When Rafe met them at the plane, he was in full wolf mode. Dark aviator glasses, new jeans, dark Western shirt, dress boots. Even a sterling bolo with a turquoise stone. The kind of lone wolf any woman would lick her chops over.
Only Creed’s ladies didn’t really have chops yet, just gums. “Here you go,” he told Rafe, and handed him the baby. “This is Lincoln Rose. Lincoln, don’t be scared of ugly, honey. He tries hard but he’s just not handsome like me.”
Lincoln Rose stared at Rafe. Rafe stared back at her, just as bemused. Creed grinned and went to walk the next little girl up the stairs. “This is my brother, honey. You can call him Uncle Rafe if you want to, Ashley,” Creed said, even though she didn’t talk much yet. “Let’s figure out how to strap your car seat in, okay? This plane has never seen a baby seat. But I’m pretty sure we can figure it out.” He put her favorite stuffed animal and a small book beside her, then went back to the front of the plane. “And I see you’ve met my last little girl.” Creed grinned at his brother, who still held Lincoln Rose as he latched eyes on Aberdeen with appreciation. “And this is the lady I mentioned was my special girl. Aberdeen, this is my brother, Rafe. Rafe, this is my fiancée, Aberdeen Donovan, and this little munchkin is Suzanne. Her sisters call her Suzu. And bringing up the rear is our nanny, Johnny Donovan.”
“You look just like Creed,” Aberdeen said. “Creed, you didn’t tell me you had a twin.”
“No reason to reveal all the sordid details.” Creed waved Johnny toward the back and took Lincoln Rose from his brother.
“Details like how you travel in style?” Johnny said. “This is a sweet ride.”
“Well, it helps to get around the country fast. We do a lot of deals here and there.” Creed looked at Aberdeen. “Do you want to be co-pilot, honey?”
“No,” Aberdeen said, “Thank you. I’ll just sit back and try to decide how I got myself into this.”
Creed grinned. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m going to help Rafe fly this rust bucket. Are we good to go, pilot?”
Rafe still seemed stunned as he looked over his new cargo of toys and babies. “Three little girls,” he said, his tone amazed. “Are you trying to beat Pete?” he asked, and Creed glared at him.
“Do you see a fourth?” Creed asked.
“Who’s Pete?” Aberdeen asked.
“Our brother who was first to the altar, and first to hit the baby lotto,” Rafe said cheerfully.
“What were you supposed to beat him at, Creed?” Aberdeen asked.
Rafe glanced at Creed, who wished his brother had laryngitis. “I’m not trying to beat anybody at anything,” Creed said. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about anything my numbskull of a brother says.”
Rafe nodded. “That’s right. Ignore me. I’m a pig at times.”
“Most of the time. Let’s fly.” Creed dragged his brother into the cockpit.
“She doesn’t know, does she?” Rafe asked as they settled in.
“I saw no reason to mention the baby-making aspects of Fiona’s plan. It had no bearing on my decision.”
“You sure?” Rafe asked.
“More than sure. Otherwise, there would be a fourth.”
“And there’s not?”
“Do you see a fourth?” Creed glared at Rafe again.
“I’m just wondering,” Rafe said. “As your twin, it’s my duty to wonder.”
“Skip your duty, okay?”
Rafe switched on some controls. “I should have known that when you said you were keeping an eye on a bar, you meant a nursery.”
“No, I meant a bar. I didn’t have plans to get engaged when I left.”
“So you found yourself in a bar and then a bed.” Rafe sounded tickled. “And there were three bonuses, and so you realized this was a primo opportunity to get out of Fiona’s line of fire. And maybe even beat Pete.”
“No,” Creed said, “because there’s nothing to beat Pete for. We have no ranch, per se. Therefore, no need to have children by the dozen.”
“Oh. You hadn’t heard. You’ve been gone.” Rafe slowly taxied on to the runway. “We’re all supposed to settle down, if we want to, to try to keep Bode from getting the ranch.”
“It’s no guarantee.”
“But you don’t know that Fiona says that competition begets our more successful efforts, so he who winds up with a wife and the biggest family will get the biggest chunk of the ranch—if we keep it.”
Creed frowned. “That has no bearing on my decision.”
“It might when you’ve had a chance to think it over. You’ll probably think about it next time you crawl into bed with your fiancée,” Rafe said, his tone annoyingly cheerful.
Creed scowled. “Let’s not talk about marriage like it’s a rodeo, okay? I’m getting married because…because Aberdeen and the girls are what I need.”
“To settle you down.” Rafe nodded. “Believe me, I understand. I’d settle down if I could find the right woman.”
That wasn’t it, exactly. Creed was getting married because he and Aberdeen had struck a bargain that suited them both. He got up to glance out at his precious cargo, wanting to make certain everyone was comfortable, particularly the little ladies. Aberdeen and Johnny were staring at him. Aberdeen looked as if she might be on the verge of throwing Lincoln Rose’s bear at him. Johnny looked as if he was considering getting out of his seat to squash Creed’s head. “Is something wrong?” he asked, instantly concerned for the babies.
“The mike’s on,” Johnny said, “or whatever you call that loudspeaker thing.”
Creed groaned. They’d heard everything—and probably misunderstood everything, too. “We’ll talk later,” he said to Aberdeen, but she looked out the window, not happy with him at all.
That made two of them.
Creed went back into the cockpit, flipping the switch off as he sat down. Rafe glanced at him.
“Uh-oh. You may be in trouble,” Rafe said. He looked honestly concerned. “Was that my bad?”
“I’m not certain whose bad it was. Just think about flight patterns, bro. The sooner I get her on terra firma at Rancho Diablo, the clearer things will be.”
He hoped Aberdeen was the type of woman who was willing to forgive and forget. Otherwise, he might be in for a bit of a rough ride, and, as he recalled, he’d been thrown recently. Which was how he’d ended up here in the first place.
He had no intention of being thrown again.
“THIS IS HOME,” CREED TOLD Aberdeen when they arrived at the ranch a few hours later. Rafe had left a van at the small regional airport where they kept the family plane in a hangar, and very little had been said on the ride to the ranch. The girls had been sound asleep in their car seats. Though Johnny had ridden up front with Rafe, and Creed had sat next to her, neither of them had felt like talking. The bigger conversation was later. If he thought she was marrying him out of a sense of obligation, he was dead wrong. And she had no intention of “settling him down,” as he’d told Rafe. He could just go settle himself down, she thought.
Now, at the family ranch, Aberdeen couldn’t help but be surprised. She glanced at Johnny for his reaction to the huge house on the New Mexico plains. In the distance a couple of oil derricks worked. Cattle roamed behind barbed-wire fencing. The sky was a bruised blue, and canyons were red and purple smudges in the distance. It was in the middle of nowhere, and a sense of isolation hung over the ranch.
Until, it seemed, a hundred people flowed out of the house, coming to greet them. Creed opened his door, turning to help her out. A tiny, older woman made it to the van first.
“Aunt Fiona, this is Aberdeen Donovan,” Creed said. “Aberdeen, this is the brains of the outfit, Fiona.”
“Hello, Aberdeen,” Fiona said. “Welcome to Rancho Diablo.”
Fiona’s smile enveloped her. Aberdeen thought that the same wonderful navy eyes ran in the Callahan family. She felt welcomed at once, and not nervous as she had been after listening to the men discuss their “tyrant” aunt. “Hello. Creed’s told me so many wonderful things about you.”
“I doubt it.” Fiona smiled. “But you’re sweet to fib, honey. This is Burke, the family overseer. He’s the true brains of the outfit, as my rascal nephew puts it.”
A kindly white-haired gentleman shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure, Aberdeen. And Fiona, I think we have some extra guests.” Johnny had unstrapped Lincoln Rose and handed her out to Aberdeen. Fiona gasped.
“What a little doll! Creed, you didn’t tell us you were bringing a baby!”
His brothers came forward, eager for their introduction and to catch a glimpse of the baby. Johnny handed out the last two, and Aberdeen smiled.
“This is Lincoln Rose, and Suzanne and Ashley. These are my nieces, and this is my brother, Johnny Donovan.”
Johnny finally made it from the van and introduced himself to the rest of the Callahans. Fiona shook her head at Creed. “You told Rafe you were bringing bombshells, you ruffian.”
“I couldn’t resist, Aunt Fiona.” Creed grinned, clearly proud of himself.
“These are the prettiest bombshells I’ve ever seen,” Fiona said. “I’ll have to send out for some cribs, though. And anything else you require, Aberdeen. We don’t have enough children at Rancho Diablo, so we’ll be happy to gear up for these. You’ll just have to let us know what babies need. My nephews have been a wee bit on the slow side about starting families.” She sent Creed a teasing smile. “Is there anything else you’d like to spring on us, Creed?”
“Introductions first, Aunt Fiona.” He went through the litany of brothers, and Aberdeen felt nearly overwhelmed by all the big men around her. Johnny seemed right at home. But then, another woman came forward, pushing a big-wheeled pram over the driveway, and Suzanne and Ashley went over to see what was inside.
“Babies,” Ashley said, and Creed laughed.
“This is Pete’s wife, Jackie. Jackie, this is Aberdeen Donovan.”
Jackie smiled at her; Aberdeen felt that she’d found a friend.
“We’ll have a lot to talk about,” Jackie said.
“Yes, we will,” Fiona said. “Come inside and let’s have tea. I’m sure you’re starving, Aberdeen.” She took Lincoln Rose in her arms and headed toward the house. Aberdeen and Jackie followed.
“I’m starving, too,” Creed said, watching the ladies walk away.
Sam laughed. “Not for love.”
Jonas shook his head. “Did you buy that big diamond she’s wearing?”
Creed shrugged. “It isn’t that big.”
“You’re getting married?” Judah asked. “You were only gone a few days!”
“It feels right,” Creed said, grinning at them.
“You’re trying to win,” Pete said. “You’re trying to beat me.”
Creed clapped his brother on the back. “Nope. I’d have to go for four to win, and I’m pretty good at knowing my limits, bro. The gold medal is all yours.”
Pete grinned. “I hope you warned Aberdeen.”
“About what?” Creed scowled as he and his brothers and Johnny walked toward the house, each carrying a suitcase. Burke tried to help carry one, but the brothers told him diaper bags were their responsibility, and Burke gladly went to park the van instead.
“About the bet. Which is a really dumb bet, if you ask me,” Pete said. “I wasn’t even trying, and look what happened to me. I just wanted to get married.”
“It’s almost like you got hit by a magic spell,” Sam mused. “Who would have ever thought you could father three adorable little girls?”
“I don’t know what to say about that,” Pete groused. “I think it was more like a miracle. But besides that, I’m more than capable of fathering adorable, thanks. You’ll be the one who has ugly.”
“There’s no such thing as an ugly baby.” Jonas opened the door. “Have you ever seen an ugly baby? They don’t exist. I’m a doctor, I know.”
“You’re a heart specialist, don’t overreach your specialty.” Creed shook his head. “But no, we’re not going to bring up the baby bet, and we’re not going to talk about ranch problems or anything like that. I’m trying to get the woman to marry me, not leave in a dust cloud.” It could happen. Aberdeen could get cold feet. She had that cold-feet look about her right now. Creed knew she was still annoyed about Rafe’s conversation with him in the plane. He also knew she’d been a bit rattled by the size of Rancho Diablo. Or maybe by its faraway location. Whatever it was, he needed time to iron it out of her without his brothers bringing up Callahan drama. “So just pull your hats down over your mouths if you have to,” he told his brothers, “and let’s not talk about anything we have going on that’s unusual.”
“Oh, he likes this one,” Sam whispered to his brothers.
“You’re talking about my sister like I’m not here,” Johnny said.
“Sorry,” Sam said. “You look like one of us. You could be a Callahan. We can be easily confused.” He grinned. “We separate ourselves into the bachelors and the down-for-the-count.”
“I’m not down—oh, never mind.” Creed shook his head. “Johnny, don’t listen to anything we say. We mean well. Some of us just blab too much.”
Johnny shrugged. “I hear it all the time in the bar. Yak, yak, yak.”
Jonas jerked his head toward the barn. “While the ladies chat, let us show you the set-up.”
Creed hung back as his brothers headed out. He was pretty certain that if he was smart—and he thought he was where women were concerned—he’d better hang around and try to iron some of the kinks out of his little woman. She had a mulish look in her eyes whenever he caught her gaze, and he knew too well that mulish females were not receptive to men. He sat down by Aberdeen and pulled Lincoln Rose into his lap. “Take you for a buggy ride around the property when you’ve had a chance to rest?”
Aberdeen looked at him. “Is it story time?”
“I think so.” Creed nodded. “Better late than never, huh?”
“We’ll babysit,” Jackie said, and Fiona nodded eagerly.
“And it’s romantic on the ranch at night,” Jackie said. “Trust me, Aberdeen, you want to take a spin on the ranch.”
Aberdeen looked at Creed, and he smiled, and though she didn’t smile back at him, he thought, she wasn’t beaning him with a baby bottle, either—and that was the best sign he had at the moment.
“Romance,” he said so only she could hear, “are you up for that?”
“We’ll see how good your story is,” she said, and Creed sank back in the sofa, looking at Lincoln Rose.
“Any tips on good stories?” he asked the baby, but she just looked at him. “I don’t know any, either,” he said, and Fiona said, “Then I suggest you get it in gear, nephew. Once upon a time, cowboy poets lived by their ability to tell stories. Live the legend.”
Aberdeen raised a brow at him, and he decided right then and there that whatever she wanted, the lady was going to get.