“Before you leave, I’ll give you my cell number so you can let me know when you’re coming out. I love giving tours of the cabins.”
“For a good reason.” Damon gestured toward his fiancée. “She designed these great loft beds. They’re basically a bunk bed without the bottom bunk so a desk and dresser can fit underneath. They’re super cool.”
“I’ll vouch for that.” Cade walked over with a champagne flute in each hand and mischief in his green eyes. He handed one each to Whitney and Ty. “It’s a darned lucky thing I’m on the job getting Whitney champagne, Slater, or the poor woman would die of thirst.”
“I notice they’re only about half full, bro.”
“Patience, grasshopper. More’s on the way.”
“I’m on it!” A man in his sixties standing behind a makeshift bar in the corner popped the cork on a bottle of bubbly. Herb had only been in Rangeland Roasters a couple of times, but Whitney recognized him because he’d always come in with Rosie.
Cade turned to Whitney. “Your coffee is great, at least the few times I’ve managed to get there.”
“Thank you.”
“But I have to question your taste in men. What’re you doing with this bum?”
She laughed. “He’s my ticket into this private party. A girl has to do what a girl has to do.”
Ty lifted his eyebrows and she grinned at him before taking a sip of her champagne.
“You make a good point,” Cade said. “The guest list is pretty darned exclusive. But now that you’re here, feel free to ditch him.”
Ty rolled his eyes. “Says the loser who can’t handle a staple gun without stapling his sleeve to the porch railing.”
“Oh?” Whitney glanced at Cade.
“I have no idea what he’s talking about. Oh, look. Here comes Dad with more champagne.”
“Welcome to Thunder Mountain Ranch,” Herb said as walked toward her.
“And also Thunder Mountain Academy, which I understand is now accredited.” Whitney smiled at him. “Congratulations.”
“We’re tickled about it. Molly Radcliffe is in charge of the curriculum and she’s over the moon. Molly and Ben are visiting her family in Arizona, but they’re here in spirit.”
“Oh, I know them. She teaches at the community college and he’s the saddlemaker.”
“Yep. He helped design the logo and that sign out front. Then Phil and Damon made it. We have some talented folks around here. But I’m not doing my job. I’m supposed to be pouring champagne. Let me top off your glass.” He filled it almost to the brim before motioning to Ty. “How about you?”
“I’m good with what I have here. I’m driving Whitney back to town.”
“Not in the next five minutes, I hope.”
“No.”
“That’s good.” Herb eyed Ty’s glass. “I guess you have enough for a decent swallow. Don’t want any wimpy toasting going on tonight.”
“That’s for sure.” Cade surveyed the room. “Now if I just could remember where I put my glass, I’d be a happy man. Don’t want to dirty up another one, seeing as how Damon will be the poor slob who has to wash them all after the party. I’d hate for him to get dishpan hands on my account.”
“This would be your glass, cowboy, and I even filled it for you.” Lexi joined the group and handed him one of the flutes she was carrying.
“Ah, thank you, Lex.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I do,” Damon said. “You’d revert to being the sorry mess you were before she came along.”
Cade lifted his glass in Damon’s direction. “That would be a pot-and-kettle statement right there, bro. We all remember the sad state you were in before Phil took you on.”
“Can’t argue with you there. We’re both a couple of lucky dogs.”
Cade nodded. “That’s a fact.”
“I’m loving this conversation.” Lexi looked over at Phil. “How about you?”
“Oh, yeah. Maybe we should give them champagne more often.”
From across the room, Rosie tapped on the
“For a good reason.” Damon gestured toward his fiancée. “She designed these great loft beds. They’re basically a bunk bed without the bottom bunk so a desk and dresser can fit underneath. They’re super cool.”
“I’ll vouch for that.” Cade walked over with a champagne flute in each hand and mischief in his green eyes. He handed one each to Whitney and Ty. “It’s a darned lucky thing I’m on the job getting Whitney champagne, Slater, or the poor woman would die of thirst.”
“I notice they’re only about half full, bro.”
“Patience, grasshopper. More’s on the way.”
“I’m on it!” A man in his sixties standing behind a makeshift bar in the corner popped the cork on a bottle of bubbly. Herb had only been in Rangeland Roasters a couple of times, but Whitney recognized him because he’d always come in with Rosie.
Cade turned to Whitney. “Your coffee is great, at least the few times I’ve managed to get there.”
“Thank you.”
“But I have to question your taste in men. What’re you doing with this bum?”
She laughed. “He’s my ticket into this private party. A girl has to do what a girl has to do.”
Ty lifted his eyebrows and she grinned at him before taking a sip of her champagne.
“You make a good point,” Cade said. “The guest list is pretty darned exclusive. But now that you’re here, feel free to ditch him.”
Ty rolled his eyes. “Says the loser who can’t handle a staple gun without stapling his sleeve to the porch railing.”
“Oh?” Whitney glanced at Cade.
“I have no idea what he’s talking about. Oh, look. Here comes Dad with more champagne.”
“Welcome to Thunder Mountain Ranch,” Herb said as walked toward her.
“And also Thunder Mountain Academy, which I understand is now accredited.” Whitney smiled at him. “Congratulations.”
“We’re tickled about it. Molly Radcliffe is in charge of the curriculum and she’s over the moon. Molly and Ben are visiting her family in Arizona, but they’re here in spirit.”
“Oh, I know them. She teaches at the community college and he’s the saddlemaker.”
“Yep. He helped design the logo and that sign out front. Then Phil and Damon made it. We have some talented folks around here. But I’m not doing my job. I’m supposed to be pouring champagne. Let me top off your glass.” He filled it almost to the brim before motioning to Ty. “How about you?”
“I’m good with what I have here. I’m driving Whitney back to town.”
“Not in the next five minutes, I hope.”
“No.”
“That’s good.” Herb eyed Ty’s glass. “I guess you have enough for a decent swallow. Don’t want any wimpy toasting going on tonight.”
“That’s for sure.” Cade surveyed the room. “Now if I just could remember where I put my glass, I’d be a happy man. Don’t want to dirty up another one, seeing as how Damon will be the poor slob who has to wash them all after the party. I’d hate for him to get dishpan hands on my account.”
“This would be your glass, cowboy, and I even filled it for you.” Lexi joined the group and handed him one of the flutes she was carrying.
“Ah, thank you, Lex.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I do,” Damon said. “You’d revert to being the sorry mess you were before she came along.”
Cade lifted his glass in Damon’s direction. “That would be a pot-and-kettle statement right there, bro. We all remember the sad state you were in before Phil took you on.”
“Can’t argue with you there. We’re both a couple of lucky dogs.”
Cade nodded. “That’s a fact.”
“I’m loving this conversation.” Lexi looked over at Phil. “How about you?”
“Oh, yeah. Maybe we should give them champagne more often.”
From across the room, Rosie tapped on the
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