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he's cute? Ithink he's cute."
    Garcelle tossed her hair over her shoulder as she
leaned her ample bottom against the counter's
edge. "You know what? I will admit your papi is
beyond cute."
    Kadina's grin widened.
    "But," said Garcelle.
    Kadina's grin dropped quicker than a bag of
weights.
    Garcelle stroked her cheek. "Love you lots,
Kadina, but your daddy and me? No way. No how."
    Kade rode his white Appalachian horse, Star,
along the outer perimeter of the herd. He used the horse and his own skill to help guide the herd to the
northern area of Strong Ranch.

    His muscles ached from the exertion, the sun
beat down on his back and shoulders, and sweat
made his clothes bond to his frame, but he loved it.
He was focused on working in conjunction with his
ranch hands and his brother to get the herd moved
before nightfall.
    He wanted to get home early tonight and actually
spend some time with Kadina. He also had some
more unpacking to do. Walking around a house
where most of the furniture was still covered with
sheets and the rooms were filled with boxes didn't
give one the feeling of home, which he wanted to
provide for his daughter. Plus, Garcelle had been
a good sport to work later than he'd first asked so
that he could get the herd shifted.
    Garcelle.
    Kadina filled his nights with her daily adventures
with Garcelle. He smiled and shook his head at the
thought of Kadina talking with Garcelle's Spanish
accent. It tickled him when she called him Papi instead of Daddy. And he came home one night to
find her listening to merengue music in her room.
    All of that he didn't mind, but he had to draw the
line at letting her loosen her ponytail to wear her hair
like Garcelle or letting her learn how to belly dance
like Shakira. A dance that Garcelle had demonstrated
very well at Kahron and Bianca's wedding reception
a couple of months ago. Very, very well.
    Her hips had almost hypnotized him that night.
Left, then right, and then left again. Round and
around. Clockwise and then counterclockwise until
he didn't even remember his steps carrying him
closer to the dance floor. Closer to her.

    Shaking his head for clarity, Kade motioned for
one of the hands to move up and take his spot
before he steered his horse over to Kahron, who
was riding his own horse, Midnight. "Thanks again
for helping out," Kade said as he made his horse
match the trot of his brother's.
    Kahron had an odd expression as he placed his
signature aviator shades atop his head. "Yeah, you
thanked me already. It's no problem."
    "Oh yeah, that's right," Kade said, shifting his
weight on the custom-made saddle.
    They rode and worked the herd in silence.
    Kahron dropped his shades back down over his
eyes as he cleared his throat. "Something on your
mind?"
    Kade frowned as he brought his horse to a stop
outside the fence and watched the hands steer the
cattle through the open gate. "Nah," he protested.
    "How's Kadina adjusting to the new house?"
Kahron asked.
    "Pretty good, actually." Kade shielded the setting
sun from his eyes with his hand. "Having Garcelle
around is making the transition smoother."
    Kahron nudged Midnight around. "Yeah, Garcelle is great."
    Kade swallowed a lump in his throat as he steered
his horse back in the direction from which they'd
traveled. "Yeah ... great."
    He didn't miss the sidelong glance his brother cast
him. "I'm not about to lose another housekeeper, am
I?" Kahron asked, referring to his startling record of
hiring-and firing-fifteen housekeepers in a very
short span of time. Garcelle was number sixteen.
    Kade shaped his handsome, square face into a
frown. "What do you mean?"

    "Not trying to steal her away for good, are you?"
    Kahron squinted his eyes as he looked up at the
fading sun. They took the lead, guiding the rest of
the group across the grassy land.
    "Man, please. We just started having civil conversations," said Kade.
    "Good. Because I don't think I can take another