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known it had something to do with the ranch.
 Tell you what, Laredo straightened away from the counter and took Jessy s
arm, drawing her away from the sink,  why don t you let Cat wash these few
glasses and walk me to my pickup?
 You don t have to leave right now, do you? Jessy said in mild protest.
 It s a long drive to the Boar s Nest, he reminded her referring to the old
line shack that he had converted to a snug cabin years ago.
 Go on, Jessy, Cat urged.  You two rarely have the chance to spend any time
together. Don t waste it when you do.
Advice from a woman who had recently lost her own husband was too wise to
ignore. Jessy smiled her thanks and walked with Laredo out the back door.
Night and its shadows enveloped them as they descended the steps, arms
brushing. There was an invigorating coolness to the air that sharpened the
senses. When Laredo hooked an arm around her shoulders at the bottom of the
steps, Jessy automatically slid hers around the back of his waist.
 How does it feel knowing that soon both your children will be married? His
eyes were warm and curious in their study of her.
 It s the way of things. A small shrugging motion accompanied her statement.
 Children grow up, get married, and make a life for themselves. I m just glad
Trey won t be moving away.
 Something tells me it won t be long before there ll be little ones running
around here calling you Grandma. The chrome bumper on his truck gleamed
silver in the moonlight.
 Probably. She smiled at the thought.  I think Sloan will make a good mother.
She seems to be a caring person, intelligent and level-headed.
 Want a bet Trey isn t counting up her good qualities? He probably couldn t
even name them without giving it some thought first. He just knows he loves
her. And when you get right down to it, that s all that matters.
 I know. Jessy noticed with regret that they had arrived at the pickup s
door.  You know there s really no reason you have to live at the Boar s Nest.
The Atkins house has been sitting empty since Ruth died. You could move
there.
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 I suppose I could. Laredo made a lazy turn to face her, his arms forming a
loose circle around her.  It s for sure it would be within walking distance of
The Homestead. But there s too many neighbors living too close, whereas the
Boar s Nest gives me privacy, and I like that, especially when a certain
someone pays me a call, he added with a wink.
Tipping her head back, she laughed softly in her throat.  Everyone on this
ranch knows we re seeing each other. They have for years.
 I don t care that they know. I just don t want their imagination working
overtime just because they live next door. Me loving you might not be a
secret, but I m damned sure going to see that it stays private.
 You have a point there, Jessy conceded.  Right now they spend most of their
time trying to figure out why you haven t made an honest woman out of me. I
understand there s been some wild speculation about that.
 Let them wonder all they want just as long as you don t. This time there was
no smile, just an earnest need to know that she understood.
 I don t. Long ago Jessy had learned to embrace the good things life gave her
and never cry because there wasn t more.
From the very beginning, she had known Laredo would never marry her. His
reason lay somewhere in his past. What it was, she had never asked, although
she suspected Chase knew, and possibly Cat s husband, Logan, had learned of
it, too. Whatever it was, it hadn t mattered to them, and it didn t matter to
her.
 So what are the chances of you spending Saturday night at my little hideaway
in the hills? Laredo wanted to know.  It would do you good to get away from
the phones and the pressure, and just be a woman.
 Sounds good. But Jessy knew it would depend on whether she decided to move
the cattle off the Broken Butte range. But she didn t say that. She was too
busy enjoying the very thorough and satisfying kiss Laredo gave her with a
promise of more to come.
Chapter Ten
P alm trees towered over the beach house, their fronds dipping and swaying
with the strong breeze that came off the ocean. The taxi followed the curving
driveway to the front door and stopped there. The driver, of Polynesian
descent and dressed in a colorful Hawaiian shirt, immediately hopped out of
the cab and opened the rear passenger door for Sloan.
Smiling her thanks, Sloan hooked the strap of the leather case over her
shoulder and stepped out of the vehicle, too weary from the long flight and
time change to notice the tropical warmth and the air s fresh tang. The strap
slipped slightly when she stood up. As she reached to adjust it, the
single-carat diamond on her ring finger flashed in the sunlight. There was a
newness to the weight of it and to the heady joy she felt. Some of the
tiredness fell away at the remembrance of them.
The driver retrieved her bag from the trunk of the taxi and carried it to the
front door. Sloan followed and handed him the fare along with a sizable tip.
 Mahalo, he said, using the Hawaiian word for thank you.
 Mahalo, Sloan echoed.
Stepping to the door, she took out her house key and inserted it in the lock.
As she pushed the door open, she was greeted by the ring of the telephone. She
ignored it long enough to set her bag inside and lock the door behind her,
then hurried to pick up the living room extension.
Using both hands, she carried the receiver to her ear, the anticipation of
hearing Trey s voice bringing a smile to her lips.  Hello.
But the male voice on the other end of the line didn t belong to Trey.  Sloan.
This is a surprise. I expected to talk to that answering machine of yours.
The hint of a drawl mixed with the gruffness was instantly familiar to Sloan.
 Uncle Max. You are lucky. I just this minute walked in.
 I figured it was something like that.
 What do you need? Sloan asked, unable to remember a time when her former
guardian had ever phoned merely to chat.
 It s time to update the proxy you gave me for your stock. A new form s in the
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mail. You just need to sign it and send it back, but remember to have a notary
witness your signature. That s assuming, of course, that you still want me to
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