She felt uncomfortable at the idea of him buying her such an expensive present. “I’ll pay you back for the boots.”
“Nope.” He shook his head in denial. “If you need a reason, look on them as payment for helping stop that grass fire.”
“I was happy to help.”
He stepped close to her and lifted her chin with the tip of one finger. “Now, are you gonna accept those boots or get into deeper trouble with me?”
She felt as if she might drown in the depths of his hazel eyes. “What kind of trouble?” Those words fell out of her mouth in a kind of breathy wonder. She was shocked at the way he could bypass her brain. She quickly snapped her teeth together to stop any more wayward words from escaping her mouth. Yet she couldn’t stop the heat that was once more engulfing her body.
He gently rubbed his thumb back and forth across her lower lip. “You want me to give that some thought or wing it?”
She quickly stepped back. “Tell you what, I bet I’ll love those boots, but I want to give you a gift in return.”
“If you don’t like the style, you can exchange them at Gene’s Boot Hospital.”
“I saw that store in Old Town. It looked like shoe repair.”
“That, too. Gene’s has been around since the cattle drive days. Cowboys ordered new boots on the way up to Kansas and picked them up on their way back when they had money from the drive.”
“But hospital?”
“If you were a hard-driving cowboy, you’d want the best repair you could get for boots that cost a season’s wages, wouldn’t you? Hospital sounds like the ticket to me.”
“Makes sense when you put it that way.” She glanced upstairs. “Hang on a minute. I’ve got something that just might suit you.”
“We’re burning daylight.”
“I’ll be quick.”
She went back into the house and up the stairs into the kitchen that still smelled like delicious gingerbread. Later, she’d have fun helping Ruby bake cookies and hearing Charlene and J.P. tell funny tales about another day of hunting for the collectibles they’d managed to find in out-of-the-way places. She’d enjoy all of that, but she doubted it’d compare to spending time with Trey.
Misty unlocked the door to her suite, went inside, walked over to her desk, and picked up the Bluebird of Happiness. She hesitated, thinking about Cindi Lou. Maybe she shouldn’t give the bluebird to Trey since she’d originally bought it for her BFF. But no, Cindi Lou would want her to give Trey a gift. Misty would simply buy another one at Adelia’s Delights before she went back to Dallas. Now if the bluebird had been a case of Heritage Dr Pepper made with original cane sugar and bought at the Dr Pepper Museum in Waco, Cindi Lou would’ve put her foot down fast about sharing that gift. Misty chuckled at the idea. Nothing got between Cindi Lou and her Dr Pepper.
Misty wrapped the beautiful bluebird in tissue paper and tucked it back inside the Adelia’s Delights holiday bag. It wasn’t a gift with nearly the same value as cowboy boots, but the sentiment was worth a lot, and she would find Trey something else later.
She turned to leave, then glanced at the top of the dresser where she’d left the macramé necklace. Suddenly she didn’t want to leave the Christmas angel lying there. Felt like bad luck. She quickly pulled the necklace over her head and headed downstairs.
When she stepped into the garden room, she saw Trey waiting for her near the sliding doors. She hesitated a moment to take him in. Tall, broad-shouldered, long-legged, muscular, smart, funny, tender—the list could go on and on.
“Ready to go?”
She nodded, feeling a little tingle of excitement.
“You just want your boots, don’t you?” he teased with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“What else?”
He chuckled as he slid open the doors and stepped back so she could leave before him. “I can think of better things.”
She didn’t say it, but he made her think of better things, too.
Chapter 23
Misty paused to wave good-bye to Temple, who was surveying his domain from one of Big John’s far-reaching limbs. When she looked around, Trey had already opened the door to his truck for her. She quickly walked over, settled onto the front seat, and set the bluebird sack on the floor.
Trey moved around the front of the pickup and got inside. “You ready for your boots?” He started the engine and upped the AC.
She nodded in anticipation.
He reached behind his seat, picked up a big paper sack, and grinned at her as he set the bag on her lap.
She read “Gene’s Boot Hospital” in an old-style Western typeface on the sack before she pulled out a large box. An illustration on the lid showed a rattlesnake biting a snake boot with the brand, “Nocona,” in fancy letters.
“Go ahead and open.” He chuckled. “It won’t bite.”
She laughed at his snake reference as she raised the lid and saw bright red boots with a turquoise wing design stitched across the toes and tops. “They’re beautiful!”
“Thought they suited you.”