Page 80 of A Rancher's Heart

Chapter Eighteen

Caleb paused before stepping outside, the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree drawing him forward as surely as they had when he’d been a little tyke.

He stood in the silence, the living room filled with a candlelight glow from another line of lights crossing the mantle. Shiny silver ribbon twinkled, and he glanced back toward the tree.

A third look—he wasn’t sure how he’d spotted them because even though they were noticeable, they weren’tthatbig.

There were new ornaments hanging on the tree. Right there at little girl height where Sasha and Emma would be sure to see them. Silver ribbon in tight, precise bows that declared Tamara’s handiwork as loudly as if she’d signed her name.

He didn’t know how the hell she’d done it, but she had. In the time between their soul-stealing-kiss-filled evening and this morning, Tamara had found baby pictures and made new ornaments with their names in block letters, stars and stripes and glitter and all the shimmering doodads a little girl could possibly want. It didn’t matter that they were babies, and barely recognizable from any other newborn, it was clearthisone was Emma,thisone was Sasha. Pinks and purples, blues and silver.

Caleb felt his throat tighten again.

He wandered in a bit of a haze as he did his chores, the familiar feel of the animals bumping shoulders with him as he added feed to their pails a nice, mindless task.

The whirlwind of emotions in his gut was far too big to think on straight. He had to kind of come at it sideways. Maybe sneak up on it.

He’d told Tamara last night that they couldn’t get involved. And that was true—and an affair was out of the question because the last thing he needed was the girls falling in love with Tamara and her breaking their hearts.

Your heart couldn’t take it too well either,his brain pointed out.

But what if she was to be more? What if she was willing to become a permanent mom to the girls?

What if he was ready to risk his heart?

He patted Stormy on the side of the neck. “What’d you think?”

Stormy dipped his head and blew a snort of air.

Caleb smiled. “Yeah. Me too.”

“I thought that was Josiah’s job, talking with the animals,” Walker drawled, resting his arms on top of the gate. “But I guess as long as he doesn’t talk back, I won’t get too worried.”

Caleb glanced at his brother. “Don’t you have work to do?”

Walker shook his head. “It’s Christmas morning, bro. Just the normal tasks, and I’m nearly done. I promised Tamara I’d come to the house and help with cooking dinner.”

“Don’t bother. I’ll help her.”

Walker stepped aside as Caleb brushed past him, returning buckets to the shelf where they were stored.

“Do you know?” Walker asked out of the blue.

Caleb twisted. “Know what?”

A little of Walker’s belligerence faded. “Youdoknow. That’s why you’re such a miserable son of a bitch these days.”

Caleb debated telling his brother to mind his own business. God, his brothers were like the old, crusty ranchers hanging out on the front porch of the mercantile, i.e., the worst type of gossips. “Why’d you come home?”

Walker blinked in surprise. “Oh, no you don’t. This isn’t about me—”

“Why isn’t it? Didn’t expect to see you until a few days before the holiday, if then, and for you to be back out the first minute you could. Instead, I heard you might be sticking around until the spring.” Caleb eyed Walker closer. “What happened?”

Walker folded his arms as he leaned against the rough wood slats of the barn. “You’ve never got much to say except when you decide it’s time to grill one of us. I figure that’s kind of special. You know, that you break out the words, and all.”

Caleb waited.

“You’re such a bastard,” Walker complained.