Maria smiled. She was a beautiful girl. “No, no. That’s just what I call him. My mother worked for him. I’ve known him since I was a girl. Señor Kade is still how I think of him.”

Ellie smiled, liking the young woman already. “I can bring my stuff in later. Tell me what you need me to do.”

Maria flicked a glance toward the seating area off to one side. There was a long rectangular wooden table with benches on both sides, room enough to seat ten or twelve people, plus a chair at each end.

“Mabel left last night,” Maria said. “I’m not used to cooking by myself. You could help by setting the table. Then I won’t have to do it later. Just the basics, silverware, paper napkins, water glasses, and coffee mugs. The men serve up their own meals.”

“All right. I can do that. It’ll give me a chance to figure out where everything is.” Ellie set to work opening cabinets and drawers, mentally cataloging supplies and cookware, memorizing where things were located. In minutes, she had the table set using vinyl, red-checked placemats and red paper napkins to give it a cheerful look. Maria seemed pleased.

They worked together to cut up tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers for a big crisp green salad to go with the casserole.

“The men won’t be in for a while,” Maria said. “I’ll help you bring in your things.”

“Great. Thanks.”

But Kade Logan appeared first. Shoving through the back door and stepping into the warm kitchen, he shed his tan Carhartt jacket and hung it on a peg beside the door. The hat he was wearing was the same brown felt as before, but this one was crimped and stained, a working cowboy’s hat.

Her gaze traveled over him, and her stomach contracted. She had forgotten the impact the man had had on her the first time she’d seen him. The broad shoulders and long legs, the square jaw and hard mouth, the slightly mussed golden-brown hair. The feeling was even stronger today.

Kade Logan was a man’s man, and her hormones seemed to know it.

The notion grew when he turned and saw her. She could have sworn his nostrils flared. Ellie forced herself not to turn and run back out the door.

It was ridiculous. Kade Logan was only a man. In her line of work, she dealt with men every day.

“I see you made it.” The deep male voice sent a tingle of awareness up her spine. “We had a little trouble or I would have been here to greet you.”

“What kind of trouble?” She was a private investigator. Curiosity came with the job.

“Why don’t we get our business finished? Then you can get settled in. My study is down the hall.”