Santa In Montana (Calder Saga 11)

His question had Cat firing an exasperated glance at Chase. Sloan saw it and came to her rescue, grasping her young son by the shoulders, his folded-up headdress tucked under her arm.

“Enough questions, Jake.” She turned him toward the living room. “Let’s go put your costume away.”

“And then what?” He wanted to know even as she steered him in the direction of the wide oak staircase that led to the home’s expansive second floor. “Can we go down to the barn and feed the horses?”

“We’ll see.” Sloan’s murmured response drifted back to the den.

Laredo gave a wry shake of his head. “That boy can’t slow down. If he’s awake, he has to be moving.”

“Trey was just like him at that age,” Jessy recalled, then roused herself. “I need to get moving myself. It’s time I checked on things at the ranch office.”

When she stood, Laredo pushed away from the desk. “I’ll tag along with you. I need to see if those parts for the generator were delivered. Catch you later.” He flipped a casual wave in Chase’s direction and followed Jessy out of the room.

As the pair swung toward the front door, Cat hesitated, then re-entered the den and set about collecting the coffee cups and placing them on the tray. Chase watched while she picked up the now heavier tray and balanced it on her forearm.

At the moment when she appeared ready to turn away from the desk, he said, “You mean you aren’t going to bring up that business again about me lying down before lunch?”

“And be accused of nagging again? Not likely,” she shot back.

“You do nag sometimes, Cat,” Chase countered.

“If I do, it’s only for your own good,” she insisted, holding herself a little stiffly.

Pride. His daughter had always had an abundance of that. But it was his awareness of her lightning quick temper that prompted Chase to overlook that proud and combative tilt of her chin. “I’m well aware of that, Cat,” he assured. “But you need to recognize that while I may be old, I’m not an invalid.”

“I know that.” But there was a touch of sharpness in her voice.

“You have too much time on your hands and very little else to think about except me.”

“Oh, please.” Exasperation riddled her words. “You aren’t going to start talking about a husband again, are you?”

“Why is that such a sore subject?” He leaned back in his chair in a show of relaxation to mask his close study of her reaction. “Are you absolutely against ever marrying again?”

“Of course not.” Her response was emphatic and quick. “Why would I be when I’ve seen two perfect examples. First there was you and Hattie…Regardless of how much you loved my mother, I know your second marriage to Hattie was very fulfilling, but in a different kind of way. And anyone can see how happy Jessy is with Laredo.” She paused, irritation flickering through her expression. “Although sometimes I get so mad at Laredo, I want to haul off and hit him!”

“Why?” Chase frowned in surprise.

“Because he obviously let’s his pride stand in the way of going to that next step and actually marrying her. And why? Just because Jessy runs this ranch and he’s only an ordinary cowboy. It’s ridiculous.”

“I don’t think pride has anything to do with it, Cat.”

“Then why doesn’t he marry her?” she challenged.

“I suspect he has other reasons. Ones that don’t bother Jessy, so they shouldn’t bother us either.”

Cat was quick to read between the lines, all her senses going on high alert. “Are you saying there’s some truth to the rumors that Laredo is a wanted man?”

“I’ve never asked. And I never will.” Unspoken was the order that she shouldn’t either.

“Logan always liked him a lot,” she recalled in an absent, musing fashion.

“Maybe you should think about taking a trip after the first of the year,” Chase suggested in a deliberate change of subject.

A small, breathy laugh of surprise slipped from her. “Where did that come from? First you accuse me of turning into a nag, and now you’re trying to get rid of me?”

Chase smiled at her half playful taunt. “That thought hadn’t crossed my mind, but it is another good reason. Actually I was remembering that comment you made about the scarcity of eligible men around here. If you spend all your time here on the Triple C, you aren’t likely to meet anybody. A change of scenery would be good for you anyway.”

“And where would I go?” she countered, unimpressed by his suggestion.