Page 20 of A Touch of Cowboy

Will leaned over to hold his hand out for the pooch. “I’ll text MaryAnn to see if you can bring Rex.”

In the end, MaryAnn was thrilled to have Avery and Rex join them.

And Avery did hold her own. As witnessed by her survival of Christmas morning at his sister’s house. They sat together on the loveseat as they watched the kids open his presents to them.

Susie, although all of seven, was into all things literature. Dickens, the owner of The Owl’s Nest bookstore—very gay, very cute, very married—had helped Will pick out an enormous pile for his niece.

He also bought a book for Richie, but the young boy was far more entranced with the complex LEGO set Will had bought him—his brother-in-law having helped him select one his nephew didn’t already have.

After presents, while Will watched, feeling a little left out, Avery helped MaryAnn in the kitchen. Not women’s work, he’d been promised. Just a chance for his sister to give his date the third degree.

Barry plopped onto the loveseat beside him. Perhaps a little too close for Will’s liking, but he wasn’t an overly demonstrative man. His brother-in-law absolutely was. Which was great. The man was affectionate with the kids, affectionate with Will’s sister, friendly to every random stranger he met.

Will needed to learn to be a little more like Barry.

Avery could help you with that.

Yeah, she probably could.

Barry handed Will a tablet.

He squinted because, of course, he was too stubborn to carry around the reading glasses the optometrist prescribed last year. Damn things were in his suitcase. Or in the truck. Or maybe in the bathroom…?

To his embarrassment, Barry enlarged the screen. Probably something he could’ve figured out for himself, but he didn’t spend a lot of time around all things electronic. One of the reasons he’d given the kids books and toys that didn’t require batteries. “What is this?”

“It’s a ranch that’s for sale.”

Will perked up. “A ranch?”

Barry laughed. “Well, not a cattle ranch. This one is north of Mission City. They offer riding lessons and trail rides through the hills. My coworkers and I went up one day last summer. A bonding experience.” He blew out a laugh. “Yeah. Can you picture me on a horse?”

Since Will had a decent imagination, he could picture anyone on a horse. But yeah, his awkward, dear brother-in-law who could barely manage not to trip over his own feet? “Well, surely the horse kept you out of trouble.”

Another chuckle. “I got on and fell right off the other side. My instructor said she’d never seen that before. Said I was both impressive and memorable.” He narrowed his eyes. “I’m not sure either was meant as a compliment.”

“But you want me to buy a ranch and, what, offer horseback riding lessons and trail rides?”

“Why the hell not?”

“Dad!” Susie gazed at her father imperiously over her book. “Bad language.”

“Yeah, Dad.” Richie offered a shit-eating grin. “You’re not supposed to say hell. Or fuck or shit or—”

“Richard.” This time, the admonishment came from MaryAnn.

“Sorry, Mom.”

She glared at her youngest child. Then at Barry. “I take it this is your fault?”

Barry pointed at Will.

He elbowed his brother-in-law in the ribs.

MaryAnn sighed. “Okay, kids, dinner’s ready.”

Richie jumped up and ran for the half-bathroom so he could wash his hands.

Reluctantly, Susie marked her place in the book, sighed, then rose and followed her brother.

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