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toward the wicker chairs that lined the room.
    They settled down, and about the time his backside hit the cushion, an ancient-looking man in tennis shoes, shorts, and a battered straw hat popped his head through one of the open windows. “Came to check on my reason for living.”
    “She’s right here, Crazy. This is Miz Addie’s brother, come to visit from Australia.”
    “Well, I’ll be. Pleased. I’m awful sorry about Miz Addie. She was a good lady and one hell of a rider. We loved her.” Pale blue eyes pierced him, the hat coming off a mostly bald head.
    “Crazy sang at the funeral. He’s our lead bullfighter.”
    “Pleased to meet you, Crazy.” He laughed a little. “I’d offer to shake, but I’m busy with this little handful.” It did his heart good to hear how people here loved Ades.
    “That’s my angel girl. Aren’t you, sweet baby?”
    The old man made a face, and Chloe giggled, the sound making his heart stop a second. How on earth was he supposed to leave this baby behind when he went home? His parents had to meet her, had to have their time to love her.
    It was only right. She was half McCoughey.
    “You going to ride down today, son? I’m going to work with that new group of bullfighters this afternoon.”
    “Prob’ly not. Momma’s pissed, and it’s Maria’s day off, so I’m on baby duty. I might put her in that sack deal and ride down, though.”
    “Well, make sure to bring her bag if you do.”
    Lachlan found himself chuckling, these two tough cowboys utterly besotted with his tiny niece.
    “What? You have any idea how much shit these little things take?”
    “Holden! You cain’t cuss in front of the baby!”
    That was it, Lachlan lost it, just howling with laughter. Of course, that scared the hell out of the baby, who started crying.
    “Oh, oh, did that mean guy startle you?” Crazy was grinning wide as a monkey.
    “Not mean!” That brought on a whole new spate of laughter.
    Holden grabbed Chloe, and Lachlan let himself lean back, the chuckles slowly fading.
    Crazy winked. “Well, I’m back to work. Later, Boss.”
    “Have fun, man.”
    The baby fussed and rooted, settling on nursing on Holden’s finger. “She’s trying to tell me something.”
    “Show me how to feed her and I will.” Holden was surprisingly easy, almost decent enough to be an Aussie.
    “Sure. She’s easy, now that she’s decided a bottle is okay. She’s still just on the formula, but she can pack it away for being so little.”
    “Like bottle-feeding a calf, is it?” He rose when Holden did, following the man into the big, homey kitchen. He’d bet a lot of time had been spent gathered around this table.
    “Less pushing and more side to side motion.”
    He sat, and Holden handed the babe over before moving to make up the bottle. Lachlan watched closely because he might have to do this soon. Way more temperature control with a human baby’s food as well.
    By the time Holden brought the bottle, Chloe was wailing, little face purple with fury. That she got from her mum and grandmum. Such tempers, the McCoughey women.
    He plopped the nipple into her mouth, watching her tiny mouth latch on. Strong sucking followed, and he simply stared at her with delight.
    “Good girl,” Holden said. “Such a sweet baby.” Holden grabbed a mug and poured himself a cup of coffee. “You want anything?”
    “I’ll take a cup. I had that terrible tea at the diner, so coffee might wash out the taste.”
    “You liked the marshmallow creamer, right?”
    “I did, thanks.” His ringers would tease him unmercifully for his sweet tooth.
    Holden didn’t fuss, though, just brought the coffee and a tea towel. “You’ll need to burp her. She spits up.”
    “Can’t be worse than a camel. Got some of those wild back at mine. Some fruit loop back in the twenties thought they would be good pack animals.”
    “Camels. As in two humps, they spit?”
    “Long eyelashes, big teeth. Yep.” Lachlan glanced sideways at