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Marsha stopped by their table again “Is everything all right? Did you want to order dinner yet?”

“I think I’d better look at the menu first” Wade removed two from their table holder and passed one of them to Cat

“Take your time Don’t let me rush you,” Marsha told the me down”

“Will do,” Cat pro at the h she already knehat she would find

“Anything you would recommend?”

“Well, they serve Calder beef, so the steaks here are excellent”

“Naturally” Wade grinned

The old barn with itsvoices This was the strictly social ti after the children’s progra buffet tables that had been laden with platters and bowls of food A few continued to graze on the pickings that reo on the rest of the night The remnants of a piñata, a Texas tradition that had traveled north to Montana along with the Longhorns, still hung froht of the children

Foryet to be done and stories to be swapped Only the very young showed any signs of tiring And one in particular, Sloan noted, spotting her son sitting Indian-fashion on the floor next to Chase’s chair, sees-on rather than tear around with his friends like a hooligan Sloan observed the way he was leaning against the chair leg

She nudged a shoulder against Trey and nodded in Jake’s direction “I think it’s a certain little boy’s bedtime”

Trey glanced his son’s way just as Jake let his head loll back against the chair “Give him another minute and he’ll be asleep”

“It’s a thought Except he’s twice as heavy to carry when he’s asleep I’d better go put him to bed,” Sloan decided and started forward

“Tell him I’ll be up directly to tuck him in”

Sloan responded with an acknowledging wave and made her way to Chase’s chair His head was bent toward Stuave her a questioning look when she paused in front of his chair

“I decided it was time to claim this sleepy boy at your feet,” she told him and bent down to pick up Jake