Rough, Raw, and Ready (Rough Riders #5)(55)

“Good. Bring it. Serves you both right. Thinkin’ you can tease me any time you want and I can’t turn the tables even once? Besides, we’ve planned too much running around today to be screwin’ around so we’ll save my ‘consequences’ for after supper.”


Edgard’s response was silk encased in steel. “Wrong. You no longer get to make those decisions.”


“Like I ever did.”


A deep voice said, “Chassie?”


Three sets of eyes zoomed to the edge of the booth. A man dressed in a black Carhartt coat held a baby girl wearing a bright pink cap and a tiny purple coat trimmed with pink fur.

“Kade!” Chassie hopped up and hugged him, then cooed, “And Princess Eliza.

Lookit you, girlie, you’re gettin’ so big.” Chassie pointed to the open booth space beside Edgard. “Can you join us?”


“Just for a minute.” Kade sat. Immediately Eliza clenched both hands in the newspaper and jerked it toward her as she squealed with glee. Kade distracted her by yanking off her hat and shoving the crumpled paper back at Chassie. “Watch out for Little Miss Grabby Hands.”


“Gotcha.” Cups, silverware and napkins were relocated against the back wall.

Kade seemed to notice the others at the table. “Shit—I mean shoot, Trevor, didn’t see you there. How you doin’?”


“Good. I don’t hafta ask how you’re doin’, seein’ the smile on your face is a mile wide whenever you look at this sweet thing.”


Eliza whapped Kade in the face with the tassel on her hat. He patiently lowered the furry pink cap. “True. I’ve never been better.” Kade’s gaze zeroed in on Edgard.

“This is my old ropin’ partner, Edgard.”


Kade gave Edgard a quick nod. “Nice to meetcha. I’m Kade McKay. Forgive me if I don’t shake your hand, I don’t have enough hands these days.”


“Not a problem,” Edgard said, smiling at Eliza, who’d whipped the hat in his direction, batting her long eyelashes at him with a soft goo. “She’s beautiful. How old is she?”


“She’s nine months and luckily she takes after her mama in the looks department.”


Trevor bit back a laugh. He’d been around the McKay family his whole life and that little doll was all McKay.

“Where you from?” Kade asked.

“Brazil.”


“That’s quite a trek. What’re you doin’ here?”


“Catching up, goofing off. Visiting old rodeo pals. Trevor and I team roped on the M&P circuit. I went back to my ranch right after Colby’s accident in Cheyenne and figured out me’n Trev weren’t going anywhere.” Edgard added hastily, “I meant, not making any progress in the standings. Been a few years since I’d hit the States and since I had downtime I thought I’d do a little sightseeing.”


“That’s where I recognized your name, you traveled with Colby. So you must’ve known Dag while you were on the circuit?”


Edgard nodded. “I roped with him once or twice. Sad situation.”


“Yeah, but it’s worked out in some ways.” He looked from Trevor to Chassie. “So, when you two gonna add to the family cradle rolls?”


“Not for a while. Is she walkin’ yet?” Chassie asked, changing the subject.

Kade shuddered. “No, thank God. Although, she crawls as fast as a June bug and she’s hard enough to keep track of.”


Eliza bounced on his leg. “Dah! Dah, dah, dah!”


“Whatcha need, sugar?” Kade kissed the top of Eliza’s dark head and slid the hat back to her. “This?”


Happy gurgling baby sounds followed.

Despite Chassie’s deflection about the baby comment, Trevor noticed Chassie’s expression soften at seeing her cousin so enamored with his child.

“I haven’t seen you in Sundance for ages. You’re still livin’ outside of Moorcroft, right?”


“Yep. Normally I’m on the ranch this time of day, but we’re Mama’s errand runners this mornin’ so we hadta come inta town. Droppin’ off stuff at the store next door for Aunt Indy before we head back home, ain’t we, baby girl?”


“Mamamamamamamama!”


“We’re seein’ your mama soon.” Kade smiled at his daughter’s outburst and smooched Eliza’s forehead again.

A surge of jealousy hit Trevor at Kade’s casual, easy affection with Eliza. He wanted a baby—boy, girl, didn’t matter. He wanted to see that soft, sweet expression on Chassie’s face as she looked upon their child.

“So Skylar isn’t with you?”


“No. Sky’s slavin’ at the factory, gearin’ up for the launch of the herbal ointment line. She’ll be sorry she missed seein’ you, Chass. So you’d better fill me in on what you’ve been up to lately, ’cause you know she’s gonna grill me.”


“Not much. Workin’. More workin’. What about you? Besides hangin’ out with two gorgeous girls day and night?”


“’Bout the same. Hit a slow patch.” He caught the hat before Eliza flung it off the table. She shrieked her displeasure.