Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
A s soon as Tildi and Kenzie got the Christmas gifts put to the side, Ruby had them busy preparing lunch. It was hot and hard and hurried. And Tildi had the time of her life. She loved every second.
Ruby never got angry or raised her voice when Tildi didn’t know how to do something. She just explained what to do with a smile, and usually a hug. Ruby was a hugger. It turned out Tildi was, too.
It was still hard not to be embarrassed by the things she didn’t know how to do. What good had it done her to graduate from high school and community college by the age of fourteen when she didn't know the best way to peel potatoes or how long it would take to boil an egg?
This was what she’d missed growing up. This was normal. Normal was glorious.
Tildi tried not to let it get to her. That was then and this was now.
She should have figured out earlier that morning she had nothing to worry about. As soon as Kenzie saw Tildi getting frustrated or downhearted—and Kenzie saw it a lot—Kenzie was by her side encouraging her and making her laugh.
On one hand it made Tildi feel accepted and included, but on the other it made her miss her own sister. That was it. She had put it off long enough. Too long if she were being honest. Tonight she would call Breezy.
If Boone thought no one would mind, she’d even invite her sister to come visit.
She made up her mind to talk to Boone that night about reaching out to Breezy. Maybe she could even come visit. Tildi sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and raked it back and forth.
What if Breezy didn’t want to talk to her? What if she wouldn’t answer her phone? Or worse, what if she hung up when she realized who it was? Could she take it if Breezy had written her off? Maybe she’d wait a few more days and call when things had settled into a routine. Yeah, that sounded like a better, safer plan.
Ruby inspected the dining table and its spread of food. “Well, I guess that’s as good as it’s going to get. Tildi, would you like to ring the dinner bell for me?”
“The dinner bell?”
“Yes, poppet. Did you not get to ring the dinner bell when you were younger?”
“Um, no, ma’am.” She looked to Kenzie for a clue, but she wasn’t paying attention. “At least, I don’t think so. But if you’ll show me where it is, I’d love to ring it for you.”
Ruby had returned her gaze to the table. “Land sakes, I forgot to put out the pickles. Kenzie, can you show Tildi where the dinner bell is?”
“Sure, Ruby. Come on, Tildi. Follow me.”
Tildi followed Kenzie to the front porch. They walked down the porch to the second column and there, attached to the column by a black iron hook, was a large black bell.
“Here you are,” Kenzie said and swept out her arm in the direction of the bell, as if she’d conducted Tildi to her seat at the opera. When Tildi didn’t move, she added, “It’s not hard. All you have to do is grab that string hanging down from the clapper and clang it side to side. You’d be surprised what a ruckus it makes. Go ahead. Try it.”
Tildi grabbed the cord, but she didn’t want to break anything. She tapped the side, and it clanged. Okay, clanged night be an overstatement. Pinged might be more accurate.
“Hell’s bells, girlfriend. You got to whale the tar out of it. Let me help.”
Before Tildi could guess her intention, Kenzie had grabbed the string, covering Tildi’s hand in the process. Kenzie proceeded to whale away on the bell, and Tildi tried not to land on her backside on the porch.
She was just getting into the swing of things when someone grabbed her from behind. She opened her mouth to shriek, but the air was freezing and her throat locked down, so instead she peeped like a baby chick.
The hands on her loosened, only to be replaced with powerful arms that pulled her into a hard, warm chest. The scent of pine and leather surrounded her, and something else. Mmm. The dangerous, masculine scent that was pure Boone.
“Miss me, darlin’?” His voice was a delicious rumble that vibrated through her curling her toes.
“Always.” Turning in his arms, she plowed her hands underneath his shirt. “You’re warm, Daddy.”
It was Boone’s turn to yelp. “I won’t be for long with hands like that under my shirt.”
He pretended to struggle to get away from her and she couldn’t hold back her laughter. When Boone was around, he always made her feel. Sometimes joy. Sometimes heat. Sometimes stressed, or sad, or confused. But she’d been numb for so long, she wanted to feel everything. He gave her that.
“We need to get you inside, babygirl. Want a ride?”
“A ride on what, Daddy? There’s no one here but you.”
“Well, I guess you’ll just have to ride Daddy.”
As if she weighed nothing at all, he lifted her off the ground and somehow swung her around to his back.
“Wrap your legs around me and hold on tight.”
That was the only warning he gave her before he started galloping like a horse. She threw her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. After shoving open the massive front doors, he galloped her across the great room, past the kitchen, and all the way to the dining room table.
Everyone had already started serving their plates and with everyone seated, there was only one chair left. Boone didn’t even pause. He walked them to the chair. She should have expected what happened next, but she never dreamed he would swing her around and sit down with her in his lap. Not in front of all the people gathered at the table.
But there she was, sitting in his lap like a baby. Her face flamed. What would everyone think? She struggled to move off him, but he held her in place. “Patience, little girl. I’ll fix us a plate.”
She’d heard people talk about being embarrassed to death, and she’d thought they were exaggerating. But no. She could feel death by mortification creeping up on her.
Yes, they sat this way on the yacht. And sure, she’d loved it. Especially when he fed her from his plate. It made her feel all warm and squishy inside.
But they hadn’t been sitting at a table with, she scanned the room and got a headcount, ten other people. People she didn’t know. People who might think she was crazy. Or worse, think Boone was.
He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “Relax, bluebell. You don’t need to worry about anyone else at this table. First, what they think doesn’t matter. Their thoughts are not our problems unless we let them be. Second, when I said everyone here was in the lifestyle, I wasn’t just talking about my brothers. There is no one at this table that is going to judge you. Everyone means everyone. So, if they feel anything, it’s jealousy that I have such a beautiful, smart, Little girl sitting in my lap.”
Each dish was passed around the table and people took what they wanted. Boone did the same. She wrinkled her nose when he added roasted cauliflower to his plate, but as long as it wasn’t the dreaded artichoke heart she’d at least taste it. The large helping of mac and cheese he plopped on a minute later had her stomach growling.
When she reached for the utensils, Boone smacked her hand. “Mine. Someone has to make sure you eat some of everything on this plate, and I don’t think that would be you, little girl.”
Tildi huffed, but that was all she could do when he was, in fact, right.
Kenzie laughed. “I’ve missed you brother, giant neanderthal that you are.”
Tildi bristled at Kenzie’s words. They were meant to help, she was sure, but she didn’t appreciate anyone calling her Daddy a neanderthal. “I had a great time this morning, Daddy. You wouldn't believe everything I got to do. Ruby and Kenzie do more in one morning than the people I used to work with did in a week. And I get to go with Ruby and Kenzie this weekend to deliver Christmas presents. How cool is that?”
“Pretty cool, bluebell. I don't know if I can top that this afternoon, but I'll give it my best shot.”
She grinned. “It might be hard. So far today I've boxed up 800 million pieces of candy and I grated enough cheese to feed mac and cheese to the whole army of Switzerland and Sweden combined.”
Boone grinned down at her. “Well, I'm glad you had a few things to occupy your time this morning. I hated I couldn't be here when you woke up, but I needed to ride the fences.”
“I was fine, Daddy. I’m always fine.” He frowned at that. Had she hurt his feelings? “I had plenty to do but I did miss you. Are you going to be busy all afternoon?”
After a nerve wracking few seconds of him staring at her, he shook his head and smiled and her heart tripped a little. “I am. I have a very important job this afternoon. First, I have to finish riding the fence that runs by the river’s edge. But after that I'm showing the prettiest little girl in the county around the ranch.”
“That would be awesome. What does it mean to ride the fence?”
“Well, it’s pretty complicated. Not sure how to describe it. I guess you'll just have to wait and see, little one. But I think you'll like it.”
If it meant spending time with him, she knew she’d like it. If they were the only ones on the fence, she’d love it. She didn’t have to know what it was. Anything that involved spending time with Boone was her favorite thing to do.
He was going to spend the rest of the afternoon with her. Hopefully, that didn't mean he would not be able to get his important work done. Because even though he said she was his very important job, she knew she'd have to get used to him being away from her.
She’d gotten spoiled those three weeks on the yacht. Being together every second of every day might get on some people’s nerves, but not hers. She loved it.
But now they were back in the real world. Now things were different. Boone had lots of responsibilities that didn’t have anything to do with her. So, now she needed to get busy trying to figure out what her responsibilities were supposed to be.
“As long as I won't be in the way.” He didn’t sound bothered by the prospect of showing her around.
Boone stopped in his tracks. “Look at me, bluebell. You are never in the way. Not ever.”
And there he went, filling her chest with warmth.