The Texas Cowboy's Quadruplets

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  He sifted his hands through her hair. Glad her ambivalence hadn’t lasted nearly as long this time. “So we’re good?” he asked thickly.

  Mitzy released a long breath. “Secretly, yes,” she admitted, reluctantly relaxing in his arms, “we’re good.”

  “But...?” He sensed conditions he wouldn’t like coming on.

  She extricated herself and went to find her coat. “I don’t want anyone to know we’re even thinking about picking up where we left off, at least not yet. I don’t want that kind of interest or pressure.”

  He could understand her not wanting her mother involved in the situation just yet.

  After all, Judith could be a handful. Even with the easygoing Walter there to run interference.

  As for the rest...

  Hating to be the bearer of bad news, Chase said, “Actually, sweetheart, as far as the interest goes, I think that horse already left the corral.”

  She went very still. Her eyes held his. “What do you mean?” she asked with trepidation.

  Chase figured he might as well spit it out. “My brother Jack told me people in Laramie are already taking bets on how long it will be until we’re actually married.”

  She paled. “You’re kidding.”

  He wished.

  Pressure, of any kind, of any degree, from any place, would not help him win Mitzy’s heart. In fact, it would have the opposite effect.

  She came nearer, brows raised. “Did you place a bet?”

  “Nope.” Although Chase knew what he privately hoped would happen. “I don’t want to jinx anything,” he said with absolute honesty.

  Mitzy groaned in distress. “I don’t, either. At least,” she clarified, as they headed out the door, en route to relieve their two volunteer babysitters by 6:00 p.m., “we’re on the same page about this.”

  They were.

  It was what to do about their feelings that they couldn’t agree on. Mitzy wanted to hide, and as much as he hated it, Chase understood why. Her parents’ divorce and her mother’s subsequent remarriages—save the one to the beloved Walter—had not been exactly encouraging to Mitzy. Whereas his folks’ relationship stood as a beacon to all that was good and enduring, when it came to formal legal unions.

  Bottom line: he wanted the kind of solid, loving, everlasting marriage his parents had.

  Mitzy, on the other hand, preferred to keep one foot out the door when it came to romance.

  No doubt she felt not being tied down would keep her safe. It was going to be up to him to show her just the opposite was true. For both their sakes, he would work on that.

  He doubted he would be able to get that done before they left for Dallas, for the quads’ debut, on Saturday. But maybe, if he were persistent and persuasive enough, he would be able to achieve success before Christmas.

  * * *

  As it happened, Mitzy and Chase weren’t able to see each other at all on Thursday. Chase was tied up, arranging financials for a struggling business he was attempting to purchase before year’s end. Whereas Mitzy was working on the details of the MCS Christmas party to take place the following weekend.

  The time apart gave her some much-needed time to think.

  She realized she’d been a little too emotional the day before when Chase had arranged for their trip down memory lane.

  For her, that time was as fraught with unhappy memories as happy ones.

  Chase viewed it differently. Seemingly through a rose-colored lens.

  The point was, the past was over. The future was too far ahead to think about. All they really had was the present, and in the present, she was really enjoying spending time with Chase again.

  She no longer wanted a closure that would end things.

  Neither did he.

  So maybe for now, with the complicated holidays coming up, they should concentrate on that.

  Which was exactly what she did when Chase was able to come by as per usual on Friday evening.

  “It looks like we’re going to have a good crowd at the company Christmas party,” she told him excitedly soon after he arrived. She took his coat and hung it up in the hall closet. “It seems like all the employees are coming and bringing family and or a friend with them.” She made a face as she relayed, “The only problem is the potato salad. We have more people wanting to make that than any of the other side dishes.”

  He returned her hello hug and kiss then walked with her to the family room, where the quads were all snoozing away. He took a peek at each of them, tenderness softening the strong features of his handsome face. Turning back to her, he caught her hand and tugged her down onto the sofa beside him. “What’s the main entrée going to be?”

  Mitzy snuggled into the curve of his arm. “Barbecue—from Sonny’s. Traditionally, the company supplies that, and I’ve already placed the order.”

  He stroked a thumb over her cheek. “You could have the restaurant make the sides, too. I’d be happy to treat.”

  She gazed up at him, appreciative of his generosity. “Thank you, but no. You’re my guest.”

  He grinned, appearing as happy about that as she was. Even though, she’d made it perfectly clear, he was only going as an old family friend, not her actual date.

  “Besides, it’s tradition that everyone brings something homemade. I’ll just have to put out the call for more variety in sides, and the desserts.”

  He looked at the lists and gift catalogs spread out over the coffee table. “What’s all this?”

  Mitzy sighed. “I’m still trying to decide on the presents for the boys. Mother has already gotten them every toy for their age group. Her theory being that just because they were all born on the same day doesn’t mean they should get any less than she would have given them had they been a year apart.”

  “So she’s cornered the market on toys for the under-one set.”

  “Pretty much. Anyway, I was thinking. They haven’t gotten any loveys yet. And they really are at that age where they might start to need them. So I was going to get each one of them a special baby blanket, embroidered with their name, and a special stuffed animal, too.”

  Chase nodded. “Nice.”

  Mitzy frowned. “But then I got stuck.”

  Chase’s brow furrowed. “How come?”

  Happy to talk this out with him—since he was the masculine influence in their lives and might, someday in the distant future, be even more if the fates allowed—Mitzy thumbed through the catalog to show him the possibilities.

  “Should I go with wild animal stuffed toys, like zebras and bears, tigers and lions? Or farm animals like horses and cows and pigs and donkeys?”

  Excited about the quads’ very first Christmas, she rushed on, “Dinosaurs seem really popular, especially for little boys, but are those too scary? Or is it better to go with something like puppies and kittens and bunnies?” Chase’s gaze widened. “As you can see, they are all adorable.”

  He snuggled next to her on the sofa. “They are.”

  “So what do you think?”

  He studied her, seeming surprised that she had wanted his opinion on something this intimate and important. Finally, he said, “If it were me, I would go with different kinds of dogs and choose different breeds for each child. Golden retriever. Black Labrador. Husky. Maybe a Bernese mountain dog.” He shrugged, pointing at the pictures on the page. “They’re all cute. And distinctive looking.”

  Mitzy had known Chase would have the answer. She hugged him exuberantly. “I like that idea.”

  Now all he had to do was help her decide.

  They spent the next hour poring over the choices.

  Mitzy put the items in her shopping cart, set the delivery for the following Monday and checked out. Relieved to have that over with, she rose and stretched, putting her hands over her head. “Now all I have to do is order the blankets and take t
hem over to get them embroidered. Which I can do after we get back from Dallas.”

  Chase stood, too. Stepping behind her, he massaged the taut muscles of her shoulders and the back of her neck. Pleasure sifted through Mitzy. Chase could always make her feel so good. She had really missed having him around. Not just yesterday, but for the last ten years.

  As if sensing the change in her mood, Chase turned her to face him. “Speaking of the big D...” He gently surveyed her face. “Are you-all ready for the trip tomorrow morning?”

  Mitzy wasn’t sure how to answer that. Embarking on the first road trip with the quadruplets was one thing. Facing her mother—and whatever secrets and potential suitors Judith had up her sleeve—definitely another.

  But there was no use borrowing trouble.

  Which would come soon enough.

  So Mitzy concentrated on the positive. “Bridgett, Bess and Lulu were all here this afternoon, and they helped me pack. So yes, except for the things that have to go into the diaper bag last minute, we’re all ready.”

  “Still want me to be here at the crack of dawn?”

  Mitzy wished she could invite him to stay the night. But if he did, they’d end up making love again, and neither of them would get any sleep.

  Figuring they could make up for lost time later, she said, “Yes. I promised Mother we’d be at her home in Preston Hollow no later than ten.”

  Chase kissed the back of her hand. “Nervous?” he asked softly.

  “Not as much as I would be if you weren’t going to be there with us.”

  Chase wrapped her in his arms. “It’ll all be okay,” he promised.

  Mitzy drew a breath. She certainly hoped so.

  Chapter Ten

  Judith met them at the door of her mansion, late Saturday morning. “What happened?” she asked, aghast.

  Chase turned to Mitzy, figuring she should answer, since she had just endured the road trip from hell with her quadruplets.

  Mitzy grimaced. “Turns out that being in the car more than thirty minutes or so makes them all spit up.”

  Or at least it had that morning, Chase thought.

  Judith, who’d been about to reach out to hug them, stepped back, hands up as if to stave them off. “I’m sorry, but you-all reek!”

  Mitzy—who had predicted this reaction from her mother—sent Chase a beleaguered glance. Then, like Chase, still holding an infant carrier with a sleeping baby in each hand, retorted with laudable calm, “We’re aware we all smell like sour milk, Mother. Which is why we’d like to get everyone cleaned up, and the interior of my SUV detailed, as soon as possible.”

  Judith bypassed the caterers setting up and led them toward the sweeping staircase that dominated the grand entry hall of the ten-thousand-square-foot mansion. “Well, the stylists are waiting. The photographer is here.” She motioned to the four young women gathered on the second-floor balcony. The childcare workers headed down en masse. Looking even more stressed, Judith turned back, fretting, “I wish you hadn’t insisted on doing everything all in one day!”

  Mitzy, well accustomed to her mother’s griping, countered just as implacably, “We’re here now. So do you want to argue about it or get going?” The nannies each took one baby boy.

  Judith swept into drill-sergeant mode. “The first order of business is to get everyone out of those horrible clothes and get the vomit smell washed off.” She turned to Mitzy. “I’ll send someone out for the bags while you show Chase to the blue suite. And we’ll have your SUV taken to the car wash.”

  Chase handed over the vehicle keys. “Thanks, Judith.”

  Walter appeared, in a polo shirt and khakis. He looked completely unfazed by all the activity swirling about them. “When you’re done, come out to the pool. We’ll see about getting you some refreshments...”

  Glad he’d thought to bring a couple of extra shirts and jeans, Chase changed and washed up. He could hear the stylists, makeup and hair crew jockeying for top dog status as he passed Mitzy’s room.

  Thinking it was going to be a men’s only get-together, he was surprised to see Walter and Judith waiting for him at one of the umbrella tables.

  “I don’t know how long we’ll have to talk privately,” Mitzy’s mother began, her voice as sunny and unseasonably warm as the December weather outside, “so I’ll get straight to the point.”

  She poured them each a cup of peppermint tea. “Gus didn’t just talk privately to you before he died, Chase. He talked to me and Walter, too.”

  She waited for Chase to take a sip of the fragrant beverage. “We know what you promised him. What I can’t comprehend is what’s taking so long!” She paused to give him a look of reproof and leaned toward him. “Why haven’t you found a buyer yet for MCS? Or better yet, purchased it yourself, for McCabe Leather Goods?”

  As long as they were putting all the cards on the table...

  Chase straightened. “Because I also promised Gus that I would give Mitzy time to come to grips with the fact that she’s not equipped to run a company like that.”

  “But you’re doing something about it now...” Walter guessed approvingly, one businessman to another.

  If only it were that simple. But, with Mitzy’s heart involved, it wasn’t easy. “I’m trying.”

  Judith scoffed. “By romancing her? And don’t deny it, Chase. I have my sources. I know you’ve been there practically every day.” She used her fingers to make quotation marks. “Helping out.”

  How much to tell without really making Mitzy mad? That was the question. Chase slowly exhaled. “I never stopped caring about her.”

  Or, it would appear, she about me...

  Judith shook her head, sadness and frustration coming into her eyes. “You should have married her ten years ago. No matter what she said.”

  If there was such a thing as a do-over, he would be first in line. “I agree. I was a fool.” We both were. “I’m not anymore. Believe it or not—” he looked at both Judith and Walter “—I have a handle on this.”

  It was a delicate process, one that could easily blow up in their faces. But he was going to proceed carefully. Bring her around, one step at a time. Just the way Gus had wanted. “I have a handle on her and the whole situation.”

  Judith squinted slightly as if to signal him.

  For what, Chase didn’t know.

  He soon found out as a shadow loomed over them.

  Mitzy approached, a stressed-out look on her face. Her hair was already in curlers and she had makeup suitable for studio photography on—which meant way too much. She was wearing some sort of kimono robe and slippers, and she looked more miserable than he had ever seen her. Had she overheard what they’d been talking about? It was impossible to tell. She padded closer, arms crossed militantly in front of her. “Mother, please don’t put pressure on him.”

  Maybe not, Chase thought with relief.

  Maybe she just assumed her mother was meddling, as per usual.

  Judith tossed her head. “I’m not going to be shy about saying what I feel about all this, Mitzy.”

  Had she ever been? Chase wondered.

  Mitzy lifted a brow, daring her mother to go on.

  And of course, Judith did. “Chase might not have been right for you before, since he hadn’t yet made his fortune. Now that he has, he should capitalize on that success. Marry you. Adopt the boys. And move you and the babies back to Dallas for good.”

  Mitzy’s demeanor got even icier. She glared at her mother. “Or not.”

  Figuring no good could come of continuing this conversation, Chase jumped in, half rising out of his chair. “Did you need some help with something, sweetheart?”

  She gave him a long look that could have meant any number of things, then swung away from him and pivoted back to Judith. “Actually, as much as it pains me to say this, I do need you, Mother. The situation
upstairs is a mess... My stylist and the photographer can’t agree on anything and I am fast running out of patience.”

  “Not to worry, darling. I’ll sort things out.”

  The two women headed off, arm in arm.

  Chase couldn’t be sure, but he thought Mitzy might be starting to lean on her mother emotionally, just a little. Which would be a good thing. Mother and daughter needed each other more than they knew.

  Walter pushed his cup and saucer away. “Sorry about that.” He helped himself to one of the frosted sugar cookies on the plate. “I told Judith not to ambush you, especially not today, but she’s worried that Mitzy might not be handling this first Christmas without her father as well as she wants everyone to think.”

  Funny, Chase had just been thinking the same thing.

  He turned back to the man who would have been his stepfather-in-law. “Is it true Judith wants to introduce Mitzy to a number of eligible men this evening?”

  Walter gave a half shrug. “You know Judith. She’s as aware as everyone else that reconciliations, however well-intentioned, don’t always work out. So of course, she has a backup plan...”

  One, Chase realized, his heart sinking, that did not include him.

  * * *

  Chase thought his days of feeling jealous over anything had passed. Apparently not. It was killing him to see Judith taking Mitzy around. Introducing her to one Mr. Wrong after another. All wealthy. Successful. Single.

  All incredibly interested in Mitzy.

  And why not? He’d never seen her looking so gorgeous, in a body-clinging red gown, its demure jewel-collared neckline and knee-length hem belying the completely bare back.

  Damn, she had beautiful shoulders. Creamy satin skin. In the subtle makeup, her hair upswept, diamonds glittering at her throat and earlobes, she looked as elegant as she had in her debutante days.

  She was also, he was pretty damn sure, ticked off at him. For even speaking privately with her mother and stepfather about the two of them?

  Not that he’d had any choice but to be polite.

  “Chase,” Judith said, suddenly at his side. “It’s time.”