Free A CALLAHAN CHRISTMAS MIRACLE by Tina Leonard

this ranch and make certain nothing’s under it. We owe that to our cousins.”
    Galen nodded. “You’re right. We said we’d keep this ranch safe. So far, we have. But Wolf outthought us, hitting us from underground like this.”
    “Send Rose back into the cave,” Falcon said suddenly. “Or Ash. We need to plant some recording devices.”
    Galen shook his head. “No one is going back in that cave. We shouldn’t have put Rose down there in the first place. Jace and I didn’t entirely realize what it was.” They’d had no idea of what they’d discovered. And he’d had no idea Rose would be so thorough in her recon efforts.
    He really admired her bravery.
    “Where’d you go today?” he suddenly demanded of Jace. “You disappeared for hours.”
    “I was running errands,” his brother replied.
    “All day?” Galen frowned. “Weren’t you scheduled for patrol?”
    “I swapped with Sloan, no worries,” Jace said, but Galen thought his brother looked a little too eager to end the conversation.
    Still, he supposed it was none of his business.
    “I’m glad none of you are angry about me buying the land. The idea was Running Bear’s, so I hope it’s a good one. Storm must have learned that something was going on with Wolf and his henchmen, because he was pretty eager to sell. We’re not paying top dollar by any means.”
    “We’ll all be happy to pitch in pennies,” Tighe said.
    “I still don’t know if I trust the man,” Galen admitted, “but I suppose since we’re hiring his kin all over the place, I’ll have to get over it.”
    “True,” Ash said cheerfully. “Especially since Jace has got an epic thing going for Sawyer.”
    Jace turned a bit red. “Did I say that?”
    “No,” his sister said, delighted to be able to yank his chain. “Her cousin, Somer, did. By the way, I heard Somer had her eye on you at one time, Galen.”
    He started. “I don’t think so.”
    “Apparently, she did. But,” Ash continued in merry fashion, “she quickly figured out your interests lay elsewhere. She’s now dating Dr. Brody, the vet in town.” Ash looked at Galen with glee. “We’re all betting the other interest is Rose.”
    “Don’t bet,” he said. “It’s a dumb thing to do with hard-earned cash.”
    The siblings rose, signaling an end to the meeting. Ash grinned at him.
    “I know you’re not going to open a dude ranch, Galen. I was just giving you a roast.”
    “Thanks. I always need a good needling from my sister.” He ruffled Ash’s pale hair, which had now grown to her shoulders, and thought what a shame it was that Xav had tossed away the best girl on the planet.
    Best girl besides Rose.
    “What are you going to do about Rose?” Ash asked. “All the babies and children are going to have to leave, obviously, if you’re fixing to swarm this place with Feds. So nannies aren’t necessary here. And she’s not a bodyguard or sniper type of girl. Probably has never fired a gun.”
    “I suspect you’re wrong about that.” He figured Mack Carstairs was likely the kind of man who’d take his daughter hunting with him. And his grandchildren.
    Galen’s breath caught at the thought of grandchildren. “Holy smokes,” he muttered.
    “What?” Rose said. “What is it?”
    He’d just spent a glorious night making love to Rose every which way from Sunday. If he was lucky, he might do it again tonight. What if he ended up like his bucket-headed brothers? Pregnant and no ring?
    Rose wasn’t the kind of woman to jump into a marriage just because she was expecting a child. They’d used a condom. Everything was probably fine.
    He glanced over at Sloan, Tighe, Falcon and Dante, who were huddled in a corner discussing the tunnel problem. Dissecting it from every angle. Not thinking about women, because they had theirs.
    Galen didn’t have the one he wanted. And Rose wouldn’t be an easy catch. She wouldn’t want to go home and tell her big, tough-minded father that she was expecting a