Free Colton's Christmas Baby by Karen Whiddon Page B

him.”
    â€œMother!” Horrified, Eve glanced around to see who might have heard. “I did not.”
    â€œDon’t think I didn’t know how you mooned over him when you were in high school.”
    Eve rolled her eyes. One fact of life—no matter how old she got, her mother could still make her feel like a little kid. “Drop it, Mom. Please.”
    Chuckling, Bonnie nodded. “Have it your way.” About to say something else, she broke into a wide smile, jumped to her feet and began waving madly. “Well, look who’s here. Maisie Colton. Yoo-hoo, Maisie! Over here!”
    Instantly, the Corner Bar went silent. Voices hushed, forks stilled as all heads turned to stare at the door. Tall and statuesque, Maisie glided toward them. Her four-inch heels tap-tapping on the wooden floor was the only sound in the place.
    For the second time that day, Eve wanted to let the ground swallow her up. Instead, since she had no choice, she lifted her chin, forced a pleasant smile and watched Maisie approach.
    One thing about those Coltons, she thought. They were all lookers. With her exotically tilted aquamarine eyes, and perfect figure, Maisie would draw stares whether in New York, Paris or Bozeman, Montana. The hairdresser in Eve eyed the long, thick, brown hair cascading down Maisie’s back, and longed to work with it. Since Maisie traveled to Billings once a month to have her hair done, she knew that would never happen. Eve’s Salon Allegra was far too plebian for the likes of Maisie Colton.
    â€œBonnie Gene!” With a genuine grin on her bright-red lips, Maisie enveloped Bonnie Gene in a hug. “So good to see you.”
    â€œCome, join us.” Scooting over, Bonnie patted the seat next to her. “I’m sure you know my daughter, Eve.”
    â€œI’ve seen you around, but I don’t believe we’ve ever formally met.” Maisie’s smile turned cool as she held her perfectly manicured hand for Eve to shake. “You were a year behind me in high school.”
    â€œPleased to meet you,” Eve lied, suddenly overwhelmingly conscious of her short, unpainted fingernails.
    They touched hands quickly, and Maisie sat down.
    Luckily, Bonnie Gene kept the conversation rolling, and soon Maisie was chatting about everything from cattle wandering off in a blizzard to the latest winter fashions.
    Meanwhile, Eve kept watching the kitchen while her stomach rumbled, waiting for her food.
    Finally, the hamburgers arrived, dropped off by the hostess, as their waitress was busy waiting on other tables. Eve reached for her burger, ignoring Maisie’s stare of disapproval as she raised it to her mouth and took a huge bite.
    Heaven. It was all she could do to keep from rolling her eyes and moaning out loud.
    Bonnie Gene, however, was a bit more gracious. “Maisie, would you like half of mine? We ordered long before you came in.”
    â€œNo, thanks,” Maisie drawled. “I don’t eat beef.”
    That was too much, even for Eve. Swallowing her food, she couldn’t resist pointing out. “Um, Maisie? You live on a cattle ranch.”
    Up went one perfectly shaped brow. “So?”
    Staring at her, Eve tried to picture Darius Colton’s reaction to a daughter who wouldn’t eat beef. The autocratic cattleman had never been shy in proclaiming his contempt and disdain for what he called ‘tree huggers’ and ‘vegans.’ Was this her way of rebelling against an autocratic and dictatorial father? If so, Maisie was now a bit too old to be still playing that sort of game.
    Either way, it wasn’t Eve’s business. “I just thought it was different, that’s all. While I admire you for your principles, I could never do it. I love my meat too much.”
    â€œI can tell.” Maisie let her gaze sweep disparagingly over Eve. Then, while Eve was still reeling from the incredibly rude comment—standard Maisie