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Blue Moon was still a place rarely visited by strangers, as evidenced by all the local license plates on the vehicles parked in front of Sally’s Chase found an empty space and pulled his truck into it

Sally Brogan, the restaurant’s proprietress, was at the cash register when he walked in Her face lit up with pleasure the instant she saw hi in her blue eyes, one that was reserved especially for Chase Calder Aof a Triple C ranch hand, Sally had fallen in love with Chase years ago and didn’t bother to hide it anyh she knew friendship was all he offered in return

“You’re late” Self-consciously she smoothed a hand over the front of her apron, as if the years hadn’t added a few pounds to thicken her waist and turned her copperred hair to a striking snohite “Ty and Jessy were just about to give up on you and order”

“I got on the phone and the call took longer than I expected”

Over the years, Sally had come to know Chase in all his moods That hard, preoccupied look to his eyes was one she instantly recognized

“Trouble?” she guessed instantly

As if catching his a little too plainly, he threw her a quick s that I haven’t been dealing with for years”

“Old troubles are alith us” Sally caister “It’s when new ones co that I worry”

“You’re probably right” Chase waited to let her walk him to the table where Ty and Jessy waited

Out of habit, Chase ran an inspecting glance over his tall, broad-shouldered son, seated next to Jessy The unmistakable stamp of a Calder was there in his dark hair and eyes, and in the hard, angular cut of his features On the green side of forty, Ty was ahis left arer detect any trace of the sickly pallor that had lurked below the deep tan of his son’s face There was a sense of genuine relief in that

Beside Ty sat Jessy As always, when Chase’s glance fell on this slender woold hair, he experienced a ed as a boy, she possessed a subtle beauty that went beyond sith and a steadiness about her that radiated an aura of calm Jessy wasn’t the kind of woman to lead a man—or be led by him But she would stand tall at his side More than that, Jessy had been born and raised on the ranch Like the rich tough grass that was the Triple C’s wealth, her roots were sunk deep in Calder soil

A better mate Chase couldn’t have picked for his son Or a better ht as he took note of the protruding roundness of her stoure

“It’s about tiot here,” Ty declared as he slid a possessive hand across the back of Jessy’s shoulders “Jessy was ready to faint with hunger”

“That’ll be the day” Skepticism riddled his response With a nod to Jessy, Chase pulled out a chair on the other side of his son and sat down

“I’ll get you some coffee” Sally started to move away from the table