Daring Dreamer (Quinn Valley Ranch Book 7) Read online

  “Does that mean you’re applying?”

  She sighed. “I’ve told you to work on your proposal skills. I can never accept something like that. You’re not even down on one knee!”

  He sighed. “I will think on it. I can’t believe you’re going to make it hard for me, though. I did take you to the doctor when you were hurt. And I babysit you every night so your sisters don’t have to.”

  “Yeah. You’re practically a saint. Now it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to ask me to marry you. Or whoever you decide to ask. No one is going to be content with you getting down on one knee and saying, ‘Let’s get hitched,” though. No self-respecting woman would put up with that nonsense.”

  “Fine. I’ll think about it. Give me a little time. We’ve only been dating a few days.”

  “I realize that. I’m not the one who keeps hinting at marriage with crappy proposals.”

  He sighed. He really did have to up his game if he was going to get Renae Quinn for a bride. She was too good for him anyway.

  By the time they got to her place, Riley was there waiting for them. He helped Renae into the house and kissed her cheek goodnight. “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”

  She nodded, already eyeing her pain pills. “See you then.” As soon as the door was closed, she looked at Riley. “Help me get my shawl off, and then I need something small to eat so I can have my pain pills. Maybe some Crunch Berries. Grandma got some when she went to the store today, because she remembered it was my favorite cereal as a kid.”

  “Grandma’s awesome!” Riley said, already helping her get the shawl off. “Sit and I’ll fix you some cereal. Milk, right?”

  “Yeah. I’m not six anymore. I eat my sugar-filled cereal in a bowl with milk instead of with my hand in the box.”

  “Good girl!” Riley got her the cereal and did a quick clean up around the house while she ate it. “I want to make sure you’re happy with how the house looks when you finally feel better. When do you see Brooke again?”

  “Tuesday. And hopefully she’ll take off the sling and tell me I’m good to zone again.”

  Riley looked down at her sister’s wrist. “I brought you some crystals for it, if you want to carry them.”

  “That’d be great. Thank you.” Renae wasn’t sure she believed the crystals helped, but she was game. If it would help her wrist heal, she was all for it.

  “Oh, and Mom sent one of her fast-healing products. You know that one she gave Dad after his stent, and she said it was almost miraculous how quickly he healed?”

  “Yeah, I’ll take it. You know me. I’ll try anything once.”

  Riley brought her a glass of milk and her bottle of pain pills. “One or two?”

  “Let’s do two. I want to sleep like a baby.”

  “Sounds good.”

  The next day was Friday, and it was much the same as Wednesday and Thursday. She sat around watching X-Files, and people were in and out taking care of her and feeding her. The big difference was that Ciran brought her tacos and sopapillas, and Chad got to try the Tex-Mex treats for the first time.

  He took one bite of the taco, and his eyes widened. “I was stationed in Texas, and these taste just like I had there!”

  “Yeah, Ciran was a lawyer in Texas, and he came back here to run a taco truck. He makes everything like he would have gotten it in Texas, and we are grateful to have him.” She unwrapped her taco with one hand, thinking about asking Chad for help, but he was so busy eating his own tacos, she wasn’t sure how much help he’d be willing to give.

  When they’d finished, she leaned back with a sigh. “Wait . . . aren’t there sopapillas in there?”

  Chad dug in the bag and came out with something wrapped in foil. “I think this is them. Do I have to share?”

  “Yes, you have to share! You can go to his truck and get them any time you want, but these he brought for me because I broke myself. So you’re sharing, or you’re not getting any.”

  Chad sighed. “I’m going to have to fight you for food, aren’t I?”

  “If you want some, you will. Who do you think I am? Some supermodel who eats a bowl of lettuce every third day? I guarantee I’m not. I eat food when I’m hungry, and that’s that.”

  “Fine. I wouldn’t want a supermodel anyway. She’d always be looking at other men and thinking about her glorious career. Nah, I’ll stick with my girl who zones people’s feet for a living.” He leaned forward. “Does it ever creep you out having to touch feet all day?”

  She laughed. “I wondered when that question was coming. Feet don’t really bother me. I wash my hands before and after, and if I see a fungus, I won’t touch, but for the most part, it’s just like massaging any other part of a person.” She ate her last bite of sopapilla and reached for a napkin. She could feel the honey on her top lip. “I love tacos and sopapillas, but they’re both so messy.”

  “Yup. But so good. I think they make up for the mess factor with their sheer yumminess.” He took a sip of the Coke he was drinking and sighed. “So what are we doing tonight? Watching X-Files?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe we can get crazy and play a board game. I’ll probably need help, but even I need a break from constant binge watching of a show.”

  “I can understand that. All right. Where are your games?”

  “That closet,” she said, pointing to a closet right there next to her bathroom. “I think it’s supposed to be a linen closet, but I use it for games instead.”

  He walked to the closet and dug through the games. “Monopoly? Life? Uno? No, I don’t think you could hold the cards . . . umm . . . Yahtzee?”

  “Let’s play Yahtzee. I haven’t played that in forever, and it was always one of my favorites.”

  He brought the game to the table and took the lid off. Renae reached in to get them each a pad of paper and a pencil. As he watched, he frowned. “Are you as competitive with Yahtzee as you are making snow sculptures?”

  She blinked at him a couple of times. “Of course. Who wouldn’t be?”

  He sighed. “I don’t come from a very competitive family. We just played board games for fun, not for bragging rights.”

  “Well, then you did it wrong. That’s not my fault, is it?”

  He grinned, reaching for the cup and the dice. “You’re going down.”

  “Keep dreaming. I can beat you with one arm tied to my chest!”

  He laughed. “I’m not sure it’s possible for you to beat me any other way at the moment.”

  “You will be beaten, though.” She took the cup and rolled. She’d always preferred to go first. She felt like it intimidated her opponents and gave her a distinct advantage.

  She beat him three games in a row before her sister arrived. He turned to Raina and said, “You saved me! She’s been beating me at Yahtzee all night!”

  “She cheats,” Raina announced. It was as if it was the most normal thing in the world to say about her sister. “Always has. Don’t ever play Monopoly with her. She hides five-hundred-dollar bills under the table.”

  Chad looked at Renae, his eyes skeptical. “Did you cheat?”

  “Oh, I didn’t have to cheat against you. You’re terrible at Yahtzee, but I would have if I’d needed to.”

  “I feel betrayed!” He couldn’t believe she would cheat and she’d announce it so calmly.

  She shrugged. “If you’re not cheating, you don’t want to win badly enough.”

  “I’m not sure I like that reasoning.”

  “Oh well.” She helped him pick up the game while Raina stood off to the side watching. “Do I get to see you tomorrow?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Yes, but I’m still not sure how I feel about the whole cheating thing.”

  “What are you guys doing tomorrow?” Raina asked. “Riley asked me to get her a couple of crystals from Ambrosia’s shop, but I’m not in the mood to go in there. I always get headaches from the incense she burns, and I don’t need that.”

  “We c
an go for you,” Renae said. “Or if he doesn’t want to go, I will.”

  “You’re not walking around outside without me until you’re healed. You have to be all better before you hurt yourself again.”

  Raina covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laugh, but Renae knew what she was doing. “You’re supposed to be on my side if you want me to do this for you.”

  “Technically, you’d be doing it for Riley . . .”

  Renae sighed. “Just give me a list of what she needs. I’ll go see what I can find.”

  “Sounds good. Ambrosia’s supposed to be having a sale on all crystals that start with A tomorrow. I have no idea why, but Riley made a list of what she needed that starts with A.”

  “Who would have a sale of things that start with A?” Chad asked, truly confused. He’d never heard of such a thing.

  “Ambrosia,” the two sisters said in unison.

  “What time are you coming over tomorrow?” Renae asked. “I’m not sure if Grandma is planning to come over or not, but I think I could be alone for a while. I’m getting used to doing for myself with only one hand.”

  Raina made a face, obviously disagreeing with her sister, but she didn’t argue. “I don’t know either.”

  Chad looked between the two of them. “I’ll be here about noon. Will that work?”

  Renae nodded. “Works for me.”

  “I can help you dress before I leave,” Raina said. “And then you two can hang out tomorrow after he gets here. I’ll call Grandma when I get up and let her know you’re covered.”

  “Sounds good.” Renae got to her feet and gave Chad a one-armed hug. “Someday I’ll let you win a game,” she said softly.

  He shook his head. “I’m not sure why I keep coming back here . . .”

  “Because you like me!”

  “That must be it.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Be good for Raina.”

  “Yeah right. I might play Monopoly with her.”

  “I brought that new cheater’s edition you got me for Christmas . . .” Raina said with a grin.

  Chad stopped with his hand on the doorknob. “Monopoly has a cheater’s edition? What is wrong with this world?”

  “We’re not all Boy Scouts,” Renae said with a grin, watching him shake his head.

  “See you tomorrow,” he said before opening the door and disappearing.

  “Did you cheat?” Raina asked, eyeing her sister.

  “I really didn’t have to. He got a full house and took two in his ones. He didn’t even have a full house yet! He stinks at Yahtzee!”

  Raina grinned. “We’ll have to invite him over to Mom’s for the next game night. He won’t know what hit him.”

  Renae laughed softly. “I think the combined gaming power of all the Quinns would make his brain explode.”

  “Probably. I like him.”

  “You do?”

  Raina nodded. “He’s good for you. I haven’t seen you laugh this much in years. You really needed him in your life.”

  “I just hope he gets over the fact that he thinks I need to have someone helping me whenever I walk outside.”

  “Oh, please. You know as well as I do that you need a keeper. At least you found a guy who seems to want to apply for the job.”

  “I think I really did.” Renae stared at the closed door for a minute before getting up. “I need a shower tonight if you can help me. And then I want pain pills and bed. Sleep is calling my name!”

  “Did you nap today?” Raina asked.

  “Nope. Grandma tried to make me nap again, but I’m only taking pain pills at night now, so I didn’t feel the need. I think she just wanted to be able to watch her soaps in privacy.”

  “Are you still making sound effects for Grandma’s soaps? You know how she hates that!”

  “I’ve been watching my own thing. I don’t even notice when people are making weird faces.”

  “She probably is just remembering that you usually do that and not wanting to put up with your nonsense.” Raina shook her head. “I’m going to go get you some pajamas. I’ll do a load of laundry while I’m here for you as well.”

  “Thanks. I almost asked Grandma, but I didn’t think she should need to do my laundry.” Renae headed to the bathroom, knowing her sister would be right behind her.

  “Good choice!”

  Chapter Eight

  True to her word, Raina helped Renae get ready before she left for work the following morning. Renae sat on the couch, waiting for Chad to arrive. She was doing well enough she didn’t have to be on the pain pills as much, and she wanted to take the bandage off for a while, but she didn’t dare do it without Brooke’s permission.

  When Chad got there, he found her waiting for him. “Have you eaten?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No, and I’m hungry. We should go get tacos from Ciran.”

  He laughed. “I was thinking either pizza or the pub.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Pizza is more of a two-handed thing, and if we go to the pub, all of my cousins will make fun of me for falling yet again.”

  “Okay, so no pizza and no pub. We could go to the burger place down on Main Street.” It wasn’t that the tacos didn’t sound good, but it was fourteen degrees outside, and he didn’t want to stand in the long line that went along with Ciran’s taco truck in the cold.

  “That would work. I can get chicken nuggets, and those are one-handed.”

  “All right, let’s do it. Do you need help putting your over-the-head coat thing on again?”

  “Yes, please.” She thought it was cute that he couldn’t remember the word shawl. She thought he was cute.

  He went to the closet and got it for her, bringing it back and slipping it over her head. “There. Now, let’s go. Do you want to go to Ambrosia’s shop first or to lunch?”

  Her stomach chose that moment to let out a large growl. “I think I need lunch.”

  He grinned at her, taking her arm as they stepped outside. “Sounds like lunch is very needed.”

  “My stomach is a little cranky. Raina made me cereal before she left, but that’s been a while.” Renae was careful as she stepped down her front steps. She could feel his eyes on her with each movement she made. “I’m not going to die between my front door and your truck.”

  “Sure.” He made sure she was in the passenger seat and buckled before he started the truck.

  “How’s the training going with that new stallion?” she asked.

  “He’s a pill. He fights everything I do. I’ve never worked with such a hard-headed horse.”

  From the sound of his voice, Renae knew he was excited at the challenge. That thrilled her.

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

  “Is it that obvious?”

  “Absolutely. I love that you enjoy your work so much. I love what I do, too.”

  “I wish I understood what you do a little better. It’s reflexology, right?”

  “Yes, but it’s reflexology that’s done in a specific order and exactly the same way every time. I’ve been doing it for years, and I love it. A lot of people are able to release emotions from zones that they wouldn’t be able to release otherwise.”

  “Interesting. I do hope you’ll show me when you have two hands again.” He didn’t necessarily want her to zone him, but watching her zone someone else could be very interesting. “Tell me about this place we’re going to get crystals. And what kind of crystals?”

  “Well, you know Riley does energy healing using crystals, right?”

  “I don’t even know what that means!”

  Renae laughed. “Well, the theory is that every crystal has a frequency, and our bodies react to those frequencies. A couple of common stones are rose quartz, which is the crystal that’s most used for your heart chakra and for healing the heart. It’s got a million other qualities, but it’s a good one. And amethyst is another. Riley wants me to pick up several good-sized amethysts, since they’ll be on sale.”

  “Because
they start with A.”

  “Right. The shop is a little strange. Everyone loves Ambrosia, because she’s a sweet woman, but she’s really kooky. She might try to tell your fortune, and if she does, just let her. She won’t be right. She studies the crystals, but I’m not sure how much she really understands how they work, if that makes sense.”

  He grinned. “I think I’m looking forward to meeting her. I don’t remember a crystal shop when I was in town before.”

  “I can’t remember when she opened it, but it might have been just after you left town. You’ll like her, though. Everyone does.”

  “Sounds like I’m in for an interesting day.”

  “Of course you are! When I run out of an essential oil I need for my foot zones, I tend to go to her as well. She carries most of what I need. I usually order from Butterfly Express, but sometimes I’ll go to her if I’m in a pinch. She also has some books on magic and tarot cards and weird stuff like that, but I tend to just go for the crystals and essential oils.”

  Chad pulled into the burger place that was known as the best in town. It was hopping as usual, and he eyed the parking lot. “It looks slick. Don’t try to get out until I come around.”

  She sighed, wondering if he was always going to treat her as if she was about to fall down, or if it would just last until her arm was out of the sling. “I’ll wait.”

  With his hand on her elbow, they went into the Burger Barn, and he took her to a table in the corner. “The floor is slick, so you need to wait here while I order for both of us.”

  She managed to not roll her eyes at his edict. “I want tater tots and chicken nuggets. Sweet and sour sauce. Oh, and one of their shakes. I think I want the raspberry cheesecake today.”

  He nodded, heading toward the counter. He’d been thinking all week about the best way to propose to her. He knew it was quick, but when you knew you wanted to spend forever with someone, he didn’t see a reason to wait.

  He returned to the table ten minutes later with their food on a tray. “I hope you’re hungry, because this looks like a lot of food.”

  “Starving, so give it to me.” She grinned up at him, loving their easy camaraderie.