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In the entryway Cat grabbed a jacket that wasn’t even hers. It wouldn’t do to stand outside and shiver. By the time she had slipped it on, Wade had donned his coat as well. As if by mutual consent, they both moved toward the door. Again Wade opened it and stepped back to allow Cat to precede him. Cat had always considered herself as liberated as any modern woman, yet she still enjoyed the show of old-fashioned gentlemanly courtesy Wade displayed, finding it something to be savored.
The crisp winter air of late afternoon seemed to sharpen all her senses when she walked outside. She paused while Wade closed the door behind them and moved to her side, tucking a hand under her elbow to escort her to the steps.
“I could probably find my car, you know. But I really appreciate the company,” he told her and added with a twinkle, “so walk slow.”
Sharing the sentiment, Cat readily complied, postponing the moment when he had to leave.
“You won’t forget about our date, will you?” he said in a light teasing tone as they negotiated the steps.
Smiling, Cat replied, “I made a mental note to add it to my social calendar the moment I’m back inside.”
“Anyone else on that calendar besides me?” Pausing by his car, he opened the driver’s door.
“I don’t think so. But I’ll have to check,” she said impishly.
He chuckled. “You do that. I’ll be seeing you.” The warmth in his look promised that it would be as soon as he could make it.
She waved good-bye and stayed in the yard until his car reached the main road, waving once more when he turned onto it, even though she knew he most likely couldn’t see her.
Cat raced up the front stairs and peeled off the borrowed jacket the instant she was inside. She was filled with such a heady sense of anticipation, she had to resist the urge to hug it tightly to herself. Instead she crossed to the mirror in the front hall and examined her reflection, unaware that Chase had come out of the den. “Don’t worry, girl,” he said in a low voice. “You’re still a beautiful woman.”
Startled, she half turned to look at him. “You’re prejudiced,” she countered, but was still pleased by his compliment.
“And you’re all starry-eyed,” he observed thoughtfully.
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t be?” The question was a lighthearted one but Chase recognized that it was her silent way of asking whether he knew something about Wade that she didn’t.
“None at all.”
“Good.” She beamed at her father. “Wade asked me to have dinner with him the next time he came. I said yes.”
“Ah,” he said with a nod of understanding. “That must be why your smile reminds me of a kitten lapping up a saucer of cream. But a touch less innocent.”
She laughed at his teasing.
“So.” He leaned his weight on the cane. “What about those cookies? Did they get frosted?”
“Yes, they did.”
He raised an eyebrow and looked upstairs. “I was going to see if that scamp Jake wanted to join me in the kitchen for some cookies and milk. Guess he must still be rehearsing his lines.” As if on cue, Sloan started down the stairs, but without Jake.
“Where’s Jake?” Chase asked her.
“He came down before I did,” Sloan replied, automatically beginning a visual scan.
Chase looked around as well. “Not a trace of him. I wonder where Jake is,” he said in a loud voice meant to flush his great-grandson out of hiding.
Silence.
“When he turns up, tell him that there are frosted Christmas cookies in the kitchen, Sloan,” Chase said. “There might even be enough for him.”
“I will,” Sloan promised as Chase and Cat both headed toward the kitchen.
When she reached the bottom of the steps, Sloan paused, a little annoyed by Jake’s disappearing act. She heard a noise coming from the den and walked down the hall to investigate. As she entered the room, Jake scrambled onto a wingbacked chair he had pushed up to the fireplace, and stood up on it. Balancing precariously, he strained to reach the set of mounted Longhorns above the mantel.
“Jacob Calder, you get down from there this minute!” She realized the second the words were out of her mouth that she’d startled him.
Jake wavered dangerously, then righted himself just in time to keep from crashing to the floor. He tumbled into the capacious seat, safe from a fall but not from his mother’s anger.
