Page 41 of The Cowboy's Christmas
“I’m not thirty anymore,” he snapped.
“Where have I heard that before?”
He gave her a look and then his expression softened. “My ribs hurt, Vannie, and I’m not as adept at working with a broken wrist as I was way back when. I’m thinking of putting out the word via my old guys’ network and see who’s available. Pickings will be slim,” he warned her unnecessarily.
“Another thing,” he said. “Quinn will give us another week for sure.”
“You talked to him?”
“Yesterday. Met him at his truck when he was leaving.”
“You were outside?”
“I’m allowed.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Yeah. I saw him leaving and went out by the side door to intercept him. Oh, and another thing.”
There was something in the way he spoke the last words that made Savannah’s chin come up. “He’ll drive me and the girls to Marietta to see Santa.”
It took her a moment to find her voice. “You asked him to do that?”
Deke shrugged. “Might have.”
“I don’t need—”
“Spared?”
“I was going to say coddled.”
“He was in favor. He said it was his fault that the girls knew about the events, and this was a good way to keep them from being disappointed.”
“I’d already decided to go,” Savannah said. She had because what other choice was there? She couldn’t send her nieces off to a Christmas celebration without her. A Marietta Christmas was a family event. “I was waiting to tell you until after chores.” They hadn’t had a moment alone that morning, so it seemed best to wait so that they could make a game plan.
Deke scowled at her, but it was his concerned scowl. “You don’t have to.”
“I do,” Savannah said adamantly. “The girls need me to go and…” She started fingering her hair elastic, which was riding low on the end of her braid. “It’s time.”
“Are you sure?” There was a protective note in her uncle’s voice.
“Yes.” She wasn’t going to say that a trip to Marietta during the holidays would be a slam dunk. She had triggers and memories to deal with, but if not now, then when? “I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to make this right.”
“Vannie…”
“Maybe they no longer use Matt’s wreaths.” She wouldn’t know because she made the slightly longer drive to Livingston to shop during the holidays, and even there the seasonal decorations touched off a wave of sadness. Well, she’d had it with sadness.
“They’re up,” Deke said.
“Maybe it’ll help to see them.”
“Maybe,” Deke said dubiously. She had her own doubts, but she wasn’t going to have her uncle worrying about her. The fact that he’d enlisted Quinn’s help in order to allow her to perpetuate her avoidance of Marietta at Christmas ate at her.
“It’s settled then,” she said. “I’ll drive everyone to the Christmas thing. I’ll tell Quinn he’s off the hook.”
Deke began to ease himself to his feet, then grimaced and settled back into the chair.
“What’s wrong?”
