her and that brat behind.
“Thank you.” Dixie grabbed the diaper bag and hurried up on the porch to get away from the howling north wind. “Good thing we got the tree when we did,” she said as she unlocked the door. “If we’d waited until now, we would have had to put rocks in the princess’s pockets to keep the wind from blowing her all the way to Dallas.”
Landon carried Sally into the house, set her on the floor, and removed her little snowsuit. “That’s funny, but so true. Maybe we should carry a bucket full of stones in the bed of the truck for both of you. I’d hate to try to find y’all if you got carried off to Dallas. That’s a pretty big place.”
“So, you’d come lookin’ for us?” Dixie removed her coat.
“Of course I would. Your roots are here, not in the middle of a big city.”
The baby’s little lower lip quivered when Landon walked back out the door without even sitting down for a few minutes. After all the excitement of the evening, Dixie might have felt the same if she hadn’t known he was coming right back. When he brought the tree into the shop, Sally’s blue eyes got as big as saucers, and she clapped her hands. She watched as Landon removed his coat and hat and then got busy putting the tree in the chipped and rusted metal stand. When it was upright, Sally pointed at the top, walked all around it, and jabbered words that even Dixie couldn’t understand.
“I think she’s looking for the squirrel,” Landon said as he lopped the ends off a few branches in an attempt to give it a better shape. “Maybe we should make a stuffed squirrel first.”
Dixie headed toward the kitchen. “Before we do anything, we’re goin’ to have some supper.”
She had been out to the ranch for Sunday dinner after church many times, but she’d never had anyone sit down to a meal with her here in the shop. Her hands shook as she took three bowls from the cabinet and set the table.
Settle down and enjoy his company, Sarah’s voice scolded in her head.
A picture of the elderly woman, tall and thin with chin-length gray hair, popped into Dixie’s head. She was part of the Fab Five, as the group of senior citizens called themselves who lived not far from the shop. No one would ever guess that she or any of the other members of the Fab Five were past seventy. They were active in everything in town and had been on a couple of long cruises since Dixie met them. They all spoiled Sally terribly, bringing her prizes and toys every time they went anywhere, even if it was only into Bowie for groceries. Sarah was Dixie’s pick of them all, and if she had a problem, she often went to Sarah for advice.
“What are you thinkin’ about?” Landon asked.
His deep voice startled Dixie so badly that she jumped. “Sarah was fussin’ at me.”
“On the phone?” Landon picked up Sally and carried her into the kitchen.
Dixie tapped her forehead with a finger. “Right here. She gets into my head sometimes and scolds me.”
“The whole bunch of them meddle in all of the folks’ lives out at the ranch, but it’s just because they love all y’all. That reminds me. We’ll have to go to the church program Sunday night. They’re going to put on a skit.” He settled Sally into her high chair. “What can I do to help with supper?”
“Pour the sweet tea. It’s already made up in the refrigerator,” Dixie said. “I’ll slice the bread and set the pecan pie in the oven to warm up.”
“Holy smokes!” Landon grabbed Dixie around the waist and spun her around a couple of times before setting her feet back on the floor. “This ain’t just supper. It’s a feast.”
Her heart pounded, and her pulse kicked up a dozen notches. “No, a feast”—she stopped to catch her breath—“is what we have at the ranch for Thanksgiving.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree,” he told her. “If you ate whatever the cowboys cook up at the bunkhouse all week, you’d understand. I can’t wait to tell them about this meal. They’re going to be so jealous. Merry Christmas to me,” he singsonged as he put ice and tea into the glasses.
Dixie couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed an evening so much. Usually, after closing the shop, she and Sally had supper, and then she