Chapter 16

On Thanksgiving, Daphne was so nervous about meeting Brock’s family that she could hardly concentrate on cooking. However, she reprimanded herself, determined to create a scrumptious dinner for her loved ones. Leigh was competent in the kitchen and assisted with the meal preparations. Cy helped by putting in the extra leaves in the table and then making himself scarce since he would’ve only gotten in the way.

After a while, the Lone Wolfs showed up, bringing a couple of dishes with them. Bonnie pitched in as did Sly, who liked to cook. After suffering the loss of his secret girlfriend, Catherine Branson, in September, he’d been withdrawn and even quieter than usual. He was just starting to feel like socializing a little again.

David joined the other men in the parlor, sitting down by Cotton on the sofa.

Daniel lounged in one of the wingback chairs, a long leg thrown over one arm.

“Sit up straight,” David said. “What’s the matter with you?”

Daniel frowned but did as he was told. “Better? Why are you so cranky?”

Cotton said, “Maybe Bonnie has not felt very frisky lately.”

David punched him on the leg. “She’s been plenty frisky.”

Groaning, Daniel said, “If you’re going to discuss that, I’m leaving.”

The rest of them laughed.

Daniel looked at Cy. “Did you name the cats yet?”

“Just the inside ones.”

“Well?”

Cy turned sheepish. “The big one is Cuddles, and the kitten is Buttons because she likes to play with buttons when Daphne’s sewing them on stuff. You have to watch her because she’ll steal them.”

Daniel said, “Look at him smile. For a cat-hater, he sure seems to like them.”

Cy gave him an annoyed look. “I like that they helped with the mice, but that’s all.”

David grinned. “So, who named them?”

Leigh came into the parlor. “He did. I heard him in here one night saying, ‘You’re so cuddly-wuddly, aren’t you? Your name is Cuddles.’ I couldn’t believe it, but that’s how it happened.”

Cy’s face turned pink as the room rocked with laughter, but he eventually joined in the hilarity. Then Leigh announced that dinner was ready, and the men eagerly followed her to the kitchen.

Once they were all seated, Johnny said a nice blessing, even though it was short. He was doing his best to get through the day without being short tempered or wallowing.

Cy looked over at Daphne. “Where’s Brock?”

“I didn’t invite him.”

“Why the heck not?”

“Because I was nervous enough about meeting his family without worrying about him being here with ours,” she replied. “Besides, he’s helping his mother cook.”

David said, “Daphne, don’t be afraid to invite him to things. If he is respectful of us, we’ll be respectful in return. How will we get to know each other if we don’t socialize?”

Daniel snorted, and Cotton cuffed him.

“Stop it right now,” he warned his nephew.

Bonnie and David nodded in agreement.

Cy smiled. “Yeah, Daniel. If I have to play nice, so do you. I have to admit that things are better between Brock and me. I doubt we’ll ever be best friends, but I’ll settle for civil.”

Daniel scowled, but refrained from saying anything more on the subject. They heard a horse trot up to the house. Cy turned around and looked out the window.

“It’s Ray. Must’ve got kicked out of somewhere.”

Bonnie said, “I’m not surprised. They’re all getting tired of his lifestyle, according to his Aunt Charlotte.”

Johnny said, “He’s not as bad as everyone makes out. He might hop around from place to place, but he helps out wherever he goes. Watches kids, does chores, and when he has money, he gives people some for room and board.”

Bonnie said, “Oh, I didn’t know that.”

Leigh said, “Well, you know how it is. Sometimes it’s hard to get the full story from people.”

When Ray knocked, Cy told him to enter.

“Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.”

After Ray’s greeting was returned, Daphne said, “There’s a stool in the pantry, Ray. Come have some dinner.”

Ray put a hand on his stomach. “Thanks, Daphne, but I’m stuffed from dinner at Uncle Boyd’s.”

Cy asked, “Did you get kicked out?”

Ray laughed. “No, I left of my own free will, believe it or not. Twenty kids in their small house isn’t my idea of fun. I can still hear their squealing.”

He went into the pantry and brought back the stool, sitting it by Bonnie. “Hi, Mrs. Lone Wolf. Aunt Charlotte said to tell you all Happy Thanksgiving if I saw you.”

“I’ll thank her when I see her on Saturday. We’re working on costume repairs for the Christmas pageant,” she said.

Ray rolled his eyes. “She’s worrying herself sick over it. I told her that she always does a great job, but it didn’t make a difference. I even helped sew on buttons to give her a little free time the other day, but she just started working on something else.”

Bonnie gave him a surprised look. “You sew?”

“Mmm hmm. Sew, cook, clean—hell, I do so much of that stuff that I’ve been accused of being light in the loafers.” He shrugged. “I’m good at it and it’s actually relaxing. I can do field work, groom horses, brand cattle, all of that, but I don’t mind pitching in with domestic chores, too.”

Johnny looked around the table with an I-told-you-so look.

“I don’t mean to be rude or nosy, Ray, but why don’t you stay in one place? Get a job and rent or buy somewhere to live?” Bonnie asked.

Ray shrugged. “That’s easy to answer. I got used to being passed around when I was growing up, and I prefer it now. Pa ran off and Ma was drunk so much that she couldn’t take care of me right. So, someone would take me for a while and then I’d go live with someone else. So forth and so on. When I need money, I do some odd jobs. I usually take part of that and play poker and make more money to last me a while.”

Cotton clenched his teeth together to keep from laughing. Ray’s idea of odd jobs differed greatly from other people’s, but he kept that information to himself. Not even Johnny was aware, and Cotton wasn’t about to enlighten him. He almost lost the battle when Ray caught his eye across the table. He took a drink to break eye contact and keep his control intact.

“I had no idea that you possessed so many skills,” Bonnie remarked.

“A lot of people don’t,” Johnny said.

Cotton and Ray exchanged another glance and then Ray started teasing Cy about the cats, changing the subject. When the meal concluded, Johnny and Ray went to his bunkhouse while the women cleaned up from dinner.

Cy hitched up the buggy so he could take Daphne over to Brock’s. The deputy would bring her home. As they rode, Daphne was glad that she’d already eaten because the closer they got to Brock’s, the worse her stomach ached.

Cy noticed her fidgeting with her coat and gloves. “It’s gonna be all right, Daphne. Brock will be with you, and you know AJ.”

“I know. I can’t avoid them forever. Things are serious between us and if things are going to work out, then we have to make people understand that we’re not going to let our families come between us.” Daphne gave him a pointed look.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’ve been cooperating,” Cy said. “As long as he treats you well and makes you happy, there won’t be an issue.”

She smiled at him. “Make sure it stays that way.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Brock had anxiously waited for Daphne to arrive, so as soon as he saw their buggy pull up to his house, he rushed outside. He’d made his father promise to behave, telling him that they would leave the moment he acted up, even if it was during dinner.

“Hello, beautiful lady,” Brock said.

Daphne returned his smile as he helped her out of the buggy. She noted his nice suit. “Hello, yourself. You’re looking quite spiffy.”

“Thanks. Ma makes us dress for dinner. Happy Thanksgiving, Cy,” Brock said.

“Same to you. I drove her over so that you didn’t get another lecture from Johnny,” Cy said.