Page 6 of The Mountain that Saved Christmas

“Well, since only Star and I got to do the challenges for the Cup last year, I figured we could do some little challenges of our own along the way. You know, battle of the couples or somethin'.”

All of the men look to their wives–me included. Lee's lips curve up into a wicked grin that makes me wanna kiss her breathless. After I've done that, I pull my head back and arch a brow her way. “Feel like beatin' some ranchers?”

She melts into me, looking up with a sparkle in her eye. “Oh yeah,”

“You can't use any of that Seer magic or whatever,” Toby adds, pointing at my wife. The 'seer magic' he's referring to is Lee being the chosen person on the ranch that the mountain spirit chooses to communicate with.

Lee rolls her eyes. “Toby, youdoknow that it's not like we have a two-way conversation, right? I can't just summon her and say 'Hey, help a girl out' or whatever.”

Toby's gaze narrows, making me snort. “I'm watchin' you, Leah Roberts nee Barnes. For all I know, you could want revenge for your family back at Eagle Mountain Ranch?”

“How are we supposed to do challenges if we're all in separate trucks, Tobes? Did you think aboutthat?” Austin asks.

“Sure did. That's why we've gotthese.” He leans into the front seat of his truck and pulls out a brown paper bag, digging his hand inside and pulling out a walkie-talkie.

“Oh, hell,” Mags mutters.

Starchild claps before making grabby hands. “Gimme. I've always wanted one of these but myhusbandsaid no.”

Landry snorts. “Yeah, that's because we're never far enough away from each other to need 'em. Why would I talk into a plastic radio when I can just turn my head andspeakto you?”

“He's got a point, you know…” Charlie adds.

“Anyway…” Toby says before him and Dee hand out the devices. “We'll set them all to the same channel so we can keep in touch durin' the drive to Anchorage since that's where we're stoppin' for the night. Sound like a plan?”

“You'refullof ideas at the moment. Aren't ya, Tobes?” Red muses.

“I am. That's why these walkie-talkies won't just come in useful for our trip. We can also use them around the ranch when we get back. It'll be useful when we're in the back fields, or on the mountain slopes plantin'. Everywhere really.”

Red's brows both lift in surprised approval. “That's a good idea.”

“Iknow,” Toby retorts. “I'm not just a pretty face. Ain't that right, Skippy?”

Dee laughs and wraps her arm around her husband's shoulders. “Right. You keep believin' that.”

“What's the first challenge then?” Rhett asks.

“I haven't thought that far ahead yet.” Toby rubs at the back of his neck looking a little sheepish.

“I know! We can start with decoratin' our trucks,” Cora says.

“We're already runnin' behind schedule, princess,” Rhett replies.

She shrugs. “OK. So, we hit the road and at the first rest stop, we'll decorate the cars with whatever we've got or can find between now and then.”

“Sounds fun,” Mags says, rubbing her hands together. “Redmond, we've gotta make a quick stop at the diner before we leave town. There's a few things I need.”

“Anythin' you want, darlin', as long as you stop callin' me Redmond,” he rumbles, pressing his lips to her temple in a move that makesallthe women in the group sigh.

I peer down at my wife, my lips twitching. “You never sigh when I kissyourforehead.”

“That's because I'd much rather you kiss me properly.” She shoots me big puppy dog eyes that she knows I can't resist so I do the only thing a husbandcanandshoulddo in this situation–I give my woman exactly what she wants–ignoring the catcalls and hollering that our ranch family gives us while I do it.

“We hittin' the road or not? We've still gotta get the Sallys on the way through, remember?” Landry says.

Red's brows knit together. “Are yousurethey should be drivin' all that way themselves?”

“Gramma insisted on it,” Star answers. “She said, and I quote, 'we may be old, but we're notthatold'.”

---