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Adopting Jake’s htly to shake his hand “How do you do, sir I’ll be interested to hear about that snow fort of yours later”
Jake’s eyes got big with excitement “Really?”
“Really,” Wade assured him
“He said later,” Chase re over Cat with a si with Laredo “Last, but far from least, Laredo Smith, who’s a member of the family in all but name”
“A pleasure,” Wade said as he gripped Laredo’s hand “Laredo That’s an unusual name”
“Definitely colorful,” Laredo agreed “I guess soot a last name as common as Smith”
“Good point,” Wade conceded,Laredo’s easy smile
Jessy smiled to herself at the deft way Laredo had deflected the co He was a master at it, just like that air of friendliness he projected, all the while sizing thefroe All the ranch hands were convinced Laredo simply had a nose for trouble If he did, Jessy believed it was based in his ability to read people
Privately Jessy was curious to knohat conclusion Laredo had drawn about their guest as everyone took their seats around the table Her own first i learned over the years to trust his instincts
After the blessing was given, the serving dishes were passed around the table, and any talk wasinto their meal, there was a momentary lull in the conversation
Cat filled it “Dad told us that this is your first visit to the Triple C”
“That’s right, although my father has talked about it so much that it all seems very familiar to me” Wade paused a beat and shway and drove through the gate, then drove and drove the fortyof what Father was talking about when he said, ‘It takes a big chunk of ground to fit under a Calder sky’”
“How true,” Sloan agreed “The first tiht me here, I felt a little bit like that It doesn’t matter how rasp any of it until you’re actually here”
“What part of the country do you hail frouessed immediately that Laredo couldn’t place the man’s accent
“Here, there, and everywhere,” he replied “I was born while Father served in Congress After college, I went to work for the State Depart posted in half a dozen or more countries around the world”