Katherine Garbera - One Hot Christmas

“Well, that’s something, anyway.” Ben sounded wary. He might be worried she’d spill the beans. “You never can tell. She might turn up some information that would help you.”

Molly wished she could reassure him that she wouldn’t reveal the secret. “She might, although I realized when I made the call that I had mixed feelings. What if she finds out something bad happened to my aunt or my cousin, or both of them? I’ve always assumed I’d find them and orchestrate a touching reunion with the rest of the family.”

“That’s because you’re an optimist,” Pete said. “Don’t ever apologize for that. It’s an admirable trait.”

“Yes, but given the fact that we’ve heard nothing from either of them in years, what are the odds that they’re both okay?” She saw the hesitation in each of their expressions. “See, maybe I don’t want to keep searching. Maybe I don’t want to know the truth.”

Sarah put an arm around her shoulders. “You could call that lady back in the next few days and tell her you’ve changed your mind. It’s nearly Christmas. I doubt she’ll start investigating until the New Year.”

“Thanks. I might do that. Hey, aren’t we supposed to head to the dining room? As I recall, Mary Lou doesn’t take kindly to people who are late for dinner.”

“She doesn’t,” Pete said. “And she told me to give her thirty minutes or so. It’s been forty. I think we’d better move it.” He started off with Sarah at his side.

Ben followed, but Molly put a restraining hand on his arm. When he turned to her, she mouthed the words I know.

His eyes widened.

“I won’t say anything,” she murmured before starting down the hall.

“Thanks.” Ben matched her stride and kept his voice low. “I was worried.”

“Don’t be.”

He let out a breath. “I’m so glad you have a brain.”

That made her laugh. “Me, too.”

They continued down the hall to the small family dining room adjacent to the larger one used when the hands gathered for lunch every day. Molly loved that meal, too, because the atmosphere was completely different. The main dining room had four round tables that each seated eight, and many days they were all filled.

The Chance brothers attended whenever possible, sometimes with their wives. Gabe’s wife, Morgan, often brought all three of their kids when she came, and Jack’s wife, Josie, would bring little Archie so he could play with his cousins. Nick’s vet practice sometimes kept him away, but his wife, Dominique, liked to be there if she wasn’t in the middle of mounting one of her photography shows. When their adopted son Lester wasn’t in school, he came to lunch, too. Add in the ranch hands, and the room became a noisy free-for-all.

Tonight, though, the room was in shadows and light beckoned from the more intimate family dining room through a set of double doors. A rustic metal chandelier hung over a linen-covered table set with china, crystal and silverware. Molly felt the family connection here, because gracious living had been a part of her heritage, too.

She’d researched her great-grandfather and great-grandmother Gallagher, parents of her Grandpa Seth and her Great Aunt Nelsie. The Gallaghers, it turned out, had traveled from Baltimore and had brought with them the customs of a genteel society. So when she sat at this table at the Last Chance Ranch and unfolded her cloth napkin, she thought about how the tradition of elegant dining had been passed down through three generations.

Hers was the fourth, and she already used cloth napkins in her small rental home. She was collecting silver and china. After she had her own family, she’d pull out all the stops.

Sarah and Pete sat across the table from Molly and Ben. While Mary Lou served the dinner, Ben asked questions about the breeding program at the Last Chance. He mentioned his interest in Calamity Sam and suggested he might begin a breeding program of his own in Sheridan. If Molly hadn’t known his actual mission had been to bring Sarah’s birthday gift, she’d swear he’d come for the reason he’d given.

Pete and Sarah discussed the horses with great enthusiasm. Molly was out of her depth when it came to horse breeding, so she spent a lot of time listening and watching. Mostly she paid attention to the interaction between Ben and Pete as they kept up the fiction that Ben was here as a buyer.

They were both playing their cards very close to the vest. Once or twice she caught a look that passed between them, but if Sarah noticed anything, she didn’t say so. Smart lady.

Sarah must have questioned Ben’s presence here the night before her birthday celebration. She might suspect he had brought some big surprise with him. But, if so, she’d probably decided not to ask any questions and risk spoiling whatever surprise her husband and sons had cooked up for her.

Now Molly was part of the charade, too, and she loved that. When Ben glanced over at her and gave her a wink, her toes curled. Nothing like a shared secret to bring two people closer together.

She enjoyed their current proximity, in fact. Having him seated within touching distance was quite arousing. His aftershave tantalized her and she found herself listening for the pattern of his breathing and imagining she could feel his body heat.

But she had to find out if the attraction between them was mutual. That meant spending some time alone with him. A bolder woman might walk right down to his bedroom tonight, but that wasn’t her style. She had something more subtle in mind.

They all lingered over dessert as the conversation turned to the party, which would begin at four the following day. Mary Lou came out with more coffee and stayed long enough to confirm tomorrow’s itinerary.

Sarah glanced at her. “I’ll be up by seven to help you bake cookies. Morgan and Josie will be over around ten with the kids.”

“Got it.” Mary Lou gathered up the dessert plates. “I’m off to bed so I’ll be rested up for that crew.”

Sarah grinned. “It’ll be fun.”

“It’s always fun, but it’s also exhausting. ’Night, all.”

Molly had been so focused on Ben that she’d forgotten tomorrow morning Sarah and Mary Lou were going to let the grandkids decorate Christmas cookies. After Mary Lou left, she turned to Sarah. “Will I be in the way if I come down to help?”

“Absolutely not! I was hoping you would. The more adults to help manage the frosting and sprinkles, the better.”

“Then I’ll set my alarm and be down by seven, too.”

“Great.” Sarah picked up her coffee cup. “Those kids always look forward to it, and then they’ll get to show off their work at the party.” She looked over at Ben. “I’m afraid it’ll be a little wild around here tomorrow. You might want to grab a book and hide out in the barn.”

“Actually, I’d like to help. I’m no good at decorating cookies, but if you need furniture rearranged, I can do that.”

“Then you’re hired.” Sarah smiled at him. “We have to move all the furniture against the walls to create space for dancing. With all the people coming, it’ll be crowded out there.”

“We’ll manage,” Pete said. “It wouldn’t be a Chance party if we didn’t dance.”

“But we might have to do it in shifts.” Sarah laughed. “Molly, you could make up an Excel sheet and assign us all time slots.”

“I could, but I think Jack would tear it up. He’s not the type to be assigned a time slot.”

Pete smiled. “No, he’s not. We’ll work it out. So we bump into each other. So what? We’re family.”

“I don’t have to dance,” Ben said. “I’m a guest, not family.”

“Nonsense.” Sarah frowned at him. “As our guest you most certainly should dance. But I guess I should ask if you even like to.”