Free Cowboy Candy by C C Blaze Page A

see.
“Shoot, I can hear the phone lines lighting up right now. Hey, so and
so...you’re never gonna’ believe it. Miss Maddy is gonna’ be knockin’ some
lucky cowboy’s socks off, tonight.”
Somehow, she was afraid that if she didn’t make a move soon, she’d lose
Dusty forever, so her mind was made up. She headed over to Miss Mabel’s
to see how she was doing. Maddy was right about one thing, word spread
quickly in Grand Valley. When she walked into the diner, everyone turned
and smiled.
She looked down and checked to see if her blouse was open.
“What?. . . is somethin’ showing?”
Miss Mabel came out from the kitchen.
"Hi hon, how've you been. Couldn't stay away, I see. You must miss
my cookin'," she grinned.
"Howdy Miss Mabel, I was in town and thought I'd swing by to say
hello. "You're right, I miss you cooking but I miss your company even
more.”
“Well, sit a spell and I'll get ya' some joe,” the old woman smiled.
Maddy looked over at the register and noticed something new. It was a
large empty cider jar with a sign taped to it.
She got up to take a look.
“Honeymoon Fund...” she read aloud.
She smiled, someone was getting married. It was sweet, even though
the jar had not been up very long, it was already a quarter of the ways full.
"Miss Mabel, who's the lucky couple? "
"What, oh, that!," the old woman laughed.
"Yep, there's a young
couple plannin to tie the knot, so I figured that I'd help em' along, some."
She smiled.
“Well, form the looks of it, it won't take long.
Everyone seems to
approve, they must be well-liked, I gather.”
Mabel grinned from ear to ear, “Yessiiree, you could say that.”
Maddy smiled, “Well, who are they . . . if you don't mind me askin.”
“Oh, just a couple of kids that have no idea what we're up to. So, we
need to keep it under our hats.”
“Well, I’m sure they'll appreciate it.”
“I know they will, but we have other reasons that are pure selfish. It’s
our own way of guaranteeing an invite to the wedding.”
Miss Mabel laughed and spit some chew into her spittoon.
Maddy loved Miss Mabel.
“So, how's the new job,” the old woman asked, amused.
“It's beyond anything I could have imagined. I didn't know what to
expect, really. Did I tell you I finally have the cabin nearly decorated?
The
Night Blooming Jasmine are in full swing, and I’ve been clearing out my
own private thermal pool.”
Miss Mabel smiled. “Sounds to me like a handsome cowboy is makin’
sure you don't run off any time soon.”
Maddy laughed. “Miss Mabel, you sure do have an active imagination.”
Although Maddy had made it a point to visit with Mabel weekly, she still
missed her deeply. If it weren’t for her, she might never have stayed in
Grand Valley. They two women spent an hour making small talk and filling
each other in on what was going on in their lives.
Maddy finally got up to leave and placed her money on the counter.
She dropped a twenty dollar bill into the “honeymoon fund” jar on the
way out.
She smiled.
“Might as well contribute to the newlyweds.”
Miss Mabel walked from around the counter and put a motherly arm
around Maddy’s shoulders.
“Now you be careful up at that ranch. Make sure you get plenty of
sleep, and don’t be a stranger.”
"I won't miss Mabel.”
The old woman spit some chew onto the ground and leaned in close.
“So, I hear a certain someone picked up some sexy duds at Lily’s . . .
who’s the lucky fella’?”
Maddy felt her face beginning to turn red.
“Well, it’s not a definite. . .but I suppose you already know who I have
in mind.”
Mabel winked.
“I won’t name names, but I’m thinkin’ it’s that fine-looking specimen of
a man, Dusty.”
Maddy laughed and looked down at her boots.
“How’d you guess?”
The two women both began to laugh and giggle like a bunch of teenage
schoolgirls.
“I’d better get going Miss M, I have plans for supper tonight.”
Mabel held her arm. . .
“Just one more thing . .