A Cold Creek Noel (The Cowboys of Cold Creek) Read Online Free PDF Page A

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Chapter Three
    “Y ou say the new vet only needs a place to
stay for a few weeks?”
    Caidy nodded at her oldest brother, who stood at the sink
loading his and Destry’s supper dishes into the dishwasher. “That’s my
understanding. He’s building a new house on Cold Creek Road. I’m guessing it’s
in that new development near Taft’s place. Apparently, it was supposed to be
finished before he took the job, but it’s behind schedule. Now it won’t be ready
until after Christmas.”
    “That’s a nice area. Heck of a view. I imagine his house is
probably a good sight better than our foreman’s cottage.”
    “They’re at the inn now. I got the impression the children and
the housekeeper might be going a little stir-crazy there.”
    Ridge straightened and gave her a look she recognized well. It
was his patented What were you thinking? look. He
was ten years older than she was and she loved him dearly. He had stepped in
after their parents died and had raised her for the last few years of high
school and she would never be able to repay him for being her rock, even when
his own marriage was faltering. He was tough and hard on the outside and sweet
as could be underneath all the layers.
    He still drove her crazy sometimes.
    “You ever stop to think that Laura might not be too thrilled if
you go around finding other lodging arrangements for her paying guests?”
    “I called her already and she was cool with it. I know it’s
lost business, but all I had to do was paint the mental picture of Alex and Maya
cooped up in a couple of hotel rooms for weeks on end—including through
Christmas—and she had complete sympathy for Dr. Caldwell and his housekeeper.
She thought it was a great idea.”
    She didn’t bother telling her brother that Taft’s wife had also
dropped a couple of matchmaking hints a mile wide about how gorgeous the new vet
was. He was kind to animals and he loved his kids. What more did she need? Laura
had implied.
    Ridge didn’t need to know that. Much as she loved both of her
sisters-in-law and considered Laura and Becca perfect for each respective twin,
she didn’t need her brothers joining in and trying to look around for
prospective partners for her. The very idea of what they might come up with gave
her chills.
    After one of his long, thoughtful pauses, Ridge finally nodded.
“Can’t see any harm in Dr. Caldwell and his family moving in for a few weeks.
The house is only sitting there empty. I can run the tractor down the lane to
make sure it’s cleared up for them. It might need the cobwebs swept and a little
airing out.”
    “I’ll take care of everything tomorrow after I check on
Luke.”
    So it was settled, then. She had to fight the urge to give a
giant, cartoon-style gulp. What had she just gotten herself into? She didn’t
want the man here.
    Okay, he had been a little less like a jackass toward the end
of her visit to the clinic with Luke, but that didn’t mean she was obligated to
invite him to move in down the road, for Pete’s sake.
    She still wasn’t quite sure what had motivated her offer. Maybe
that little spark of compassion in his blue eyes when he had tended to Luke with
that surprising gentleness. Or maybe it was simply that she couldn’t resist his
cute son’s charm.
    Whatever the reason, they would only be there a few weeks. She
likely wouldn’t even see the man, especially as it appeared he spent most of his
time at the veterinary clinic. And she could be comfortable knowing she had done
her good deed for the day. Wasn’t Christmas the perfect time for a little
welcoming generosity?
    “What did you think of his doctoring?” Ridge asked.
    She thought of Luke and his carefully bandaged injuries. “He’s
not Doc Harris but I suppose he’ll do.”
    Ridge chuckled. “You’ll never think anybody is as good as Doc
Harris. The two of you have taken care of a lot of animals together.”
    She had loved working at the vet clinic when she was in high
school.