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“I would enjoy that. Thank you.” Monte nodded his acceptance and continued to the Range Rover.
Laredo arrived just as Monte started up the engine. “Hello, Chase. Remember me?” A twinkle of impish humor was in his blue eyes.
Chase stared at him for a full second before he murmured with amazement, “What are you doing here?” His surprise looked so genuine that Jessy wanted to applaud.
“Working,” Laredo replied and gestured in Jessy’s direction. “Your daughter-in-law put me on the payroll.”
Chase pumped his arm with a two-handed shake. “Where is your mother? Did she come with you?”
“She did.”
“Wonderful. It will be good to see her.” Chase turned to Cat. “I may have just found the solution to the trouble you mentioned Jessy was having finding someone to take charge of the house and cooking chores. Laredo’s mother is an excellent cook, as I recall. Have you met her?”
“No.” A flicker of discomfort crossed Cat’s expression. Jessy suspected Cat was recalling her skepticism that Chase knew these people. It was a well-founded skepticism, but that wasn’t something they could tell her yet. “I haven’t had the pleasure.”
“We’ll soon correct that,” Chase said with an easy smile and glanced at Jessy. “In the meantime, you might want to talk to Hattie and see if she would be interested in taking on the responsibility.”
“That’s a good idea,” Jessy agreed. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Speaking of food, what are we doing standing around out here. Lunch is ready.” Judy Niles shooed them toward the door.
Jessy lagged behind to have a quick word with Laredo. “Chase deserves an Oscar,” she said in a low undertone.
“It was quite a performance, wasn’t it?” Laredo said with a grin. “Just about the equal of Markham’s.”
“He said he was coming to the barbecue,” she told him.
“I expected that.”
“I’m half surprised he didn’t stay for lunch.” Her glance strayed to the thinning dust cloud that lingered over the ranch lane, left by Monte’s departure.
“Right now I imagine he’s worried, not so much about what Chase might remember, but when. This is one time when Monte has to be hoping that out of sight really will mean out of mind.”
“So why would he come on Sunday?”
“I don’t know. But in the meantime, you can bet he’ll be making some plans. Stay alert.” It was more of a reminder than a warning.
“I will.” She paused, angling toward the steps. “I’d better go in. There is bound to be a fight over who gets to sit next to Grampa at the table.”
Laredo nodded his understanding. “I’ll talk to you later. And don’t worry. I’ll be sticking close by.”
As Jessy climbed the veranda steps, she couldn’t help thinking that a man with a rifle wouldn’t have to get close.
Chapter Nineteen
T-bone steaks as large as dinner plates sizzled side by side with thick rib eyes on the massive grill. Three cowboys-turned-chefs kept watch over the meat. One was armed with a spray bottle to douse the grease fires that frequently erupted.
Smoke and heat rol
led from the grill area, but nobody minded. The gathering was a celebratory one, and the mood was festive. Pennants were strung about the large gazebo near the river’s edge, their bright colors fluttering in the light breeze, while a huge homemade banner hung above its entrance. Written across it in big bold letters were the words WELCOME HOME, BOSS!
A few of the cowboys who were musically inclined had taken over the gazebo, turning it into a country-western bandstand.
Mixing in with the laughter and constant hum of voices were rhythmic guitar strummings and lively fiddle licks, underscored by the thump of an upright bass with a harmonica occasionally taking a ride.
Most of the cowboys lounged in their lawn chairs, nursing a cold beer, alternately swapping stories and listening to the music. A couple of the older ranch hands stood guard at the beer kegs to make certain no youngsters snitched a taste. Which made a few of them more determined to do so.
As always, the women were in charge of setting out the food. Everybody brought something, usually two or three different dishes. In all, three banquet tables were set up to hold the array of salads, vegetables, breads, and desserts. The arrival of each new guest required a rearranging of the bowls and platters already on the tables.
