Cutty (Prairie Grooms Book 8) by Kit Morgan Read Free Book Online Page B

newest treasure.
     
    * * *
     
    Three days later the Cookes, with all their cousins and their cousins’ husbands, gathered at Constance and Ryder’s place for dinner and a house-planning meeting. Ryder had made some crude preliminary sketches, which Amon took the time to draw more neatly, including the fine details Ryder had missed. In no time at all they knew what they would need to start construction in the next few days. Between the men present and a few extra from town, Ryder could have his house built in no time.
    Constance and the other women also had plans. Curtains would have to be sewn, and there was already talk of the ladies’ sewing circle making a new quilt for the occasion. And of course the men would need to be fed. All in all, Constance and Ryder’s dinner went better than planned. Even Cutty had a good time watching and listening to everyone.
    But especially his children. “What color do you think you’ll paint it?” Nettie asked Constance.
    “I have no idea, I’m not sure if Ryder will want a say in it, but if not, I would love a blue house.”
    “Blue?” her sister Penelope said. “I thought you always wanted a yellow house.”
    “Heavens no! You already have a yellow house. I’d much rather have a blue one.”
    “With red trim!” Fina tossed in. “I could paint that for you.”
    “You mean the same red as that table of yours?” Constance teased. “I’m surprised you have any paint left.”
    “I can always get more,” Fina said with a sly smile. “Are you going to build a new barn too?”
    “Eventually, but not right away,” Constance said. “The one we have is sufficient.”
    “What are you going to do with your old house?” Apple asked.
    “Ryder is giving it to Cutty.”
    “He is?” Lena said in surprise.
    “As much as Cutty’s helped Ryder out, of course he is. Everyone deserves a home – and this was Cutty’s, more or less, before he moved to the hotel. Isn’t that right?” she asked, turning to him.
    Cutty looked up from his plate of food. “Uh … yep, he offered it to me.”
    “Are you going to take it?” Fina asked.
    “I’m thinkin’ so. Cain’t stay at the hotel forever.”
    “But what about Imogene?” asked Apple. “You can’t live out here while she’s at the Triple-C. It’s so far away.”
    Cutty glanced around. He didn’t see Imogene anywhere – she must be in the house. He turned back to Apple. “What do ya care?”
    Apple smiled. “Everybody cares. We all know you’re sweet on her.”
    Cutty groaned. “This again … cain’t you people learn to keep your opinions to yerselves?”
    Apple fell into a fit of giggles.
    “Stop that!” Cutty groused. “For Heaven’s sake, yer making a spectacle of yerself.”
    Apple giggled harder, and now Fina joined her.
    “Oh good grief,” he grumbled.
    “What are you doing?” Imogene asked as she came up behind him.
    “Yer cousins are beside themselves.” he told her. “Cain’t ya make ‘em stop?”
    “Whatever for? They seem to be having a lovely time.” Apple and Fina laughed louder. “Though I would like to know what’s so amusing.”
    “That I’m sweet on ya, apparently,” Cutty said grudgingly.
    “Oh, is that all?” she replied with a casual wave of her hand. She looked at him. “Are you?”
    “What kinda question is that?” he snapped. “Ya know perfectly well I …”
    Now Lena and Eloise were laughing. “I told you you were sweet on her,” Apple cackled.
    “Cain’t a man have no privacy? Is there anythin’ ‘bout me ya don’t know?” Cutty threw a hand in the air in frustration. “Land sakes, a man can’t comb his hair ‘round here without the whole town knowin’.”
    “ You can,” Imogene said with a playful smirk. “You haven’t any to comb.”
    Cutty fought the urge to remove his hat, but didn’t want Imogene to see his hair yet, what little there was. He wanted to surprise her. “Women,” he grunted, and stomped off to join Ryder and the other