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With a shift in direction, Chase headed for the open doors of the den, where his guests had obviously gathered Upon entering, his glance first sought out Maggie She was sitting in a chair near the , her black hair glea roundness of her story response in his that were profoundly tender

Her s off his gloves and stuffing them in his coat pocket Even as his attention was divided by the guests in the rooe one

“I’ized and let his gaze travel over his four guests The ruddy-f

aced senator and his aide, Wes Govern, he already knew

“No probleood tail wind,” the quick-talking senator replied Age was beginning to sag his round cheeks, leaving jowls and pockets under his eyes “Just arrived a few o Wes hasn’t had tiht turn of his head, he issued a boo directive to his assistant “Chase drinks whiskey, Wes”

“I relass to the liquor tray

“How have things been? Well, I hope,” the senator declared and continued without giving Chase an opportunity to respond “No more land purchases you need my help with, are there?” he inquired with a conspiratorial wink

“None” There was a dryness about Chase’s eyes at the reference to the purchase of ten thousand acres of land froo It was the last parcel of previously leased land to come under the Calder title He noned all the land that constituted the Triple C Ranch

“Chase, I want you to meet Eddy Joe Dyson” The politician curved an aresture and body language suggesting to Chase that the tere united in their cause, whatever it was “Been looking forward to getting the two of you together for quite a while EJ, meet Chase Calder”

Chase stepped away froie’s side to shake hands with the older man, dressed in an expensive navy pinstripe suit, styled in western lines with a yoked front and boot-cut pants Chase put the e somewhere in the middle forties The man’s hand was smooth of any calluses, and his skin didn’t have the leathery tan of a cattleman despite the white felt Stetson on his head

“Welcome to the Triple C, Mr Dyson” The western clothes were just a facade, but Chase didn’t detect any shallowness in the level gaze that returned his silent inspection If anything, he noted a hint of shrewdness

“It’s my pleasure,” the man drawled “And my friends call me EJ I’d be pleased if you and your wife did the same” He half turned to invite the second e Stricklin”

Ten years younger, tall, with yellow hair, the lasses which he removed and slipped precisely into the breast pocket of his suit jacket Despite his athletic build, there was a studious and silent quality about hi and finely shaped, and Stricklin did no more than nod when he shook hands with Chase

Dyson spoke again Angling his head toward Maggie, he inclined it in a courtly gesture “I ht our Texas ladies couldn’t be matched for beauty, but I’ve been forced to reviseyour lovely wife”

“I believe I’lanced backward into Maggie’s vibrantly green eyes Now that the phase ofsickness had passed, she looked positively radiant He’d heard it said that wonant and had disht be in the eye of the beholder, because Maggie had never looked more beautiful to him than she did this minute