his
visitors, among them an assortment of pies for dessert. She’d even sent over a
tablecloth, which transformed his simple eat-in kitchen to a dining spot worthy
of a queen.
He smiled as he heard the girls chattering on
their way to the kitchen. They sounded excited.
“Hey, Daddy-o! What’s cookin’?” Rena asked.
Her words caused him to smile even wider. “Mashed
potatoes, roast beef, mixed vegetables, and gravy. There are salad fixings in
the fridge if you’d like to fix one, and pies for dessert.”
“Do you want salad?” she asked.
“Not in the mood for it tonight, but you go
ahead and help yourself.”
“Nope, I want to save room for pie.” Rena
laughed and went to the fridge anyway. “Oh! Look, Abby! Apple, lemon, and
coconut cream.”
“Did you make them, Dad?” asked Abby as her
sister closed the fridge door.
“No, dear. Luke’s wife, Zakia, sent them over. I’m
not much of a baker.”
Abby crossed to the patio doors and looked
outside. “It’s like a Christmas card. All those trees laden with snow and the
fields a pure white. It’s beautiful here, even if it is a little on the cold
side.”
Cam
quirked an eyebrow. “A little cold? This is
nothing. The temperature’s been known to drop to minus forty Celsius at times. Makes
it kind of hard to keep the stock fed, especially if the wind is blowing.”
Rena hugged herself. “Brrr, that is cold. I hope
the clothes I brought are warm enough.”
“With all the clothes you packed, you could
dress in layers every day for a month and still have some left over. Don’t
worry, Rena. You won’t freeze to death.”
Cam
turned in time to see Rena stick her tongue out
at Abby, a juvenile gesture that gave him a glimpse into what their lives had
been like as children. Lacey had definitely had her hands full.
As if thinking of her had conjured her from thin
air, he glanced over to see Lacey hesitating in the doorway. “Come in and join
the party.”
She lurched ahead as if pushed and it was then
he noticed Lynne standing behind her mother.
“It sure smells good in here,” Lynne said. “Need
any help?”
“Thanks for the offer, but everything’s ready.”
He stood back to allow them room. “Grab a plate and help yourselves.”
“All right!” Rena grabbed a plate from the table
and advanced toward the stove.
Abby picked up two plates and passed one to her
mother as she took her place in line behind her sister.
Lynne followed suit, picking up two plates and
passing one to him.
“Thank you, Lynne.”
She smiled and got in line behind her mother.
Cam
watched as they dished up liberal amounts of
everything and smothered the works with gravy. From the amount of time he’d
spent with them in
Ireland
,
he knew they liked to eat, so he wasn’t surprised. What did surprise him was
that they never seemed to gain an ounce.
Dinner was a boisterous affair as the girls
asked more questions about the ranch. Their excitement showed in their animated
expressions, and even Lacey wasn’t immune. More often than not, her gaze
connected with his as he regaled them with tales of ranch life. He enjoyed
having them here.
“Thank you all for coming to Thunder Creek. You’ve
made me a very happy man.”
“And you’ve generously provided us with the
opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you ,
Cam
.” Lacey pressed her hand over his where it
lay on the table, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“My pleasure, ladies.” He lifted his glass in a
toast. “To us and whatever the future may hold.”
“To us!” they chorused.
“I especially loved seeing the pictures of us
that you have on display in the living room. Makes it feel more like home,”
said Lacey.
“When I came back from
Ireland
, the
house felt too empty. Once I hung those pictures, it felt as if you were here
with me. Sounds stupid, I know, but there you have it.”
Cam
took great delight in knowing they were excited to be there…with him. “Do you
girls have any interest in
visitors, among them an assortment of pies for dessert. She’d even sent over a
tablecloth, which transformed his simple eat-in kitchen to a dining spot worthy
of a queen.
He smiled as he heard the girls chattering on
their way to the kitchen. They sounded excited.
“Hey, Daddy-o! What’s cookin’?” Rena asked.
Her words caused him to smile even wider. “Mashed
potatoes, roast beef, mixed vegetables, and gravy. There are salad fixings in
the fridge if you’d like to fix one, and pies for dessert.”
“Do you want salad?” she asked.
“Not in the mood for it tonight, but you go
ahead and help yourself.”
“Nope, I want to save room for pie.” Rena
laughed and went to the fridge anyway. “Oh! Look, Abby! Apple, lemon, and
coconut cream.”
“Did you make them, Dad?” asked Abby as her
sister closed the fridge door.
“No, dear. Luke’s wife, Zakia, sent them over. I’m
not much of a baker.”
Abby crossed to the patio doors and looked
outside. “It’s like a Christmas card. All those trees laden with snow and the
fields a pure white. It’s beautiful here, even if it is a little on the cold
side.”
Cam
quirked an eyebrow. “A little cold? This is
nothing. The temperature’s been known to drop to minus forty Celsius at times. Makes
it kind of hard to keep the stock fed, especially if the wind is blowing.”
Rena hugged herself. “Brrr, that is cold. I hope
the clothes I brought are warm enough.”
“With all the clothes you packed, you could
dress in layers every day for a month and still have some left over. Don’t
worry, Rena. You won’t freeze to death.”
Cam
turned in time to see Rena stick her tongue out
at Abby, a juvenile gesture that gave him a glimpse into what their lives had
been like as children. Lacey had definitely had her hands full.
As if thinking of her had conjured her from thin
air, he glanced over to see Lacey hesitating in the doorway. “Come in and join
the party.”
She lurched ahead as if pushed and it was then
he noticed Lynne standing behind her mother.
“It sure smells good in here,” Lynne said. “Need
any help?”
“Thanks for the offer, but everything’s ready.”
He stood back to allow them room. “Grab a plate and help yourselves.”
“All right!” Rena grabbed a plate from the table
and advanced toward the stove.
Abby picked up two plates and passed one to her
mother as she took her place in line behind her sister.
Lynne followed suit, picking up two plates and
passing one to him.
“Thank you, Lynne.”
She smiled and got in line behind her mother.
Cam
watched as they dished up liberal amounts of
everything and smothered the works with gravy. From the amount of time he’d
spent with them in
Ireland
,
he knew they liked to eat, so he wasn’t surprised. What did surprise him was
that they never seemed to gain an ounce.
Dinner was a boisterous affair as the girls
asked more questions about the ranch. Their excitement showed in their animated
expressions, and even Lacey wasn’t immune. More often than not, her gaze
connected with his as he regaled them with tales of ranch life. He enjoyed
having them here.
“Thank you all for coming to Thunder Creek. You’ve
made me a very happy man.”
“And you’ve generously provided us with the
opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you ,
Cam
.” Lacey pressed her hand over his where it
lay on the table, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“My pleasure, ladies.” He lifted his glass in a
toast. “To us and whatever the future may hold.”
“To us!” they chorused.
“I especially loved seeing the pictures of us
that you have on display in the living room. Makes it feel more like home,”
said Lacey.
“When I came back from
Ireland
, the
house felt too empty. Once I hung those pictures, it felt as if you were here
with me. Sounds stupid, I know, but there you have it.”
Cam
took great delight in knowing they were excited to be there…with him. “Do you
girls have any interest in
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