A Cold Creek Noel (The Cowboys of Cold Creek) Read Free Page A

these weeks is making
me batty!”
    “Perhaps you could find a temporary rental situation until the
house is finished,” she suggested.
    “That’s what I wanted to do but Ben doesn’t think we can find
anyone willing to rent us a place for only a few weeks, especially over the
holidays.”
    Caidy thought of the foreman’s cottage, empty for the past six
months since the young married couple Ridge had hired to help around the ranch
had moved on to take a job at a Texas ranch.
    It was furnished with three bedrooms and would probably fit the
Caldwells’ needs perfectly, but she was hesitant to mention it. She didn’t like
the man. Why on earth would she want him living only a quarter mile away?
    “I could ask around for you if you’d like. We have a few
vacation rentals in town that might be available. At least it might give you a
little breathing space over the holidays until the house is finished.”
    “How kind you are!” Mrs. Michaels exclaimed.
    A fine guilt pinched at her. If she were truly kind, she would
immediately offer the foreman’s cottage.
    “Everyone here in Pine Gulch has been so nice and welcoming to
us,” the woman went on.
    “I hope you feel at home here.”
    Again that wistfulness drifted across the woman’s features like
an autumn leaf tossed by the breeze, but she blinked it away. “I’m guessing the
dog Dr. Caldwell is working on back there is yours, then.”
    Caidy nodded. “He had a run-in with a bull. When you pit a
forty-pound dog against a ton of beef, the bull usually wins.”
    She should be back there with him. Darn it. If she were better
at handling confrontations, she would have told Dr. Arrogant that she wasn’t
going anywhere. Instead, she was sitting out here fretting.
    “He’s a wonderful veterinarian, my dear. I’m sure your pet will
be better before you know it.”
    The border collies at the River Bow Ranch weren’t exactly
pets—they were a vital part of the workload. Except for Sadie, anyway, who was
too old to work the cattle anymore. She didn’t bother to correct the woman, nor
did she express any of her own doubts about the new veterinarian’s
competence.
    “I’m hungry, Mrs. Michaels. When are we going to eat?” Bored
with the game apparently, Jack had wandered back to them.
    “I think your father is going to be busy for a while yet. Why
don’t you and Ava and I go find something? Perhaps dinner at the café tonight
would be fun and we can pick something up for your father for later.”
    “Can I have one of the sweet rolls?” he asked, his eyes
lighting up as if it were already Christmas morning.
    The housekeeper laughed. “We’ll have to see about that. I’d say
the café’s business in sweet rolls has tripled since we came to town, thanks to
you alone.”
    “They are delish,” Caidy agreed, smiling at the very cute
boy.
    Mrs. Michaels rose to her feet with a creak and a pop of some
joint. “It was lovely to meet you, Caidy Bowman.”
    “I’m happy to meet you too. And I’ll keep my eye out for a
suitable vacation rental.”
    “You’ll need to take that up with Dr. Caldwell, but thank
you.”
    The woman seemed to be efficient, Caidy thought as she watched
her herd the children out the door.
    The reception room seemed even more bleak and colorless after
the trio left. Though it was just past six, the night was already dark on this,
one of the shortest days of the year. Caidy fidgeted, leafing aimlessly through
her magazine for a few moments longer, then finally closed it with a rustle of
pages and tossed it back onto the pile.
    Darn it. That was her dog back there. She couldn’t sit out here
doing nothing. At the very least she deserved to know what was going on. She
gathered her courage, took a deep breath and pushed through the door.

Chapter Two
    B en made the last stitch to close the
incision on the puncture wound, his head throbbing and his shoulders tight from
the long day that had started with an emergency call to treat an ailing