9781631053566SpringsDelightBallNC Read Free

he’d brought
a troubled woman to the ranch.
     
    * * * *
     
    Spring drank the last of her
coffee, grateful it warmed her insides. There wasn’t even an open spot for her
to place it on the coffee table. She was needed here, and it wouldn’t be
charity; she’d be working for her keep. A hard man, so different from Caleb’s
description, she hoped she could get along with him.
    Colt returned with a navy blue
cardigan. He walked toward her and handed it to her. She put it on, wincing as
she stretched her arm into the sleeves. “What’s wrong with your shoulder?”
    Ashamed, she looked away. “It’s
nothing. Thanks for the sweater.”
    He didn’t say a word, and the
silence grew uncomfortable. Glancing back, she was surprised to find him
staring at her.
    Colt reached down, took her
arm, pushed up her sleeve and swore. “Those are some pretty nasty bruises. Is
that what Caleb was helping you with?”
    Pulling her arm away, she
pushed her sleeve back down. “Yes.” It came out as barely a whisper.
    “Your
shoulder?”
    “The
same. It hardly bothers me.”
    “Caleb was right to invite you
here. Like I said, I’m not easy to get along with these days, but I do treat
women with respect. Right now I have to tend to the animals, but I’ll make us
something to eat when I get back.”
    “I’d be happy to make
something. I mean I don’t want to just sit around waiting until you have time
to teach me the job.”
    “You can help out as soon as
those bruises are gone.”
    Watching him leave, relief
rushed through her. It was so hard to read him. He wasn’t the easygoing brother
Caleb told her about. He might not be agreeable or likeable even, but she had a
place to stay for now. She hoped by moving to Montana, her ex-boyfriend, Billy
would leave her alone and move on.
    The urge to be useful filled
her, and she walked to the sink. She began cleaning the great, big pile of
dishes. As soon as she had the sink cleared, she filled it again with the
overflow of dishes strewn all over the counter. With some elbow grease, she
just might have enough room to cook. Her shoulder hurt, but she’d endured far
worse. For now, she’d mourn her friend and do a good job.
    It seemed incredibly odd to be
at the ranch without Caleb. Her heart ached remembering his many kindnesses and
contagious laugh. She’d had one true friend, and now she had none.
    Why didn’t doing the dishes
take more thought? Memories of Caleb made her heart and her head, ache. Caleb’s
passing was shocking and not knowing if she would have, a place to stay
long-term scared her.
    “I told you I’d take care of
breakfast.”
    The masculine voice startled
her, and Spring whirled around, her soapy hands losing
their grip on a glass that dropped to the floor and shattered. Colt took a step
toward her, and she immediately readied for a fight. Her stance grew wider and
her body tensed, but Colt didn’t come any closer. Why can’t I be normal?
    “It’s all right. I’ll just
grab the broom.” Colt didn’t look angry.
    “I’m not usually so clumsy.
Really, I’m not.”
    “Hey, it’s no big deal. It’s
only a glass.” He vaguely smiled at her and began to sweep it up.
    It was as though she was
cemented where she stood, and she didn’t know how to react. A broken glass was
more than enough reason for Billy to hit her. Caleb was a gentle soul and from
all the stories of ranch life he told, she assumed Colt was too. While her
first impression hadn’t been the best, perhaps Colt did have a kind heart
buried beneath his grief.
    She still refused to let her
guard down for a stranger, even Caleb’s brother. Colt had a gruff aloofness to
him. “I’ll replace it.”
    He straightened up, dumped the
glass in the dustpan into the trash and shook his head. “Like I said, it’s just
a glass.”
    After she looked into his eyes
and still didn’t see any anger, she relaxed a bit. “I’ll have breakfast cooked
in a jiffy.”
    “Tell you what, you wash and