Debbi Rawlins - The Swinging R Ranch - The Swinging R Ranch / Whose Line Is It Anyway?

“Damn right I am. You already told me that if you become mayor you’re shutting us down.”

“Oh.” She frowned. “Sounds like you’re considering reopening the place.”

“I might.”

“Really?” Her expression didn’t waver. “It would take an awful lot of money.”

“Hell, it’ll take a lot just to keep it standing.” And that was no joke. He’d obviously wasted his time flying out here.

“Probably. But you have to do something.”

He shrugged. “I could just walk away. Leave the place as is.”

Shock registered in her eyes. “No, you can’t. The house isn’t safe.”

“Then they should move out.”

“And where do you suggest they go? These women live on social security, not fat pensions.”

“Not my problem.”

She stared in disbelief, then in disgust. “You own the place. It’s your responsibility.”

“Excuse me, but I didn’t sign up for this headache.”

“Too bad. You’ve got it.”

He shrugged again. “Like I said, I could walk away.”

Abby growled—literally, and convincingly enough that he glanced over his shoulder to see if the iguana was back.

“I can’t believe you could be this…this heartless.” Abby went to the plate of cookies Rosie had left, picked out a ginger snap, sat on the couch, then took an enormous bite.

Most women he knew took small nibbles. Not Abby. Obviously this was a woman not afraid to tackle anything. She started to say something else but her mouth was full.

Max jumped in while he had the chance. “I’m not heartless. This is business. Maybe I should reopen it.” Sighing, he raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with it. Last week it was bad enough when I thought I’d inherited a brothel. Today I find out it’s a retirement home.”

“I heard that.”

They both started and turned to meet Rosie’s disapproving frown. “Better not let Mona hear you spewing that stuff. Me, I know better. And I like things just the way they are, but you heard her earlier, she and Candy have this idea that Viagra is gonna change things around here.”

At the mention of Viagra again, Max almost lost his cookies. Except he hadn’t had any. Surely Mona had been joking earlier.

Rosie picked up the plate. “I don’t want you two spoiling your supper.”

Wordlessly, he watched her carry the cookies back to the kitchen. Abby hadn’t said anything either. She probably blamed the whole idea on him. He reluctantly looked her way and realized she was trying to keep from laughing.

He relaxed a little. Abby wouldn’t think this was funny if it were for real. “She’s joking, right? About Mona and the Viagra?”

“I doubt it. Mona is always talking about the good old days.”

“And you think that’s funny?”

Her eyebrows drew together in a thoughtful frown, all traces of amusement gone. And then her lips tilted slightly. “Good for you, Max.”

“What?” Something was wrong. She called him Max.

“You have no intention of reopening the Swinging R.”

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to.” Her smile grew more triumphant. “The expression on your face just said it all. You looked traumatized by the thought Rosie isn’t kidding.”

“Traumatized?” He snorted. “What are you smoking? There is nothing in this little hick town that could traumatize or surprise me.”

Abby’s expression fell, then it tightened. He’d hurt her feelings, and ticked her off, too. “I’m sorry our hick town doesn’t meet with your approval. Amazing, you’ve been here all of one day and you’re able to pass judgment already.”

“I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“We already settled that fallacy. In order for me to be insulted, I’d have to value your opinion.”

“I believe you’re right. Let’s see…Oh, yeah, you don’t give a hoot about what I think.”

“Exactly.” She folded her arms across her chest. It wasn’t a big chest, but nicely proportioned, well-rounded.

Apparently he’d taken too long to make that determination because when he raised his gaze to hers, she seemed ready to bite his head off. He cleared his throat, loosened his collar, checked his watch.

“Are you staying for dinner?” he asked, trying to change the subject and hoping a chunk of his hide wasn’t on her menu.

She stared at him in thoughtful silence for nearly a minute. “I’ll make you a deal.”

“What?”

“I can get rid of the iguana while you’re here, if you tell my grandmother she can’t stay.”

That was unexpected. He rubbed his jaw, noting he needed a shave. “What’s wrong with her staying here?”

Abby let out a low exasperated groan. “She doesn’t belong here. She belongs at home with me.”

“She lives with you?”

“Yes.”

“Anyone else? Husband, kids, boyfriend?” He shrugged when he saw the storm clouds gathering in her face. “Cats? Dogs?”

“None of your business. But no. It’s just Gramms and me.”

“So how come she ran away from home? You ground her or something?”

Sighing, she rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “Why do I bother?” She got up from the couch, dusted the cookie crumbs from her hands over an ashtray, then faced him with a phony smile. “Wish I could say it was nice meeting you, Mr. Bennett.”

“What are you getting all bent out of shape for? I can’t agree to throw an old lady—” he grimaced “—your grandmother out without understanding why.”

She stared at him again, in that measuring way, as if trying to come to a decision. “Apparently I’m just not enough fun for her. She thinks I’m a fuddy-duddy.”

“Well, you probably could loosen up a bit.”

“Here we go again.” She threw up her hands. “Did I ask for your opinion?”

Max grunted in disbelief. What happened to the old Bennett charm? Women didn’t treat him like this. They smiled and giggled and asked his opinion all the time. “Wouldn’t matter if you had. You’re obviously too stubborn to listen to anyone.”

“Ooh, I’m all Jell-O inside you have me so rattled with that snippy tone.”

Damn independent career women. This is why he stayed clear of them. They were too mouthy, too…immune. “Guess you know my answer. Estelle stays.”

Her smug expression wavered. “I’d hoped you could put our personality conflict aside and see reason.”

“Present me some reason to see. You haven’t told me a thing.”

She blinked, and visibly swallowed. “It’s sort of complicated. Part of it has to do with my involvement in the town, running for mayor…” she shrugged, shifted from one foot to the other, reluctance showing in her every movement “…even being a Cunningham.”

“She doesn’t agree with your running for mayor?”

“Gramms didn’t think I should come back to Bingo after college at all.”

Uneasiness crawled down his spine. This was personal stuff, none of his business. He should stop her. “Why are you here?”

“Do you still live in the place you grew up?”

“Well, yeah, but that’s Boston.”

“And you think Bingo is inferior, so why would anyone stay?”

He winced at the way she made it sound. “Guilty.”

“At least you’re honest.” Her smile was wry. “And at times I may even agree, but if we all, the townspeople here, felt that way, the town would just shrivel up and die.”

Max didn’t see what would be so bad about that but he decided to keep that gem of honesty to himself.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said without censure. “But Bingo isn’t a bad place to grow up. In fact, it’s a pretty damn good place to raise kids. And if anyone feels the need for bright lights and partying until dawn, Las Vegas is less than two and a half hours away.”