church secretary, to put the date on the calendar. Then she was sure to tell her son, Billy Ray, who had worked on Callahan Ranch for several summers while he was in high school. Pax hoped he had a chance to tell Maverick and their grandmother the news before they heard it through the grapevine.
Alana arrived before either Matt or Pax could continue their conversation. She removed a pair of work gloves, nodded toward her father, and crossed the room to kiss Pax on the cheek.
“I’ve given you two my blessing.” Matt inhaled deeply. “I want you to respect Pax in this relationship and not be as bullheaded as you usually are.”
Alana sat down on the arm of the sofa and slung her arm around Pax’s shoulder. “I’ll do my best, Daddy.”
Pax had danced with Alana at the Wild Cowboy Saloon more than once. Hell, they’d been dancing around each other for years, and his heart had never skipped a beat one time—except in elementary school, when he literally ran from her and got winded. Maybe it was the fact that she was wearing an engagement ring, but something was definitely different now. Her touch had caused a stir down deep inside of his heart like nothing he’d ever felt before.
He sensed that he should do something so he laid a hand on her knee. “We both will, darlin’.” He smiled up at her, hoping that it was enough to convince Matt he was serious.
“Let’s all have a good cold beer,” Alana said. “Then I’ll get changed and ready for our date to celebrate us telling the world. The way this town likes to gossip, I’m surprised that we weren’t found out months ago.”
Date?
They hadn’t talked about a date or a celebration.
“I’ll skip the beer and be back in half an hour to pick you up.” Pax stood up and gave her a quick peck on the lips. That almost breathless feeling in his heart got even stronger.
“Better make it an hour. Where did we decide to go?” She raised an eyebrow.
“It’s a surprise,” he said. “Wear something nice. I guarantee it’s better than going to a hamburger joint.”
“Ahh, shucks.” She played along. “I had my heart set on a double meat and cheese from The Burger Palace.”
“I remember when Joy and I got engaged,” Matt said. “We went to The Silver Dove in Amarillo to celebrate. I actually got down on one knee at that restaurant and gave her the ring. I took her back there to celebrate every one of our anniversaries, and I’ve gone back every year since she passed away on our anniversary for the memories.”
A single tear left a silver streak down Alana’s cheek. “Daddy, we don’t have to go out tonight. We can stay right here, and the three of us can have supper together. It’s the first day that…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“No way!” Matt declared. “This is an important night for the two of you. Go make memories that will last as long as mine have. Besides, you gave me your word that you’d let me live life as normal as possible, and now I’m asking that neither of you smother me.”
“That’s a tall request,” Pax said.
“I’d rather live for the moment than worry about the end,” he said.
“Then that’s what we’ll do. Besides, don’t you have a poker game tonight with your buddies?” Alana reminded him. “It is Wednesday, after all.”
“Yep. We’re playing over at Carlton’s tonight.”
“They’re your closest friends, Daddy. Are you going to tell them?”
“Nope, and neither of you are either. We’re going to spend our time planning a wedding, not a damn funeral,” Matt answered. “Now, Alana, you get on upstairs and make yourself presentable. Pax, you go do whatever it is you need to do to take my baby girl to a nice place, and I’m going to Clayton’s. We’ve got things to do, so let’s get after them.”
“Nothing has curbed your bossiness,” Alana smarted off.
“That’s my girl,” Matt chuckled. “That’s what I want to hear and see. We’ve had our time of cryin’, now let’s do what that song says, let’s live like we were dying.”
“That was my buddy Tag Baker’s favorite song for a long time,” Pax said.
“Yep, and it’s a good one.” Matt stood up and held out a hand toward Pax. “Welcome to the family.”
“Thank you, sir.” Pax had panicked when Alana first told him her plans, but things had gone more smoothly than he could have imagined. One month out of