Saddle Up(78)

“Crap! They’re here.” Miranda jerked back with a curse. “Do you think they saw us?”

“I think they’d be blind if they didn’t. Busted twice?” He chuckled. “We’re not very good at covert ops.”

She scowled back at him. “This isn’t anything to make light of, Keith. Things are about to get damned awkward.”

When the vehicle came to a stop, Miranda marshaled a smile and sallied forward. Keith followed, hanging back a few steps as Miranda greeted the new arrivals. “Aunt Judith! Uncle Robert! How great to see you.”

The couple who climbed out of the truck greeted her with less enthusiasm. Her aunt was a fairly attractive woman in her forties, with the same red-gold hair as Miranda’s, but cropped short to her chin. Her uncle was a trim middle-aged man with a bored air. Miranda’s aunt Judith stepped forward with an air kiss to her niece’s cheek. “Miranda. What a surprise to find you here.”

“What brought you out to the ranch?” her uncle inquired. “Last we knew you were studying cinematography out in California.”

“I was,” Miranda replied, “but I graduated almost two years ago.”

“No job prospects out in Hollyweird?” he asked with a hint of a smirk.

Keith could almost see Miranda bristle. “I had a job with a well-known production company, but I left it to work on an independent film project.”

“Oh?” His brows arched. “What kind of project would bring you all the way to Montana?”

“It’s a documentary about mustangs,” she said. “I filmed the first part of it in Nevada and plan to finish it out here.”

“You’ll have to tell us all about it later,” Judith said. “Right now I need to get out of the cold. My thin Arizona blood can’t take these temperatures anymore. We’ll need help with the bags. Where’s Marvin?”

“I sacked Marvin months ago. I thought I told you that,” Jo-Jo said.

“Maybe you did.” Judith gave an impatient wave. “You know I don’t keep track of those kinds of things.” For the first time she looked to Keith. “Could you please get our bags?”

“Keith isn’t an employee,” Jo-Jo quickly interjected.

“Oh?” Judith arched a brow and gave him a critical once-over.

Jo-Jo turned to him with an apologetic smile. “Keith, this is my daughter, Judith, and—”

“Dr. Pearson,” Miranda’s uncle interjected before Jo-Jo could complete the introduction.

The guy really was a self-important ass. It seemed that Judith and Robert were a matched pair. Keith tipped his hat and stepped forward, hand extended to make his own introduction. “Good to meet you both. I’m Keith Russo.” Darting a look at Miranda, he added, “Your niece’s fiancé.”

Miranda’s eyes widened and jaw went slack. He didn’t know what devil had suddenly taken charge of his tongue, but it was done now and not to be taken back.

“Fiancé?” Judith repeated. “No one said anything about an engagement.” She turned to Jo-Jo. “Mama, why didn’t you tell me? I would have at least brought a gift.”

Jo-Jo looked baffled. “I didn’t know myself.” Her gaze flickered from Keith to Miranda and back again. “When did you two decide this?”

“Only yesterday,” Keith answered smoothly. “We’d planned to keep it a secret until after I picked up the ring.”

“Yes. It had to be sized,” Miranda blurted. She held up her left hand, following his lead. “See, I have really skinny little fingers.”

“This is rather abrupt, isn’t it?” Judith remarked, eyeing Miranda up and down. “Or perhaps you have a pressing reason?”

“What do you mean?” Miranda asked.

“With the way this came out of the blue, I thought maybe…” Judith gave a blithe shrug. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of… It happens all the time these days.”

“What happens all the time?” Miranda asked.

Keith stifled a chuckle. “I think she’s wondering when we expect little Keith to arrive.”

Miranda’s face suffused with color. “I’m not pregnant, Aunt Judith,” she replied through her teeth.

“How terribly awkward,” Judith remarked.

“I suppose congratulations are in order,” Robert said, offering Keith his hand with a supercilious smile. “When is the big day?”

Miranda flashed Keith a warning look.

“We haven’t discussed a date yet,” he answered.

“We’ll look forward to hearing the whole story once we get settled.” Judith looked to her husband. “Won’t we, Rob?”

“Absolutely,” Robert agreed, wooden faced.

Judith frowned. “Now then, what are we going to do about the luggage? Rob can’t lift anything since he threw his back out playing golf.”

“I’ll get it,” Keith volunteered.

“We will,” Miranda corrected. “Got the remote thingy for the back, Jo-Jo?”

“Sure thing.” One click opened the tailgate. Judith and Robert each grabbed a small bag and then headed for the house, leaving four more for Keith and Miranda to haul.