Page 41 of Mistletoe Cowboy

Teddie took a breath. “Okay, then. Is he willing to do it?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Katy said. “He said it would be better if he came out now than at Thanksgiving, anyway, because a rich client invited him to stay for a couple of weeks at his estate in the Virgin Islands over the Thanksgiving holidays.”

“Lucky him.”

“I don’t like islands,” Katy confessed. “They attract hurricanes.”

“Not in November,” Teddie teased.

“Anything can happen. I like dry land.”

Teddie smiled. “Me, too. Well, I guess I can hide in the closet while he’s here,” she said. “He doesn’t like me at all.”

“He doesn’t like children,” she replied. “I guess he’s never been around any.”

“No, he doesn’t like me, because I’m in the way. He said so. He likes you a lot.” She studied her mother. “I like Parker, and I’m not in his way.”

She smiled slowly. “I like Parker very much.”

“I know he feels that way about you,” Teddie said. “He’s always talking about you.”

Katy’s heart lifted. “So, you’re not mad at me, because I invited the lawyer out?”

Teddie shook her head. “I don’t want Bart to die. Anything’s better than that. Even the eastern lawyer.”

Katy smiled. “That’s what I thought.”

* * *

The movie was hilarious. It was about a crime-fighting family of superheroes, and focused on the baby, whom nobody thought had any powers. There was a scene with the baby beating up a raccoon that had all three of them almost rolling on the floor laughing.

When they were back out on the street, they were still laughing.

“That poor raccoon,” Teddie gasped.

“That poor baby.” Katy chuckled.

“The poor parents,” Parker commented. “Imagine having a child who could burst into flames or walk through walls?”

“You do have a point,” Katy had to admit.

“It was so funny! Thanks for taking us, Parker,” Teddie added.

“Oh, I like being around you guys,” he said, smiling. “You’re good company.”

“So are you,” Katy said softly.

He winked at her and she flushed.

“Are you going to have Thanksgiving with us?” Teddie asked.

Katy gave him a hopeful look.

His lips parted. He grimaced. “Well, you see . . .”

“Don’t tell me. You don’t celebrate it,” Katy guessed. “You probably don’t celebrate Columbus Day, either.”

He laughed. “Caught me.”

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