Santa In Montana (Calder Saga 11)

Cat settled into the desk chair he’d vacated, happy to chat with her son. They exchanged small talk and he launched into a story about Josh’s first kiss.

“What?” she said with surprise. “He’s getting an early start. He’s not two yet.”

“Well, it wasn’t exactly a kiss. More like bumping faces, very gently. But his little girlfriend didn’t seem to mind. She didn’t burst into tears or anything. Then Josh patted her hair.”

“My, my,” she said. “He’s quite the charmer. Loved those last photos. Thanks for sending them, by the way.”

“You’re welcome. So how are you?”

She hesitated.

“I heard you’re going on a date,” he inserted on a teasing note.

“How’d you know that?” Cat said in surprise.

“We live in high-tech times, Mom. That famous Triple C ranch telegraph got a boost from e-mail.”

“Oh.” Cat tried to think of what to say, feeling a little chagrined that someone had told him before she could. “Well, yes. I do have a dinner date, but that’s all. He’s very nice. A friend of Chase’s. About my age. His name is Wade Rogers.”

“That’s great, Mom,” he said. “I’m really happy you met someone. And have fun. It’s time you did.”

They talked for a while longer, then said their good-byes. Cat hung up, staying in the chair for a bit, rocking and thinking. She hadn’t known how to tell him, and she was glad that Quint was fine with the idea of her dating someone. Everyone seemed to be.

Like he’d said, it was time.

Chapter 7

A pickup truck with the Triple C brand painted on its doors jolted to a stop on a rough road that led to a small barn in South Camp. The barn was newer than the other outbuildings on the ranch, standing about a mile out from the main house.

“Sorry about them ruts in the road,” the cowboy at the wheel said to Chase.

The old man looked down at the little boy beside him. “I’m all right. How about you, Jake?”

“I like going over bumps!” he said.

“That’ll change when you’re my age,” Chase said wryly. He eased over on the seat after his great-grandson unlatched the door and jumped down. “Thanks, Eddy.”

“No problem. I’ll wait for you here.”

Chase grasped his cane and took a deep breath.

“Need a hand gittin’ out, sir?”

“Not yet. But that day is coming.” Chase winced as he used the side of the truck for a handhold to get down. He leaned heavily on his cane once he was on the ground. “I don’t trust my bad knee to a ranch truck clutch anymore.”

“Not a problem. I’m happy to drive you. You two take your time,” Eddy said. “I’ll listen to the radio and roll one.” He took a small pouch and papers out of his shirt pocket.

Chase shut the truck door and turned to follow Jake into the barn. Back in the day, he’d done a regular walk-through of the stables and barns when he could, checking on the stock and the horses. It was one more thing that had slipped away from him. There was always the endless business of running the ranch to attend to, and then, before he knew it, his years had caught up with him.

Chase was determined to look over his operation thoroughly before the inevitable winter storms kept him housebound. He peered into the semi-darkness of the empty barn, hearing Jake’s footsteps. “Jake? Don’t go up in the hayloft.”

“I didn’t, Greypa! Here I am!” The boy came running toward him, full of energy.

“I see you. Settle down,” Chase said, a fond note in his gruff voice.

Jake took the hand that wasn’t resting on the cane. “How come you wanted to come here?” he asked. “The stalls are all empty.”

“And that’s good,” Chase replied. “This is the barn for animals that need to be apart from the others because they’re sick or lame. You know that.”