Page 32 of Deck the Halls with Cowboys
“He can work them out with her,” Abbie declared.
My jaw dropped. “Abbie.”
“Oh come on. You’re going to sit here and tell me that you aren’t a little bit excited over this? Chase trapped in the station with a beautiful single woman?”
“I’ve never seen her,” I admitted. “She usually runs the hotel at night for Bart, and by that time, I’m usually home.”
“I’ve seen her,” Val sighed, nodding to Abbie. “She’s a stunner, but I don’t think she realizes it.”
“Oh, he’ll make her realize it,” Harmony noted, giving me a grin. “Isn’t that right?”
Chase was nothing if not persistent.
A throat cleared and our bubble popped. We all slowly turned our heads to find our cowboys staring at us all as if we’d grown three heads each.
Caleb stood in front of the fire, scratching his head. “Is this what you women do all day? Plot out romances?”
“You have no fuckin’ idea, bud,” Mason drawled, looking to the ceiling.
“What do you do if the romances don’t work out?” Caleb asked, putting his hands in his pockets.
“They always work out,” I said, looking at Mags. “Some just take a little time.”
He stared at me, remaining silent. Not even a second later, my skin heated, his fire stroking me.
I cleared my throat, and it took all my will to pull my gaze from him to focus on Caleb. “You’re too young to be worried about romances.”
Lance scoffed. “Too young, my ass. Little Langston already has his sights set on someone at school, don’t ya?”
All four of us—me, Val, Harm, and Abbie—yelled, “Who?”
Caleb winced and shot a glare to Lance. “I thought what is said in the bunkhouse stays in the bunkhouse.”
“Who the fuck told my son that pack of lies?” Denver asked, straightening.
“Pack of lies?” Beau parroted. “What part of that was a lie?”
Abbie started laughing, and it wasn’t long before Mason joined her. Harmony was wheezing, nearly doubling over as she rasped, “They think the bunkhouse is a vault of secrets.”
Valerie wasn’t laughing. She was watching her stepson, who was looking at his father. Denver’s head ticked to the side in silent question, and Caleb nodded, sharing a bond just between them. Caleb’s eyessomehow drifted over to me after he looked at Val for a moment. I gave him an encouraging nod and mouthed, “You okay?”
He nodded. “I didn’t tell them everything.”
The twins looked offended. “What do you mean?”
“Do you not trust us?”
“Hell no,” Caleb answered, sounding just like his father. Denver chuckled and put his hand on Valerie’s shoulder. “Anyway, I’m going to go to bed. Merry Christmas and shit.”
Everyone chuckled as the teenager headed upstairs and Valerie called out, “Don’t cuss!”
“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled, his footfalls heavy on the steps. “I hear ya, I hear ya.”
“Right,” Denver sighed, rolling his neck. “We should all get to bed. It’s late.” He jerked his chin to his brother. “You get everything turned on in the basement.”
“I’m not sleeping in a haunted-ass basement,” Beau snapped.
A rumble of laughter came from Mason. “That’s all right, princess. You can sleep on the couch. I’m sure Abbie will be comfortable in the king-size bed.”
