kind of lace-up boots. A fake diamond sparkled on the side of her nose. He figured anyone with such a sassy attitude would surely be the one who inherited the place, and he was beginning to believe he’d been right.
You just going to lay down, roll over, and let her have it, or are you going to fight for what I meant for you to have? Ezra’s voice was so clean in Rusty’s head that he whipped around to see if the old guy’s ghost haunted the cemetery. If you want the ranch, run her off it and take it for your own. Anything worth having is worth fighting for.
At first, Rusty had hoped the sisters would all hate each other and disappear so that he could mourn for his old friend and boss in private. But they had all three moved right in and dug in their heels for what looked like was going to be the duration.
“You shouldn’t have sent them away, Ezra. They’ve all got your traits, and I mean more than just your blue eyes. They’re determined and hardworking and don’t mind speakin’ their minds. Bonnie is the only one left now.” Rusty removed his glasses, rubbed at his tired, burning eyes, and shook his head. “But you’re right. It’s time I gave Bonnie a run for her money. That ranch is the only real home I’ve known. And I love this canyon. I couldn’t stand seeing her sell it to some strangers, after all my years of hard work. If she’s still here at Christmas, by damn, it won’t be because I didn’t try.”
An owl hooted off in the distance and a coyote answered it. Crickets and tree frogs had set up a chorus all around him. He found himself feeling angry with Ezra for the first time—after all, the old guy had promised him the ranch. He was trying to put his feelings into words when Martha, one of the three dogs that lived on the ranch, cold nosed him on the hand. He jumped a good foot up off the bench and came back down with a thud. His glasses flew off and landed at the base of the tombstone. He retrieved them, blew the dust away from the lenses, and then put them back on.
“Dammit!” he muttered as he scratched the dog’s ears. “You scared the crap out of me. Come on, you can ride up to the house with me.”
The dog jumped into the truck as soon as Rusty opened the truck door. She rode in the passenger seat until he reached the house, and then licked him across the face as she bounded across his lap, hopped out of the vehicle, and ran to the porch.
“I thought she might have come to meet you,” Bonnie said from the shadows. “Did you win or lose tonight?”
“Came away five dollars richer.” Rusty joined her on the swing. “Couple more nights winnin’ like this, and I’ll have the money saved up to buy a square foot of this place when you sell it.”
“Who told you that I’m selling out when I inherit the ranch?” She frowned.
“Of all y’all, you are the one who’d never make a rancher. You’re the hardest working of the three and you soaked up what I’ve taught you, but I can see it in your eyes…” He took a deep breath.
“You can’t see anything in my eyes,” she argued. “I’m the best damn poker player among all of us. Get out the cards, and I’ll prove it to you.”
“No, thanks. I’m going to hold on to the five bucks I won tonight,” Rusty said. “But, honey, you’ll light a shuck out of here so fast at the end of this year that your sisters will wonder if you were ever even here. You never intended on staying any longer than you have to.”
“Bullshit!” Bonnie smarted off. “You don’t know me at all, and it would take more than six months to figure out a damn thing about me. I’ll tell you this much, though, when and if I do sell this ranch, you better have more than five dollars in your pocket.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ve been saving for a few years, and I’ve got good credit.”
Bonnie glared at him for several seconds and then smiled. “Maybe I won’t sell it at all. It will be mine to do with whatever I damn well please, and since it adjoins Abby Joy’s place, and is right across