Page 67 of The Cowboy Who Came Home

“Two Cents has put out their top ten booths to visit at the Boutique,” Edith said, nudging her phone closer. “Look at the top one.”

Finn put a bite of his doctored up waffle in his mouth and peered at her phone. “Doggone Delicious?” He scoffed as disbelief tore through him. Edith had told him about the dog bakery and specialty store a week or so ago. She, apparently, bought special treats for her dogs there. “My word. It’s not even for humans.”

Edith giggled and kept eating.

“I suppose you voted for that one?”

“Of course I did,” she said.

“And I suppose we’re going to have to stop there.” He wasn’t asking this time.

“Of course we are,” she said. “I need some of that paw balm for Olive. It’s been so hot and dry since the flooding.”

“We can’t ever win, can we?”

“We can with the paw balm.” She beamed at him, and Finn simply smiled and shook his head.

Alex joined them with his own waffle. “Did you two see the list for lunch?”

“On Two Cents?” Edith scooped up her phone. “Lord, let there be something that isn’t fried twice.”

Finn laughed, and even Alex chuckled. That said a lot, because he didn’t do that very often. She tapped on her phone, her waffle sitting there untouched. “Barbecue Haven, of course. They do have a good food truck.”

“They do,” Finn said, spearing a sausage.

“Your favorite,” she said. “Ice cream.”

“Honey, that’s your favorite.”

“I do want to get ice cream,” she said. “Will you buy me ice cream today, Finny?”

“Whatever you want, sweetheart.” He pressed his lips to her forehead as she leaned against his side.

“Those are dangerous words,” Alex said.

“Are you coming with us?” Edith asked. “I wish you would. You can go to that booth with hand-carved furniture and start dreaming of what you can do with that reclaimed wood I know you’re hoarding. And hiding.”

Finn suddenly felt in the middle of a sibling spat, and he leaned back as Alex glared at her. “I’m not hiding it. Clearly. You know about it, don’t you?”

“He’ll have the sign-ups for his classes,” Edith said. “And if you don’t sign up for the next one, I’ll…I’ll…do something really bad.”

Alex grinned and forked another sausage in his mouth. “I love that threat, Edee.”

Finn couldn’t stop himself from smiling either, and he flinched when Edith swatted his chest. “Are you agreeing with him?”

“It’s not a great threat,” he said with a laugh. “But Alex, you should sign up for a furniture-making class. I didn’t know you wanted to do that.”

“He does,” Edith said loudly.

“Maybe,” Alex said just as loudly.

“It would be a good side-hobby,” she said. “For when I’m gone and can’t give this ranch my book money.”

Alex’s jaw popped, and Finn decided to finish his waffle instead of adding his voice to the conversation. It didn’t belong there anyway.

“I’ll sign up for a furniture class if you find the Boutique director and ask how to get a booth there next year.”

“Alexander,” she bit out.

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