Santa In Montana (15 page)

“Besides, this way we could stop over in New York and break up that long flight.”

“You were in New York in that coat?” Trey said. “I'm surprised somebody didn't throw paint on you.”

“Don't be silly. We stayed at The Pierre. I saw more extravagant coats than this one there.”

“I'll take your word for it,” he said and stepped back as she moved to greet Quint with a hug.

“You beat us here,” she chided in mock reproof. “I thought I'd be the one waiting to welcome you.”

“We landed about fifteen minutes ago,” Quint told her. “I've already dropped Dallas at the house. They're all just waiting for you now.”

“I can't wait to see everybody again.” The earnest words were barely out of her mouth when she noticed the pickup and stock trailer and arched an accusing look at Trey. “Is that your idea of a joke? A stock trailer to haul all my luggage in? I know you think I pack way too many things, but I'm never sure what I'll need.”

“I wish I'd thought of using it for that,” Trey began, only to be interrupted by the calf letting out a bellow.

“The trailer's already occupied,” she realized.

“I don't think your luggage would fare too well, sharing the space with Jake's Christmas present,” Quint remarked.

Laura looked to Trey for an explanation. “Gramps bought him a registered Longhorn calf that's going to grow up to be a bad-tempered, bondy-shouldered, speckled bull with horns wider than Old Captain's.”

“What was he thinking?” Laura mirrored Trey's earlier astonishment.

“Damned if I know,” Trey admitted. “It's too cold to keep standing out here talking about it, though. Come on,” he said to Quint. “Let's start unloading her luggage. Lord knows, it'll probably take two trips to get it all.”

With the two families arriving so closely on the heels of each other, it created a noisy, confusing scene: everyone talking at once, luggage stacked everywhere, coats temporarily piled on chairs to be collected later. The initial flurry of greetings and chatter had barely subsided when it all started again as they attempted to sort through the stacks and carry everything upstairs to the proper rooms.

Any semblance of normalcy didn't return until they all gathered in the dining room for the noon meal. But the conversation was much more lively than usual, with questions and answers flowing back and forth as each tried to catch up on the happenings in the others' lives. It wasn't until the meal was over and the women were carrying the dirty dishes to the kitchen while the men lingered at the table over the coffee that anyone noticed the snowflakes drifting past the window.

Trey nudged Quint's arm and nodded to the snow. “You've been in Texas so long you've lost your Montana weather eye. The White Wolf moved faster than you thought.”

“Not much of a wind yet,” Quint observed.

“What's that?” Chase asked, missing the first part of their low exchange.

“It's started snowing.” Trey saw the way Chase snapped his head around to look outside. “It isn't heavy yet.”

“And not much of a wind either,” Quint added, “judging by the way those flakes are falling.”

“But it's coming,” Chase stated grimly and grasped his cane to push himself up from the chair and walk over to look out the window.

When Cat re-entered the dining room, she immediately noticed his chair was vacant and saw him standing at the window. Guessing he was about to retreat to his den, she asked, “Would you like me to take a pot of coffee to the den for you, Dad?”

When he failed to respond, she walked over to his side, thinking he probably hadn't heard with everyone else talking. She touched his arm, drawing his glance. “Coffee in den?”

“Might as well,” he replied with marked indifference and turned to stare out the window again. That's when Cat noticed the white flakes.

“It's started snowing already,” she murmured.

“The brunt of the storm hasn't hit yet. He still has time to get here.”

She didn't have to ask whom he meant. Wade was the only one either of them was expecting. “He could,” she repeated, except she knew he wasn't due until later in the afternoon. And the storm's fury wasn't likely to hold off that long. She started to tell Chase that, but one look at her father's face and she realized he already knew it.

“He'll have sense enough to stay somewhere if the weather's bad.” Cat didn't realize she'd spoken the thought until Chase replied.

“Of course he will.”

That also meant he wouldn't make it for Christmas. Before any sense of disappointment could take hold, Cat lifted her head, reminding herself that seeing Wade after Christmas was just as good.

She turned back toward the table as Dallas came in from the kitchen, stopped, looked around the room, then shot a look at Quint. “Where's Josh? It's time for his nap.”

“I thought he was with you.” Quint pushed his chair back.

“I just saw Jake going toward the living room,” Sebastian volunteered.

“Josh probably isn't far behind,” Dallas concluded, already moving toward the living room.

“A lot of places in a house this size, aren't there, Trey?” Chase tapped the back of his chair with the cane, then looked to Empty Garner. “Cat's going to bring a pot of coffee to the den. Why don't you join me? It's bound to be a bit quieter there.”

“Sounds good.” Empty got out of his chair to follow him. “I noticed you had a set of Longhorns on the mantel in there.”

Cat caught Trey's eye and smiled. Both knew Empty was about to be regaled with the story of Old Captain and that first herd a Calder had trailed north to Montana.

From somewhere in the living room came a whiny protest, “No sleep, Mama. No sleep.”

“Somebody doesn't want to take a nap,” Cat guessed.

“Sounds a bit like Jake when he was that age,” Trey recalled.

“Something tells me he won't be any more successful than Jake was at getting out of it,” Cat said and collected the empty coffee cups left on the table, carrying them off to the kitchen.

 

Josh's nap proved to be a short one. By two o'clock he was back downstairs, full of energy and raring to unleash it. With the noon dishes all done, everyone had congregated in the living room. Outside, the snowfall was heavier and the wind had picked up, the first rattling gusts hitting the windows.

Chase was in his favorite armchair, which was now flanked by the two wingbacked chairs from the den. Empty Garner sat in one while Laredo occupied the other. Jessy and Sloan were on the couch with Laura seated between them, looking at the photo album Laura had brought with her, full of pictures showing her latest renovations at Crawford Hall. Quint and Trey lounged on the love seat, their feet propped on the leather ottoman while Dallas sat sideways on one of its arms, keeping an eye on her young son, who was being taught how to roll a ball by Cat. Jake was poking through the new presents under the tree, searching for any with his name on it.

After closely examining the tag on a fairly good-sized square one, Jake picked it up and carried it over to Trey. “Is this one mine, Dad?”

Trey glanced at the gift tag and shook his head. “Sorry. Better put it back.”

“But it gots a J on it,” he argued.

“J for Josh, not Jake,” Trey explained.

Jake heaved a dramatic sigh of regret and carried it back to the piles of presents that now encircled the Christmas tree. Trey watched to make sure he returned it, then slid a glance at Laredo.

“I heard you got to open your Christmas present early when you came back to the Boar's Nest yesterday, Laredo,” he remarked.

“A hot tub is a little big to hide anywhere,” Laredo countered.

“And impossible to wrap,” Jessy added, looking up from the photo album.

“Jessy did put a big red bow on it that was pretty hard to miss.” His voice was strongly laced with both amusement and affection.

“Did you test the water?” Quint leaned forward, to look around Dallas at Laredo.

“Damned right I did,” Laredo declared.

“You should have seen him,” Jessy declared. “Up to his neck, steam all around and wearing his cowboy hat and smoking a big cigar.”

“Had to wear my hat,” Laredo drawled. “I needed to keep my head from getting cold.”

“Too bad you didn't have your camera, Mom.” Laura smiled in regret. “That picture would have been pinned up on every bulletin board on the Triple C.”

“Might have been a bit hard for Jessy to take a picture,” Laredo pointed out, an impish gleam lighting his blue eyes, “considering she was in the tub, too.”

As gleeful laughter broke out, Jessy smiled along with them and shook her head in mock reproach. “You just had to tell 'em.”

“I think they would have figured it out,” Laredo said with a wink.

“Now that picture would have been priceless,” Quint stated. “No doubt about it.”

Jake came running up and threw himself across Trey's legs. “Can I open one of my presents early. 'Redo got to.”

“Nope.”

“Aww please.” He dragged the word out in a soulful plea.

“You heard your father, Jake,” Sloan put in, adding her weight to Trey's refusal.

He swung around to scowl at her, arms akimbo. “How come?”

Sloan fell back on the tried and true answer. “Because we said so.” Jake's shoulders slumped in defeat.

About then Josh found rolling a ball on the floor much too tame, and gave it a swat, sending the ball flying into the den. With a squeal of glee, he took off toward the dining room at his fastest version of a run.

“Josh, come back here!” Dallas pushed off the love seat's arm to go after him. But Cat was already on her feet. “I'll bring him back.”

As she started toward the dining room, Jake took off for the stairs. Trey sat up, and swiveled around to watch him race up the steps.

“Why's he going upstairs?” He eyed Sloan, a curious and wary line creasing his forehead.

“Who knows?” She shrugged and redirected her attention to the photo album on Laura's lap.

“Quint,” Chase began, turning a thoughtful look on his grandson. “Did you ever notice the hair color that boy of yours has? In a certain light, it's as orange as a carrot. If he was any smaller, a rabbit might try to eat him.”

“Bright, isn't it?” Empty agreed. “It'll darken up as he gets older. Dallas's did.”

Chase ran an appraising glance over the rich copper sheen of her hair, and decided, after some consideration. “That'd be all right.”

Laredo gave her a thumbs up. “You passed inspection.”

Cat reappeared, shooing a giggling Josh in front of her. As if on cue, Jake clumped down the stairs with something in his hand. No one had a clear view of it until he reached the bottom.

“What are you doing with that rope, Jake?” Trey immediately wanted to know.

“I'm gonna use it t'catch Josh the next time he runs off,” Jake asserted, extremely pleased with himself for coming up with the solution.

“Oh, no, you're not, young man,” Sloan said with a quick shake of her head. “Ropes aren't for catching people. Only horses and cattle.”

“But it'd be good practice, Mom.”

“Bring me the rope, Jake.” Trey snapped his fingers and motioned to him. Feet dragging and the corners of his mouth turned down, Jake walked over and laid the coiled rope in his father's outstretched hand.

“What goes around, always comes around,” Chase declared, looking directly at Trey and Quint. “And seeing that reminds me of you two when you were his age, always up to something and inches away from being in trouble. It's amazing how parents get to raise a replica of themselves.”

“So that's where Jake gets all his wild ideas.” Sloan nodded in sudden understanding while sliding Trey a teasing look.

Abruptly Chase cocked his head at a listening angle. “Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Laredo asked, coming alert.

“A noise. I thought it came from outside,” Chase replied, then glanced at Cat. “You're already up. Go see if anyone's there.”

“I think you're hearing things, Dad. But I'll go check.” Like him, Cat knew there was an off chance that Wade might have arrived. The possibility had her walking a little more quickly to the entryway.

When Cat looked out the window next to the front door, the view was obscured by the heavy snowfall, driven by blustering winds. Through the wintry veil, she could just make out the darker shape of the big-timbered barn in the distance. But there was nothing else, no vehicle and no human.

Any sense of disappointment she felt quickly gave way to relief. Cat didn't want to think about Wade being out in this storm. Just hearing the muted howl of the wind almost made her shudder at the thought.

She returned to the living room. “It must have been the wind you heard, Dad,” she told him, then included the others. “It's really getting bad out there. I can just barely make out the shape of the old barn. Visibility is down to less than a hundred feet. I'm glad you all arrived when you did.”

“And so say all of us.” Sebastian raised his glass in a toasting gesture that offered a whole-hearted agreement with her sentiment.

“Personally,” Laura began, “I'm rather glad that we're suddenly in the midst of a full-fledged blizzard. It snows occasionally in England, but the storms don't have the violence that Montana can dish out. I've missed that a little.”

“Leave it to you to find it exciting,” Trey muttered in a mixture of exasperation and resignation.

“Please, no lectures on the losses the Triple C could suffer from this,” she countered. “I'm well aware of all the problems this will bring. But the storm's here. There's nothing anyone can do to stop it, so I'm choosing to enjoy it.”

Trey started to reply, but Jessy broke in. “Let's not start bickering, you two.”

Sloan supported her by changing the subject. “Dallas, would you like to look at Laura's pictures of the restoration work they've been doing at Crawford Hall? We're finished with the album.”

Banding with them, Dallas readily agreed. “Yes, I would.”

Laura closed the album and handed it to her.

“What's the next project you're going to tackle, Laura?” Sloan asked to keep the conversation going.

“Face it, Trey.” Laura grinned at her twin brother. “We're outnumbered. We'll have to do our squabbling when we're alone.”

“Like always.” He smiled back at her.

“Your next project,” Sloan persisted, slicing a silencing look at Trey.

“I have nothing major planned.” Laura paused and made eye contact with Sebastian, a smile edging the corners of her mouth. “Just some minor redecorating of the bedroom next to ours.”

“Really,” Jessy said with some surprise. “I thought you just did that one last year.”

“We did,” Laura admitted, then paused and glanced again at Sebastian.

He turned his hands in a palms-up gesture, then left the choice to her. “This is as good a time as any to tell them.”

“Tell us what?” Now Cat's curiosity was piqued.

“That we're converting that bedroom into a nursery.” She said it with all the calmness of someone commenting on the weather, then laughed when her words registered on the faces of her family.

“You're going to have a baby.” Jessy was the first to actually say it, in a stunned but happy murmur.

After that everyone chimed in, flooding both soon-to-be parents with congratulations and questions. Foremost among the latter was “When?”

“End of July, first of August,” Laura told them.

“How long have you known?” Jessy gazed at her daughter, still marveling over the prospect of her daughter becoming a mother.

“A couple months,” Laura admitted. “I wanted to wait until we were here to tell everyone. Our own Christmas surprise.”

“Well, I'm surprised, that's for sure,” Jessy declared.

“Not me.” Trey grinned at his sister. “You've always been highly competitive. You couldn't stand that Quint and I were already one up on you.”

With a defiant and faintly laughing toss of her head, Laura didn't bother to deny it. “Not for long, you won't be, because I'm going to go you one better.”

“You're having twins.” Trey stared at her in amazement.

“Naturally. If I'm going to lose my figure anyway, I might as well provide the proverbial heir and a spare while I'm at it.” Laura was clearly reveling in their stunned but happy reaction.

“You're having boys,” Sloan breathed in surprise.

“We are,” Laura confirmed.

Chase's brows pulled together. “You already know?”

“With today's technology, it's amazing how quickly they can tell these days, Gramps,” she said, then turned to Jessy, smiling. “In fact, that's one of your presents under the tree. Framed pictures of the digital sonogram showing the two little rascals.”

“I can hardly wait to see it,” Jessy declared, then laughed. “I sound like Jake.”

“Now you have to start picking out names,” Dallas murmured. “It was hard enough deciding on a name for one. You have to choose two.”

Laura slid a look at Chase. “I already know I want to call one of them Benteen after my side of the family. We still haven't settled on one from Sebastian's side.”

Laredo gave Chase's arm a light poke. “And you think it's noisy with two great-grandsons running around. Imagine what it'll be like with four.”

A harrumphing grunt came from him. “Remind me to ask for a pair of earplugs next Christmas,” he said as Jake ducked behind his chair to get away from Josh. Undeterred, Josh dropped onto all fours and crawled after him.

In his haste to elude the toddler, Jake ran into the end table. The lamp teetered for an instant before Laredo reached out to steady it. By then Jake had bounced off a corner of the sofa.

“Did you hear that thump?” Chase swung his head around to stare in the direction of the entryway.

“That was Jake bumping into the sofa,” Cat told him.

“No, not that. It came from outside,” he insisted, scowling his impatience with her.

“Then you probably heard the wind,” she began.

“Dammit, I'm old, not deaf.” Chase grabbed up his cane and levered himself out of the chair. “And I know the difference between the sound of the wind and someone outside.”

“Dad, there is no one out there.” But she was talking to his back as he used his cane to stomp out of the living room. Now totally irritated with him, Cat quickly brushed past her father on her way to the entrance. “Go back and sit down. I'll go look for you.”

“Take a good look while you're at it,” Chase called after her, slowing his headlong pace. “Don't just go through the motion of glancing out the window, thinking I'm going to be satisfied with that.”

“As if I can see anything the way that snow's blowing,” Cat muttered to herself as she crossed to the window, hearing the way the wind battered itself against the house.

Just as she reached the window and leaned closer to look through the panes, the front door burst open. Thinking it had been blown by the wind, Cat reached out to grab it, averting her face from the swirling rush of wind and snow. At the last second she caught a glimpse of a snow-spattered figure stepping across the threshold.

“Sorry.” Wade's voice reached out to her. “The wind ripped the door right out of my hand.”

He caught hold of it and shouldered it closed, while she stood staring at him in disbelief. He turned toward her, a wet glisten to his face from the melting flakes.

“Dad said he heard someone, but I didn't believe him,” Cat admitted, still finding it hard to believe her eyes. “I didn't think anyone would venture out in this storm.”

“I thought I had a chance to make it before the snow hit. It didn't work out that way.” He tugged off his gloves and stuffed them in the pockets of his wool coat.

“You should have stopped somewhere.” But now that he was here, Cat was glad he hadn't. And it showed in her face as she moved to help him off with his coat.

“By the time that occurred to me, I was already past the point of no return. And stopping in the middle of nowhere didn't seem too wise either.”

“You could have ended up in a ditch somewhere.” She made quick work of hanging up his coat.

“I nearly did. More than once.”

“It's a damned good thing you didn't,” Chase stated, announcing his presence.

Cat was about to take issue with the gruffness of her father's voice when she saw the beam of approval and pride in his regard of Wade. He sounded gruff, she realized, because he was overcome with emotion. She wondered if Wade could see it. The way he smiled back at Chase told her he did.

“I told you I'd be here in time,” Wade said simply.

Chase nodded in approval. “And you're a man of your word.”

“I am.” Wade reached inside his jacket and pulled out an envelope. “Here it is. Signed, sealed, and delivered.” He passed it to Chase.

For a moment, Chase simply held the envelope, his gaze fixed on it. Then his chest lifted with a deep breath and he raised his head. “Thank you.” His low voice trembled with a wealth of emotion.

Jessy came striding out of the living room, then halted when she saw the man facing Chase. “Wade. When I heard Chase talking to someone, I thought it was one of the hands, bringing me word of—With a storm like this, it could be anything. Don't tell me, you drove through it?” she said as Laredo wandered up behind her.

“For about the last fifty miles.” Wade nodded. “Which took me almost two hours to cover.”

“I guess you know how lucky you are without me telling you.” She gave a marveling shake of her head. More footsteps signaled the arrival of Quint and Trey. “There's a fire going in the living room. You'd better come get warm.”

“Not yet,” Chase asserted, checking any movement toward the living room. He made a slow turn, something in his body language conveying a desire for all to remain. His solemn expression added weight to the moment.

Unconsciously Cat held her breath, sensing he was about to make an important announcement. She was without a clue as to what it might be. Or what Wade's involvement in all this was. Judging by the attentive way Jessy, Laredo, Trey, and Quint waited for him to speak, they shared her awareness of the moment.

Strangely, when he spoke, all Chase said was—“This is for you, Laredo.” He extended the envelope to him.

Bewilderment flickered across Laredo's face. He hesitated, then stepped forward to take the envelope. He looked at it, but made no move to open it as he lifted a questioning look to Chase.

Something Cat could only call affection gentled Chase's hard, lined face, his eyes warm with understanding.

“Maybe I should have said the document inside is for Scott Ludlow, Jr,” Chase said.

Immediately Trey took a backward step and motioned for the others still in the living room to join them. And there was a sharpening of Laredo's questioning look. “How—”

Chase cut across his words. “Does it matter?” A near smile softened the line of his mouth. His glance flicked briefly to the onlookers, taking note of Sloan's arrival, followed closely by that of Dallas, Laura, and Sebastian. Then again his attention centered on Laredo.

“In that envelope, you'll find a full pardon from the Mexican government. Any and all previous charges against you have been wiped from their records.”

An audible gasp came from Sloan. She tried to smother it with her hand as she looked up at Trey, who smiled back. Jessy laid a quick hand on Laredo's arm, her expression alive with happiness for him.

Laredo wore a stunned look. “How did you manage that?”

“With Wade's help,” Chase replied.

Cat felt a swelling of pride in her chest. Discreetly she slipped her hand into Wade's, linking fingers with him, pleased and proud of the role he had played in this.

Deeply moved, Laredo shook his head. “I don't know what to say.”

“After all you have done for this family, this is the least we can do for you,” Chase replied. “Merry Christmas.”

“Open it,” Jessy urged in a low voice.

Laredo obliged and removed the official looking paper, holding it so Jessy could see it too. “Scott Ludlow,” he murmured. “I don't even know who that is anymore.”

“There's nothing to stop you from legally changing your name to Laredo Smith if that's what you want,” Chase pointed out.

“I guess not.” Laredo nodded and glanced sideways at Jessy. “There's no reason we can't get yours legally changed at the same time.”

Her mouth opened in surprise, a telltale shimmer of tears welling in her eyes. When she failed to say anything, Trey spoke up, “That sounds like a proposal to me, Mom.”

“And in front of witnesses, too,” Laura added.

Jessy laughed softly. “It had better be one, because I'm accepting it.”

Holding the document in one hand, Laredo wrapped an arm around Jessy and held her tightly to his side before planting one hard, quick kiss on her mouth. Both looked a little self-conscious when a mix of cheers and clapping erupted around them.

“Glad to see you're going to make an honest woman of her, Laredo.” Chase nodded his approval.

“Only because you made an honest one of me.” Respect and gratitude was in his look.

Jake ran into the entryway, looking around. “What's everybody yelling about? Did Santa come?”

“You might say that.” Laredo grinned.

“Where'd he go?” Jake turned and spotted Wade. “Greypa, he was here!” He looked at Chase with open-eyed wonder. “He brought Aunt Cat's husband for her!”

Chuckling, Chase ruffled the top of his head. “He certainly did.”