Catherine came hurtling around the corner, almost colliding with the basket of muffins in his hand.
“Hi, short stuff. How was your day?”
“Okay.” She stepped around him and grinned at Ashley. “I’ve been waiting for you all night. Do you want to see the picture I painted at school?”
Ashley smiled as Catherine pulled her toward the stairs. She looked over her shoulder at Matthew. “Are you coming?”
“You’re on your own. I’ll take the muffins into the kitchen.” He watched them disappear upstairs before heading down the hallway. The kitchen at the Gray ranch had always been the center of everyone’s life. Before their mom and dad had left to live in Florida, they’d replaced the original cabinets with pale yellow cupboards and a white granite counter. After Amy had married his brother, he’d expected some things to change, but Amy had liked everything his mom had done.
Nathan, his second-to-eldest brother, was standing in front of the kitchen sink.
“My status as Catherine’s favorite adult is under threat.”
Nathan threw a dishtowel over his shoulder. “You should have been here earlier. All we’ve heard about is Ashley.”
“She’s been on a lot of people’s minds,” Matthew muttered.
His brother’s eyebrows rose. He walked to the kitchen door and pushed it shut. “Don’t tell me you’re falling for her again?”
“I’m not falling for her.”
“Do you know how unconvincing you sound?”
“It doesn’t matter how I feel. Ashley’s not staying in Bozeman.”
“So I’ve heard.” Nathan looked inside the basket. “Are they lemon and huckleberry muffins?”
“I think so. Sally sent Ashley the recipe.”
“I’ll make everyone a hot drink.” Nathan took four cups out of the pantry. “How does your ex-girlfriend like her coffee?”
The glare he sent his brother bounced off his thick skin. “Cream and one sugar.”
Nathan poured coffee into the mugs. “How is her investigation coming along?”
“A lot slower than she’d like. Jason Smith from Fletcher Security is helping her.”
“Was that her idea or yours?”
“Mine. I didn’t know what else to do. She won’t ask the police for help.”
“She’s still as stubborn as ever.”
Matthew took a plate out of the cupboard. “The story means everything to her. I’m worried she’ll get hurt.”
“You’ve done everything you can to keep her safe. If she’s not prepared to listen to you, that’s her decision.”
The kitchen door opened and Amy smiled at Matthew. “Is it okay if I come in or are you having a top-secret, brothers only meeting?”
“Of course you can come in. We were about to bring the coffee and muffins into the living room.”
“It’s just as well Toby’s a heavy sleeper. Catherine’s showing Ashley all her treasures. She’s so excited that I doubt she’ll go to sleep tonight.”
Matthew handed Amy a cup of coffee. “I’ll read her a story when she’s ready for bed. That usually calms her down.” He still remembered the first time he’d seen his niece. She’d been about ten months old and had arrived at the ranch with Amy, straight off a plane from Chicago. Her blonde hair and big brown eyes had melted his heart, especially when Amy told him what their mother had done.
Catherine was Amy’s half-sister, but she’d lived permanently with Amy since she was five months old. With a 26 year age difference between the two sisters, Catherine called Amy, mom. In every way possible, their relationship was more like mother and daughter. When their mom gave up her parental rights to Catherine, Amy officially became her baby sister’s next of kin.
Nathan waved his hand in front of Matthew’s face. “Earth to Matthew. Are you still with us?”
