When Lily slipped her hand into Mallory’s, she felt that pesky lump in her throat again.

Emotion expanded in her chest and squeezed her heart. This little girl meant the world to her and she would do anything in her power to make Lily happy.

Hand in hand they walked through the store, sticking to the main aisle. Almost at the exit leading to the mall, there was a display of girls’ fancy dresses. Lily stopped dead in her tracks to look at an off-white, full-skirted, sleeveless lace-over-satin dress.

“I love this,” she said.

“It’s very beautiful,” Mallory agreed. “But you don’t have anywhere to wear something like that.”

“A flower girl could wear it.” Serious dark eyes looked up at her. “For a wedding.”

Mallory’s heart squeezed again, this time with an emotion more complicated than love. How did you protect the child you cared about so much from something that wasn’t within your power to make happen? Even if you wanted it.

* * *

Montana Mavericks: 20 Years in the Saddle!

From Maverick

to Daddy

Teresa Southwick

www.millsandboon.co.uk

TERESA SOUTHWICK lives with her husband in Las Vegas, the city that reinvents itself every day. An avid fan of romance novels, she is delighted to be living out her dream of writing for Mills & Boon.

To Christine Rimmer, fabulous plotting partner, writer and friend.

It’s always a pleasure to work with you, and your generous help on this book is very much appreciated.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

The little Asian girl sitting at the desk where his father’s receptionist normally sat was one heck of a surprise to Caleb Dalton. It was something you didn’t see every day, at least not in the law offices of Ben Dalton. Cute as could be, she looked about seven or eight, going on twenty-five. A dainty, beautiful little doll.

“Hi, there,” he said, politely removing his hat.

“Are you a real cowboy?” Her black eyes glittered with excitement.

“Yes, ma’am, I am.”

“Cool.” Her delicately shaped mouth curved into a smile for just a moment, then she was all business. “I’m sorry to tell you, but the office is closed. Can you come back tomorrow?”

“I’m pretty sure Mr. Dalton will see me anyway.” The man was his father and that should get him a pass.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Sort of.” Picking his dad up to take him out for a beer should qualify.

“Mr. Dalton is doing something very important right now and can’t be disturbed. You’ll have to wait. Please take a seat.” Little Miss Efficient went back to reading her book.

Caleb wasn’t sure whether to laugh or do as he was told but finally opted for the latter, since he was in no particular hurry. And how often did a kid get to boss around grown-ups? Might be good for her self-esteem. Although from what he could tell, she was definitely not low on confidence.

Spinning his hat in his hands, he walked over to a chair against the wall and sat as ordered. The high oak reception desk where the little girl wielded power like a Supreme Court Justice separated the client waiting area from the wide doorway beyond, which was his father’s office. His paralegal worked back there, too.

Here the floor was dark wood and the beige walls were decorated with watercolor paintings of mountains, cowboys on horseback and the local waterfall for which Rust Creek Falls, Montana, was named. He’d been there less than a minute when he heard the click of high heels hurrying closer, and a young woman emerged from the back office.

“I heard the bell over the door. Is someone here...?” The woman stopped short and looked at him.

The little girl glanced up from her book. “I told him Mr. Dalton was busy.”

“With important business, I was told.” Caleb stood and walked closer, as if drawn by some invisible force.

This woman wasn’t classically beautiful, but there was something about her that intrigued him, attracted him. Maybe it was the long-sleeved white silky blouse tucked into a straight, formfitting black skirt. She wasn’t very big, but the high heels made her legs look long and sleek.

“I’m so sorry. Please tell me she wasn’t rude.”

Spoken like a concerned mother. The little girl must be adopted. “No apology necessary.”

“Lily, you should have let Mr. Dalton know his son is here.”

“You told me to read and be quiet as a mouse and not get in the way when Cecelia dropped me off,” the little girl protested.

“I know. But sometimes there are exceptions...” The woman sighed and the movement did interesting things to the body under that silky white blouse.

“How did you know?” he asked her.

“Know what?”

Caleb was sure they hadn’t met. A striking woman like her would be nearly impossible to forget. “That Ben is my father.”

“There’s a picture of you in his office. He has photos of the whole family. You’re Caleb, the youngest of the boys.” She smiled. “He brags a little.”

“Have you called him out on it?”

“All the time, but he’s not intimidated.”

“That’s my dad.” He grinned. “You have me at a disadvantage. I don’t know your name.”

“Mallory Franklin. I’m his paralegal. And this little girl is Lily. My niece. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same here.” Caleb took the slender hand she held out and his own seemed to swallow it.

He was certainly no stranger to meeting women; it happened to him on a regular basis. But this was different. She—Mallory—was different. Her auburn hair was long and shiny, spilling past her shoulders. Warm brown eyes met his and he saw easy laughter there. What was it about the combination of features that made him want to charm her straight into his bed?

There was a thought Caleb wanted to put out of his mind. He didn’t see a ring on her left finger, but that didn’t mean anything. Her niece was probably adopted and he wondered why Mallory was taking care of her. There could be a husband, and marriage was a sacred line he didn’t cross. Even if she wasn’t, a woman with a child was a complication he didn’t need.

“So, you’re here to see Ben?” She looked at their joined hands and he realized he was still holding hers.

With a fair amount of reluctance he loosened his fingers. “Yeah. I’m taking him out for a beer.”

“Good. He works too hard and needs to relax.”

“That’s what my mother says.”

“I’m guessing you’re going to Ace in the Hole?” One of her auburn eyebrows lifted.

“It’s the only place in town. And I really mean that.”

“I like that Rust Creek Falls is small,” she said.

“It is that.” Instead of being grateful that he hadn’t met her sooner, the reminder of how small the town was made him wonder where she’d been. He refused to even add all my life. “You’re new here.”

“I moved here in January.”

Since it was now August, that meant she’d been there almost seven months. “How is it I haven’t seen you around?”

“I’m guessing Bee’s Beauty Parlor and the doughnut shop aren’t at the top of your list of places to hang out.”

“Good guess,” he admitted.

“What about church?”

“I go when I can. Work on the ranch keeps me busy, but on Sundays when I can’t get away, I look at the mountains, trees, falls and that’s my place of worship. It’s prettier and more fitting than the inside of a building.”

“I can’t argue with that.” She tapped her lip and a sly look turned her eyes the color of melted chocolate. “You probably don’t get over to the elementary school much, either.”

“Nope. Once a year when everyone in town pitches in to get it ready for opening day is about the only time.”

“I like that small-town spirit. Lissa Roarke captured it in her blog and caught my attention. It’s one of the reasons we moved from Manhattan. It’s a wonderful place to visit, but I grew up and lived most of my life in Helena.”

“A Montana girl.” He wasn’t sure why that should please him, but it did.

“Yes, sir. So raising Lily in the city didn’t seem best.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Excuse me. Twenty-four-hour takeout,” the little girl chimed in. “I miss fast food whenever I want it. And Central Park.”

He hadn’t been aware she was listening. In fact he’d all but forgotten she was there. “Yeah, that’s a problem. What about you, Mallory?”

“Multiplex movie theaters,” she said dreamily.

“Museums,” Lily added.

“Montana has been an adjustment for her. It was awfully quiet at first but she’s getting used to it.”

“I have a friend.” The little girl smiled. “And I like cowboys. I want to learn how to ride a horse.”

“I rest my case,” Mallory said. “All indications are that we made the right decision moving here.”

His father appeared in the doorway to the reception area, then walked over to join them. “Caleb, sorry to keep you waiting.”

“No problem, Dad.” They shook hands.

Ben Dalton was roughly six feet tall, the same height as Caleb. They had the same blue eyes and folks said their hair was an identical shade of brown before the older man’s began to show silver. Folks also said Caleb got his good looks from his dad and a little too much charm from his mother’s side of the family.

“I see you’ve met Mallory and Lily.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Best paralegal I’ve ever had.” The older man nodded approvingly.

“It’s nice of you to say so,” she said, a becoming pink flush spreading over her cheeks.

“Not nice at all,” he protested. “Honest-to-God truth. You’re a valuable asset to this office and I appreciate all your hard work.”

“And I appreciate having a boss who understands and respects family obligations. Being able to leave at five o’clock every day to pick up Lily from day care is really important to me.”

“I was informed in no uncertain terms that the office was closed.” Caleb looked at the clock on the wall that said it was half past six. “All evidence points to a boss who’s a slave driver.”

“Mallory graciously offered to stay,” his father defended.

“It was an emergency,” she said. “Besides, Lily isn’t in school right now and Cecelia Clifton was watching her and offered to drop her off here.”

Caleb began to doubt that Mallory was married because it sounded as if there wasn’t a husband to pick up the slack. But that was not his problem and none of his business. “So, you ready to go, Dad?”

“Just let me shut down the office. I’ll be back in a minute. Mallory, go home.”

“Yes, sir.”

Caleb watched Lily close her book and climb down from the big chair to stand by her aunt. The way the little girl tucked her hand into Mallory’s tugged at something a little empty inside him.

“I’m glad we finally met,” he said. “And your niece shows a lot of promise as a sentry. No one gets past her. You’ve done a great job with her.”

“And she did it all by herself. She doesn’t have a husband,” Lily volunteered cheerfully. “But I think maybe she’d like one. Maybe a cowboy.”

Mallory looked horrified. “Lily—”

“Okay, son. Let’s go get that beer. Will you lock up, Mallory?” His father rounded the corner like the cavalry coming to the rescue.

Caleb wasn’t about to ignore a diplomatic exit strategy when he saw it. He put his hat on, touched the brim respectfully toward the two ladies, then followed his father out the door.

He’d done his fair share of dating and then some. He’d gone out with blondes, brunettes, redheads and women whose hair was every shade in between. Ladies with blue eyes, green, black and brown had flirted and cozied up to him.

His brothers would laugh him off the ranch if he said it out loud to them, but meeting Mallory Franklin had felt like a lightning strike. No woman had ever had that effect on him before and he didn’t much care for the fact that this one did. He could deal when there was a ghost of a chance that she was married, but now he knew for sure she wasn’t and it was a problem. Not only was there no husband, she was looking for one.

Then again, soon enough someone in Rust Creek Falls would clue her in that Caleb Dalton wasn’t marriage material.

* * *

Mallory wished she could get the look of panic on Caleb Dalton’s face out of her mind. Clearly, escaping from her as quickly as possible had been his top priority. That was several hours ago; she and Lily had come home to their three-bedroom house on the southeast corner of South Broomtail Road and Commercial Street. It was after dinner, so the two of them were in the middle of the bedtime routine. Still, every time she remembered this child telling him she’d like a husband, Mallory wanted the earth to open and swallow her whole.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

She looked at the little girl, blow-drying her thick, straight black hair after her shower. This child had been placed in her care by a cruel twist of fate, making Mallory a mother. Lily hadn’t come with a set of instructions or a how-to manual. There needed to be a discussion about what she had said, but Mallory didn’t want to make her think she’d done something wrong or stifle her natural enthusiasm and spontaneity.

She just needed Lily to understand that she couldn’t go around telling virtual strangers, not even cowboys, that her aunt was looking for a husband. But how did one approach that?

Mallory had no model from her childhood to fall back on. Her own parents would have oozed disapproval, then given her the silent treatment. She’d decided when Lily came to live with her that when there was an issue, she would do the exact opposite of what her mother and father had. So far Mallory had managed to handle every situation fairly easily, but now was definitely the time for a talk.

When the little girl turned off the blow-dryer, Mallory said, “Lily, how did you like spending time at the office today?”

“It was okay. A little boring.”

Not from where Mallory had been standing. She squeezed toothpaste onto a princess toothbrush and handed it over. “Oh?”

“I like reading, but it would have been more fun at Amelia’s house.”

Her new best friend. “I’m sorry that didn’t work out. But sometimes—”

“Things don’t go the way we want and we all have to do things we don’t like,” she parroted.

“Right.” That was good, no? Finishing the sentence proved that she listened and filed it away. “You did a very good job at the receptionist desk.”

Lily stuck the toothbrush into her mouth and talked around it. “Do you think Mr. Dalton will pay me?”

Mallory laughed. “I think that was pro bono. That means you did it at no charge.”

“That’s what I figured.” She brushed her teeth, then rinsed and wiped her mouth on the green hand towel sitting beside the sink.

Mallory was sitting on the closed lid of the toilet and stood. “Are you ready for bed?”

“Do I have to be?”

“It’s time,” she answered, firm but kind.

The token pushback was part of the established nighttime ritual. After Mallory’s sister and brother-in-law died together in a car accident, she’d become Lily’s guardian and the two of them had gone to grief counseling. She’d learned that routine would provide security and stability, a safe environment to put one foot in front of the other and get on with the business of living. It seemed to be working.

Lily turned off the light as she left the bathroom and Mallory followed her down the hall. The child’s room had lavender walls with white baseboards and doors. A canopy bed was centered on one wall with a princess spread over it that matched the lamp and curtains. Her niece had picked out everything because Mallory felt it was important for her to feel as if she had some control over her life. Even if control was an illusion, a fact hammered home after the trauma of losing her mother and father at the same time.

Lily hopped on the bed and grabbed her favorite stuffed animal, a pink elephant. “I like Mr. Dalton’s son.”

“Caleb.” Mallory cringed just thinking about him, then sat on the bed.

“I think he’s very handsome. Like a prince. Can a cowboy be a prince?”

Mallory thought he was handsome, too. Brown hair, blue eyes, muscular. The white cotton snap-front shirt he wore fit him like a second skin and highlighted the contours of his broad chest and flat stomach. Worn jeans hugged strong thighs that no doubt kept him from falling off his horse while he did whatever job needed doing on the family ranch. But saying any of this out loud to Lily wouldn’t be productive to this conversation.

“That depends on your definition of prince. Usually that’s a male child born to royalty.”

“That’s not what I meant, but it’s okay. You’re changing the subject. You do that when you don’t want to talk about something.”

“Do I?” She hadn’t realized Lily noticed. All her energy went into learning and knowing this child and she hadn’t thought about the fact that it worked both ways. “I guess I do. But there is something I’d like to talk about.”

Lily sighed. “I bet it’s about what I said.”

“What do you think you said?” She was a smart little cookie.

“I shouldn’t have told Caleb you’d like a husband.”

“That’s right.” She took Lily’s small hand into her own and brushed a thumb over the delicate knuckles. “The thing is, ladybug, you and I have been through a lot of changes in the last year.”

“You mean because Mommy and Daddy died.”

“Yes.” Her heart caught. Would that always happen when she thought about her only sister being gone? She couldn’t even imagine how Lily felt. “You and I are getting used to each other.”

“I like living with you.”

“And I like you living with me, too.” Her heart caught again. “But I’m really not looking for a husband.”

“Why not?”

So many reasons. None of which Lily would understand. “I just think it should be you and me alone for a while. Bringing someone else in is another change and we’ve had so many.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.”

Mallory knew her mother would have continued to hammer the message home, so in keeping with her philosophy to do the opposite, she figured enough said. “It’s time for your prayers, sweetie.”

The little girl closed her eyes and folded her hands with the stuffed animal still under her arm. “Dear God, bless my friend Amelia and her mom. Mr. Dalton and Caleb. Everyone at day care. Please take care of my mommy and daddy. Keep them company so they don’t miss me too much. Bless Aunt Mallory.” She opened her eyes, then quickly scrunched them shut. “I almost forgot. Mommy and Daddy, please help Aunt Mal be ready for another change. Amen.”

Without commenting on the content of the prayers, Mallory leaned close and kissed the child’s forehead. “I love you, Lily.”

“Love you, too.” She rolled away and curled into a ball. In minutes she would be asleep.

Mallory quietly slipped out of the room, then stopped in the doorway for a last protective look at the child she grew to love more every day. Reading between the lines of that prayer, it was pretty clear that Lily wanted a father. A transparent plea to replace what she’d lost.

The praying-to-a-higher-power strategy was sound, since it would take an act of God to modify Mallory’s position. Relationships were trouble. She’d spent two years with a guy who demanded more of her time, then dumped her when she couldn’t be at his beck and call. That was before she had a child to raise. Between her job and being a mom, she had nothing left over for anyone else.

Not even a handsome cowboy who, for just a moment, had made her wish it could be different.

* * *

After a burger and beer with his dad, Caleb drove to Crawford’s General Store, a brick building that fronted North Main Street. They were out of coffee at the ranch and it was his turn to buy. If he showed up in the morning without the can, his brother Anderson would can him. And he’d been warned that the family connection wouldn’t save his sorry ass.

He walked past the storefront window displaying an array of merchandise. It was the only store in town and this was a ranching community, so there was a variety of items from saddles to soup. If they carried what you were looking for, it would save a thirty-minute trip to Kalispell, which was the next town over and a lot bigger.

Caleb went inside, past the general-purpose aisles on his way to where the coffee was shelved. He was a man on a mission. When he found what he wanted, he made sure it was high-test with the maximum amount of caffeine, then grabbed as many cans as he could carry and headed for the checkout counter. Vera Peterson was ringing up a purchase for a young woman who looked sort of familiar.

Vera glanced up and smiled when he got in line. “Hi, Caleb.”

“Good to see you, Vera.” It always was.

They’d been good friends for a lot of years and he liked her husband, too. But a long time ago, before she’d even met the man she was happily married to, Caleb had a thing with her. She was a little older, a lot wiser and had taught him quite a bit. Although she hadn’t been able to teach him that there was any point to love, and no one since had changed his mind about that.

The customer in front of him turned and got a big, flirty look on her face. “Caleb Dalton. Imagine running into you. It’s nice to see you again.”

Again? He had no idea what her name was. A brunette with hazel eyes, she was pretty and probably one of the numerous women who’d moved to Rust Creek looking for a cowboy to marry after reading Lissa Roarke’s blog. Like Lily’s aunt. Mallory. Now, her name he could remember. And chalk that up to the fact that he’d been distracted all through dinner with his dad. What was her story? Why didn’t she have a husband? He didn’t want to wonder about any of it but couldn’t seem to turn off the curiosity.

“Would you like to go get coffee or something?”

The words from the hazel-eyed brunette pulled him back from a vision of auburn hair, brown eyes and the prettiest smile he’d seen in a long time. “Sorry?” He shook his head to clear it. “What was that?”

“Do you want to get a cup of coffee? Or something?”

It surprised the hell out of him that he wasn’t interested. Not tempted even a little bit. But giving her a blunt no wasn’t his style, so he prettied it up.

“Normally I’d like that, but I have to be up before God. Work on the ranch isn’t nine to five.”

She took her change from the clerk and picked up her bag before giving him a disappointed look. “Maybe another time.”

No point in saying yes because it would be a lie. “Have a good evening.”

“You, too.” She walked out the door and lifted her hand in a flirty waggle of fingers when she passed in front of the window outside.

Vera gave him a what’s-with-you look, then rested one hand on a jeans-clad hip and stared at him as if he was wearing a snake around his neck like a tie. “You sick or something?”

Not unless thinking too much about Mallory Franklin qualified. “Never been better. Why?”

“Duh.” There was a twinkle in her big blue eyes.

“How are the kids? What are they now? Six and eight?”

“Yeah. And they’re fine. But you don’t get to change the subject.” She tossed a long, straight strand of blond hair over her shoulder. “You just turned down an invitation from a woman. And she’s your type.”

“How do you know?”

“Because she’s a woman.”

Meaning he wasn’t picky and liked them all. He couldn’t say she was wrong about that. “Yeah. Weird, huh?”

“I’d say so.” She rang up the cans of coffee and waited for money. “Good for you.”

He gave her some bills before asking, “Why do you say that?”

“Because it’s about darn time you grew up.”

“Bite your tongue, Vera.” He grinned. “You know that will never happen.”

“Never say never,” she warned. “Say hi to your folks for me.”

“I’ll do that at dinner on Sunday.” His mother insisted on it and none of her children had the nerve to say no to Mary Dalton. “You tell John and the kids hello from me.”

“Will do.”

He waved, then walked out to his truck and opened the passenger door to set the coffee on the seat. What had just happened? It was out of character for him to turn down a pretty lady, because he liked them all and kept things fun. As soon as that changed, he found a way to slide out of it without hurting anyone’s feelings. Everyone had a gift and that was his.

He never saw the point of taking it up a notch and never said no to a potential fling.

But that had changed tonight. Because he’d been thinking about Mallory Franklin? Maybe that was what happened when you got hit by lightning. Some people lived after getting zapped, but they were never the same. Since he liked himself just fine the way he was, he needed to watch out for storm activity and head for cover as soon as possible.

He was very good at that, too.

Chapter Two

With Lily securely buckled up in the backseat, Mallory parked her compact car in front of the Dalton house. Her boss had invited them to dinner because his wife said Mallory had been in town over six months and that length of time without having her over crossed the line into unfriendly territory. It was five o’clock on Sunday and they were right on time.

“Here we are,” she announced and turned off the car.

The sound of a seat belt clicking apart came from the rear seat. “Mr. Dalton has a big house.”

Mallory agreed. It was located just over the bridge and next to the creek on Sawmill Street. The two-story structure was wood and glass with a manicured lawn, neatly trimmed bushes and brightly colored flowers lining the walkway to the front door.

She’d heard about the devastating flood the previous summer when the rain wouldn’t stop and the creek overflowed, wiping out a good portion of the town. The law office was still handling claims and property issues along with renovation contracts and insurance matters. Right here, right now, you’d never know anything bad had happened. Ben’s house was on high enough ground that it hadn’t sustained any damage and she was glad for him and Mary.

“Okay, kiddo, let’s go.” Mallory opened the driver’s door and exited the car while her niece did the same from the rear-passenger side.

Lily looked up and down the street. “There are a lot of cars.”

“I noticed.”

At the front door she knocked and waited for someone to answer. That someone turned out to be Caleb Dalton. He looked as surprised as she felt, but probably his heart was beating a normal, steady rhythm, while hers was pounding abnormally fast.

“Hi.” His curious tone filled in the question he was too polite to ask. What are you doing here?

“Caleb! Do you live here?” Lily was clearly happy to see him.

“No. Just visiting.” The smile he gave her was genuinely warm and welcoming. “It’s nice to see you again, Lily.”

Mallory wondered if he really meant that after what she’d said during their last encounter. “Your father invited us to dinner. I didn’t know—”

“That I’d be here?”

“Well, yes,” she admitted.

“It’s Sunday.”

“I’m aware of that. It’s when your father told me to be here.”

Ben had mentioned the family dinners a couple of times, but she didn’t really get that it was all of them every Sunday. She’d had it in her head that this was just her and Lily with Mary and Ben. No way had she expected to see Caleb.

There was an edgy expression in his eyes, but she got the feeling it wasn’t about her. “What I meant is on Sunday my mother insists that the whole family be here for dinner.”

“That’s nice.” She couldn’t imagine her mother doing anything like that.

Before he could respond to that, Mary Dalton walked up and stood beside her son. “Caleb, for goodness’ sake. You weren’t raised by wolves. I know because I’m your mother and had a hand in raising you. Invite our guests in.” The woman smiled. “Mallory, I’m so glad you could come. And this must be Lily.”

“Pleased to meet you,” the little girl said politely.

Lily had always been in school or day care when her boss’s wife had dropped into the office. Mary Dalton was a tall, very attractive blue-eyed brunette. Trim and fit, she was wearing jeans, a plaid cotton shirt and a friendly smile. Mallory liked her a lot.

The woman sighed looking at Lily. “What a cutie you are. It’s so nice to have children here. I so want a houseful of grandchildren.” The expectant look she gave her son made him squirm.

Mallory wasn’t sure what to say to that but figured she couldn’t go wrong being polite. “Thank you for inviting us, Mary.”

She stepped back and opened the door wider. “Come in.”

They did and Mallory was forced to walk very close to Caleb, which put her closer than the last time they were together at his father’s office. He was very tall, muscular and smelled really good, the scent a pleasant manly mixture of soap and aftershave.

They were standing in the two-story entryway with twin staircases on either side. A brass light fixture descended from the ceiling over a circular mahogany table with fresh flowers in the center.

Mallory felt like a clog dancer in a ballet. “Ben didn’t mention that this was a family dinner. I don’t want to intrude.”

“Nonsense. He’s told me how hard you work and it’s much appreciated. He’d be lost without you and that means you’re like family.”

“Speaking of that,” Caleb said, “what about Sutter and Paige? With Mallory and Lily there aren’t enough places set at the table. I can put out more.”

“He means the oldest of my three girls and her husband, but you probably know that.” Mary looked at her son. “Your sister isn’t coming.”

“But you always said if our backsides aren’t here for dinner every Sunday, we better be bleeding or on fire.”

“Now I’m adding childbirth to the list of acceptable excuses. She just had a baby a few weeks ago.”

“Seriously? That gets her a pass?”

“It does. When you go through labor, delivery and the first few weeks with an infant up all night, you’ll get a dispensation, too. Until then...”

Caleb winked at Lily. “She drives a hard bargain.”

“And you’re a silver-tongued devil. Always trying to charm your way out of trouble.” She affectionately touched his arm. “Now I’m going to introduce our guest to everyone else.” She put her hand on Lily’s shoulder. “Come along, sweetie.”

That left Mallory and Caleb to walk behind them. He nodded toward the other room and said, “Let’s go meet the Daltons.”

Mallory’s head was spinning and not just from being this close to the good-looking cowboy. She was baffled by the banter between mother and son. What a concept. If her mother—or father, for that matter—were that warm and approachable she’d still have a relationship with them. But disapproval was their trademark and she was pretty sure they’d frown on Lily, who wasn’t related to them by blood. This child would never go through what Mallory and Mona had growing up.

Caleb led her past a big, beautiful kitchen with stainless-steel appliances and a granite-topped island to the large family room. It had a leather sectional in front of a big screen TV mounted on the wall. Ben was standing with his other two sons. She knew them from the photos in her boss’s office, but shook their hands as Mary made introductions.

The men were all about the same height, six feet give or take an inch, and the unmistakable family resemblance marked them as brothers. Anderson, the oldest, had the same brown hair and blue eyes as Caleb, but there was an air of authority and seriousness different from his brother. Travis was the middle son and had his father’s brown eyes.

“Are you a cowboy, too?” Lily asked him after meeting all the men.

“I am.” Travis indicated his older brother. “So is he. In fact he’s in charge of the family ranch.”

“Aunt Mallory didn’t tell me you had a ranch.”

Mallory happened to be looking at Caleb and saw his mouth pull tight when Lily called her Aunt. He’d grown tense after Lily put on her matchmaking hat at the office. Clearly he was skittish about starting a relationship with a woman who had a child.

“We have a big ranch,” Travis was saying. “The Dalton family spread.”

“Do you have horses?” When Travis nodded, the little girl practically quivered with excitement. “I’ve never been on a horse, but I’d like to—”

“Lily,” Mallory interrupted, “it’s not polite to invite yourself.”

“That’s okay.” Travis smiled down at the child. “Pretty girls are always welcome.”

“How come you never tell us that?”

“Because you’re both irritating.” Travis grinned at the two beautiful young women who’d walked into the family room from the kitchen.

Mary stood between them and slid her arms through theirs. “These are my youngest daughters, Lani and Lindsay.”

Both had the Dalton light brown hair, but Lani wore hers long, and Lindsay had a ponytail.

“It’s really nice to meet you,” Mallory said. “I feel as if I know everyone already from all the photos Ben has in his office.”

“I’m Lily.” The little girl grinned up at the girls. “My name begins with an L, just like yours.”

“That’s really cool,” Lindsay said with a big smile. “You’re just as cute as you can be.”

“So, the girls will help me get drinks,” Mary said. “Mallory, we have beer, wine, club soda, soft drinks. What would you like?”

“I’d love a glass of wine.” It was weird because these were the nicest people in the world, but her nerves were a little raw, as if they were tightly wound springs ready to come loose. Every time she looked at Caleb they got a little more sensitive.

“What about you, Lily with an L?” Lani asked. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Would it be all right if I had soda?”

Mallory nodded, but added, “Nothing with caffeine.”

“Coming right up. Boys, be nice to our guests.” Mary put her arms around her daughters and headed them toward the kitchen.

Mallory and Lily were standing with Travis while her boss formed a circle to chat with his other two sons just a few feet away. Caleb showed no interest in talking to her, unlike the first time they’d met. At least he’d seemed engaged until Lily told him she, Mallory, needed a husband. If that was a friendship deal breaker then so be it. Her feelings would not be hurt.

After watching Mary Dalton gather her daughters, Mallory smiled at Travis. “It occurs to me that with six kids, your mom must have been pretty good at herding. Maybe that’s where you and your brothers inherited the skill.”

He laughed. “It’s a good theory. And she’s anxious to take those talents out, dust them off and use them on the next generation of Daltons.”

“I understand your sister had a baby and that’s why she’s not here.”

“I like babies.” Lily looked way up at the tall cowboy. “Do you?”

“Yes, ma’am, I do.”

Mallory could almost hear the wheels turning in her niece’s head and decided a preemptive strike was called for. “Travis, you should know that Lily is a budding matchmaker.”

“Is that so?” He squatted down to her level. “Who are you trying to marry off, young lady?”

“Me.” Mallory felt as if someone was looking at her and glanced at the other group. Caleb was staring, but not at her. The frown was directed at his brother, and when it slid to her, she quickly turned away. “She thinks I need a husband.”

“Is that right?” he asked the little girl.

“Maybe.” The beginnings of hero worship glowed in her black eyes when she looked at Caleb’s brother. “And she likes cowboys.”

“Lily!” Mallory didn’t know whether to laugh or apologize. “That’s not true.”

Travis stood and there was laughter in his eyes. “So, you don’t like cowboys?”

“No. I mean yes—” She sighed. “I’m sure cowboys are lovely people for someone who’s looking for commitment.”

She noticed Caleb was still frowning, but this time his gaze was on her. Someone should tell him to be careful or his face could freeze that way. Or stop listening in on her conversation. He was close enough to hear and didn’t seem to be paying attention to what his father and brother were talking about.

“Are you aware, Mallory,” Travis was saying, “that you’re lumped in with all the other ladies who are affectionately known as the Rust Creek Falls gal rush?”

She cringed. This wasn’t the first time she’d heard that and didn’t like it any better now. “If I could have five minutes alone with whoever came up with that name they’d get a good talking-to.”

“You have to admit that the population of Rust Creek has increased with an influx of females.”

“So are you looking for a gal?” Mallory asked him, letting just a hint of sarcasm slip into her tone.

“No, ma’am, I’m not.”

“And why is that?”

“I’ve got my reasons,” he said mysteriously.

Although curious, Mallory wouldn’t ask, but if any of the town’s female newcomers heard him say that, from Sawmill Street clear up to the falls, there would be a line waiting to interrogate him and change his mind. Although she wouldn’t be one of them.

“Turnabout is fair play,” Travis said. “Are you looking for a husband?”

“No, sir, I’m not.”

“Fair enough,” he said, nodding. “So, why did you move here?”

Before she could answer, Mary and her girls returned and handed out drinks. Mallory took the wineglass and made sure her back was to Caleb. That turned out to be problematic because her skin prickled and she felt his gaze on her, no matter how stupid that sounded. Making something out of nothing was a flaw she was working on and now was an excellent time to practice stopping the habit.

But when she chanced a look, she caught him staring at her, and the intense expression on his face stole her breath. In her humble opinion, this was the very definition of mixed signals.

* * *

All through dinner Caleb had watched Travis put the moves on Mallory and he didn’t like it, not even a little bit. He was disturbed by the feeling, because earlier he’d deliberately joined a conversation that didn’t include her, then found himself wanting to hear everything she said to his brother.

Now dinner conversation was winding down and he knew table-clearing was next. When Mallory laughed at something his brother said, Caleb couldn’t take it anymore.

“Travis, you’re on dish detail.”

“I did it last week,” he protested.

“Nope. That was me. You’re up.”

Travis gave him a back-off look. “I don’t want to neglect our guest.”

Caleb didn’t like the sound of that. Age might have its privileges usually, but this time it was every man for himself.

His mother must have sensed something because she stood up. “Let’s stack these dishes and take them to the kitchen. Travis, Anderson, it’s your turn.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The oldest of the three brothers stood and took his sisters’ plates.

“I’ll entertain our guests.” Caleb looked at his brother and dared him to argue. “I’ll give them a tour of the garden.”

“Do I have to go?” Lily was sitting between his sisters. “I’m going to play a game with Lani and Lindsay.”

“Of course you can do that.” Mallory’s voice was quiet, but her expression showed equal parts unease and confusion.

Caleb was confused, too, and didn’t get his own behavior. All he knew was that he didn’t want his brother alone with her. He stood and walked around the table, then put his hands on her chair to slide it back so she could get up. Just in case Travis was planning a play, Caleb put his hand at the small of her back and ushered her out of the dining room. He guided her to the French door in the kitchen and opened it for her to walk outside.

The sun was low in the sky and would soon disappear behind the mountain. A light breeze carried the fragrances of roses and jasmine.

Mallory looked at the brick-trimmed patio and expanse of grass, bushes and flowers outlining the yard. Her gaze settled on the white gazebo in a far corner. “This is really beautiful.”

“Yeah. The folks really like it out here.”

“I want to do this in my yard. For Lily. There hasn’t been time yet since moving. Getting her settled was the priority and it was winter. Then spring arrived, but there was so much going on at work, people picking up the pieces of their lives after the flood.”

“Now we’re facing down another winter,” he said. “But when you’re ready, I can recommend a good landscape contractor.”

“That would be great.” She looked as if his being nice was unexpected.

He probably deserved that. “No problem.”

She walked across the grass to the gazebo and looked longingly at the wooden bench that lined the interior. “Is it all right if I sit?”

“Sure.”

She did and said, “This is so lovely.”

“Yeah.” But he was looking at her face. Instinct had him wanting to sit beside her but he held back, leaned his shoulder against the solid support beam beside her.

“You didn’t know I was coming to dinner, did you?”

That was direct and he liked her for it. No beating around the bush. “I didn’t know.”

“When Ben invited me, he didn’t say that the whole family would be here.”

“If you’d known, would you have come?”

She thought for a moment, then nodded. “Your father never misses a chance to say what a good job I’m doing. He treats his employees and clients with respect, as if they really matter, and understands that real life sometimes has to come first. It would have been rude and ungrateful to turn down his invitation.”

“Are you sorry you came?”

“No.” She met his gaze. “Your family is wonderful and you’re lucky to have them.”

He thought of Travis and thought sometimes not so much. “If you say so.”

“I do.” Her voice was wistful. “I wish I’d had that kind of warmth and closeness growing up.”

Lily called her “aunt,” so she hadn’t been an only child. “But you have a sibling.”

“A sister. Mona left home as soon as she was old enough, so we weren’t that close.” Sadness filled her eyes. “She died almost a year ago. Now I feel guilty for not making more of an effort to stay in touch.”

“Lily is her daughter.” Obviously the little girl was adopted. Obviously now her aunt was her guardian.

“Mona and her husband, Bill, were college professors at NYU. They couldn’t have children, so they adopted Lily from China.”

“Not New York?” That got a small smile, as he’d hoped.

“There, too. I couldn’t believe it when I got the call that her parents were killed in a terrible accident. Hit by a taxi.”

“I’m sorry.” It was automatic, but he meant the words.

“Thank you.” She sighed. “It just occurred to me how odd that is. Thanking someone who feels sorry for you.”

“Not you,” he clarified. “I’m sorry you had to go through something so terrible. I can’t imagine losing one of my sisters or brothers. Even Travis.”

“He’s a teddy bear.”

“More like a pain in the neck. But I’m related to that pain in the neck.” He sat down on the bench beside her, not touching, but close enough to feel the heat from her body, smell the sweet scent of her skin. “I can’t imagine what it’d be like without him.”

“Cherish the closeness.” She rubbed her arms as if suddenly cold. “Now there’s no chance Mona and I can ever be that way.”

“But you’re Lily’s guardian. That has to count for something. You’re the one she trusted with her child.”

“I appreciate you saying that. It helps.”

“So, why didn’t you stay in New York?” He was curious to know everything about her and liked hearing her talk. The voice that was a little honey with a side of gravel scraped over his skin and scratched its way inside.

“For a lot of reasons. It’s expensive and there were sad memories for Lily everywhere.”

“Out of all the places you could’ve come, why Rust Creek?”

The look she gave him was wry. “I admit to reading Lissa Roarke’s blog, but I’m not here to find a man.” The tone was a little emphatic, a lot defensive. “I liked the community spirit. Everyone pulling together after the flood and during rebuilding. Lily lost so much and I thought it was important for her to feel a part of something bigger than just the two of us. Not so alone and maybe a little more secure.”

“She’s pretty lucky to have you.”

Rays from the setting sun brought out the red in her auburn hair and made her sad smile angelic. “That’s nice of you to say.”

“Not nice. Just the truth.”

“Still...”

She looked down and her long, silky hair fell forward, hiding her face. It took every ounce of willpower not to bury his fingers in all that softness and slide it back to see the beautiful curve of her cheek.

“Caleb, I didn’t mean to dump all that on you. Here I am going on and we hardly know each other.”

The devil of it was that the more he found out, the better he wanted to know her. “For what it’s worth, Lily is a great kid. She seems to be really well-adjusted.”

“Guess I must be doing something right.” She shrugged. “Starting with finding a job at your dad’s law firm.”

“Yeah, he’s okay.”

“Trust me. Not every boss would invite an employee home to dinner.” She smiled. “You have an extraordinary family and that’s something Mona and I didn’t have. It’s the model for what I’d like to give Lily.”

“Speaking of her...” Caleb stood abruptly. “We should probably go inside and check on her.”

She blinked up at him, then nodded. “Of course.”

That could have been more smoothly done but he was acting purely on survival instinct. And he was really doing her a favor. He’d enjoyed being with her and wasn’t ready for it to end, but staying wasn’t fair to her. She might not realize it yet, but a husband would be part of the family she wanted for her niece. That was significant and he wasn’t anyone’s idea of a significant other. He was the good-time guy who didn’t do serious.

Not even when a woman was as pretty and tempting as Mallory Franklin.

Chapter Three

“Lily, maybe your book is at home.”

At five-fifteen on Monday Mallory picked her niece up from Country Kids Day Care. After a brutal day at work she was so ready to get home. They were buckled in the car and ready to head in that direction when the little girl had told her about the missing book.

“No, Aunt Mallory. I thought I left it at school, but it wasn’t there. The last time I remember seeing it was at your office.”

“I can look for it tomorrow.” She turned right out of the parking lot and headed north on Pine Street.

“But I want to read after dinner.”

“What about reading something else?”

“I have to finish it before I start another one.”

Of course. Mallory should have thought of that. She took a deep breath and pulled together the tattered edges of her patience. There were so many things she loved about being a single parent, but this wasn’t one of them.

“Okay,” she finally said. “I’ll stop there and we can run inside to take a look around.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sweetie.”

When she stopped for a red light, Mallory glanced in the rearview mirror and the big smile on the little girl’s face tugged at her heart. Getting home required a series of left and right turns, basically a square that would take them to the bridge that crossed Rust Creek. The route took them close to the office and wasn’t that far out of her way. Definitely worth the minor detour to see Lily happy.

When the light changed, Mallory took Pine Street north and made a left onto Sawmill Street. One block down was a two-story wooden building with a western facade. The weathered sign on top said Dalton Law Office in bold black letters. She drove into the small paved parking lot and beside Ben’s car saw a four-door F-150 truck that she recognized. Just yesterday she’d seen it in front of her boss’s house, and since they all worked on the ranch, one of his sons was probably the owner.

Some rogue part of her brain acknowledged which of the Dalton men she was hoping for, but she chalked it up to a completely involuntary reaction.

“Let’s go find your book,” she said to Lily.

They walked into the reception area at the same time Caleb Dalton was coming through the doorway of the back office. Just the Dalton man she’d hoped to see.

“Caleb!” Lily apparently didn’t mind seeing him again, either. “What did you forget?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.” His puzzled gaze lifted to Mallory’s.

“Lily can’t find her book,” she explained. “She thinks she left it here the other night when I worked late.”

“I remember.” He winked at the little girl. “When you filled in for the receptionist.”

Lily nodded. “I’ll go look for it.”

“Try the break room, sweetie. If Jessica found it on her desk, she would probably have put it there, then forgotten to say something to me.”

“Okay. Be right back.” She disappeared through the doorway.

Mallory expected Caleb to politely say Nice to see you and walk out the door. When he didn’t, she felt the awkward silence. Last night she’d told him a lot about herself, which wasn’t like her at all. He’d been understanding. Supportive even. Just when things had been most comfortable, he’d abruptly suggested they go back inside. Probably she’d shared more than she should have. TMI—too much information. Once burned made her hesitant to say anything now.

Except...she’d been working here for six months and had never seen him in the office until three days ago. Coincidence? Probably.

“So what brings you here today?” she finally asked.

“Ranch business.” He nudged his black straw Stetson a little higher on his forehead. “Anderson has a new cattle sale contract. He wanted Dad to look it over before he signs and was too busy to bring it into town. I volunteered to save Dad a trip out to the ranch.”

“I see.” What she saw was that he’d arrived in his father’s office after five, when she was supposed to be gone for the day. There was only one way to interpret that—he was avoiding her.

They looked at each other and she felt the need to say something more but everything that popped into her head sounded stupid. I had a nice time last night at dinner. It was great talking to you. Why did you go out of your way to get me away from Travis, then take off like I was on fire?

Fortunately Lily came back and all of those stupid statements stayed in Mallory’s head. Looking closer, she noticed the little girl was empty-handed.

“I don’t see your book.”

“It’s not here.” She looked up at the tall man beside her. “But at least I got to see Caleb.”

Apparently the wanting-to-see-Caleb condition was turning into a family epidemic.

“You got that wrong, little bit.” He gently tapped her cute button nose. “I got to see you.”

He got points for making Lily smile as if she felt really special. If the moonstruck expression on her face was anything to go by, the little girl was half in love with him. That was okay because Mallory would protect her.

“Okay, ladybug, it’s almost time for dinner. We have to get home.”

“Aunt Mallory, I have a great idea.”

Uh-oh. That could mean anything from Can we get a puppy? to wanting takeout from her favorite place in New York.

“What?” she asked patiently.

“Caleb should come to our house for dinner. You always say we have to return the favor. It’s the nice thing to do, since his mom and dad asked us over last night.”

There was no way to explain the invitations weren’t reciprocal, but surely he could use a diplomatic way out. “It’s really sweet of you to think of that, Lily, but Caleb probably has plans.”

“Do you?” Lily glanced up at him.

The easygoing charm in his eyes disappeared when he looked at Mallory. “No.”

Well, darn. He didn’t take the bait, so she needed to give him another hint. “We’re just having hamburgers. I’d have planned something better for a guest.”

“Do you like hamburgers?” the little girl asked him.

“I can’t tell a lie. It’s one of my favorites.”

Double damn. That left her between a rock and a hard place. It was up to him now. “Would you like to come over for dinner?”

“Please say yes,” Lily begged.

He looked at her. “If it’s okay with your aunt, I’d like that a lot.”

What could she say? “It’s fine with me.”

Mallory was surprised he’d agreed, but had no illusions it had anything to do with her. He probably felt sorry for Lily and that was okay. It wasn’t smart, but she liked him, even more for not disappointing a little girl who’d already experienced more disappointment than any child should ever have to.

* * *

Caleb followed Mallory’s compact car until she turned onto Broomtail Road and pulled into the driveway on the corner, where he parked his truck at the curb in front of the house. It was dark green with white trim and must have been newly painted and renovated because this part of town had been flooded and badly damaged after the storm last summer.

He got out of the truck and walked up the cement path that bisected the grass all the way to the porch and front door. Mallory had unlocked it and Lily must have gone inside.

“So, this is your place.”

“Be it ever so humble... Please come in. Wait—” She stepped in front of him and he bumped into her, automatically taking her arms to steady her.

Also automatic was the instinct to pull her closer, lower his mouth to hers and kiss her until they were both breathless. With an effort, he pushed the thought away. “What?”

“Remember we weren’t planning on company. It’s usually neater than this, so don’t judge.”

“Heaven forbid.” He held up his hands in surrender to her terms. “Trust me, no one ever uses the words Caleb Dalton’s house and neat in the same sentence. You’ll get no judgment from me.”

But he could certainly judge how good she smelled and the softness of her skin, not to mention all the sexy curves that her navy crepe slacks revealed. And the silky blouse tucked into the waistband outlined her breasts in a very interesting way. The devil of it was that he was normally attracted to willowy women and she wasn’t one of them. And that was becoming a problem, because since meeting Mallory Franklin, there’d been nothing normal about his behavior.

Case in point: he was here.

Lily’s voice carried down the hall and got to them just before she did. “I found my book. It was under the bed.”

“I’m so glad.” Mallory set her purse and keys on a table by the door. “Caleb, would you excuse me? I’d like to change before cooking.”

“Sure.” He could use some distance from all the sensual vibes she didn’t even know she was giving off.

“Lily, you entertain Caleb. Offer him something to drink.”

“Okay. I’ll show him around.”

“That’s a great idea.” She disappeared down the hallway to the right, then there was the sound of a door closing.

“So, this is the living room.” Lily pointed to the room across the entryway. “That’s the dining room.”

Caleb sort of figured that, what with the cherrywood table, six matching chairs and a china cabinet. When Lily grabbed his hand to tug him along, there was no choice but to go.

Straight ahead was the family room with sofa and love seat covered in a sturdy green material. A flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall. The adjacent kitchen had white cabinets, black granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances.

“This is the kitchen and family room.”

“I’d never have guessed,” he teased.

“You have to see my room. Aunt Mallory let me pick out the colors and everything.”

He followed her down the hall, and across from the closed door was the girliest space he’d ever seen. Light purple walls, pink comforter and matching canopy and frilly pink lamp. White trim, door and shutters blunted the color, but not by a lot. The shock of all that pink nearly made him forget that just across the hall Mallory was taking her clothes off.

Lily looked up at him. “There’s another room with a computer, but it’s kind of boring. Would you like something to drink?”

“Yes.” He glanced once more at the closed door and knew he needed lots of ice to take his temperature down a couple notches.

He had a glass of iced tea in his hand when Mallory walked into the kitchen. The sexy sight of her barefoot in white shorts and a green tank top nearly blew the top of his head off. Her legs weren’t long, but they were really nice and would wrap just fine around a man’s waist.

He took a long swallow of his drink and waited for the blood to route back to his brain from where it was headed now south of his belt. “Nice place you’ve got here.”

She opened the refrigerator and glanced over her shoulder. “Thanks. After the flood, it was in bad shape and someone walked away, so I got it for a great price. It needed a lot of work, but I could see the potential.”

“My room is the best,” Lily said, sitting in one of the stools on the other side of the island.

“I’m glad you think so, ladybug. Can you set the table for three?”

“Okay.” She slid down from her tall stool.

Mallory set frozen hamburger patties, buns and all the trimmings on the granite-topped island beside where Caleb was standing.

The look she gave him was wry. “She likes pink.”

“I noticed.”

She separated the frozen patties. “It looks like a bottle of Pepto-Bismol exploded in there. I would never tell her that because the room makes her happy.”

“Making her happy is obviously important to you.”

“Her whole world was destroyed and I’m trying my best to put it back together.” She shrugged. “There was money from her parents’ estate and I thought using some for a house was a good investment in their daughter’s future. It’s a solid foundation for rebuilding her life. If lavender walls give her security, then that works for me. If she changes her mind and wants pink next week, I’ll hire painters.”

“That’s quite a commitment. Not just anyone would drop everything for a kid.”

Mallory watched the child put out place mats, plates, utensils and napkins. “She’s given me so much more than I have her. I love her more every day. She comes first.”

He’d figured that. Whoever Mallory let into her life would also be held to that standard. It was a lot of responsibility. Caleb wasn’t that guy and was pretty sure she knew it, but he could be her friend. And Lily’s.

“What can I do to help?” he asked.

She was cutting up tomato, lettuce and onion, arranging the slices on a plate. “Can you light the grill?”

“Hey, it’s me.” He grinned. “Fire good. How do you think we eat on the trail?”

“I’m guessing that has more to do with sticks and a match than propane,” she said wryly. “But if I had to guess, I’d say beef jerky and MREs—meals ready to eat.”

“That’s just crazy talk to trash my reputation. I respectfully request the opportunity to redeem it.”

She looked up, onion in one hand and knife in the other. “Just how will you do that?”

“Put me in charge of cooking the hamburgers. I promise not to let you down.”

“Really? Completely?”

“Yes. Requesting permission to season the patties and be in charge of cheese.”

“Wow.” Amusement brought out the gold flecks in her brown eyes. “You take hamburgers pretty seriously.”

“It’s beef, this is Montana, and I’m a rancher. Enough said.”

“Permission granted. Do I need to salute?”

“Just this once you get a pass.”

She smiled, then pulled a long-handled metal spatula from the drawer and put it on the platter with the patties and cheese. “I’ll make a salad and open a can of beans. The rest is up to you.”

Caleb found the grill on the wooden deck just outside the kitchen’s sliding glass door. After lighting it, he cleaned and prepped the grill.

Lily came outside. “Can I watch?”

“Sure. Just don’t get too close and burn yourself.”

“I won’t.”

He threw the meat on and closed the lid, waiting for the sizzling and smoking to start. In spite of his teasing, very little skill was involved in cooking burgers and Lily kept up a running commentary while he flipped and checked. There was a time when he’d have thought all the chatter would make his ears hurt, but she was sweet and funny and cute as could be.

When the patties were cooked all the way through, he put them on a plate. Lily opened the slider and he brought everything inside, then set it on the table. “Mission accomplished.”

“Smells good. Mmm.” Mallory closed her eyes and drew in a breath. “I’m starving.”

Caleb drew in a breath, too, but for different reasons. The realization hit him like a wrecking ball that he was hungry, too. But it had nothing to do with food and everything to do with thoughts of her that he couldn’t seem to shut down. This was getting more complicated than he’d expected. The dinner invitation had caught him off guard. That was the only explanation for why he’d accepted. On the drive over he’d rationalized that it wouldn’t be a problem. He’d been wrong.

Now he needed to get out as soon as possible. Right after dinner, if possible.

“I think we’re ready. Lily, did you wash your hands?” Mallory looked at the little girl, the mom look Caleb remembered from his own childhood when no rebellion would be tolerated.

“I’ll do it now.” She went to the kitchen sink and stood on tiptoe to do as ordered.

When she was finished they all sat at the table and put the stuff they wanted on their burgers. Caleb wolfed his down, but Mallory and Lily ate at a snail’s pace. That probably had something to do with all the talking. Sharing details about the day. What they were going to do over the weekend.

In his little house not too far from the ranch, mostly he ate dinner by himself. Sometimes there was a woman, but he could truthfully say there were no children. This was new and felt as different as walking on the moon.

Finally the two of them had eaten until stuffed and he was nearly home free. He would wait an appropriate amount of time, then plead an early start to his day tomorrow before taking his leave. It was only polite to help with cleanup, so he and Lily cleared the table while Mallory put away leftovers. Plates and utensils were stacked in the dishwasher and counters cleaned off. He was about to say good-night when Lily clapped her hands.

“I have an idea. We should play a game.” She looked at her aunt. “It’s not bedtime.”

“You’re right. What game did you have in mind?” Mallory asked.

“Caleb, do you like word games? Like Scrabble? Aunt Mallory just taught me to play and it’s my favorite!”

He’d been told he was pretty good with words, but that had to do with charming the ladies, not keeping score and tallying up the numbers on tiles. The thing was, if he said no, she would come up with something else. Best to tell the truth, then follow that quickly with how disappointed he was that he couldn’t stay.

“I do like word games,” he said, “but—”

“Me, too.” Sheer joy and excitement glowed on Lily’s face. “I’ll go get the game.”

After she raced out of the room, Mallory met his gaze. “Seriously, Caleb, you don’t have to play.”

There was something in her eyes, an expression that said she expected him to go, was ready for him to let them down.

It was the damnedest thing, but now he just couldn’t do it. “That’s okay. I’d really like to stay if that’s all right.”

The corners of her mouth slowly curved upward into a smile. “She’d really like it if you did.”

An hour and a half later, Caleb shook his head after losing badly. “Lily, I think you cheat.”

“No.” But there was mischief in her eyes.

“You make words up,” he accused.

“Maybe,” Mallory said smiling sweetly, “you’re better at grilling burgers than Scrabble.”

“You’re probably right.” He stood and headed for the front door. “I really need to get going. Work starts early on a ranch.”

“Could I help sometime?” Lily begged.

“That’s a conversation for another day,” her aunt interjected. “It’s time to get ready for bed. Say good-night to Caleb and get started, ladybug.”

“Okay.” She threw her arms around him in a hug, then looked up. “Good night. Thanks for coming to dinner.”

“Thanks for having me.”

After the little girl headed down the hall, Mallory opened the door and leaned against it. “That meant a lot to her, Caleb. It was nice of you.”

“I had a great time. In spite of the fact that your niece cheats.”

“Competitive and ruthless.” She laughed. “It was very sweet of you to humor her. Thanks, Caleb. Good night.”

“’Night.” He put his hat on, then stepped out onto the porch.

The door closed behind him and he had the strangest feeling. He’d been antsy to get going and now that he had it felt like being out in the cold. In the end he’d really enjoyed himself, except the part where he kept thinking about Mallory without her clothes on.

That was damned inconvenient.

* * *

Every other Friday after work, Mallory took Lily to Bee’s Beauty Parlor for a pedicure—special girl time. Sally Cameron, the operator who always did their toes, was somewhere in her twenties, a pretty brunette with big green eyes. She always knew the latest Rust Creek Falls gossip about what couple just broke up and who was going out with who. Although Mallory had told her sad story about getting dumped two years before, Sally never quite believed she wasn’t interested in dating.

She and Lily were lounging side by side in the big chairs, dangling their feet in warm, swirling water. Sitting on a low stool, Sally leaned over Lily’s foot. Apparently the signal for spilling news was when she lifted the little girl’s foot out of the water and started to remove the old polish.

“So what’s new with you, cutie?”

“I get to ride a horse,” she announced proudly.

“That’s not for sure,” Mallory reminded her.

“Almost for sure.” There was no raining on this child’s parade. “Travis said I could and he owns the ranch.”

“Travis Dalton?” Sally asked.

“Yes,” Lily said eagerly. “Aunt Mallory works for his dad and he invited us to dinner. We met everyone. Mary, his wife, and Lani and Lindsay and Anderson. He’s the oldest and always looks like this.” She sat up straight and folded her arms over her chest, then put on a very serious face.

Mallory laughed. “He’s awfully good-looking but does come across a little stern. I suppose it comes with the territory—being the oldest, responsible and in charge of ranch operations.”

“Think about it.” Sally was using nail clippers and didn’t look up. “He’s not only got to ride herd on horses, cattle and other ranch employees, but also Travis and Caleb.” She looked up for a moment. “Don’t get me wrong. Those two are really good at their jobs, but younger brothers are always going to challenge your authority. They look for any weakness, then take advantage.”

To get comfortable, Lily shifted in the big leather chair. “I met Caleb first at where Aunt Mallory works.”

Mallory was still trying to forget what her niece had said to him that day. “He was there to take his father out for a beer.”

“Then,” Lily went on, “at his dad’s house I met Travis.”

Sally was using the file to smooth rough edges. “He’s my personal favorite. What with all the women flocking here to Rust Creek, I keep waiting to hear someone has snatched him up. A shotgun wedding wouldn’t be a surprise. Or an elopement. So far, nothing.”

“He’s really nice,” Lily agreed. “But I’m not sure who I like best. Travis talked to Aunt Mallory a lot and then Caleb looked kind of mad. He took her outside to see Mr. and Mrs. Dalton’s backyard.”

“Really?” Sally looked up, the prospect of interesting gossip glittering in her eyes. “Alone?”

“We just talked.”

“About?”

“This and that.” Mallory had no intention of fueling the fire. The man was her boss’s son and there had to be boundaries. But he sure was easy on the eyes and comfortable to talk to.

“The next day,” Lily continued, “he came over to dinner at our house.”

“Oh?” Sally opened the bottle of cotton-candy polish, the bright pink shade the little girl loved. She started painting her toes. “How did that happen?”

“We saw him at the office again and I invited him.”

“Do you think it’s odd that you’ve been in town for six months and had never met him, then suddenly he’s there all the time?”

Mallory had thought about it but couldn’t come up with an explanation. “Just coincidence, I’m sure.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Sally glanced up. “Hey, did you see the flyer up front advertising a lecture by Winona Cobbs?”

“Who’s she?” Lily asked.

“A character, that’s for sure.” She laughed. “No one really has any idea how old she is, but my guess is somewhere in her nineties. And she knows things.”

“What things?” Lily’s eyes widened.

“Just things no one can explain. She says she’s psychic and that’s what the lecture is about. Everyone in town is going. You should come.”

“I’ll think about it.” Mallory was glad the other woman had changed the subject to something other than Caleb.

“So Caleb accepted your invitation to dinner.”

Somehow Mallory managed to hold in the groan. To react in any way was, in itself, fodder for town talk, so she remained neutral. “The poor man was trapped. He couldn’t say no.”

“Oh, he could have.” There was a knowing look in Sally’s eyes. “Trust me.”

“He cooked hamburgers and played a game with us after dinner,” Lily cut in.

“Sounds like he got pretty comfortable.” Sally finished putting the clear top coat on the little girl’s toes. She helped her get out of the chair without nicking the still-wet polish and said, “You know the drill, sweetie. Go to the station up front and stick your feet under the light. Let those little piggies dry.”

“I will. Thanks, Sally.”

“You’re welcome.” She pulled a clean set of pedicure tools from the little table beside her, then lifted Mallory’s left foot from the swirling water. “Now that little ears are occupied, I’m going to give you some advice.”

“Is it included in the cost of the pedicure?” Mallory was trying to lighten the mood.

“Just remember it’s worth what you paid for it. Also that I care about you.”

“This sounds serious.”

“It is.” She lifted her gaze. “Caleb Dalton is a notorious charmer who’s too good-looking for any woman’s peace of mind.”

Mallory decided not to admit that she’d fallen into the typical category where he was concerned. In her humble and objective opinion, he was both charming and way above average in the looks department.

“The thing is,” Sally went on, “he’s never stuck to one woman for any length of time. It’s always superficial and then he moves on. No one can figure out how, but his exes are all still friends.”

“I’m not sure whether you’re warning me or singing his praises.”

“Both,” Sally admitted. “He doesn’t feel the need to be with one woman when he can have them all.”

“I see.” She watched as the woman shaped her nails, then trimmed the cuticles. She needed to respond to the statement, but waited until she was sure her voice would be normal, nothing to give her away. Because the truth was that when Caleb was around, she smiled more, glowed just a little and felt a flutter in her heart that took the edge off monotony in life.

“I appreciate the warning, Sally, but I’m not looking for anyone. It’s been pointed out that I got to Rust Creek at the peak of the gal rush, but it wasn’t about finding a man.”

“Okay.” The other woman buffed her toenails. “What with you being a newcomer, I just thought you should know.”

Mallory smiled, then held still for the polish. When that step was finished, she swung her legs to the side so as not to smudge her freshly painted toes. After handing over her credit card to pay for the pedicures, she joined Lily at the nail-drying station. There was a clear plastic holder with the flyers Sally had mentioned. In bold letters at the top it said Embracing Your Inner Psychic.

She took one of the papers that had all the information and put it in her purse. Although she didn’t believe that anyone could see the future, if the whole town was going, she would, too. That was what you did when trying to belong.

And wouldn’t it be nice to know what was yet to happen? Mallory thought as an uninvited image of Caleb’s roguish grin popped into her mind.

Maybe sometime in the near future that foolishness would stop. She really hoped so.

Chapter Four

In church on Sunday, Mallory and Lily listened to Pastor Alderson finish his sermon and make announcements. The last one was about the pancake breakfast fund-raiser being held directly after services.

“Some of our neighbors still need assistance to rebuild homes and businesses damaged by last year’s flood,” the pastor said. “We need to open our hearts and give as generously as possible to get folks who are still struggling back on their feet. See you there.”

Everyone in the packed community church stood and filed out the back door.

“Can we go to the breakfast?” Lily asked. “I like pancakes.”

“Of course we can.” Mallory gently squeezed the small hand tucked into hers, then held on tight as they were swept along with the crowd.

They slowly moved to the multiuse room where the fund-raiser was being held. At the door was a table where volunteers were taking money and handing out tickets.

“Hello, Mallory.” Thelma McGee, an older woman who had taken in many people displaced by the disaster, waved them over. Beside her was a metal cash box for the money collected. Her son, Hunter, had been the former mayor of Rust Creek Falls and the only casualty of the flood. A tree had fallen on his car, and the speculation was that it startled him into a massive heart attack, killing him instantly.

It had been a year since the tragedy, but sadness still clouded the woman’s eyes. Mallory couldn’t imagine losing a child and squeezed her niece’s hand again. “It’s nice to see you, Thelma.”

“You, too.” Thelma smiled at Lily. “And you just get cuter every time I see you, young lady.”

“Thank you.” Lily smiled shyly. “We’re here for breakfast.”

“And I’m here to take your money,” the older woman said.

Mallory paid the asking price and received two tickets. She hadn’t been here during the disaster, but this was her town now and help it she would. She handed over a twenty-dollar bill. “Just to help a little more.”

“That’s very generous, dear.”

“It’s the least I can do. I wish it could be more.”

“Everything helps,” Thelma said. “Go on in now and enjoy.”

“Thanks, we will.”

The room was big and square, with a stage at one end. She’d heard that during the crisis, cots were set up in here so that people who couldn’t get into their homes until the water receded would have a warm, dry place to stay. Today the space was filled with long tables and folding metal chairs. On the other side of the room was an area set up buffet-style for food and keeping it warm as everyone filed by and helped themselves.

“Let’s find a place to sit before we get plates,” Mallory suggested.

“Maybe Amelia and her mom are here.” Lily looked around, then smiled and pointed to a table. “There’s Caleb. We can go sit with him.”

Bad idea. The thought was followed quickly by surprise that he’d attended church even though he’d told her he sometimes did. She was being uncharitable, which showed how much good the church service had done her. Liking women and having them return the favor didn’t qualify as cause to think the worst of him.

No matter how much she wanted to paint him as a one-dimensional playboy, he always seemed to say or do something that added evidence to support the fact that he had many more layers than she wanted to give him credit for. It also seemed that in the few times she’d been exposed to him, his charm had worked its magic on her, just like it did on other women.

Before she could come up with an alternate seating arrangement, Lily had taken off in Caleb’s direction and Mallory had no choice but to follow.

She stopped behind the little girl, who was standing at his elbow. “Hi, Caleb.”

“Hey there.” He stood up politely. His hair was neatly combed and the cowboy hat was nowhere in sight. He smiled at Mallory. “I figured you wouldn’t be far behind.”

Although his expression was friendly enough, she tried to read deeper, determine whether or not he was glad to see her. She wished it wasn’t so, but she was glad to see him.

“Lily is awfully quick. She’s tough to keep up with sometimes.”

“Can we sit with you?” the little girl asked.

Mallory should be getting used to Lily’s direct, unfiltered comments and questions. Mostly she was except when it came to Caleb. “Lily, he might be saving those seats.”

He shrugged. “Travis and Anderson are around here somewhere, but they can find their own seats.”

“Cool.” Lily took the seat beside his. “You snooze, you lose.”

“I couldn’t have said it better.” He laughed. “How are you, Mallory?”

“Fine.” She was normally fast, funny and pretty good with words. It was kind of a requirement for her job. But being around Caleb stole her wit and sucked the volume out of her vocabulary. “You?”

“Never better.” He indicated the chair next to Lily. “Why don’t you have a seat? If you let me have your tickets, I’ll get your plates.”

The chivalrous offer made it impossible to keep the stutter out of her heartbeat. “Oh, that’s not necessary. I don’t want to trouble you.”

“No trouble.”

“I’ll go, too, Caleb. I can show you what Aunt Mallory likes best.”

“Good idea.” He held out his hand and Lily took it.

“All right, then. Thanks.”

Mallory watched the two of them walk over to the food, Caleb’s big hand holding the little one. He took three plates and handed one to the little girl. At Lily’s direction, he spooned scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon and finally pancakes with syrup onto each of the two plates, then supervised Lily. When she had everything, her niece carefully carried her plate back to the table while he brought the other two.

“Here you go.” He set it in front of her. “I’ll go grab silverware and napkins.”

While she waited, Lily took a bite of her bacon strip. “This is good.”

The food maybe, not so much the situation. It seemed as if every time she turned around Caleb was there and he was nice. Nice made her nervous because it could lead to feelings she didn’t want. Nice could be dangerous, but at least Lily was between them.

“Here you go, ladies.” He handed out forks and knives, then sat down.

“I’m kind of surprised to see you here,” she said to him.

“What? You thought I was a heathen?”

“No. But you said on a ranch there are always chores to do, even on Sunday.” Mallory took a bite of the eggs. “And sometimes you can’t attend.”

“There are things that have to be done every day, but others can be put off to give us free time for the important things. This fund-raiser is important enough for a cowboy to take a break.”

Lily looked up at him. “Why do they call you a cowboy when you’re a man?”

“Good question.” He thought for a moment. “It’s a name that’s been around over a hundred years for men who herd cows.”

“What else do you do?” Lily cut off a piece of pancake and stuffed it into her mouth.

“Take care of horses.” He finished chewing. “We get up early to do that.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re hungry. And then we muck out the stalls,” he explained.

“What’s a stall? And how do you muck it?” the little girl asked.

“Well,” he said thoughtfully, “every horse has a space in the barn separated by a sort of fence and it’s covered with hay to make it soft and cozy. The hay gets dirty and we have to shovel it out, to clean up after them.”

“How does it get dirty?”

Mallory grinned at him. “I can’t wait to hear the answer to that, too.”

“You’re enjoying this way too much.” But his blue eyes twinkled with amusement. He said to Lily, “Do you know what horse droppings are?”

She thought for a second, then said, “Poop.”

“That’s right.”

The little girl wrinkled her nose. “In the Fourth of July parade one of the horses did it. Amelia’s mom told us what it was and that it was all natural, but we just went ‘ew.’ Doesn’t it gross you out?”

He laughed. “No. I’m used to it.”

“I bet it stinks,” she persisted.

“Maybe if you’re a city slicker.” He scooped up the last of his eggs, then chewed and swallowed.

“What’s a city slicker?” Lily wanted to know.

Mallory met his gaze. “Surely you were ready for that one.”

“Yeah.” He looked at the little girl. “It’s someone who’s never been around cows and horses before.”

“Like me,” she said.

“Yeah.”

While finishing her breakfast, Mallory listened to them talk. Lily asked questions that ran the gamut from What do horses eat? to Does your butt get sore when you ride a horse? To Caleb’s credit, he answered every single one and his level of patience was impressive. Not once did he look the least bit annoyed. It was enough to make even the most guarded heart go all soft and gooey—and Mallory’s heart was pretty guarded. Or at least, it had been up until then...

“You should bring her out to the ranch,” he said.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I want to ride a horse, Auntie Mal.” Lily’s little face was full of eager and earnest anticipation.

Mallory’s attention apparently slipped when her heart went all mushy for a minute. “We’ll see.”

“That’s what you always say when you don’t want me to do something. You think I’ll forget, but I promise I won’t. Since we moved here I’ve been wanting to see the horses but you’re always too busy.”

“That’s to be expected,” Caleb said quietly. “Your aunt works and takes care of you, Lily. That doesn’t leave a lot of time left over.”

“I know. It’s just—” She looked up. “Sorry, Aunt Mallory.”

“It’s okay, ladybug.” Mallory gave her a quick hug. “Obviously this means a lot to you, so we’ll just have to find the time to make it happen.”

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