Cowboy Boots for Christmas (26 page)

“Well, I have been lookin’ for a place to light for a while, and feuds don’t scare me none. They can fight, and I’ll stay out of it. Now tell me just how serious is it between you and Callie? Your mama said you mentioned marrying her. Is that true?”

Finn nodded. “It’s not like we just met, Sawyer. We’ve known each other for years.”

Martin poked his head into the room. “Granny Verdie sent me to tell y’all that there’s coffee made and cookies on the table and to ask if Sawyer has had dinner so she’ll know whether to stir up some real food.”

“Cookies and coffee is plenty,” Sawyer said. “And are you Ricky or Martin?”

“I’m Martin, but me and Ricky both have dark hair. Adam and Olivia are the blonds,” he said.

“I’ll have it all straight by tomorrow. You’ve got brown eyes like me and the rest of the kids have blue eyes. That’s one way to remember,” Sawyer said. “Now, if you’ll lead the way to those cookies, cowboy, I’d be obliged.”

“Yes, sir,” Martin said.

***

Verdie grabbed Callie by the arm and hauled her into the kitchen. “I heard something in church this morning that I ain’t had time to tell you. Naomi Gallagher is pissed about the window stunt, and she’s declared full-fledged war on the Brennans. No more mice in the punch bowl or bullshit on Santa Claus.”

“Please tell me we’re not in the middle of it,” Callie whispered.

“Not if I can keep us away from it, but it’s fixin’ to get rough around here. Naomi ain’t been this mad since the Brennans rustled about a hundred head of cattle back in the fifties right after she married into the Gallaghers,” Verdie said. “But right now we got to make that handsome cowboy welcome.”

Finn and Sawyer pushed their way into the kitchen before Callie could say another word. It wasn’t hard to see the family resemblance between Sawyer and Finn. They had the same tall, muscular build, the same square jaw and full mouth, and they even had the same swagger. But Sawyer’s mother had to have some Latino in her for his skin to have that pretty permanent tan and those deep, dark brooding eyes. Or maybe he came from gypsy blood; whatever it was, it made for a damn fine-looking cowboy.

In Callie’s eyes, he wasn’t nearly as good-looking as Finn, and it didn’t take a genius to know that Sawyer had been sent to Burnt Boot to check her out. It was in his eyes when he scanned her out by the truck and again when he sat down at the kitchen table and the whole family gathered around it for a visit.

“Are you one of Finn’s cousins who went on the trail ride with him?” Martin asked. “He told us a little about it when we was cleaning horse stables.”

“Yes, I am. We went from north Texas all the way up across the whole state of Oklahoma and into Kansas to Dodge City. It was a real fun trip,” Sawyer said.

“Man, I wish I could do that someday, just sleep out under the stars and ride a horse all day,” Martin said wistfully.

“Horses! Get the rope. Hang the bastard,” Joe hollered.

Verdie pushed the platter of cookies toward Sawyer. “Meet Joe, our crazy parrot. We never know what’s going to come out of his mouth. What is it they say in Mexico—welcome to our crazy world? Well, this place is even crazier than what they’ve got south of the border. These kids are waiting for you to take the first cookie, but if I was you, I’d go ahead and get two. They’ve been shopping all afternoon, and even though they had ice cream on the way home, they’re probably starving again.”

Sawyer picked up two cookies and slid the platter back to the middle of the table. Four little sets of hands reached toward it.

“So you were Finn’s spotter. He talked about you on the trail drive.” Sawyer looked over at Callie.

“I was.” She nodded. “We planned to start target practice once a week, but we’ve been pretty busy here lately. Maybe after the holidays and the kids get back in school, we’ll get a schedule worked out for it. My spotter skills are rusty, but my aim is still pretty good with a pistol.”

Finn slipped his hand under the tablecloth and rested it on her knee. “She’s now my right hand again. Turns out she can tear down a tractor and put it back together just as well as she can spot for me in the desert. And I have to work to keep up with her on the morning workout.”

“Good God almighty! You don’t expect me to run and work out every morning, do you?”

“Good God almighty! Joe needs bourbon,” the bird yelled.

“Does he mimic everything?” Sawyer asked.

“Yes, and he’s smart enough to know how to use it,” Verdie said.

Martin picked up another cookie. “Us hired hands don’t have to work out. They won’t even let us target practice, but next year I’m askin’ Santa Claus for a BB gun, and I’m going to be as good of a shot as Callie when I grow up.”

“Gun. Run, dog!” Joe squawked.

“Wait until your mama hears about Joe the parrot.” Sawyer grinned.

“You better watch what you say. Like I said, he’ll repeat anything,” Verdie warned.

“Thanks for warnin’ me, Miz Verdie. And if you get tired of Salt Draw, my mama would hire you as a cook on my word about these cookies.” Sawyer turned up the charm.

“Only way I’m leaving Salt Draw again is feetfirst as they carry me out the door and put me in a hearse,” Verdie said seriously.

“And that won’t be for a very long time,” Callie said quickly when Olivia’s chin started to quiver.

“I dang sure hope not, now that I’ve found these cookies,” Sawyer said. “Y’all sure got this place all prettied up for Christmas. That tree is just plain beautiful.”

Callie could have kissed him for changing the subject. Olivia’s little blue eyes went from misty to sparkly in seconds.

“It’s the prettiest tree in the whole world. It’s even prettier than the ones down on Main Street that the Gallaghers and the Brennans put up for the town of Burnt Boot. And did you see all the presents under it? And guess what, after chores tonight, we get to finish our wrapping, and there’ll be even more. We ain’t never ever had so many presents under the tree with our names on them. This is the best Christmas ever,” Olivia said.

“It looks like it just might be,” Sawyer said.

“Oh no!” Adam slapped his forehead and whispered to Verdie.

She winked at Adam. “We’ll be needing to go do some more shopping tomorrow, Callie.”

Callie read Adam’s mind. There were no presents for Sawyer under their tree, and even the dogs, cat, and Joe had presents. “I was planning to go to Gainesville myself. Maybe we could all make one more trip before Thursday.”

“Can I go, too? I’ll help with the chores this evening and in the morning if you kids will let me go with you,” Sawyer said.

“Yes, sir,” Ricky said. “We go everywhere as a family, and if you’re going to live here, then you’re family, too.”

***

Callie had barely gotten into bed that night when the closet door opened and Finn crawled in beside her. She snuggled up to his side and his arm went around her, drawing her so close that her body was plastered against his.

“I like Sawyer, and Verdie has already called Gladys. She says that if he’s anything like you, she wants to talk to him on Tuesday,” she said.

“He’s not really like me. He’s a lot more outgoing and a hell of a lot better-lookin’. The Gallagher and Brennan women are likely to fire up the feud even more because of him.”

“Good. It’ll take the pressure off me and you.” Callie laughed.

Finn’s fingertips moved up and down her bare upper arm, thoughtlessly, softly, driving her crazy. “I’d like it if he moved to Burnt Boot. His girlfriend ditched him while we were on the cattle drive and married someone else. Now she’s back around Comfort. He needs a new start.”

“Hire him on Salt Draw if he doesn’t like Fiddle Creek. We’ll need more help come spring,” she said. “But right now I’ve got something to say, Finn. Before he calls your mama and before she calls you. I want to marry you and I want to adopt those kids, and even more, I want you to adopt Martin so that we’ll all have the same last name. I don’t imagine Verdie would let you adopt her, though.”

“Okay,” Finn said softly.

“To all of it?”

“Yes, ma’am. I was going to suggest it myself, but I was going to take a step at a time so I didn’t spook you so bad you’d leave me. I’d die without you, Callie. My heart would just flat stop beating.”

“Next Sunday then. Call all your family, and Verdie can put out the word in Burnt Boot. We’ll have a five o’clock wedding and a big potluck dinner in the fellowship hall for our reception.”

She looked up into Finn’s clear blue eyes and saw a solid future in them. One that included more than four kids and that would always be rooted right there on Salt Draw.

Finn pushed back the covers and went back through the closet doors to his bedroom. Lord, what had she done? Scared him away by agreeing to marry him in one week?

She was stunned into silence until the door opened again and he was crossing the room. “You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were running away just when I’d decided that you were right about me having roots.”

He dropped on one knee in front of the bed, took her hand in his, and said, “Callie Brewster, my heart loved you long ago, but I wouldn’t listen to it. But now that we have found each other, I never want to be apart from you again. I want to live the rest of my life knowing that you are my wife and soul mate. So will you marry me?” He popped open a small red velvet ring box with a set of gold bands inside. “I didn’t buy an engagement ring, because you told me not to, so we’ll have to wait to put these on each other until next Sunday.”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

He cupped her cheeks in his hands, and it seemed like an eternity passed before his lips found hers.

“I love you, Callie.”

Her arms slid around his neck as she whispered hoarsely around the lump in her throat, “I love you, Finn. And that wedding band is exactly what I wanted. And I want all those things you said, and I want to have them with you. Now will you please get into this bed with me?”

Angel made a game of running through wrapping paper and chasing ribbons, but the kids were so enthralled with their new boots and toys that they scarcely even noticed the animals on Christmas morning.

“Is this the Christmas you’d planned when you moved to Salt Draw?” Callie asked Finn over the noise and confusion of eight people talking at once.

“This is the Christmas I’ve always dreamed about, but I damn sure didn’t think it was possible in such a short time.” He leaned over a stack of boot boxes and kissed her.

Verdie held up her hand and whistled.

The only noise in the house was that of Pistol snoring beside the fireplace and the rustling of paper when Angel poked her head out to see why things had gotten so quiet.

“What is it, Granny Verdie?” Olivia asked.

“I found another present hiding back behind the tree. It’s got Callie’s name on it, so I thought maybe she should open it.”

Verdie pulled out a big box and handed it to Sawyer, who’d claimed the recliner that morning. He handed it off to Finn, who passed it on to Callie with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

“Open it, Callie,” Martin said.

“Is it from you?” she asked.

“No, you already opened up my gloves and stocking hat, remember?” Martin said.

“Yes, I remember, but I thought maybe you’d drawn a picture for me.”

“I did, but I couldn’t get Shotgun and Pistol to look like dogs. They looked more like sheep,” Martin said.

Callie looked at all four children, who had put on their new boots from Verdie the minute they opened them. She’d taken a picture of them in their pajamas, hair uncombed, little faces smiling so brightly that it dimmed the bright sun just rising over the horizon.

“Well,” Sawyer said, “if you don’t open that last present, Verdie won’t let us at those homemade cinnamon rolls she made special for Christmas morning, and the kids and I won’t get to go out and build a snowman before dinnertime. We are all itchin’ to get to wear our new hats and gloves and scarves.”

She looked at Finn, who shrugged. “You have to open it to see who it’s from.”

“But it’s too pretty to open.” She ran her hands over the shiny red paper and gently touched the big gold bow.

“I’ll open it for you,” Martin said.

“I’ll do it.” Callie slipped the bow off the end and carefully removed the paper, only tearing the places where the tape stuck tightly.

She opened the box to find a gorgeous pair of cowboy boots, the very ones she’d looked at in the Western-wear store and gasped when she saw the price tag. They were black leather with aqua stitching around the phoenix cut into the front.

“Black for your hair. Aqua for your eyes. A phoenix for what has risen out of the ashes,” Finn said. “Let me help you put them on.”

Callie shoved her right foot into the boot and then pulled it back out. Had the salespeople left cardboard down inside the boot? She reached in, wrapped her hand around a little velvet box, and brought it out as she locked eyes with Finn.

“We waited until today to tell y’all,” Finn said as she popped it open.

“Tell us what? What have you got? Oh, that’s a pretty box.” Olivia pushed closer to Callie.

Callie held up the box. “It holds wedding bands.”

Joe made his kissing sounds and then let out one of his loud wolf whistles. Then he yelled, “Bring out the bourbon.”

Verdie laughed so hard that she had to wipe tears with the tail of her apron. Callie threatened to shoot the bird, and the kids all squealed that she couldn’t harm a feather on Joe’s body.

Finn draped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead. “Don’t you love it all?”

When the noise died down, Finn announced, “We’ll be getting married Sunday night. On Saturday the families will start arriving. Now, Callie, you can tell the rest of the story.”

“What? That Sawyer is moving over to Fiddle Creek because he got the job as foreman for Gladys Cleary?” she teased.

“Well, there is that,” Finn said.

“Oh, man! We like having you here with us,” Ricky said.

Sawyer patted him on the head. “Grow up, and I’ll steal you away from Salt Draw to come work for me.”

“No, sir. My home is right here on Salt Draw,” Ricky said.

“Is there more?” Martin asked.

“Yes, but it only involves you, Martin. The man who is in prison for shooting that guy…” She paused. The other kids didn’t know about it, but they were going to be family, so maybe there shouldn’t be secrets.

Martin picked it up from there and told the story in only a few short sentences. “Do they want me to come sit by the judge yet?” he asked.

“No, that’s the news I got just a few minutes ago. The prosecutor called even though it’s Christmas. They worked out what’s called a plea bargain. The man pleaded guilty to avoid the death sentence. He will be serving life without parole in prison, so you don’t have to testify, and it’s all over. At his age, there’s no way he’ll ever get out,” Callie said.

Martin pumped his arm up and down. “Yes! Yes, yes, yes!”

Callie nodded. “And now for the rest of the news. We’ve been working with Amanda all week. It will take a while to get the papers in order and make it official, but we are adopting Olivia, Ricky, and Adam, and Finn is adopting you, Martin. So unless you kids want to keep your birth names, you will all be O’Donnells in a few weeks.”

Verdie wiped tears away with the tail of her Christmas apron. “I just knew selling Finn this ranch was the best thing for me to do. This is our real Christmas miracle.”

All four of them sat in stunned silence for several seconds before Martin finally said, “We’ll be like brothers and sister?”

“I love you!” Olivia almost bowled Finn and Callie over when she clomped across the room in her new cowboy boots and hugged them at the same time.

Later that evening, when everyone was in bed, Callie snuggled up close to Finn and said, “I love my new boots, and I don’t have any doubts about them anymore or the cowboy I’m about to marry. And Finn, darlin’, you were right. I’m a settler, not a runner. I know it from the top of my head to the toes of my new boots.”

“You’ll get a new pair every single year from now on. I may write it in my wedding vows. I promise to love, honor, and buy cowboy boots for Callie every Christmas until death parts us.”

“The story of our life together can be told by lining up all my boots…but this pair will be worn on Sunday night when I say my vows to you.”