CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
-:- CORK -:-
It’s been two weeks since we held the motor show and lasso event, but it seems longer.
I’m sure that’s down to Dallas and her never-ending stream of questions about the process of getting our hands on the ranch house.
Honestly, it’s like having a kid on the back seat of a car spouting every few minutes, ‘Are we there yet?’
“Cork, where will…”
“No…we are not there yet, okay?” The words are out before I can stop them.
“What? We’re not where?” Dallas looks totally confused, as well she might.
“I’m sorry, babe. It’s just that you keep asking the same questions, and I don’t have the answers for you.
I don’t know what’s taking them so long.
I don’t know when we’ll be able to move in.
I don’t know how Colt’s new house is coming along, or if they’ve even started it yet. I only know what you already know.”
“I was only going to ask, ‘Where will we get the horses from to start boosting the herd?’ We won’t be waiting until the mares have foaled before we start to buy, will we? You’ve been thick as thieves with Colt and the business side of things since we decided to go ahead with this.”
“Colt has all that in the pipeline already. He wants me to learn the manual labor that is required on a daily basis so that when he retires, I’ll know what needs to be done, how it’s done and how long it should take.
I told him you’d know all that, but he insists that you’ll be too busy raising our own herd to be involved in the ranch.
I didn’t give him that idea. He seems to have jumped to that conclusion all on his own.
Unless of course you’ve said something to him?
” I quirk an eyebrow at her, but she just shakes her head, no.
“Innocent of all charges, your honor. I haven’t discussed our family planning with anyone. Except you, of course. Not even my parents.”
She quirks an eyebrow back at me. At least, I think that’s what she’s doing.
She has one eye wide open, the other closed tight.
Her head is tilted to one side, and she just reminds me of those mini videos you see of a German Shepherd puppy tilting its head from one side to the other with its ears flopping all over.
“If my parents don’t get their asses over here soon, we’ll just go down to city hall and get married without any of the fuss and nonsense,” she says this, and her expression changes to a frown and pouty lips.
“Freaking heck, where did that come from? Your mind is all over the place these days. I hope your moods don’t swing like this when you’re pregnant. I won’t stand a chance!” Taking her in my arms, I give her a hug and kiss the top of her head.
A knock on the apartment door makes us both frown at each other. We don’t get many visitors at the apartment. We don’t get ANY visitors at the apartment.
Opening the door, Winter and Target stand there. I don’t say anything for several seconds, and then Winter unceremoniously shoves me out of the way.
“Of course we’d love to come in, Cork. Thanks for the invite.” Winter gives me a beaming smile as she says this, and her sarcasm isn’t lost on me. Target just gives me a chin lift and follows Winter.
When I follow them into the kitchen, Winter is hugging Dallas, and Target has already found a place at the table. Winter drops a bag onto the table that I hadn’t noticed her carrying, and as it lands with a thud, Dallas’ eyes flick to the bag and then back to Winter.
“Oh…My…God. Is that what I think it is? Hope it is? Want it to be? Winter is that my…”
“Yes, it most certainly is. I thought it best for us to bring it here. I knew if I told you it was at the range you’d probably crash your truck on the way.
” Winter delves into the bag and pulls out some paperwork.
“This is all the paperwork that goes with it. The weapon itself and the ammunition are in the bag and are now all yours.”
Scooping up the bag, Dallas sticks her head inside, letting out a distinctly disappointed ‘Oh’.
Taking out a plain brown box, she opens it and finds some ammunition.
Grabbing the second box, she places it reverently onto the table and opens it carefully.
Seeing leather peeking from the open box, this must be the shoulder holster she told me about.
Starting to whip it out of the box, Winter calls out, ‘Carefully, Dallas. It’s not empty. ’
Stopping mid-tug, she takes the rest of the holster out of the box with more care and squeals when she finally sees her new handgun.
She said it was a small 9mm Springfield, but I didn’t think it would be that small.
As I watch her slip the weapon from the holster, she checks to see if it is loaded.
Good girl, I think to myself. Seeing it in Dallas’ hand, it doesn’t appear so small.
She made a good choice as far as fitting her hand goes.
I think we’ll be making regular visits to the range from now on.
That won’t hurt, as I need to get my skills sharpened, and a couple of new weapons wouldn’t go amiss either.
Offering them coffee, I’m surprised when they turn it down. “Thanks, but no thanks. We’ve left Chaos in charge, and that’s never a wise thing. He’s great, and he’s mostly responsible.” Target stands and leads Winter to the front door where we say our goodbyes.
“So, Calamity Jane, what’s next on our agenda?” I ask as we walk back to the kitchen.
“Well, now that I finally have my Springfield, it sounds so good saying that. I have my Springfield! There will have to be more visits to the range. Today, however, I think we should go see Colt and find out what’s happening with the ranch.
Check in at the clubhouse and also with my parents.
I need to light a fire under my mom’s ass. ”
“Ha... I bet she’s already had that dream. I thought we might have an early evening meal, a glass of something nice and then go practice making that herd Colt thinks we should have. What do you say to that?” I wiggle my eyebrows, and she wiggles hers back.
“You know what, Kemosabe. That doesn’t sound like too bad of an idea.
Let’s get our skates on and finish our to-do list quickly.
” Slipping on her shoulder holster, she drops a magazine into her weapon and seats it snugly into the holster.
Beaming like a kid on Christmas morning, she grabs a jacket and waits for me by the door.
Arriving at the ranch, there are vehicles everywhere, and the place is buzzing with activity. People are scurrying about, and yet it all seems organized. Seeing Colt at the stables, we head over to see what all the fuss is about.
“Howdy, Colt. What’s with all the excitement?” Dallas hooks an arm through his and they watch for a few seconds.
“I wanted to throw a going-away party. I told you about it, Cork.” He throws me straight under the nearest bus.
“Well, yes. You never said when, though. I thought that was for some time in the future. Where are you going anyway? I thought you were staying on at the ranch with us?”
“I bought a new place for me to live in, and they’ve delivered it and got it sited where I wanted it, so I’m moving out of the ranch house sometime this week.
I got myself one of those prefabricated log cabins.
It took longer for the concrete base to set than it did for them to throw up the damn building.
When I get moved in, you’ll have to come over and we can have a housewarming.
I’ve been around the ranch house and marked up the stuff I’m taking with me.
While you’re here, you can make a list and see your furniture guy for what you’ll need. ”
Watching Dallas as she takes this all in, I can’t help grinning myself. Maybe now all the questions will stop.
“When can we get inside and make our list? How long will Fox take to get the stuff he already has, like the bed, delivered? I think I’ll get Carrie and Raven to help me choose some stuff. Colt, are you taking the kitchen pans and crockery? You’ll need them, surely?”
What was I thinking? No more questions? Just a whole new set for her to throw at me.
Colt begins walking her to the house, as she still has hold of his arm, and I take her other.
As we walk by what appears to be a catering company’s large truck, a body steps out in front of us and almost knocks Dallas to the ground.
“Oh sorry, I didn’t see you there. It’s a bit silly walking so close to a busy area, don’t you think?” The woman blinks at us a couple of times and then smiles. “Oh, Dallas, my lovely. I didn’t know you were here already.” Reaching out, she wraps Dallas in a hug.
I am completely taken aback, but Colt just smiles through it all.
“Mother? Mom? What are you doing here? I mean, when did you get here? Where’s Dad? What the hell?” Dallas turns an accusing stare on me, and I flinch. I actually flinch.
“I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know who this woman is, and I don’t know anything about anything at all, nothing.” Colt has me blindsided here, and I don’t know which way to turn.
“You come with me, Cork. Mrs. Dallas can take care of Dallas.”
“Mrs. Dallas?” I echo stupidly.
“Isn’t that just the cutest thing? If I wasn’t married to Mr. Dallas, Colt could be my second husband, you know,” Dallas’ mom gushes.
“I heard that, you know.” A deep voice booms out from behind us.
“You were meant to, dear. It’s good for you to know that I have options. Don’t you think?” Walking into the house with Dallas, Mrs. Dallas leads her upstairs.
“Thirty-plus years we’ve been married, and she still thinks she needs options. How do you do, young man? You must be the Cork that I’ve been hearing all about.” Dallas’ dad holds out an enormous hand and I give it a firm shake.
“Just Cork will do. Pleased to meet you, sir. What should I call you?” I don’t recall Dallas ever mentioning her parents' names.