When Roses Collide

Chapter Nine

Tonight he took a right into the spacious kitchen which was Addie's domain. Addie had been with them since before Travis was a twinkle in his daddy's eye and was a second mother to him. Her and her late husband helped Travis's grandfather and later his father, build this place. The stone fireplace in the living room had been built by Addie's husband, stone by stone from the riverbed which meandered through the DR.

Roman O'Leary had been a big part of making the DR what it was today. The day he passed the world lost one of the last true cowboys of the land. They refused to lose Addie too, so Travis's family remodeled a couple of the guest rooms turning them into a suite of sorts and moved Addie into the main house. There she stayed, becoming one of them and Travis loved her as much as his own mother.

Not willing to live out the rest of her days like a lazy sow, her words, she became the DR's housekeeper and cook. She ran the house like a tight fisted mini tyrant. No one would ever guess the woman was in her 70's with the way the fireball ran around barking orders at all who dared get in her path. Not to mention she went down to the beauty shop on a regular basis to keep her short and spiked pixie cut hair dyed fire engine red which gave her the look of a leprechaun. She said it kept her Irish heritage alive, but all the hands joked it just gave her an excuse to keep her Irish temper alive and well. All of them at one point of time or other have received tongue lashings from the short, rounded imp.

Travis walked into the kitchen, finding Addie furiously scrubbing at some pots and pans in the kitchen sink humming a somewhat lewd Irish ditty softly.

"You know Addie, that's what the dishwasher is for," he teased as he walked up behind her and placed a kiss on her wrinkled, rosy cheek.

He'd completely torn out and remodeled the kitchen a few years ago. Upgrading with the top of the line stainless steel appliances and every kitchen gizmo and gadget he could find in hopes of easing Addie's work load. Not that he would ever let her know, because she wouldn't have allowed it if she did.

"Aye, I know lad, but those new-fangled machines can't do what I can do with a bit o' elbow grease."

"Addie, that new-fangled machine as you call it, has enough power to strip paint. I'm sure it can handle a couple of pots." Travis argued lightly as he opened the subzero and grabbed a beer.

"Humph...and ruin the finish on me pots in the process it would," she replied with a nod of her head. "Ye missed yer dinner lad. I put it in the oven to keep it warmed. Would ye like me to get it?"

"Not right now, but thanks."

"Since when do ye turn down food?" She turned and scrutinized him with her bright piercing green eyes.

Doing her motherly assessment, she started to cluck and fuss over him like a mother hen tending to her chick. After appeasing herself that he wasn't taking ill, she put her hands on her hips, giving him a quizzical look. Oh-oh, maybe it would have been better to force feed himself than to deal with the interrogation that was sure to come by the look on her face, Travis thought with a grimace.

"So, did I miss anything while I was out?" he asked in a desperate bid to change the subject and to get her gaze off.

"Aye, ye did." She narrowed her eyes, not at all falling for his tactics. "That silly lass of Rafferty's showed up here again looking for ye. Is that why yer wearing such a sour puss on yer face?" Addie never did beat around the bush. Whatever crossed her mind, came out of her mouth full speed ahead.

"What did Cyndi want?" he asked, ignoring her question.

"She wanted to know if ye were going to sign the DR up for the Annual Rancher Rodeo this year. As if it was a question!" she scoffed. "The DR has never missed one and has never passed a chance to be charitable, unlike that no good father of hers. Always trying to line his pockets with someone else's money that one is," she continued to grumble her rather lack luster opinions of Rafferty and his mindless lassie.