  Patience smiled. “Thank you.” She carefully repinned a stray lock of Felicity’s hair. “What about you and Allen? Are you going to try right away?”

  Felicity shrugged. “I have no idea. We haven’t talked about that.”

  “Or much else, I’m sure.” Patience shrugged. “Plenty of time for all that after you marry.”

  “You think?”

  “Absolutely. Ryan and I didn’t talk about any of that before we got married and we’re doing fine. Of course, it helps that both of us believe that marriage is ‘til death do you part.”

  “I think Allen believes that. He’s divorced though, so who knows?”

  “That was different. I think even Dad would approve of a divorce under those circumstances. Well, he’d approve of a man divorcing his wife under those circumstances. He’d probably say a wife should stand by her husband even in the instance of adultery.”

  “I’m so glad the church here doesn’t preach that nonsense.” Felicity took a step back. “Well? Do I pass muster?”

  “You are the most beautiful sister a woman could ask for. I’m really happy for you.”

  Felicity grinned. “I’m happy too. I can’t wait to be married.”

  “What are his kisses like?”

  Felicity laughed. “I haven’t let him kiss me yet!”

  Patience looked shocked. “Because of what we were taught growing up?”

  “Oh, of course not. I never believed that nonsense. No, I feel so much from simply touching his hand, I told him it would be best if I was already naked and horizontal the first time he kissed me for real.”

  Patience threw back her head and laughed. “You did not really say that to him! Felicity!”

  “Don’t tell me I have no filter. I do. Somewhere. I just don’t keep it engaged around Allen. Why should I? We’re getting married!”

  “Did you say that to him before or after you were engaged?”

  “Both?”

  Patience just shook her head at her sister. “I love you so much!”

  “I love you too!” Felicity grinned. “It’s seven. What do you think Brother Anthony is going to say this time?”

  “No telling!”

  “Oh, would you run out there and give him this box of heaven I made for him?”