Page 67 (1/2)

Everyone on the ranch was anxious for so to be done about it But in typical Triple C fashion, there was the usual way to handle a problem—and there was the Calder way And it was the Calder way they wanted to see, but the gruet it

Truthfully Jessy was a little concerned as well For the life of her, she couldn’t think of any action Chase and Ty could take

Sandwiched between the twothe walk to the den, Tara covertly studied the reseranite chin and brow, the same impenetrable darkness of wide, deeply set eyes, and the sae had chiseled extra lines in his face, and there was a sagging of the skin beneath the jawline, but neither made him any less formidable

Tonight both men wore the same mask of polite indifference As yet, she had detected no break in it, no hint of te how her father had often complained that the Calders were as ih in the past, Ty hadn’t been as adept as his father Therefore Tara watched him a little more closely With few exceptions, she had always been able to e him

When they reached the den, Chase stepped aside, allowing her to precede hiard it as a gentleman’s courtesy Which made her wonder if he was reluctant to present his back to her, a possibility she foundFor herself, she had no such qual the room ahead of both men

“Have a seat” Chase -backed chairs that faced the desk, andone behind it

“Thank you” Slipping the handbag off her shoulder, Tara sat down in the first chair and tucked her purse in the s to keep it within easy reach

She was a bit surprised when Ty folded his long fraed about the stone fireplace She was quick to note the break in his pattern, although it was difficult to tell what it signaled

Tara searched but found no trace of tension in Ty He appeared to be loose and relaxed, alh he were the one in control But Tara knew better

Haet settled in the big leather chair Tara didn’t atte she was content with the silence Once she began her pitch, she wanted no interruptions And, like Ty and Chase, she are that Sally would arrive at any moment with the coffee

Her glance strayed briefly to the fra the immense scope of the Triple C Ranch and its boundaries, its paper yelloith age Tara was s chunk out of it

Footsteps in the hall signaled Sally’s approach Tara took advantage of these last few seconds to ain that there was no objection to it that she couldn’t reason away logically

It ith eagerness that Tara observed Sally’s entrance into the den She had anticipated this , and noas almost here It seemed to take interminable minutes for the coffee to be poured and the cups passed to each At last Sally exited the roo them alone

Ignoring the stea cup of coffee in front of hiether “Since this was your idea, why don’t you begin?”

“Of course” Tara continued to balance her cup and saucer on her lap “I hope both of you can appreciate how very, very aard this is for ed to reach a close friendship of sorts It is soh est otherwise to you”