LITMIR.BIZ

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better be two in there,” Skylar said, patting the rounded rise. “I wasn’t half this big at the end with Joshua.”

      Cora forced a smile, knowing Chance and Tucker’s mother had died shortly after their birth.

      “There’s coffee on the stove, and hot water if you’d prefer tea.”

      “Tea sounds wonderful. Please, allow me to get it,” Cora said as Skylar began to rise. “I’ve been sitting for days on end and find I’m quite restless.”

      The hiss of a pot boiling over drew their attention to the stove before she could retrieve a cup from the open cupboard. “I’ve got it,” she said, quickly grabbing a dishtowel and lifting the lid from the sputtering pot.

      “Thank you.”

      “My pleasure. I ran a boardinghouse for four years in Massachusetts. You can’t imagine how I’ve missed my kitchen.” She missed it all, being in charge of her house, her girls, her life.

      The back door opened, letting in a gust of wind and a clean version of Chance, yet there was something distinctly different about his presence, the ease in his expression, the smooth slide of his smile as he looked at Skylar.

      Tucker.

      He slammed the door and dropped to his knees in front of his wife. “How are my little kickers?” he asked, pressing his cheek to Skylar’s protruding belly. It was one of the sweetest displays of affection Cora had ever seen.

      “Um, Tuck.” A pink hue rose into Skylar’s cheeks. “You have company.”

      Tucker glanced over his shoulder. “Oh,” he said, and quickly stood. “I beg your pardon.”

      Cora could only grin.

      “This is Miss Tindale,” said Skylar. “Your stepsister.”

      Tucker’s green eyes surged wide. “Cora Mae?”

      “Hello, Tucker.”

      He gave a shout. In an instant she was wrenched off her feet in a tight hug before he set her back down. “Look at you!” He took a step back, a grin pushing high into his cheeks as he shook his head. “My God. All grown up.”

      “Twenty years away will do that to a person.”

      His laughter initiated her own. What a switch. Tears burned in her eyes as joy swept through her. This was the reception she’d hoped for.

      “Well, let’s have it,” he said. “What are you doing here? How did you get out here?”

      “By rail and stage,” she said, batting away her tears. “I’d heard about some fine horses coming from the Morgan Ranch in Wyoming Territory, and I had to see for myself.”

      His grin widened. “I’ll be damned. Who brought you out?”

      “Chance. I ran into him while leaving the Slippery Gulch depot.”

      Tucker’s smile fell. His gaze paused on her dirty dress as his brow knitted in a look of concern. “How’d that go?”

      “He didn’t throw me in the dirt, if that’s what you’re wondering.” She smiled at the blatant relief on Tucker’s face. “But he didn’t seem pleased to see me, either.”

      “Thoughts of your mama can sure put ice up the spine.”

      “Yes, I know. And I’m sorry. You may recall she was no fonder of me, her own flesh and blood.”

      “I do recall.”

      “She’s passed on, and I’ve been on my own for quite some time now. I wanted to see the brothers I’d missed so dearly. I promise not to wear out my welcome.”

      “You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, Cora Mae. With the babies due any day, some extra help around here would be really appreciated. Right, honey?”

      “I won’t complain,” Skylar said, her hands folded over her belly as she watched them with a wide smile. “I usually have help from our foreman’s wife, Margarete, but since Zeke’s been hurt she’s had her hands full. Tucker, why don’t you help Cora get settled in a room upstairs so she can freshen up before supper?”

      “Be happy to.” His arm closed around her shoulders and Cora was overcome by a sense of relief.

      She’d made it.

      The moon was well up in the night sky by the time Chance put out the lamps in the barn and headed to the house. He’d opted to clean up in the bunkhouse while the others had their supper. After the long ride to the ranch and fighting an attraction he had no business feeling, he wasn’t up to sitting across the table from Cora Mae.

      He tugged up the collar of his jacket as a cold wind swirled around him on his way to the back porch. Cursing the misfortune of his day, he tugged off his boots and left them on the step before slipping inside.

      Tucker glanced up from the small kitchen table. One of their account books lay open beneath the lamplight. “Wondered when you’d show up.”

      “What are you doing to my ledgers?” The last time Tuck had offered to help with the books it had taken Chance a week to get everything back in proper order.

      “Just checking our numbers, making sure we’re on schedule for filling our contracts.”

      His brother’s frown wasn’t reassuring. “How’s it look?”

      “Tight. All the trouble with the Lazy J is costing us time. We’ll be lucky to bring in our band of wilds and have them broke in time for the first drive. The number of mavericks increases every time our fencing goes down, some of our best horses. We don’t have time to chase them to hell and back before the first drive to the stockyards.”

      Chance gave a nod of agreement. “We’ll start rounding up the mustangs tomorrow and get a solid count. If need be, we’ll pay a visit to the Lazy J, see if they’re being neighborly again by rounding up our strays.”

      Tucker’s lips tipped in a wry grin. “More likely they’ve driven them out to the badlands just for spite. Where’ve you been all evening?”

      “Catching up on chores.”

      Tucker’s smile widened. “And here I thought you were avoiding Cora Mae.”

      Chance thought the reason they’d settled at the back end of nowhere was so they wouldn’t have to avoid anyone, but decided to leave that unsaid as he opened the breadbox on the counter. He found half a loaf of Skylar’s bread and took it to the table.

      “She mentioned you weren’t too happy to see her,” Tucker added, closing the ledger as Chance sat across from him.

      He shrugged and bit into the bread. “I brought her out here, didn’t I?”

      “All in one piece. I am impressed.”

      “I was polite.”

      “Must be why she frowns at the mention of your name.”

      He tore off another bite of bread, annoyed by the notion that he’d somehow behaved inappropriately. “Have you forgotten who we’re talking about? Winifred’s daughter shows up unannounced and I’m supposed to just welcome her with open arms?”

      “There was a time when you’d have crossed two enemy lines to do just that.”

      “That was a lifetime ago. A lifetime she’s spent under the influence of a witch. What’s more, I think she’s lying about Winifred.”

      “You have a suspicious mind, Chance.”

      He grunted. “I’m blessed that way.”

      “Why would she lie?”

      “Why do most women lie? To get something. What do you want to bet Winifred’s finally squandered all she stole from our family and is looking for a new source of pay

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