A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy) Read Free

his
    eyes. In the next instant her chin tipped up. "I'll just go to
    her," she said, standing up as though leaving on the spot
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    Brace was already shaking his head. "I don't have time
    to take you, and you--"
    "You don't have to," Darvi cut him off. "I can get there;
    you know I can."
    "Don't even think about it," Brace said in a voice he'd
    have used with his men. "I won't even discuss it"
    "Uncle Marty, when are you going to realize I'm not 16
    anymore?" She threw her arms up and flopped back down
    on the wooden seat "For that matter," she muttered,
    "when are you going to face the fact that I'm not 20 anymore?"
    But Brace was still shaking his head no.
    "You know I can make it!" she tried again.
    "I'm not willing to let you try."
    "Why can't you take me? I'll just make it a quick visit
    We can't be talking about more than two days on the trail,
    if that"
    "I don't have time. I wish I did, Darvi, but my boss is
    coming into town, and I can't be gone when he arrives."
    "When is he coming?"
    "Sometime next week."
    24
    "And that's all the more specific he could be? Men!"
    16 lori wick
    Brace leaned back in his chair, a big smile on his face.
    "What is that grin about?"
    "Oh, nothing much. Only about a niece who said she
    was coming back every summer and hasn't been here in
    four years." Brace nodded sagely. "Yes, indeed, women are
    much better about saying when they'll arrive and then
    coming on time."
    Darvi stood, working hard to hide her smile.
    "I believe I'll be going on my way now, since all you can
    do is insult me."
    "Are you going to be around at lunch?" Brace asked,
    knowing she was riot really angry.
    "That all depends."
    "On what?"
    "On whether I've found someone to take me to Merry's
    or not"
    The smile she gave him could have melted butter in the
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    snow, but he knew the steel in that little backbone of hers-- just like her mother's. He didn't let himself laugh, however, until she exited and shut the door in her wake.
    %r%r
    Dakota hit Austin hot, dirty, and sore. There was no
    doubt in his mind'that his first stop would be Brace's office,
    but from there he was headed for a bath. The dark cowboy
    rode easily up the familiar street only an hour past noon,
    stopped in front of the office, and didn't so much as wince
    when he climbed painfully from the saddle.
    Brace's back was to him when he entered the sparse
    room, but that didn't change Dakota's routine. He pushed
    his hat back on his head, turned the chair around as he
    always did, and straddled it This done, he waited for Brace
    to turn and acknowledge him.
    Brace knew someone had come in behind him, but he'd
    lost a file that morning and was determined to find it He
    ATexasSty 17
    26
    wasn't usually so rude to folks who entered and decided
    he had best say something.
    "I'll be with you in a moment," he called over his
    shoulder.
    "Don't hurry on my account"
    The sound of that voice caused the older man to stop.
    He turned slowly from the file cabinet and speared Dakota
    with his angry gaze. The seated Ranger looked back with a
    calm that was genuine.
    "What are you doing here?"
    "Coming back to work."
    "I told you I didn't want to see you for six months."
    "I don't need six months."
    "I say you do."
    The old Dakota would have stood and gone back to
    work without a word of apology. The new Dakota debated
    his next move. He wasn't certain of too many things right
    now, but lying low for another four months was not something
    he needed. He tried a new tack.
    "So what you're telling me is that you have so many
    27
    Rangers that you can let men sit around for months at a
    time."
    Brace came to the desk and sat across from Dakota, his
    eyes thoughtful as they watched him.
    "If you still feel good in another month, 111 put you back
    on."
    "And what am I supposed to do for another month?"
    "As a matter of fact, I have a personal favor to ask you.
    It won't take a month, but it should put you closer to home
    where you can go and lie low until the end of