A Woman's Touch

had.“
    „Yeah? When was the last time you put in a ski resort? All you’ve ever done are subdivisions and a couple of Mickey Mouse office buildings. This is a whole different ball game.“
    „I’ve got the kind of connections that can pull this off, if you’ll just be reasonable,“ Ballard shot back. He thrust out his chin in open challenge. „But I don’t suppose that’s possible for a Stockbridge, is it?“
    „You want a dose of reason? I’ll be glad to give it to you.“ Kyle started to shrug off his formal jacket. He was smiling with grim anticipation.
    Ballard started to remove his own jacket.
    „Oh, no you don’t,“ Rebecca said, sailing through the crowd with fire in her eyes. „You two are not going to ruin my wedding with a stupid brawl.“
    „Glen, I will never forgive you if you don’t stop this nonsense immediately,“ Darla said forcefully. She was one step behind Rebecca.
    „Don’t worry, honey. This won’t take long,“ Ballard stated. „Besides, Stockbridge has got this coming. Remember what he did to our wedding.“
    „Leave it to you, Ballard, to bring up ancient history,“ Kyle remarked.
    „Stop it, both of you.“ Rebecca stepped in front of Kyle.
    „Glen,“ Darla hissed as she got in her husband’s path. „You’ll have to get past me and the baby in order to get to Kyle.“
    „Get out of my way, Becky,“ Kyle urged.
    „Come on, Darla. This’ll just take a minute,“ Glen coaxed.
    „Darla and I are prepared to stand here all night,“ Rebecca said lightly. „But I, for one, can think of other things I would much rather do with my wedding night. What about you, Kyle?“ She stood on her tiptoes, put her hands on her husband’s shoulders and kissed him with slow, loving thoroughness.
    Kyle’s bunched muscles relaxed quickly. His mouth opened for her eagerly, his tongue seeking hers. Then his arms went around her waist. „Oh, yeah, baby,“ he growled, „I can think of plenty of other things to do tonight besides beating Ballard into the pavement. What do you say we go do them?“
    The crowd roared its approval.
    Behind Rebecca, Ballard sighed loudly. „Something tells me you’re not going to be nearly as much fun as you used to be, Stockbridge. You’ve changed.“

    Kyle raised his head to look at his old enemy. Ballard was grinning at him, his arm around a smiling Darla.
    „I got lucky,“ Kyle said.

    Nine months later the Stockbridge heir arrived with a lusty squall that heralded a familiar temper. The temper wasn’t the only thing that had been passed down to another generation. The baby also had Kyle’s green eyes.
    They named her Anna Melinda.
    „I don’t believe it,“ Glen Ballard announced when he and Darla came by the Stockbridge home to view the newest member of the family. „It’s a girl. After all these years, the Stockbridges finally got smart and started having girls.“
    Kyle held his new daughter proudly. His grin was as wide as the Colorado skies. „Damned right,“ he said. „And I’ll tell you something else, Ballard. This little girl of mine is going to run circles around that boy of yours.“
    Glen laughed. „You may be right for once. No Ballard has ever had to deal with a female Stockbridge. Should be interesting to see what happens.“
    Darla glanced down at the lively baby boy she was holding on her lap. Little Justin Ballard was just starting to show evidence of his father’s coppery hair. „Look at how interested he is in Anna. He can’t take his eyes off her.“
    „That could be an omen for the future,“ Rebecca murmured as she poured coffee. „There was something in Alice Cork’s journal about the Stockbridges and the Ballards becoming related one day through marriage. She thought it would be the perfect ending for the feud.“
    „Not a chance,“ Kyle said automatically.
    „No way,“ Glen echoed confidently.
    Rebecca grinned at Darla who smiled back knowingly.
    Baby Justin ignored the adults, his gaze still fixed in utter fascination on the infant in Kyle’s arms. Anna Melinda gurgled contentedly.
    Kyle glanced down at his beautiful little daughter and could have sworn she winked one tiny green eye.