âCould you use a little help, darlinâ?â
Clay spoke softly in Nikiâs ear, but she still jumped as if heâd grabbed her. âI wish youâd quit sneaking up on me that way!â
She gave him an annoyed glance, but she still looked beautiful. A long wisp of hair blew across her mouth and she started to push it aside.
âLet me do that.â Slowly he smoothed the silky lock back behind her ear. As his fingers skimmed the corner of her mouth, his body leapt to throbbing readiness in an instant.
âOh, my,â she said softly, breathlessly.
Clay let his hand fall aside, which required all of his considerable willpower. âYou havenât answered my question.â
âYou asked a question?â
He laughed. âI asked if you needed any help.â
âYou donât want to do dishes.â Her voice had recovered a bit of its usual spice.
âSays who?â He shoved up the sleeves of his shirt. âYouâd be astounded at what I want to do.â
Dear Reader,
And so with this book, the saga of the Keene triplets draws to a closeâ¦or does it?
I really hate to think about leaving Hard Knox, Texas. Thatâs the biggest problem I have with miniseries: I never want to let go. I get to know and like the characters, not just my heroes and heroines but their friends and adversaries and relatives, the town where they hang out and the homes they live in. And no matter how happy the ending, there are always loose ends left behind, characters who deserve their own happily-ever-after.
But I wonderâ¦. Niki, Toni and Dani may only think theyâre the last of the Keenes. Iâve heard rumors that their daddy, Wil Keene (the old reprobate), may have sown a few more wild oats than any of them know. It wouldnât surprise me a lick if a tenderfoot brother turned up one of these days to claim his share of the Bar K.
Another Keene GONE TO TEXAS? I may just have to look into that one of these days.
Thanks for joining me on this trip. Iâve had fun and hope you have, too.
Sincerely,
Ruth Jean Dale
NIKI KEENE attracted cowboys like honey attracted beesâ¦like catnip attracted catsâ¦like candy attracted kids. This natural phenomenon never failed to amaze Tilly Collins, proud grandmother to the Keene triplets, among whom Niki was the youngest by a mere twenty minutes.
Not that Tilly didnât think all three of her granddaughters were pretty special. Sitting at a wooden picnic table beneath a spreading pecan tree at the annual Hard Knox Fourth of July picnic and barbecue, she fanned herself idly while watching Niki turn aside her crowd of admirers with ease. As they said, practice makes perfect.
Back home in Elk Tooth, Montana, Niki had been labeled the âpretty one,â Toni the ânice oneâ and Dani the âsmart one.â To their doting grandmother, each of the twenty-seven-year-old triplets was equally pretty, nice and smart. Still, she had to admit that there was a fortune to be made in bottling whatever it was that beautiful Niki had in such abundance.
It was only a passing thought, though, for like everyone else whoâd turned out at the city park for the celebration, Tilly was content just to enjoy the holiday atmosphere. With all the guests at the Keenesâ Bar-K Dude Ranch present, she was free to simply enjoy herself like everybody else.
Crowds milled around, as Bar-K guests mingled with townsfolk and visitors to other Hill Country dude ranches. In the background, the amplified voice of Mayor Rosie Mitchell droned on. Mayor Rosie obviously enjoyed this part of the program, the presentation of awards and certificates and honors to what was beginning to feel like an interminable list of Hard Knoxers, as the local newspaper had long ago christened locals.
âHi, Granny.â Dani Keene Burke sat down on the picnic bench next to Tilly. âWhew, is it ever hot!â
Tilly glanced around for Daniâs eleven-month-old daughter. âNot hot enough to make you forget what you did with Elsie, I hope.â
Dani laughed and her brown eyes sparkled. Marriage to neighboring rancher Jack Burke had done wonders for her; Tilly had never seen Dani happier.
âJackâs got her,â she said. âHeâll be along as soon as he gets the kids a cup of lemonade.â
Tilly nodded, knowing that âkidsâ in the plural included Jackâs orphaned six-year-old nephew, Pete, adopted when Jack and Dani married. âAre Toni and Simon here yet?â
Dani nodded. âI saw the newlyweds drive up just a few minutes ago. Theyâll be here soon.â She glanced around at the crowd. âWhereâs Niki?â
Tilly pointed in the general direction. At that moment, the crowd parted and they saw Niki, still in the middle of a horde of male admirers. She was looking up with a non-committal smile at a tall cowboy.
She was gorgeous. Something about long black hair and blue eyes, Tilly supposed. Whatever it was, Niki had lots of it.