“I expect we can go without shinin’ our boots,” Deke said.
The first flakes of snow were drifting down from the sky by the time they arrived at the store. Deke removed his weathered old cowboy hat and yelled, “Allie, if there’s any doughnuts left put my name on them and bring them to the…” he cleared his throat and coughed, “back room where me and Blake are going to have a cold soda pop.”
Allie cocked her head to one side. “What are y’all doin’ in town?”
“We put in some hard work so we came to get a cold drink, darlin’.” Blake grinned. “I could’ve cut more wood, but me and Deke decided to surprise you. The new drywall for the ceiling is up. Looks like hell but Deke tells me your magic touch tomorrow will do wonders. We’re going to take the ceiling out down the hall and the living room this afternoon. Herman and his boys are still cutting wood but they’ll have to quit pretty soon.”
Blake noticed Sharlene at the table and was that Mary Jo?
“What is going on?” Blake asked when he and Deke had passed through a curtain into a back room. A twin bed was set up on one side with a recliner beside it facing a small television. Four chairs surrounded a table for four in the middle of the room. The blinds had been raised to let as much natural light as possible into the room.
Deke set two bottles of Coke on the table and explained the situation. “Irene stays in here part of the time, so they made it comfortable for her. But your question is about Sharlene, Nadine, and Mary Jo. Don’t never encourage them with even a smile. Steer clear of them. If you need any help call me. They are trouble.”
“Is this the voice of experience I hear?” Blake grinned.
“It’s the voice of my older brother’s experience. I learned from his mistakes and I’m passin’ that bit of information down to you. Not only are they on the prowl most of the time, they kiss and tell, and they are Dry Creek’s biggest gossips. And I heard Sharlene has already said that she’s going to marry you, by hook or crook,” Deke answered.
“Allie, darlin’, we need to pay our bill. We’re going to Wichita Falls for a spa afternoon. You want to go with us?” Nadine called out.
“Got to keep the store for Mama. Y’all have fun and be careful. You might get stuck up there if the weather gets really bad,” Allie said from behind the counter.
Nadine giggled. “That is exactly what we are hoping and why we packed our bags in case of emergency.”
Mary Jo handed her a twenty-dollar bill. “Are you sure there’s nothing goin’ on with you and Blake? I’m paying for everything today so take it all out of this.”
Allie rang up the amount in the cash register and made the right change. “Smart ladies to go prepared.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” Nadine said.
“Like I told you, I work for him. Deke helps me out when he can like he does on all jobs.” If there was something going on, those three would be the last people on earth that Allie told.
“Good. I’d hate to see you get involved with the wrong person again like you did with Riley. Y’all never did go together. And believe me, honey, that cowboy is way too much for you to handle, especially since you couldn’t handle Riley,” Nadine laughed.
Tally was growing. Now it had five people on the list.
Chapter Thirteen
Allie had been working all day Tuesday cutting and putting up insulation and she itched from her scalp to her toes, some of it real but a lot of it was imaginary since there was no way the insulation had gotten down into her socks and work boots. But still, it would be nice to take a quick shower before supper so she dropped all those itchy clothes on the floor and pulled the curtain around the tub.
Blake had taken a pan of pulled pork barbecue from the freezer and had invited her to stay for supper. Her mother, sister, and grandmother were at a ladies’ meeting down at the church and they’d be there until well after nine, so no one would even know she’d spent the evening with Blake.
“Hey, throw your clothes out here in the hall and I’ll put them in the washer. They’ll be clean and dried by the time we finish supper.” Blake’s deep voice carried through the thick bathroom door. “My robe is on the hook on the back of the door. You can wear it until your stuff is ready.”
She stood behind the door and shoved all her things out to him. Dammit! Now he’d know she wore plain white bras without a bit of lace and matching cotton bikini underpants. Nothing sexy about her; not one thing to catch a wild cowboy’s eye.
The robe smelled like a mixture of Blake’s shaving lotion and soap so she pulled it closer and inhaled deeply. Making sure it was securely belted around her waist and nothing was showing that shouldn’t be, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror.