Sundance back around the building and loaded him into the trailer. He obeyed her commands with reluctance.
“It’s almost over, old boy.” She patted his speckled rump before banging the door closed. “Next stop, the Bar K!”
A little shiver of anticipation shot through her at the sound of it. All her life she’d wanted a ranch of her own, a place where she and her sisters and their grandmother could settle down and live happily ever after. Of course, Toni and Niki would get married eventually, but that was a long way away.
As for herself, she doubted she’d ever marry. After what their father had done to their mother, she couldn’t imagine why any of the triplets would take a chance on a man. Toni, on the other hand, seemed unscathed by their father’s desertion, to Dani’s total amazement. As for Niki…Niki kept her own counsel in many areas.
All of which meant that Dani must be chary for all their sakes…but that cowboy had been tempting.
More than six feet tall, she judged, with wide shoulders and a lithe way of moving. Strong jawed for sure, but that was about all she could tell about his face, shadowed as it was by a brown Stetson hat. A working cowboy, obviously, in off the range for a little weekend fun and frolic.
She shocked herself by wondering if he needed a job, then gave a contemptuousness snort at the slightest inference that she cared.
Brushing off her hands, she entered the café through the rear door. Emerging into the back of the dining room, she hesitated for a few moments, surveying the situation with her usual caution.
The Y’all Come looked as if it had started life as a Swiss Chalet. The steeply slanted roof was visible through windows framed by lacy wooden trim, and photos of snow scenes papered the walls. It was all so incongruous that Dani had to smile.
Then she stopped looking at the décor and honed in on her family.
Not too surprisingly, Niki and Toni were the object of considerable attention. They sat in a booth with Granny, chatting so animatedly that if you didn’t know them, you wouldn’t think they were even aware of the scrutiny of a whole roomful of mostly men.
Dani, very aware, was not pleased, especially when she spotted the nosy cowboy seated on a stool at the counter. He was watching her with an amused tilt to his lips. Lifting her chin, she stalked between the tables and slid into the only seat left in the family booth.
Everyone smiled, and Toni said, “How’s old Sundance?”
“Old Sundance is fine.” Dani picked up the mug of coffee they’d ordered for her. “Have you called the lawyer?”
Her sisters shifted a bit guiltily and Toni said, “We were just about to get around to that.”
“Okay. Have you got directions to the ranch?”
“Well…” Toni and Niki looked at each other, and Toni said, “Not exactly. The waitress is new around here and doesn’t know, but I’m sure one of these nice cowboys can help us out.”
Which was just what Dani didn’t want to hear. Why did some women check their good sense at the door when men came on the scene?
“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT,” Dylan Sawyer declared. “The Keene brothers turn out to be the Keene sisters! Does that take the cake or what?”
“It damn sure does,” Jack agreed, watching the prickly woman he’d encountered outside march up to the booth in front of the window and sit down. “Dani, Niki and Toni—with an i. Got any idea which one is which?”
“Well…” Dylan licked his chops. “The pretty one—”
“Hell, they’re all pretty.” And they were, Jack realized, although none more so than the woman who’d been walking the horse. There was more to her than good looks, too. Intelligence just glowed from those dark eyes. Grandpa would call her smart as a whip.
“No, I mean the real pretty one, the one with that long black hair. She’s Niki.”
Jack looked at Niki more carefully, and somewhat belatedly realized what a knockout she was. Funny how he hadn’t noticed anything special about her at first glance. “And the others?”
“The one in the red jacket is Toni, so the one who just came in must be Dani—process of elimination,” Dylan concluded with a guffaw. “They called the old lady who looks like Mrs. Santa Claus ‘Grandma.”’
“Did you get identification on the horse?”
Dylan blinked. “What horse?”
“Let it go.” A formal introduction, Jack was thinking. That’s what he needed, seeing as Dani had seemed so leery of him. Hell, he was going to be neighbors with her—with all of them, he hastened to add. Might as well be friendly.
Joe Bob slid onto the stool on the other side of Jack’s. “Man, did you get a load of that?” He jerked his head toward the women.
Dylan nodded, but then his look of eager anticipation faded. “They’re still Keenes and that means they’re off-limits,” he said in a warning tone. “Damn shame, since they’re so blasted cute.”
“Yeah, a shame,” Joe Bob agreed. “But lookin’ won’t hurt us any.” And he banged Jack on the shoulder with a friendly fist, nearly knocking him off the stool.
A COWBOY WITH HANDS so big they dwarfed the coffeepot offered refills and bashful smiles all around.
Dani cocked her head and watched him slosh coffee over the rim of her chipped mug. “Don’t quit your day job,” she advised.
“Huh?” He seemed to be having trouble pulling his gaze away from Niki.
“Do you work here?”
“Naw.” He chortled at the very thought. “I just wanted to get a closer look at y’all.” Still laughing, he backed away.
“Wait a minute.”
“Ma’am?”
Dani wanted to groan. She knew she must sound like a drill sergeant, but he didn’t have to “ma’am” her. “Do you know where the office of an attorney named John Salazar is?”
“Yes, ma’am, I do.”
“Well, would you mind telling me where it is?” she asked, exasperated.
“Oh. Sure.” He pointed toward the front door. “Out there, turn right one block and left one block. It’s in the Snake-oil Building—sorry, I mean the Snaesull Building, but we all call it the Snake-oil Building.”
“Oh, lord.” She rolled her eyes, then added a belated, “Thank you very much.” To her family she said, “I’m going to walk on over so I can get the keys. Wait here and let the locals look you over. In fact, you probably should go ahead and eat.”
Toni frowned. “Don’t you want one of us to go with you?”
Dani shook her head. “If I need you, I’ll come get you.” She slid out of the booth. “I won’t be long.” She didn’t wait for their response, knowing they’d acquiesce.
