Page 20

She passed the plate to Rafael, who didn’t hesitate and grabbed several, which he cradled in his hand. “One? I could eat them all.”

Devlin laughed, wondering how Rafael could eat so much and still remain thin. “I’ll be making regular rounds, like Marshal Kimble did.”

“That’s good to know,” Antonio said. “We haven’t had any problems out here. No stolen cattle or horses. Esteban’s reputation is well known.”

“Yes, I heard.”

“ Banditos would be foolhardy to set foot on Montana del Trueno.” Antonio gestured to those around the table. “None of us would hesitate to protect this place or each other.” He turned to Hilde. “And she may not look like it, but my wife here can wield a cast-iron skillet with the best of them.”

“Oh stop!” She blushed to the tips of her ears. “I haven’t hit anyone in a long time.” She laid her hand on his arm. “I’m sure my aim is off now. But I still wouldn’t test it if I were you.”

“No, ma’am.” Antonio laughed.

Devlin laughed as well. There was so much love around this table. It was there in the way these couples looked at each other, teased each other. There was respect, too.

“You ready to meet my family?” Rafael asked, breaking into his thoughts as he finished his coffee and rose from his seat.

He was enjoying the company of these people, but he stood. “Of course.”

“Come back any time, Marshal.” Tia Evie grasped his hand as she rose and patted it. “And give Tresia my best.”

“Will do, ma’am.” He picked up his hat from the spindle of the chair and glanced around those sitting at the table. “It was a pleasure meeting all of you.”

Devlin followed as Rafael led the way out of the garden toward a gate near the corner of the house. Once outside by their horses, he said, “I like them.”

“I knew you would. I’ve known Tia Evie most of my life.

She and my mother are very close—closer than most sisters.

I spent a lot of time here when I was younger, which is why I call them my second family.

My wife, Ventura, loves them as much as I do.

” He untied his horse’s reins from the post. “Someday, I’ll tell you how Tia Evie and Jake met. You might find it interesting.”

“Interesting? Why?”

Rafael laughed. “Jake is a mail-order husband. Lucy arranged it.”

Devlin stopped in his tracks, surprised. “A mail-order husband?” He turned though he couldn’t see the patio from where he stood then shook his head. “Seems like it worked out all right.”

“It did.” He mounted up, seemingly anxious to be off, and spurred his horse down the dirt road with Devlin at his side.

It wasn’t a long ride to Hacienda Zepeda.

Again, Devlin was impressed with the house at the ranch and thought Rafael was lucky to have grown up here.

Unlike the two-story home at Montana del Trueno, this house was a long and rambling one story, made of adobe, and had a courtyard instead of a porch.

There were flowerpots everywhere, filled with bright blooms and several wrought iron benches on the flagstone patio surrounding the front door.

They dismounted, tied their horses to a metal ring on a post, and walked up to the big double doors where Rafael opened one. “Come on in.” As soon as the door closed behind him, Rafael shouted, “Hello! Anyone home?”

An older woman, gray-haired and diminutive, bustled from another part of the house and met them in the hallway.

“Rafael!” She squealed with delight, her dark eyes disappearing into the myriad of wrinkles on her face. “It’s about time you visited,” she scolded him in her heavily accented English, trying to be stern but failing completely, her expression full of love and pride.

Rafael didn’t hesitate. He hugged the woman, lifting her off her feet—gently—making her laugh. When he let her down, he kissed her on her wrinkled cheek then turned toward him. “Marshal Devlin Goodrich meet Natalia Chavez y Ruiz, my bisabuela .”

“ Bisabuela ?” Devlin asked, unfamiliar with the word, as his gaze swept over the woman, noticing her sharp eyes, that, like Jake Hannigan, seemed to miss nothing.

“Great grandmother.”

Devlin extended his hand. “A pleasure, ma’am.”

She didn’t take it. Instead, she spread her arms wide, obviously expecting a hug as well.

He obliged, bending low and embracing her tenderly.

If there was ever a moment when he felt an instant kinship with someone, this was it.

The love in this woman’s heart seeped into his troubled soul in that one brief instance.

He broke the embrace then took a step back as Rafael’s bisabuela turned her attention back to her great-grandson.

She reached out to smooth her hand against his face. “What are you doing here, mijo ?”

“I wanted to introduce the marshal to the family.”

“Your brothers and sisters are out in the pasture. It’s calving season. As for your padres , you just missed them.”

“I did? Where’d they go?”

Natalia laughed. “Your madre and padre went into town to take you for a late lunch.” She glanced at the grandfather clock in the hallway. “If you leave now, you might still catch them. They left about twenty minutes ago.”

Rafael glanced toward him. “Maybe we still can meet up with them. What do you think?”

Devlin shrugged. “It’s up to you.”

“Go. Go.” Natalia waved her hands in a pushing motion, shushing them both out of the house. “But come back another time. I miss you, mijo .”

“I miss you, too, bisabuela .” Rafael stopped in the doorway and faced her. “I promise. I’ll bring Ventura by this Saturday for dinner. We might even stay the night.”

That made the older woman happy, if her expression was any indication. “I will hold you to that promise.” She gestured to Rafael to bend low, planted a kiss on his cheek, then turned toward him, her dark eyes piercing. “You keep my mijo safe.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He touched the brim of his hat. “I will.”

He watched the door close, then mounted up. Anticipation filled him. He couldn’t wait to get home, where he could share a cup of coffee with Tresia and tell her about everyone he’d met today.

The thought startled him. When had that become important to him?