A Family For The Rancher. Allison B. Collins

turning their coats golden.

      With the pile of debts Rob had left after his death, she hadn’t thought they’d ever get to stay in anything so nice. Especially for free.

      Her daughter sat on the floor playing with an old plastic tea set her mom had gotten at a garage sale. Maddy did love setting it up and serving tea to her stuffed animals.

      “Come on, Maddy. Time to go.” She ran a comb through Maddy’s black curls and kissed her chubby little cheek.

      They piled into her car and drove toward the main lodge, about a half mile away. Parking and getting out, they were blasted by the sounds of a live country band. She spotted Hunter Sullivan as they neared the party, and waved, very glad to see a friendly face.

      He nodded his head at her and walked toward them. “Hey, Kelsey. Who’s this little angel?” He tugged on one of Maddy’s dark curls, and she instantly giggled.

      “Hi, Hunter. This is Maddy. And my mother, Bunny Randolph.”

      “Ma’am, pleased to meet you.” He tipped his hat at her mother, then took Maddy’s tiny hand in his own. “And Miss Maddy, it’s a real honor to meet you. Will you save a dance for me?”

      Maddy giggled again and buried her face in Kelsey’s shoulder. But before long, she peeked out at him again.

      Why you little flirt. You take after Grandma, don’t you? But then, who can resist a cowboy like Hunter? He certainly was good-looking, and his green eyes sparkled back at her daughter. Definitely a charmer.

      Turning around, she looked for Nash, finally spotting him in the shadows. He seemed to be staring at someone. Or more accurately, shooting daggers at them.

      “Hunter, who is that over by the speakers?”

      He glanced up, then frowned. “That’s Mindy and her husband, Ben. She and Nash dated in college. Till Ben stole her from him. They never come to these parties.” He made a sound of disapproval, his frown deepening. “Why now?”

      “Is he still hung up on her?”

      “Nah. I think he’s more pissed he lost his best friend than her.”

      “They can’t still be friends?”

      He shrugged. “Nash hasn’t gone out much—actually at all—since he’s been home.” He frowned once more, then smiled at her and patted his flat stomach. “I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”

      They walked to the buffet tables set up near the dance floor. Something roasted on a spit, and the tantalizing aroma made her mouth water. The table was lined with bowl after bowl of salads, from green to three kinds of potato, and pasta salads. Baskets filled to overflowing with buns and rolls were next, then chips and dips. She groaned, wanting to try everything. A carving station with several types of meats sat apart from the buffet line, and she spotted a staggering array of red meat and barbecued chicken.

      Nash’s father had explained that while this was a guest ranch, they were also a working cattle ranch.

      “Mommy, cake!”

      She looked to see Maddy pointing at two more tables loaded with desserts: cakes, pies, cookies and a portable soft-serve ice-cream machine. The Sullivans sure knew how to throw a party.

      “Come on and sit with me,” Hunter said, leading the way to one of the picnic tables.

      Not long after they’d started eating, three men and a little boy joined them at the table. Each one set their plates down, then tipped their cowboy hats at her and her mother.

      “Kelsey, Bunny and Maddy, these are my brothers. Kade and his son, Toby. Wyatt is the ugly one with the long hair in the middle. Luke at the end of the table.”

      A chorus of “ma’am’s” echoed all around, and Kelsey was a little overwhelmed at the sheer testosterone flooding the air. Every one of them was tall, dark and really, did they all have to be so ruggedly good-looking?

      Bunny preened. “My goodness. I can’t believe one of you big strapping young men is Kelsey’s patient.”

      “Mom...”

      “No, ma’am. That would be Nash, our oldest brother,” Wyatt spoke up.

      “Is he here tonight?” her mother asked.

      “Probably around somewhere.” Hunter picked up his fork.

      “Uncle Hunter, did you bring the triples?” Toby asked.

      Kelsey looked at Toby, a young miniature of his father, with coal-black hair and big blue eyes. Triples?

      Hunter shook his head. “Nope,” he said, frowning. “Their mother took them to see her parents.”

      “Who or what are triples?” she asked.

      Hunter grinned. “That’s what Toby calls my sons. They’re triplets, six years old.” He pulled his cell phone out and pulled up a picture of them.

      Three identical faces stared up at her, all mugging for the camera, hanging all over Hunter, who looked like he adored them.

      “They’re adorable. When will your wife be back with them?”

      “That’d be ex-wife.”

      “Oh, I’m sorry.”

      “I’m not. We were in college, she got pregnant, we married, had the boys. But realized we were better off apart. She lives in Billings and we share custody.”

      Hunter had befriended her from the instant they met. Tonight she got to know the other two brothers a little better. Luke, the veterinarian for the ranch, kept them all laughing with stories about some of his run-ins with large animals. He had a quick wit and a ready smile, and she had a feeling he didn’t lack for female companionship.

      Wyatt, on the other hand, didn’t say much. Some kind of pain lurked behind his hazel eyes. Just like the other men, he was cowboy handsome, although his hair was much longer than the others. But there was an edge to him, a roughness, and it made her wonder what had happened in his past.

      Everyone had secrets, which of course made her think about Nash. She picked at her food, kind of hoping he would join them.

      As the sky darkened, the white twinkling lights glowed like stars above the party, and the dancing started. The Sullivan brothers started peeling away, and her mother chatted with another couple at the next table.

      A short time later, Kelsey excused herself and went to the main lodge to use the restroom. As she walked down the hall following the signs to the ladies’ room, she peeked into the big open room, astonished at the vaulted ceilings crisscrossed by beams worn dark over time. This room, too, had a wall of glass that faced the mountains and lake. The place was luxurious without being ostentatious, and definitely had a Western flair with dark colors, plaids and big comfy furniture.

      After washing her hands, she left the bathroom and headed back outside. Nash’s voice stopped her, and she looked around for him. She sneaked a quick glance around the corner of the lodge and saw him talking to the couple Hunter had mentioned to her earlier. It wasn’t polite to eavesdrop, and she knew she should move, but was afraid they’d hear her.

      “We were so sorry to hear about you getting hurt over there, Nash,” the blonde woman said.

      “Thanks.”

      “You doing any better now?” The man clapped a hand on Nash’s shoulder.

      “I’m all right.”

      “I noticed you walking with a limp—you sure you’re okay?”

      “I said I’m fine, Mindy.” Nash nodded once and looked at the ground.

      “Oh, well...” She turned and snuggled up to her husband. “Did I tell you my Ben is now president of the bank?”

      “Is he? Then I guess congrats are in order. Looks like you ended up with the better man.”