Santa in a Stetson (12 page)

“Since Maggie and Jake literally found me, I tell them that all the time. It's a habit I can't break.”

“I'm talking about you and what you did for Allie—what you and your family are prepared to do now to help find her mother.”

If ever a person was thankful, it was this man, but Kathryn feared she'd never wring anything but gratitude from him.

“This is what we like to do, so enough said. Good night. See you in the morning.”

 

“W
HAT'S THIS
?” Colt walked in the dining room and discovered Matt already seated at the table. That was a
first on a school morning. There were only three places set. “Where are Noreen and Ed?”

“Since she's fixing a special birthday dinner for you tonight, we gave them the morning off to sleep in. I set the table and Allie's fixing your breakfast. We're going to do presents tonight.”

On cue his daughter came through the door carrying two plates. “French toast and sausage coming up!” After she put his food in front of him, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Happy thirty-sixth, Dad.”

A frown marred his features. “Did you have to remind me?” Then Colt grabbed her and gave her a bear hug. She laughed before coming through a second time, bringing her own plate and a mug of coffee for him. They settled down to eat.

Matt's brown eyes studied him. “You look nice, Dad.”

“Meaning I usually don't?” he teased.

“Stop fishing for compliments,” Allie scolded him. “You've got on a new shirt.”

“It's the one your aunt Sherry gave me last Christmas.”

“You look like a dude.”

“Thanks, Matt. If I'd known I'd get a reaction like this, I'd have worn it before now.”

“Black's your best color,” his daughter informed him.

“Is that so?” He ate the last piece of toast.

“It makes your eyes look greener. They're really green this morning, like you're excited or something.”

Nothing got past Allie. He downed the rest of his coffee. “That's because it's my birthday.”

Matt scowled. “You've always said you wished we'd skip yours.”

“Did I say that?”

“Yes!” they both answered in unison, exchanging a private glance Colt couldn't help but notice.

“Well, I take it all back. I've loved my surprise breakfast. It was delicious. Thank you both.”

“You're welcome,” Allie muttered, still staring at him with a puzzled expression.

His son nodded. “There'll be more surprises tonight.”

Colt averted his eyes. His children didn't know the half of it. “Much as I hate to break this up, it's time to get you two down to the bus.”

“I have to do the dishes first,” Matt announced. He jumped up and started clearing the table.

“You stay put, Dad,” Allie cautioned before helping her brother.

Together they made short work of it. In a few minutes they joined him in the truck. Colt headed down to the ranch entrance, relieved Kathryn wouldn't be arriving in a snowstorm.

After he pulled to a stop, he got out to give them both an extra hug. “Thanks for breakfast. Love you guys.”

“Love you, too. Don't forget. We're coming straight home after school.”

Allie nodded. “And don't go out on the range today because we're having your birthday dinner early!”

There was no fear of that. For once something else would be consuming Colt's time right here at home. “I can't wait.”

He watched them get on the bus. Since he'd promised
the twins he'd look into finding someone who could try to locate Natalie, he was confident his daughter wouldn't be pulling another disappearance act.

After waving to the bus driver, he checked his watch. Seven-forty-five. Kathryn would be in the air by now. Colt started back. By the time he and Ed had nailed down today's work schedule for the hands, his guests would be arriving. Until then, the idea was to stay busy.

That wasn't a problem in the physical sense. At any given moment, there were tasks needing to be done on the ranch. It was his thoughts that made him restless, the same restlessness he used to get before trying out a new bull shipped up from Mexico.

No matter how prepared he was, some of its moves weren't what he'd anticipated. Kathryn had already knocked the wind out of him several times. The trick was to go the full eight seconds and avoid it administering him the
coup de grâce.

 

“W
HAT BEAUTIFUL
country!” Maggie exclaimed from the front seat of the rental car. Jake had just turned onto the curving road leading up to the ranch. “Look at these walls of pines. They're breathtaking!”

Maggie echoed Kathryn's thoughts, but the feeling of homecoming was so intense she gripped the armrest tighter, unable to say a word.

Jake looked over his shoulder at her. “Are you all right, Kathryn? You're so quiet.”

“I'm just remembering the first time I came here. The clouds hung heavy and hid the trees farther up the
mountain. With the sun out this morning, you can see everything.”

They eventually reached the vale where the ranch became visible. “Incredible,” Jake murmured.

“It looks like a Christmas card,” Maggie cried softly.

With all of the above, Kathryn concurred. Only this was one card you could drive into and find the ruler of this isolated kingdom at home. Her heart thudded too hard to be natural or healthy.

“Jake? Pull up around the side of the ranch house next to Colt's truck. We'll go in the back door. And one more thing. Leave the trunk popped. I'll take my suitcase in now. Later, when he's not looking, I'll come out to get the presents I brought.”

He grinned. “Your wish is my command.”

Kathryn let out a guilty sigh. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound bossy.”

“Not bossy. Nervous,” Maggie said, sending her a secret smile.

Nervous
didn't begin to cover what Kathryn was feeling. Every now and then she thought about her life back in Wisconsin and shuddered to think that if Maggie and Jake hadn't found her, she would never have met Colton Brenner. She scrambled out the backseat of the car and hurried to retrieve her bag from the trunk.

It was a good thing she'd moved fast because Colt had come out of the house, a tall dark figure in a black shirt and jeans bearing down on them with those powerful legs. Just in time she'd lowered the trunk lid so it looked closed, but wasn't.

“Welcome to the Circle B.” He shook Jake's and
Maggie's hands before wresting Kathryn's suitcase from her. Their eyes met. The green of his irises matched the color of the pines.

“Hello, Colt,” Somehow she'd managed to keep her voice from shaking. At the first sight of him, it was always an event that rearranged the atoms in her body. “It's nice to be back.” Heavens, he looked so wonderful, she was in danger of falling straight into him.

“The children won't believe it when they get home from school and find you here.”

“They didn't know we were coming?”

He smiled, making him irresistible. “If I'd told them, there would have been a war to get them to go to school and I would have lost.”

She laughed. “I'm looking forward to seeing them, too.”

“Let's get you inside so you can freshen up.” Colt led them through the back entrance, where they removed their parkas. He turned to Jake. “If you want to use the guest bathroom down here, the women are welcome to go up to Kathryn's room.”

He carried her suitcase upstairs and put it inside the guest-room door. His gaze locked with Kathryn's. “When you come down, Jake and I will be in the family room.”

“We'll be there in a minute.”

As soon as he left and shut the door, Maggie's brows lifted. “
Kathryn's
room? Sounds like you're already part of the family.”

“Don't be ridiculous!”

“I'm only stating the obvious,” she said before closing the bathroom door.

Taking advantage of the time, Kathryn zipped over to Allie's room and used her bathroom before rejoining her sister. “You've got the wrong idea about Colt,” she said without preamble. “He's not interested in me personally. The complicated man has led an
un
complicated life for years and that's not going to change.”

Maggie put her hands on Kathryn's shoulders. “Listen to me, little sister. It already has changed or he wouldn't have come to Salt Lake to see you. He has money. He could hire an army of people to look for his ex-wife. Why didn't he?”

“Because Allie asked
me
for help. And because a miracle happened to our family and she believes I'll be able to perform one for hers. I can tell you right now that after what Allie pulled, Colt's vulnerability over his children is so great, he'd do anything for them.”

“That goes without saying, but why are you fighting me on this?”

“I'm not!”

“Yes, you are. What aren't you telling me?”

For once Maggie had made her cross. “He's grateful to me.”

“Of course he is.”

“But that's all!”

Maggie let go of her. “You're afraid of something. Tell me what it is.”

She lowered her head. “I don't know exactly.”

“I think you do.”

“All right, then.” She lifted her chin. “If you must know, I don't want to be like Steve.”

Her sister blinked. “What do you mean?”

“He hung around you for years hoping for any crumbs
you would throw his way. But you never noticed him or any man until Jake came along and rocked your world.” She swallowed hard. “I'm not like Steve. I'd rather die first,” she whispered.

“Your situation is entirely different from mine. As for Colt Brenner, he's thrown you more than a crumb,” her sister insisted.

“Wrong. Let me ask you a question. Who suggested I stay on a few days to do some of Jake's legwork here? Colt or Jake?”

“Jake.”

“Don't you see? He didn't leave Colt a choice.”

“I have a feeling he's secretly pleased the way things are turning out.”

“No. He's been single sixteen years for a reason.”

Maggie's expression sobered. “If you really believe that, then check into a motel in Bozeman after you drop us off at the airport and get busy running down evidence for Jake. You know I'll do my part. Once the objective has been accomplished and Colt doesn't need your services any longer, walk away from him and see what happens.”

Nothing will happen.
But no one gave sounder advice than Maggie.
Get the job done you've been asked you to do, then get out!

On a gush of love for her sister, Kathryn hugged her hard. “You're brilliant! I'm ready to go downstairs and dig in.”

“Good.” With their arms around each other, they left the bedroom.

Kathryn knew the way to the family room, but the second she entered it, her heart rate went into hyperdrive
at the sight of the two attractive males talking in deep concentration in front of the fire.

She felt a fresh stab of pain because she could sense Colt was anxious to catch up to his ex-wife. Natalie Brenner had to have been unforgettable for him to have married her within two weeks of meeting her and then go all these years without marrying again.

At noon, Jake closed the notebook he'd brought to keep a record. His steel-blue gaze shot to Colt's. “We've accomplished as much as we can for the moment.”

Colt glanced at his watch. Two and a half hours of discussing strategies with these remarkable people had flown by. Once during their session around the dining-room table, Kathryn had excused herself for a few minutes. Except for Noreen who'd supplied food and coffee, they'd worked undisturbed.

“To tell you how grateful I am for your time and help wouldn't begin to cover how I feel.”

Maggie smiled. Both women were so gorgeous, Colt could only marvel. “We'll all hope it doesn't take as long as it did to find my baby sister.”

Kathryn got up from the table. “Twenty-six years will put Allie and Matt at forty-one.” She'd done the math. “We can do better, right? I'll drop you at the airport so I can have a car.” She looked at her family without including Colt.

If it was intentional, he didn't like it. “My Xterra's at your disposal while you're here, Kathryn.”

She glanced at him. “I appreciate that, but I under
stand Noreen uses it to shop and pick up the kids from the school bus. Your routine shouldn't be interrupted because of me. I'll be scouting around talking to people on my own timetable.”

“That's settled, then,” Jake broke in. “I understand Noreen is over at her house. Please tell her how much we enjoyed the food.”

“I'll be happy to.”

“Shall we go, darling?” Jake rose to his feet to help his wife.

Colt followed the three of them through the house to the back entrance, where Kathryn put on her parka too fast for him to be of use. He decided it was a habit she'd developed over all the years she'd been forced to look out for herself.

“You live in paradise and have an absolutely beautiful home!” Maggie exclaimed on the way to the car. “This valley opens up like a stairway to heaven.”

“Kathryn thinks it should be called the Cloud Bottom Ranch.”

Laughter rippled out of Maggie. “That sounds like something my imaginative sister would say.”

He stole a covert glance at Kathryn, whose cheeks looked flushed, before she climbed in the backseat behind Maggie. Jake shook his hand one more time before getting in the driver's seat.

Colt moved closer and tapped on Kathryn's window so she'd open it. He stared down into eyes as blue as Montana's big sky country. “The kids will be home by three-thirty. It'll make their day to find you here.”

“I'll be back in time.”

Not by a flicker of an eyelash or an inflection in her
voice could he detect what was going on inside her. To his irritation, she closed the window, putting a barrier between them when he wasn't ready for it. But as he turned away, he noticed the rapid throbbing of the pulse at her throat. It couldn't be the altitude doing all that to her.

He waved off his guests before heading back inside the house, but once at his desk in the den he couldn't concentrate on the accounts. After an hour, he gave up.

Damn if it wasn't happening to him…

That deep ache only the right woman could arouse, with her alluring scent and mysterious smile. How could he not crave the accidental brush of her hip against his or her sudden slight intake of breath in an unguarded moment?

Colt couldn't begin to count the ways the voluptuous shape of her mouth entranced him—or the way the unexpected compassion in those blue depths for someone else's stolen child could move him to tears.

When the phone rang, he clicked on without checking the caller ID and almost said her name. “Hello?”

“How does it feel to be another year older?”

“Sherry?”

She laughed. “Who else? You sound odd.”

“I'm afraid my mind was on something else.”
Someone else.

“I thought I'd better get in a phone call before you start celebrating. Did our presents reach you in time?”

“They came two days ago, but after the great Thanksgiving you gave us, you shouldn't have sent anything.”

“Colt! You're impossible!”

“Sorry. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful.”

“I know,” she murmured. “I wish we could be there to celebrate with you, but Bob couldn't get away. This is his busy time doing audits.”

“But you'll be coming to our place for Christmas, right?” Except that he couldn't think that far ahead. He was still working on the countdown until Kathryn returned from town.

“You couldn't keep us away. Now tell me what's being planned for your birthday?”

“I'm not sure. The kids have been cooking up something with Noreen.”
As for
my
surprise…

“Then it's bound to be special because they love you to death. So do I.”

“The feeling's mutual, Sherry. Thanks for making my day. I'll phone you tomorrow and give you the details.”

“You'd better!”

After they rang off, he realized he couldn't stay in the house any longer without climbing walls knowing Kathryn wasn't far away. Why not surprise the kids and be there waiting for them when school was out? Pushing himself away from his desk, he strode through the house for his hat and jacket.

Once in the car, he phoned Noreen and told her to be on the watch for Kathryn. He was going to pick up the twins.

 

T
HE
S
ILVER
S
PUR
M
OTEL
on the outskirts of Bozeman provided exactly what Kathryn wanted. After seeing Maggie and Jake off at the airport, she registered at the front desk before driving around to Number Ten. The
tiny room, with its log cabin walls, felt warm and she could park in front of it. No fuss, no bother.

While she'd been with her family and Colt earlier, she'd excused herself long enough to put her suitcase back in the trunk and bring in the presents for him. Once his birthday party was over, she'd tell the twins she had business in town and leave.

He'd hired Jake to track down Natalie. Though Kathryn would be helping her brother-in-law, she refused to use it as an excuse to stay at the ranch house. Colt didn't want her there, so the less interaction she had with his children the better. This was the best plan.

Before she drove back to the ranch, she took off her navy two-piece wool suit and changed into jeans and a café au lait long-sleeved blouse with a cream-colored crocheted vest. She'd already styled her hair in a French braid that morning and decided to leave the gold studs in her ears.

In deference to her cowboy mood, Kathryn pulled on the brown leather boots she always wore riding with her family. She liked the idea of being taller. It would put her at less of a disadvantage around Colt.

A fresh coat of coral frost lipstick, a little peach-scented lotion and she was ready to go.

With every mile that brought her closer to the ranch, she could feel more heat radiating from her body. By the time she'd parked the rental car at the side of the house, she was a trembling mass of emotions. The fact that the Xterra was missing only heightened her sense of anticipation.

Noreen greeted her at the back door. “I saw you
coming. Colt's gone for the twins. Come in and make yourself comfortable.”

Kathryn followed her through the house to the dining room. “Something smells delicious.”

“Matt asked me to make barbecued spareribs. It's one of Colt's favorite meals.”

“It's one of mine, too. How can I help you?”

“Everything's ready except the decorations. Allie had visions of blue and white streamers hanging crisscross fashion above the table. Ed was going to do it, but he's been delayed. I brought in the ladder.”

“I'm taller. Put me to work.”

“That would be wonderful.”

Kathryn eyed things critically. “Let's fasten them from the chandelier to the window frames. I'll twist them first.”

Before long they'd transformed the room. She climbed back down. “There!”

Noreen beamed. “It's perfect.”

“I think so, too. Where does the ladder go?”

“On a couple of hooks in the storeroom behind the kitchen. If you're going to do that, I'll run back to the other house and get changed.”

“Go ahead.”

Grabbing the leftover streamers and tape, Kathryn carried everything through the kitchen to a doorway at the other end. She turned on the light and found an empty space for the crepe paper on one of the shelves. There were hooks on the opposite wall. As she started for them, she heard Colt's voice coming from the kitchen. “Noreen?”

“She's at her house!”

The next thing Kathryn knew, he'd moved behind her and put the ladder in place. Her mouth went dry because she was trapped between his arms with her back against his chest. The strong pounding of his heart had already reset the rhythm of hers. Heat enveloped her body.

“Colt, you can let me go now.”

“I could, but I don't want to,” he whispered against the side of her neck. His hands slid around her waist, bringing her closer so there was no air between them. “It isn't often I find such a tempting morsel in my storeroom. Surely you wouldn't deny me this simple pleasure on my birthday.”

She sucked in her breath. “The twins will see us.”

His warm breath at her nape sent sensation after exquisite sensation through her nervous system. “They dashed upstairs to do the last of their clandestine plotting.”

“D-do they know I'm here?” she stammered helplessly.

“They saw the car, but assumed it was someone on ranch business waiting for me. Allie begged me to get rid of them fast.”

“You should take her advice.”

“Not until I've been given my birthday kiss.”

“That wouldn't be a good idea.” Her voice shook.

“I disagree.” He turned her around so fast her head swam. While she was still reeling, he cupped her hot cheeks with his hands and lowered his mouth to hers.

Kathryn had wanted this for so long she melted against him, but his tender kiss was over before he'd allowed her to kiss him back. She moaned as he relin
quished her lips. “That's for being an angel to my little girl. I'll never forget.”

Gratitude.
Colt had just bestowed the kiss of death.

They both heard excited voices that were growing louder. His hands slowly fell away from her face. “I guess it's time to reveal the mystery guest.”

Struggling to recover from the pain, Kathryn rushed into the kitchen at the same time the twins made an appearance.

“Katy!” She saw them staring at her and Colt as if they couldn't believe their eyes.

“Your father hired my brother-in-law to track down your mother. Jake asked me to do some research for him in Bozeman, so I'm here for a day or two.”

“Yes!” Allie squealed.

Realizing they needed more of an explanation, she said, “Since Ed was late, I volunteered to string up the decorations.”

“I helped Kathryn put the ladder away,” their father added in a wry tone.

At that remark, she might have blushed if Colt had kissed her with passion, but he wasn't capable of that emotion, at least not with her. The only way to handle this was to be a friend to him and his children.

“Thank goodness your dad arrived in time to prevent it from falling on my head!”

Matt let out a bark of laughter. Allie said, “The dining room looks awesome.”

Kathryn smiled. “I can't take any credit. Noreen said the streamers were your idea.”

“But you made everything beautiful. Will you come upstairs with me for a minute?”

“Sure. Excuse us,” she called out to Colt without looking at him.

“Don't be long, ladies. It's my birthday and I'm ready to party.”

Allie laughed. “I thought you were upset at being a year older! Come on, Katy.”

Together they hurried through the house and up the stairs to Allie's bedroom. Kathryn eyed Colt's flushed-faced daughter. “You look fully recovered from your flu.”

“I feel great!”

“That makes me very happy.”

Her brown eyes glowed. “Your being here for Dad's party is perfect!”

“Jake took the day off from his work so my sister could fly us here this morning for a talk with your father. When I realized we would be arriving on his birthday, I brought a present that I thought you and Matt could give him along with your other gifts. It's guaranteed to be a hit. I'll get it.”

Allie picked up a shopping bag full of presents and followed her to the guest bedroom.

“Here. Take this one in your other hand.” Kathryn handed her the framed, gift-wrapped poster. “I'll bring my other presents.” After putting the rolled-up posters beneath her arms, she said, “Let's go before your father gets too impatient.”

They started down the stairs. “He's going to have a cow when he sees all this!”

Kathryn tried to keep a straight face. “Is that good or bad?”

“Definitely good,” Colt answered for his daughter.
There was nothing wrong with his hearing. He stood in the foyer with Matt. His eyes locked with Kathryn's. She couldn't read what was behind that enigmatic gaze. If he feared she was hoping for a repeat performance of what had happened in the storeroom, he didn't need to worry. His grateful tribute had cured her.

Matt rocked on his cowboy boots. “Noreen's got everything ready.”

They proceeded to the dining room. It was growing darker out. The addition of a lovely cloth, candlelight and a decorated chocolate cake forming the centerpiece provided the magical touches to the birthday feast. Kathryn read, “Happy 36, Dad.”

“Here. Let me.” Ed, the older, dark blond rancher now free of his cast, helped Allie spread her packages around the pile already visible on the hunt board. Both he and Colt gave Allie a curious stare as he lifted the framed poster and rested it against the wall.