She exhales through her nose. “Yeah … well, I accept. Begrudgingly.”
“I’ll take it.”
Her gaze flicks to Ruby, who’s now standing beside Imma Jean, clutching a chocolate croissant nearly as big as her forearm. Shelby’s expression shifts to amusement.
“She’s … not exactly what I pictured,” she says.
I blink. “What?”
She gestures vaguely toward Ruby. “You know, when you said you’d fucked up and had a Ruby waiting at home. I was expecting an angry female.”
“Oh.” I can’t help it; I laugh. “Right. There was one.”
Shelby’s eyebrows lift.
“My mother,” I explain, “who waited up all night. Luckily, I’ve been smoothing things over with my momma since I was a teenager—dimples, kiss on the cheek. Works every time.”
Albert chuckles into his coffee.
“And Ruby?” Shelby asks.
“She’s easier,” I say. “Five minutes of tickles, and she’ll give in to anything.”
Shelby snorts. “Tickles, huh? Don’t expect that to work much longer.”
Albert nods. “Trust me, daughters can be tricky.”
I glance at Ruby again, her face lit up like she’s just discovered treasure. “Yeah,” I say softly. “She’s already three feet of female sass. But those dimples—same as mine—work just as well on me.”
Imma Jean brings over a box and starts filling it with Ruby’s picks, letting her choose one of every item.
Albert gestures to the booth. “Why don’t you sit?” he says. “Join us.”
I shake my head. “Appreciate it, but we’re just grabbing pastries to go. Headed to the mercantile after to do some clothes shopping for Ruby.”
Shelby wrinkles her nose. “The mercantile?”
“Yeah. Figured we’d see what they have for warm clothes. There’s a big temperature difference between Vegas and Wildhaven.”
She stares at me like I just said I planned to dress Ruby exclusively in burlap. “That’s where cowboys buy coveralls and flannels.”
I scrub a hand over my face. “Yeah. I’m hoping they have something that will work for her.”
“If you’re lucky,” she says, “they might have one pink hoodie with a horse on it. In size fourteen.”
I sigh. “Damn. Looks like I’m driving to Jackson Hole.”
“There’s a women’s boutique on the corner,” she offers. “New. Cute stuff. Warm. Real winter clothes with a children’s section.”
Relief hits me fast. “Thank you. I clearly have no idea what I’m doing.”
Albert smiles. “Shelby could help you.”
She glares at him. “Daddy.”
Before I can protest, Imma Jean appears with Ruby’s hand in hers. “That sounds like a great idea. Ruby says you’re shopping for riding clothes, and our Shelby knows riding clothes.”
I hesitate. “Um, I don’t want to impose.”
