Cowboy Lullaby (The Boones of Texas 6)

“Hi, Dada,” Pearl said, waving her spatula at him. “Spoon. Ta-dee cook.”

Click nodded. “Yes, ma’am. You and Tandy are cooking. Smells good.”

Pearl nodded. “Yum.” She pointed at Tandy. “Ta-dee sing.”

“I like her songs, too.” Click’s gaze settled on her then. She’d never figured out how a simple look could get her so worked up. He’d always been able to do that—make her stomach flip and her heart beat a little too fast. Like now. “Not much I don’t like about her.”

“Breakfast is almost ready.” She focused on the pancakes. “You’re short some bacon or sausage. And you’re out of eggs. Pearl and I’ve been talking about going to the store. You can come, too, if you want. You don’t even have any potatoes or I’d have fried some up—”

He was behind her, his breath tickling her ear. “Looks perfect to me. Thank you.”

She shivered, smiling. “You’re welcome.”

“Sleep okay?” he asked, his hand sliding across her stomach and setting her nerves on fire.

She nodded, too breathless to say much. “You?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, dropping a soft kiss right below her ear. “You smell so good, Tandy.” He breathed her in, making her toes curl.

“Dada kiz Ta-dee?” Pearl said, tugging on Click’s jeans. “Dada kiz?”

He scooped her up and dropped kisses all over her face, making her squeal and giggle.

“Ta-dee kiz?” she asked, leaning toward Tandy.

Tandy wasn’t about to say no. She grabbed Pearl to her, pressing kisses on each soft cheek and her smiling mouth, making a big smacking sound for effect.

Pearl was laughing then, her little arms around Tandy’s neck. It felt good. It felt right. And it suddenly scared her. Tandy shifted Pearl onto her hip, swallowing back the unexpected emotion tightening her throat. “You want to flip the last pancake, Pearl?”

Pearl nodded, watching as Tandy showed her how to flip it. Pearl tried, but the pancake ended up on the floor. Her smile drooped.

“That’s Banshee’s breakfast,” she said. “Let’s call him in to eat.” She put Pearl down and let her toddle over to the back door.

“Da-gee! Ba-shee! Come,” Pearl called, clapping her hands.

Banshee came, barreling across the yard and straight for Pearl. He slammed on the brakes right before he slid into her. He sat, let the little girl hug him, then licked her right across the face.

“Damn good dog,” Click whispered.

Tandy glanced over her shoulder at him, struck once more by just how fine he was. When he smiled at her, nodding at Banshee and Pearl, she had no choice but to smile back.

“Da-gee ki,” Pearl squealed, laughing.

“Big, wet, doggie kisses,” Tandy agreed, pulling dishes from the cabinet and setting the table. “He gives you kisses because he loves you.”

“Can I help?” Click asked.

“Any syrup?” She smiled up at him, surprised by her nervousness.

“I doubt it, but I’ll check.” He pulled open the pantry, put his hands on his hips and shook his head. “Looks like we’ll be going into town after breakfast.”

“Go go go,” Pearl said.

* * *

GROWING UP THE way he had, Click didn’t have high expectations. Experience had taught him that good things always came to a hard, sudden stop and talk was worthless. His dad made promises he never kept and his mother found ways to excuse the man every time. After a while, Click understood a promise was a lie and trust an illusion. The idea of a family—loyal and devoted, unconditional love—was a bad joke. Lynnie had been the only exception. Until Tandy.

He’d never imagined someone would love him the way Tandy had. In her eyes, he was everything. Her confidence in him was unshakeable. With her, he’d believed life could be more. Life could be good. And family, through highs and lows, was possible. They’d been through some damn-near bottomless lows, but here they were.