Santa In Montana Read Free

approval.
    Chase sliced her a quick look. “It’s the older ones that give me trouble.”
    Laredo chuckled and hooked a leg over one corner of the desk. “Tell me, Jake, have you started making a list of what you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?”
    Brightening visibly at the change of topic, Jake turned to him. “Yeah, I gotta lot of things I’m putting on it.”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œI need chaps and a belt and a rope—”
    â€œYou already have a rope,” Laredo reminded him.
    The response was a quick wrinkling of the nose. “That rope’s for babies. I need a gooder one.”
    â€œMy mistake.” Laredo struggled to hold back a smile.
    â€œDo you think Santa would bring me a saddle? I sure could use one,” Jake added with an adult like nod of emphasis.
    â€œAnd you could use jeans, a winter coat, socks, and underwear,” Sloan inserted. “He’s outgrown just about everything he has.”
    â€œYou have been shooting up like a little weed.” Laredo gave the top of Jake’s brown hair a playful ruffle.
    Jake started to protest the mussing then suddenly remembered, blurting, “And an ATV of my own.”
    Laredo laughed outright. “Now there’s a modern cowboy for you. Why walk when you can ride an ATV.”
    â€œSanta would bring me one, wouldn’t he?” Jake sought confirmation from Chase.
    Out of the corner of his eye, Chase caught the negative movement of Sloan’s head. “Something tells me Santa will wait on a present like that until you’re older.”
    â€œHow old?” Jake wanted to know.
    Chase shrugged. “You’ll have to ask Santa that one.”
    Jake thought about that for a second and nodded, then gave Chase a bright look. “What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas, Greypa?”
    â€œYes, tell us,” Cat urged.
    â€œI’m already getting what I want—all my grandchildren are coming home for Christmas.”
    Jake frowned. “That’s not a present.”
    â€œSometimes the best presents don’t come all wrapped up in a pretty package,” Chase told him.
    Clearly not buying that, Jake switched his attention to Laredo. “What are you putting on your list?”
    â€œI’m like your great-grandpa here,” Laredo replied. “I’ve already got just about everything a man could want.”
    Chase ran a brief glance over the lanky cowboy, wondering if anyone else caught the small qualifying phrase Laredo had used. But with Jake in the room there was no time to mull over it as the young boy ran over to Jessy.
    â€œYou want a real present, don’t you, Grandma?”
    Jessy made a show of giving his question serious thought. “I would like a new bathrobe. Mine’s getting a little old.” But she could tell her grandson didn’t think much of that as a gift. “And maybe a new set of spurs.”
    His face lit up. “I want some spurs, too.”
    â€œIf your list gets any longer, Jake, Santa will think you’re getting greedy.” Sloan walked over to him and slipped off the crooked headdress. “Better let me have this before you get it dirty.”
    â€œAnd I’d better go start lunch.” Cat half turned from the room, then paused to glance at Chase. “Did you want to lie down for a little bit before lunch?”
    â€œNo.” His reply was quick and firm.
    â€œYou should you know,” she countered.
    The brief exchange swung Jake’s attention to Cat.
    â€œWhat do you want for Christmas, Aunt Cat?”
    â€œI can tell you what she needs ,” Chase declared before Cat had a chance to answer. “A husband.”
    â€œDad.” His name came out in a shocked breath.
    â€œWell, it’s the truth,” he insisted. “If you had yourself a husband, you wouldn’t be hovering around nagging me all the time.”
    â€œI don’t nag.”