“That was thoughtful of you,” Holt said as he tried to concentrate on his food. “This chicken is good, Leah.”
“I made it,” she admitted, pretty sure that Kaley had purchased her pie at the bakery.
Kaley sighed. “Oh, Leah, you and your sisters are all such good cooks. The kitchen just isn’t the room I’m the best in.”
Leah choked on her food.
“Are you okay?” Holt asked.
She nodded. “Some food just went down the wrong way.” She turned to the woman. “Well, if you want to help, you could stay and wash dishes.”
Kaley glared at her. “I’m sorry to say I can’t. I need to pick up my daughter.” She stood and placed her hand on Holt’s shoulder and bent her head toward him. “Maybe another time. Holt, I’m in town and in the book.”
Leah clenched her fists under the table.
“Thanks for stopping by,” Holt called as she walked away.
Never looking at Leah, he returned to eating. “All that work this morning makes a person hungry,” he said.
Too bad Leah had lost her appetite. “It’s a shame Kaley couldn’t stay.” She stabbed at her food. “She’s so…attentive.”
Holt stopped eating, a faint trace of a grin starting. “I didn’t notice.”
She stood. “You would have to be dead not to notice Kaley Sims.”
Holt stopped her. “Will you sit down? I’m not interested in Kaley.”
“I couldn’t care less either way,” she fibbed. “But fair warning, Kaley always gets what she goes after…and she’s coming after you.”
Leah turned and marched off toward the house, hating that she’d let herself care. But she did care, darn it. Especially when she knew that Holt had a life here, and she wasn’t going to be staying.
Not even her feelings for the man could change what she had to do.
By late afternoon, the last of the calves were branded and back in the pen. The men walked toward the house for a cold drink and to relax. Thanks to Leah and the other women, they had leftovers waiting along with iced tubs of soft drinks and beer.
The party began.
It wasn’t by any means a wild party, everyone just sat around enjoying the quiet evening with friends and family. Holt looked for Leah and Corey and found the kid playing with his new friends. Leah talking with a group of the women.
He couldn’t help but watch her. She had such an easy way with people. Everyone liked her, himself included. His gut tightened with need. Not just the physical need she’d awakened in him, but a different need he’d never experienced before. The need to see her smile…to hear her laughter…or just for the scent of her hair when she walked past him.
“Leah’s grown into a pretty woman,” Bart said as he appeared next to him.
“Since I didn’t know her as a kid, I couldn’t say. But yes, Leah is pretty.”
The fiftysomething rancher handed him a longneck bottle of beer. “She was cute as a button.”
The last thing Holt wanted to do was talk about his relationship with Leah. “Bart, I want to thank you for all your help today,” he said, changing the subject.
“Glad to do it.” The man pushed back his hat. “I guess we were all a little curious to see how you would handle your first roundup.” His grin caused tiny lines to crinkle around his eyes. “Guess we can’t call you a big city boy anymore. I’d be proud if you’d come and help me out at the end of the month.”
His neighbor’s acceptance meant a lot to Holt. “I’d be happy to,” he told him. “Just tell me the time and place.”
“Will do. Can you sweet talk Leah into bringing some of her fried chicken?”
Holt laughed. In the past few weeks Leah had become such a part of his life. He found he was eager to return to the house each night, knowing she would be there.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he told his neighbor.
Bart just winked and together they strolled back to the group that gravitated around the open pit. With the cool of the evening ahead, Zach had started afire.
It was an opportunity to talk to everyone. “I want to thank you all for coming here today. I couldn’t have done this without your help. I hope I can return the favor.” He raised his bottle and smiled. “And to the lovely ladies who prepared all the delicious food. Thank you. I haven’t eaten this well in years.” He patted his flat stomach. “And it’s a good thing.”
That brought a laugh from his neighbors, and he searched the group for Leah. She was standing in the back. He found he wanted her with him.
“Does this mean that you’re going to hang around?” The question came from one of the ladies.
“I think so,” he said honestly. “I know I have a lot to learn, but I’m beginning to feel like I belong.”
“You’re John Rawlins’s son. Of course you belong here.”
Holt’s smile froze, but he willed himself to relax. He wasn’t going to let his father spoil another evening. Suddenly everyone’s attention went to one of the men who pulled out a harmonica, and began to play. More leftovers were eaten and the kids roasted marshmallows.
Holt glanced at Leah, realizing with her here, this was about as perfect as it could get.
Leah went into the barn to escape. She felt like there was a spotlight on her whenever Holt looked at her. Her mother was even singing the man’s praises. Leah didn’t need anyone telling her what kind of man Holt Rawlins was. She already knew, and she already had feelings for him.
She walked down the center aisle to Lulu and Goldie’s stall. The mare greeted her with a neigh and came to the gate.
“Hello, girl.” Leah stroked Lulu’s muzzle “How’s it going?” She glanced down at the filly at her side. “Hi, Goldie.” but the two-week-old foal skittered away when she reached out her hand. “A little shy after all the visitors today, huh?” Corey had been showing off the new addition to the ranch.
Although the filly didn’t want attention, Lulu did. Leah felt comforted by petting the mare. It relaxed her, too. Today had been busy, but she loved all the work. She’d gotten to visit with people who’d been such a big part of her life.
Her life. Leah sighed. At one time, she thought she’d had it all planned out. From an early age, she’d known what she’d wanted. A career and travel first. Not until she was thirty would she even think about settling down. Now suddenly she was playing house with one sexy cowboy, and a surrogate mother to an eight-year-old boy. And she was crazy about both of them.
“So, this is where you’ve been hiding out,” Holt said.
Leah jerked around to find him leaning against an empty stall across the aisle. Even dressed in dirty jeans and shirt from the day’s branding, he looked handsome…sexy…mouthwatering.
She finally found her voice. “I was just checking on the filly.”
“I think Goldie’s been checked on by nearly half the town today.” His smile was slow and easy and it took her breath away.
He pushed away from the stall and walked to her. “I had a feeling that you are avoiding me.”
She continued to stroke the horse, but Lulu changed allegiance and went to Holt. Fickle female. The mare nudged against his hands, begging for attention and Holt began stroking her nose.
“She