Cowboy Come Home Read Free

into the kitchen.
    Brett ignored his brother’s question. “Is Anna back yet?”
    “Or Megan?” Chad added.
    The Randall men liked to keep track of their women. It restored Camille’s faith in love.
    “Nope. Neither of ’em. And dinner’s almost ready.”
    Camille carried another platter to the table, this one full of chicken-fried steak. Toby was putting out napkins. Then he began pulling high chairs to the table. They needed three high chairs, for Elizabeth, two and a half years old, Chad and Megan’s child; for Caroline, nineteen months, Toby’s little sister; and one for Victoria, Brett and Anna’s baby, the youngest at seven months.
    The three-year-old twins, Richard and Russell, Pete and Janie’s boys, used booster seats.
    When Camille had first arrived, it had taken her a few days to recover from the shock of them all. But the longer she stayed, the more she fell in love with a family who worked together, pitching in whenever one of the adults needed an extra hand.
    It sounded like a thundering herd coming down the stairs as Mildred, B.J. and Janie arrived with all the children.
    Mass pandemonium reigned for a few moments as they all tried to get the children settled in their places and start dinner. Even Toby played a role, helping the twins. He always said the menfolk should stick together. But he was sweetly tender with the girls.
    Jake and Griff returned to the kitchen in the middle of all the settling in, and Camille grinned as she saw the startled expression on Griff’s face. It was an improvement over the grim look he’d shown them earlier.
    She wondered what he’d look like if he smiled. He caught her staring, and she hurried back to the sink to find something to do to hide her red cheeks.
    “It’ll be our turn in a minute,” Jake assured him. “Our kids don’t mess around when it comes to dinner.”
    “How true,” B.J. agreed with a big smile. “They take after their fathers.”
    “And that’s how we like it, sweetheart.” Jake stroked a strand of hair behind her ear that had escaped from B.J.’s long braid. “Need any help?”
    “No, I think we’ve got it covered. Do I hear a car?”
    Brett and Chad met each other at the window. “Two cars. Megan and Anna are home,” Chad announced. Both of them headed to the door, eager to greet their wives.
    By the time both couples had returned to the kitchen, the children were fed. Everyone grabbed a child to transfer him or her to a playpen, though the twins protested, asking to stay with Toby.
    In no time, Mildred and Red had cleaned up and invited everyone to sit down at the huge table.
    Jake led Griff to the last place on the side next to his seat, at the head of the table. Camille found herself next to him. She shivered again as his broad shoulder brushed against hers.
    What was wrong with her? She’d been around men before. She’d even been engaged recently. Before disaster had struck her. So why did this man affect her so? She eased along the bench, trying to put some distance between them, but Brett, on her other side, wasn’t shifting.
    Jake offered an introduction of Griff to the newly arrived family members. After the blessing was asked and the plates began making their way around the table, Brett noted what had struck the others.
    “Man, you sure look like the rest of us, Jake in particular,” Brett said. “Are you some long-lost relative?”
    Griff, who had been serving himself from the steak platter, stilled. Then he carefully put the meat on his plate and laid down his utensils.
    His chin came up and his lips firmed into a straight line. “Yes. I probably should’ve introduced myself before I sat down. If you want me to leave—”
    Camille watched him, fascinated and unexpectedly anxious, but she also caught a glimpse of Jake out of the corn of her eye. He didn’t seem alarmed at the man’s words. Just curious.
    . “We’re not going to take back our invitation, Griff,” Jake said quietly. “You more than earned