One Hot Christmas. Katherine Garbera

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СКАЧАТЬ Sarah spoke in an undertone. “I thought you were getting along great last night, but you’ve avoided each other all morning. Was he rude to you?”

      “No, Aunt Sarah. Everything’s fine.”

      “Because I don’t care if Pete likes him. If he’s not nice to you, then he can take a long walk off a short—”

      “Really, it’s fine.”

      Sarah turned in her chair and skewered Molly with a look. “You’re sure about that?”

      Molly gulped. “Yes.”

      “All right.” Sarah leaned even closer. “But since he’s right down the hall from you, if there’s any reason for concern, you let me know immediately. Is that clear?”

      “Yes.” But as she looked into Sarah’s blue eyes, Molly didn’t kid herself that she was fooling her aunt. Sarah knew that something was going on. She just didn’t know for sure what it was.

      But with the big party only three hours away, now was not the time to confess everything. No one had discovered the liaison with Ben yet.

      Sarah nodded. “Good. Glad that’s settled.” She resumed her normal tone of voice. “I’m worried that we don’t have enough wineglasses for tonight. We’ve lost more to breakage than I thought. I’m thinking of ditching the stemmed glasses completely and going with whiskey glasses for the wine. We have a ton of those. What do you think?”

      “I think it’s very European.” Over Sarah’s shoulder, Molly caught Ben looking straight at her. One of the hands had come by to talk with Pete, temporarily interrupting the men’s conversation.

      Ben took the opportunity to wink at her. Then the ranch hand left and Ben returned to the topic of breeding horses. But that wink had undone her. He’d chosen the perfect moment to send her a covert message, a secret communication to remind her of their connection.

      Molly had been looking forward to Sarah’s party ever since she’d made plane reservations. She’d created a special photo album of all the Gallagher relatives, and each of them had written a birthday greeting next to their picture. Molly could hardly wait to present that to her aunt tonight, and now she was eager to see Sarah’s reaction to the magnificent saddle.

      And yet, her thoughts had already moved beyond the party to the moment when the guests had left and she could climb the stairs. She pictured slipping into her room and taking off her clothes. Unfortunately her bathrobe was fleece and had moose pictures on it, but that couldn’t be helped.

      “I just don’t want the kids to think that the wine is their favorite cherry drink and guzzle it by mistake. I sometimes let them have the cherry drink in a whiskey glass, so help me keep an eye on them, okay?”

      “I will.” Molly did her best to concentrate on the conversation. “One sip and they’ll spit it out. I’ve never known a kid who thought wine tasted good.”

      “Oh, I know one. Sarah Bianca took my glass when I wasn’t looking the other night. When I asked if she’d tasted my wine, she assured me that she had, but it was okay because we had the same germs.”

      Molly laughed. “Sounds like her.”

      “So then I asked her opinion of the wine. She said it was yummy. I explained that it was for grownups, but I’m not convinced that she won’t try it again.”

      “Then I’ll keep close track of her.” Sarah Bianca, SB for short, was Morgan and Gabe’s oldest. During the cookie decorating session, the little redhead had informed Molly that she was not four, but four and a half, thank you very much. She thought her Grandma Sarah had hung the moon, and if her beloved grandmother loved red wine, so would SB.

      Nick and Gabe said their goodbyes and left the table. Soon afterward, Pete and Ben pushed back their chairs and Pete glanced at his wife. “Unless you need me for something, Ben and I thought we’d head down to the barn and take another look at Calamity Sam, maybe turn him out so Ben can see him run.”

      “I think we’re in pretty good shape.” Sarah smiled at him. “I have a few more things to check on in the kitchen, but as far as I’m concerned, the work’s done. We’re ready for the party.”

      “Excellent.” He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “See you soon.”

      “Bye.” Sarah gazed after the two men as they left the dining room. “You know, when Pete and Jack first told me a horse buyer was coming, I was so wrapped up in the preparations for the party and Christmas that I didn’t think much about it.” She turned back to Molly. “But don’t you think his timing is a bit strange?”

      “I guess it worked with his schedule.” Molly hoped her expression gave nothing away.

      Sarah gazed at her with a knowing smile. “That’s BS.”

      “It is?”

      “It is, and you know it. There’s a secret connected to that guy. There has to be, and it has something to do with my birthday. I just hope it’s not a horse. I love Bertha Mae and I don’t need another one. But I don’t think that’s it. He didn’t haul a horse trailer in here, just his pickup with a camper shell on the back.”

      Molly laid a hand on her arm. “My advice is to stop thinking about it.”

      “Oh, I intend to. But I had to test you and see if you were in on it, whatever it is. You definitely know what’s going on. Maybe that’s why you’ve been avoiding Ben all morning. You’re afraid to talk to him for fear you’ll give something away. Is that it? Did I guess?”

      “I’ll plead the Fifth.”

      Laughing, Sarah glanced out the window. “Sun’s shining. If you want to take a walk, you could touch base with my husband and Ben and plot some more. I’ll be in the kitchen with Mary Lou so I won’t be able to hear a word you say.”

      “So you really aren’t going to pry into this?”

      “Nope. That would spoil the fun. I know better than to do that with this family. They do love their surprises.”

      “Then maybe I will walk down there.” She thought it would be safe enough, even if temptation lurked in the form of Ben Radcliffe. He’d be with Pete, and ranch hands would likely be around, too. “I haven’t spent much time at the barn. According to Nelsie’s diary, she and Archie and my Grandpa Seth lived in it for a few months.”

      “Yes, they did. They were hardy, those two. I wish I could loan you her diaries to take home for your research, but I don’t dare let them out of this house. The boys would kill me.”

      “I wouldn’t dream of borrowing them, either. They’re too precious. I feel lucky that I was able to read them, and I took copious notes and a few pictures of certain entries with my phone.”

      “The one where she mentioned you, I’ll bet.”

      “Absolutely. I texted that one to my folks because I knew they’d get a kick out of it. I kind of remember her, but not very well. I was pretty young when she and Archie made their last trip to Arizona.”

      “That’s too bad, because you would have loved her. I did.” Sarah СКАЧАТЬ