Free McFarlane's Perfect Bride by Christine Rimmer Page B

brother-in-law.
    Tori mentioned some Outward Bound–type program, ROOTS, that a local woman, Haley Anderson, was trying to start up in a storefront in town. Melanie said she was so happy for Haley, to have found the right place for ROOTS at last.
    And then Melanie wanted to know if Tori had met Erin Castro, who was new in town and apparently going around asking questions about the Cateses, the Cliftons and the Traubs.
    Tori frowned. “No. I haven’t met her.”
    Russ said, “Grant told me that woman started in on him at the Hitching Post. She had a thousand and one questions.”
    Connor remembered the blonde woman he’d spoken to at the bar at DJ’s. “I met her at the summer kickoffbarbecue. She introduced herself.” He described their brief conversation.
    Russ grunted. “She’s up to something…”
    â€œBut what?” Melanie wondered aloud.
    Russ added, “Grant said she has this tattered yellowed newspaper clipping, a picture of some old-time gathering of—”
    â€œLet me guess.” Connor predicted, “The Cateses, the Cliftons and the Traubs.”
    â€œYou got it.”
    â€œMaybe she’s writing a tell-all,” Tori suggested lightly. “The secrets of Thunder Canyon, Montana, revealed.”
    â€œShe better watch herself,” Russ muttered darkly. “Folks around here don’t like strangers poking in their private business.”
    And the conversation moved on.
    Connor didn’t say much to Tori. She returned the favor. He didn’t think his sister or her husband even noticed that they kept their distance from each other and avoided eye contact.
    He couldn’t help glancing Tori’s way, though, when he thought no one was looking. She was so pretty, strawberry-blond hair shining in the sun, her skin like cream. There was something about her, even beyond her fresh good looks, something that drew him. He couldn’t explain it, and he certainly didn’t understand it. It just was, like the blue sky above, the wide, rolling pasture below.
    And it’s going nowhere, so get over it, the voice of wisdom within advised.
    The kids wandered in and out of their view, sometimes disappearing into a small stand of pines on a ridge to the northeast, sometimes coming near, but thenturning to head off in a different direction before they got too close to the adults. Their laughter and chatter rang out across the rolling field.
    Once, when they were all three in sight, near a weathered fence that separated the pasture from the next one over, Melanie got up. “Time to talk a little business.” She set off toward the three by the fence.
    â€œBusiness?” Tori glanced at Connor—and then apparently caught herself actually looking at him. Her gaze slid away.
    Russ, stretched out on his back, with his hat over his eyes, said lazily, “Connor’s decided it’s not a bad idea if CJ does a little honest work this summer.”
    Tori sent Connor another swift glance. What? She was surprised that he’d taken her advice.
    He gave a curt nod and looked away.
    Russ, still with his hat over his eyes, continued, “He and Red agreed that she should make the offer.” According to Melanie, Russ had always called her Red. Even back when she didn’t like it in the least. Now, though, it was his pet name for her.
    Melanie had reached the three teenagers. Connor—and Tori, too, he noticed out of the corner of his eye—watched as the scene played out. Melanie spoke.
    CJ instantly started shaking his head, backing away. It looked like a no-go.
    But then Jerilyn said something. Melanie nodded and offered her hand. The girl took it.
    And then CJ spoke up again. Melanie turned to him and said something. He nodded. And Melanie shook his hand.
    Ryan shot a fist in the air and they heard him exclaim, “Yes!”
    Russ lifted his hat enough to glance toward the scene by the old fence.