Page 26 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

Hazel swatted his hand. “Contamination.”

“I used to do that growing up. Drove the cooks mad.”

“It drives me mad. You should have sat through the food safety class I had in college.” Spooning the pasta onto two plates, she put the clams in shells on each and then sprinkled a little more Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. She handed Callum a plate and took hers to the table.

Evie had finished her dinner and immersed herself in a coloring book. Hazel and Callum ate in silence for a time.

“This is fantastic,” Callum said. “Whoever marries you will have a tough time keeping the pounds off.”

Whoever? A quick flash of his being that person made her pause in taking her next bite. Cooking for him would be fun. Among other things...like sex.

“It promotes exercise,” she said.

“Is that how you stay in shape?”

“Mommy takes me on bike rides,” Evie said as she colored. “We go camping, too.”

“Horseback riding,” Hazel said. “I used to hike when I lived in Colorado.” Having a child disrupted a routine.

“You like sports?” Callum asked.

“Not softball or football or things like that. Just hiking, biking.”

“I want a horse,” Evie said with a glance at Callum. “Mommy says I’m not old enough.”

“You probably aren’t. You could get hurt pretty bad if you fall off.”

“I still want a horse.”

Hazel had adored horses when she was a kid, too. What wasn’t to love? They were beautiful animals. She had gotten Evie some books on horses, along with some model horses that she played with often.

“Well, when you’re old enough to take care of it yourself, then we’ll talk,” Hazel said.

Evie looked at her mother and saw she meant it and didn’t argue. She went back to drawing.

“Why didn’t you go back to Colorado after you had Evie?” Callum asked Hazel.

She wondered over the suddenness of his question. He must have been thinking about it before Evie had joined the conversation. Was he trying to learn more about her? Was he interested?

“I like it here. I like the community and the climate. It’s warmer and drier here. We go back to Pagosa Springs to see my parents, usually on the holidays.”

“Don’t you want to be closer to your family?” he asked. “Especially with Evie?”

He had hit on one of the things that had kept her away. “Actually, I love my parents but they can be intrusive. My mother would be at my house daily or demand I come see her. She already does that now. She complains she doesn’t see us enough. It’s like she has a hard time letting us go as kids. We’re adults now, with our own lives and aspirations. I wish she’d treat us that way.”

“Have you told her that?”

“Yes. She just says she loves me and wants to see me as much as possible. It’s better that I’m in Arizona and she’s in Colorado, at least for now. I might want to change that as Evie gets older. We’ll see. What about you? What kind of relationship do you have with your fam

ily?”

“You said you would read to me,” Evie interrupted.

“Go get your jammies on,” Hazel said.

“Aww,” Evie complained, but she went to do as told.

“I’m not very close to them, except Marlowe. I never talked much with my parents. I don’t know if that’s because my father was so busy working at Colton Oil. I would like to change that, though. Ever since my dad was shot, I’ve thought about that. I want to be closer to him and the rest of my family.”

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