Page 71 of A Heart Falls Cowboy Christmas

“She doesn’t need it for months,” Fern reminded them. “You have time to get Dad to take a look.”

Rose stood and headed to the table when she spotted the six table settings.

Before she could ask, the back door swung open again. Their mom, Sophie Fields, stepped in first carrying a covered cake plate. Malachi followed with a container under his arm and a grin for the room.

“We brought Chance’s favourite for dessert,” Sophie announced. She passed the cake to Fern, kicked off her boots, and beelined toward Chance with her arms held wide. Chance passed over Lily, and Sophie hugged her granddaughter close, closing her eyes as she inhaled deeply. “There you are, my sweet one.”

Her dad wrapped an arm around Rose’s shoulders and squeezed her tight. “You did good. You and Chance.”

Rose rested her head on his shoulder for a moment as she looked around the room. Chance and Cody were putting the final dishes on the table. Fern was filling a pretty blue pitcher with water. Her mother held Lily with such tender love⁠—

It seemed a birthday party had formed like magic. Rose and Chance hadn’t planned on a big celebration, not with Lily’s arrival imminent. But here they were—gathering together with gifts and stories and a meal.

Behind the back fence was the house where Rose had lived during her youth and early adulthood. Around her was the home she and Chance were building together.

Both were filled with family and love, and that wasn’t going to change. No matter what else happened along the way, she believed those things would always be there.

One week into October and the wind already had teeth. Caleb left the barn and made his way across to the house, tugging his coat tighter around himself and feeling decidedly out of sorts.

The cool seemed too early. Too harsh, and too not what he wanted, but it was only a wind for heaven’s sake. His entire mood shouldn’t be this rotten simply because the seasons were changing.

Thankfully, there was something good to look forward to. With Sasha spending one week north and one week south, tonight was her last with the family before returning to Crooked Creek. She’d asked if they could invite Jinx and her family over for dinner, which meant good company, great conversations, and another chance to enjoy having Sasha around.

So far the work arrangement seemed to be working, even though there was no sign yet whether she wanted to make the move permanent or not.

Still, she hadn’t complained, and Frank’s feedback veered in the opposite direction.

“She works too hard,” Frank had said on the phone three nights ago. “She gets her work list, yet after it’s time to knock off, we still find her doing extra tasks.”

Caleb had restrained from telling Uncle Frank that Sasha had been doing that since she was first let into the barns.

The other feedback from Adam West was also expected but good to hear. Adam was a different kind of foreman than Silver Stone had, first with Ashton and now Tucker. Adam held back. Got the job done, managed the crew with skill, but he let Uncle Frank layout most of the overall day-to-day decision-making.

Caleb was grateful he didn’t have all those minute things on his plate. Tucker was a godsend and that was the truth.

But it appeared Adam was impressed enough by Sasha to let Caleb know.

“Girl can ride.” Adam cleared his throat then pushed on. “Got good hands with the skittish ones yet knows when to push. Plus, I like how she listens the first time we tell her a thing instead of having to be told twice.”

Caleb smiled at the memory. His girl was impressive. He knew that.

He pushed through the back door and stepped into warmth and noise and the delicious scent of roasted meat and curry.

Tyler was explaining something in his high-pitched, little-boy voice, talking so fast that Tamara shushed him with a laugh. “Slow down, buddy, so we can all understand you.”

Petra was curled up in the corner of the couch that most mom’s with new babies seemed to favour—and wasn't that a wild observation to be aware of? She had Jaden tucked against her shoulder, patting him on his back, while Tyler explained his picture.

At the table, Emma, Sasha, and Jinx chattered as they laid out plates. The talking seemed to be winning over the work.

Something bumped Caleb’s back.

“Keep moving, friend. You make a great door.”

Caleb turned to discover Aiden behind him, arms filled with a bag nearly the size of his torso. “Are you moving in?”

“I probably could. I was told this held everything we could possibly need for the evening out with Jaden.” Aiden eyed the bag then winked at Caleb. “Only I think someone forgot to pack the beer.”

“That I can help with.” Caleb considered. “In about five minutes. Make yourself at home. I need to get cleaned up.” He stopped at the stove to give Tamara a kiss first, though. “Smells amazing in here.”