Читать книгу Night Hawk онлайн | страница 7

“Wow,” Kai said, put at ease by Cass’s easygoing nature, “you’re a multitasking guy if I ever saw one.”

Sandy chuckled and shook her head. “I’m going to the living room to sit down. Come join me, Kai?”

“Yes, ma’am,” she said.

“Don’t ‘ma’am’ her,” Cass warned gravely. “Things around here are loosey-goosey. No one stands on much protocol.”

“Good to know,” Kai murmured, giving Cass a grateful look. Already, she liked this ranch. Sandy worried her, though, and now she knew Talon Holt was her son. Was he like his mother? She didn’t know but hoped some of her DNA had made its way into him. Cass was a man in the kitchen. So maybe Talon wouldn’t think it odd she was a woman mechanic. Here at this ranch, they seemed not to care what the gender was as long as they were good at what they were doing. Mentally, Kai crossed her fingers.

Kai didn’t have long to wait for Talon Holt. She heard a man come in the screen door, the clacking of paws indicating a dog with him. Sitting on the couch, she saw a beautiful Belgian Malinois dog enter the room. His alert cinnamon eyes instantly settled on her. The intelligence in the dog’s gaze was apparent and Kai lifted her chin, seeing the owner come in right after him.

“Zeke, sit,” he ordered the dog.

Instantly, the dog sat.

“I’m Talon Holt,” he said, glancing at his mother and then at her. He took off his black Stetson. “You must be Kai Tiernan?”

Kai instantly stood. “Yes, sir, I am. Nice to meet you, sir.” She saw the tall man with black hair and gray eyes, grimace.

“Stand down,” he said with a slight smile. He crossed the room and shook her hand. “No need to say ‘sir’ to me.”

Zeke whined.

Talon looked back and pointed at his mother. “Zeke, guard.”

Sandy made an unhappy noise. “Now, Talon. I do not want that dog herding me around like I’m a sheep to be taken care of. Really!”

“No,” Cass boomed, coming into the room, handing Talon a cup of hot coffee, “she has me. Let the dog go out and smell the flowers that you’re trying to grow.”

Grinning, Talon nodded. “Kai, one second? I’ll be right back.”