A Breath of Heaven: El Camino Real Read Free

love Little Bit. And when he finds out Whiskey is his sire, he’ll
be thrilled.” Abby hugged herself at the thought. Having a stallion by the
horse his father rode would mean the world to Cade.
    Cade
was about to turn nineteen years old, Abby couldn’t believe it! Her mother said
they were all growing up too fast. Of course in Abby’s mind, she couldn’t age
fast enough. Cade was going off to college and she was going to miss him like
crazy. Oh, he’d be back. He promised he would come in often. Cade had decided
to attend Texas A&M University in Bryan/College Station which wasn’t that
far away from the ranch. And when he graduated, her father would make a place
for him at El Camino. There was enough work running the ranch to keep all of
the King boys busy and Sam counted Cade to be one of his sons, had since the
day he’d come to live with them almost six years ago.
    “Yea,
this is going to be a special day for Cade. Mom invited everyone she could
think of.”  Justice remarked as he checked his mount’s feet and shoes.  
    “That’s
what I’m afraid of,” Abby muttered under her breath. She hated watching older
girls flirt with Cade. The ones he’d gone to high school with were bad enough,
but now he’d meet college women and how could she compete with them?
    Abby
let her gaze wander over his way and then at each of her brothers. Their lives
were changing so fast. Justice was almost out of school, working at the ranch
and thinking about taking law enforcement training. Even though his father
wanted him to head the company, Justice was considering the possibility of
being a U. S. Marshal someday. Jase, second oldest, was about to be a sophomore
in college, working on a degree in agriculture. Plans for the expansion of
ranch programs was his goal. Shiloh was in his last year of high school and had
already been recruited to play football for U. T. and the twins were just
starting high school. Sam had laughed and said it was a good thing he had
money, what with six kids to put through college – seven, counting Cade, and he
always counted Cade.
     “Getting
him out of the house while Mom set up everything for the party was tricky.”
Shiloh muttered as he came over to Abby and handed her a key. “Dad said for you
to go in his office and get an envelope from off the top of his desk. It’s from
the Rodeo Association.”
    A
niggle of uncertainty crept down Abby’s spine. “The Rodeo Association?”
    No
one answered her. A shout from Jase had them all crowding around to check a
football playoff score.
    “Why
don’t you head on over, Abby.” Justice directed. “We’ll be on in a bit.” He
gestured at her ever-present jeans and western shirt. “And get dressed up a
little. This is a party.”
    Abby
looked down at her clothes. Dang it. This is exactly what she’d planned on
wearing. No wonder Cade never made any type of a move on her. Oh, they had
exchanged some heated glances, but again – that could have been her overactive
imagination too. “Oh, all right,” she mumbled as she went to her horse. “Why
don’t you have to dress up?”
    Justice
laughed. “The ladies like a cowboy.” 
    “Some
cowboys, maybe.” Abby felt a little putout. Having six males always telling her
what to do and how to do it was a pain. Over the years she’d learned how to mix
it with them, but sometimes they still got the better of her.
    “I’ve
seen how you look at Cade, Abby. He’s too old for you, you know.” Justice said
dryly, over his shoulder. “At least if you’re going to crush on him, you ought
to try being more lady-like.”
    “I
do not have a crush on Cade!” She stage whispered with a vehemence. Her cheeks
were flaming hot. “What if he heard you, Justice?” Abby fussed, a little too
loudly, as she remounted to head to the ranch office, then to the house to
change into something appropriately girly.
    “What
was I not supposed to hear?” Cade asked from across the way. His eyes were