Chapter 26Peggy Warner
Chapter 26
Blooming in Winter
Peggy Warner
P eggy huddled deeper into her jacket, trying to hold off the bite of the frosty wind. She tiptoed between the ice patches and small piles of snow dotting her cousins’ walkway, pretending she was performing in a ballet. She’d never been much of a dancer, but lately, she seemed to want to break into a happy dance every chance she got.
The first month of the New Year had been a dream. She managed to sneak away for a cemetery date with Duke a few times every week. With all the snow blanketing Crossroads, it hadn’t been hard to convince her parents that she was shoveling the sidewalks near the family plots.
But while the family expected her to maintain the cemetery for the county so no one else would have to, they didn’t like when it took up so much of Peggy’s time.
For the past week Ashley-Lynn had been calling Peggy asking for help with the new baby. Auntie Ruth had left, and Ashley claimed she couldn’t handle all three kids on her own while Fred was at work. No matter how many times Peggy reminded her cousin that she didn’t babysit, the stressed-out mama wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Peggy knocked on the door, and it swung open almost immediately.
Ashley-Lynn handed Peggy the squirming Katie. “Thank God you’re here.” She pulled on her overcoat and grabbed the keys hanging on the hook by the door. “This one has already been fed; she just needs to be burped. Austin is taking a nap, and Mia is in front of the TV. I’ll be back in a couple hours.”
She jogged down the steps without so much as a thank-you and hopped into her car. Some things would never change.
Peggy readjusted the wiggling baby in her arms and stepped into the house. She peeked into Austin’s room, making sure he was still sleeping peacefully in his crib. Then she settled into the armchair to watch cartoons with four-year-old Mia.
As she leaned the baby against her shoulder and began patting her back, Peggy felt a strange warmth flow through her. She imagined what it would be like to have little ones of her own. Babies to snuggle and take care of. Little Dukes running around the yard.
She smiled to herself. Maybe one day.
By the time her cousin returned, Peggy and the three kids were lying together on the couch watching TV. The children had all been fed, bathed, and were ready for bed.
Ashley-Lynn dropped a pile of shopping bags on the floor, her eyes wide. “Wow, Peggy, you should babysit more often. This is amazing.”
Peggy jumped up, handing little Katie back to her mom. “Sorry, Ash, but I don’t think I’m going to be available again for a long time.”
She fled through the door before her cousin could react, knowing exactly what she was going to do next. What she wanted to do. And she could barely contain her excitement.
Yanking her car door open, she jumped in and headed for the Double K Ranch. She’d been there many times before. Her folks and the Kirklands were good friends. But this was the first time she was going by herself to find a cowboy.
Nervousness flooded her, settling in her cheeks.
What if Duke wasn’t even there? What if he was out riding? Or what if he got in trouble for having a female visitor? What if the Kirklands fired him for slacking on the job by talking to her? What if he got embarrassed that she showed up?
Before she finished thinking through all of the bad things that could happen, she turned onto the road that led to the headquarters. Anyone looking would see her coming a mile away. It was too late to turn back now.
She passed the big house and pulled up in front of the large barn situated a few yards from the bunkhouse. A dozen ranch hands stood around the corral, watching her as she slowed to a stop.
Panic started to rise in her gut. She was about to turn her car back around and speed out of there when she caught sight of a pair of steel-gray eyes.
Peggy watched with everyone else as Duke broke from the group and walked over to the beat-up green Pinto. She couldn’t make out his expression in the dying light. She hoped he wasn’t mad.
She held her breath as he opened her door with a loud creak.
He bent, leaning down to meet her eyes. “You okay, Miss Peggy?”
“Yeah, I just wanted to see you.” She dipped her head. “I’m sorry.”
Duke grabbed her hand and helped her out of the car. He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “I thought you didn’t want people to know about us yet.”
“I know. But I was just at my cousin’s taking care of her kids, and cooking dinner and doing everything I’ve done a thousand times before, and . . .”
He tilted her chin up and she stared into the eyes of the kindest man she’d ever known. “And what?”
She grasped his hand. “And I want to be with you and I don’t mind who knows.”
Before she could say another word, her gentle cowboy crushed her to his chest and captured her mouth with his. He kissed her full out in front of everyone.
Hoots and hollers erupted from the ranch hands behind them but Peggy didn’t care. She was ready to start living, and she wanted the world to know.
Before the cheers faded into background noise, Peggy heard Jake Longbow yell, “Guess those two aren’t as shy as we thought. Looks like we’re gonna have a wedding if we can pull them apart.”
Duke moved away from her to glare at the foreman. “Shut it. I’m busy here.”