Kade walked toward her, his jaw solid, his hat pulled low. Ellie felt a hitch in her breath that she determinedly ignored. Kade surveyed the kitchen, saw most of the mess had already been cleaned up, then glanced over at his men.

“Doesn’t look like they’ve got any complaints about the food.”

Ellie shrugged. “It’s breakfast. Bacon and eggs aren’t much of a challenge.”

“Not if you know how to cook them without setting the kitchen on fire.”

She smiled.

“I’m glad you’re settling in.” Kade’s eyes caught hers in silent communication. “I’m heading into town a little later. Why don’t you make a list of the supplies you need and you can ride in with me? Save you having to drive in yourself.”

She’d been planning to make the trip into Coffee Springs no later than tomorrow. “That would be great.” She could dig around, begin asking the raft of questions that crowded her mind. Unfortunately, for every one that got answered, another question came up.

Still, it was a start, and she appreciated Kade making it easy for her.

He served himself a plate of breakfast, took off his hat and sat down with the men, ate, then disappeared down the hall. Ellie and Maria doled out sack lunches and sent the men on their way. They had just finished the final cleanup when Kade returned.

“You ready to go?”

“I’m ready.” Ellie flicked him a glance as she grabbed her purse and puffy down jacket. She felt a little zing as he walked up behind her, and both of them headed out the door.

* * *

Kade started around to help Ellie into his big, metallic brown, diesel Ford dually pickup, pausing for a moment to give Smoke a quick rub. When he looked up, she was stepping on the running board, hoisting herself into the passenger seat without any help.

Kade rounded the truck and slid in behind the steering wheel, both of them buckled up, and he started the engine. It was ten miles into Coffee Springs, but once they reached the main road, it was paved the rest of the way, so it wasn’t a bad drive, and he never grew tired of the beautiful scenery, the open pastures, forested hillsides, and snow-topped mountain peaks.

“So what do you think of the place?” he asked.

Ellie pulled her gaze away from the same landscape he was admiring. “Your ranch is beautiful, Kade. You’ve really taken care of it.”

“My dad left the place in my hands. I couldn’t let him down.”

“So you were an only child?”