brides for brothers 03 - cowboy groom Read Free Page A

again. “Of course. I’ll be there about nine, and we can be back at the ranch for lunch.”
    “I won’t be ready until about three. Daddy’s having a luncheon on Friday, and I need to be here.”
    “Okay. We’ll get back in time for dinner.”
    “Yes, of course. Please assure everyone I’m looking forward to my visit.”
    “You’ll love it here, Sylvia. We’re going to be very happy.”
    “Of course we are, lover. Bye-bye.”
    With a frown, he replaced the receiver. He didn’t feel as satisfied as he’d thought he would. Sylvia hadn’t sounded as enthusiastic as she had when he left her, either. And it seemed as if she had more important things to do than chat with him.
    Of course, as her father’s hostess, she lead a busy life. But things would change once they were married. Then she could be busy on the ranch.
    He was smiling again by the time he reached the kitchen. Sylvia could be in charge of all the parties they might want to give. And help Red around the house. And they could start a family.
    “Is Sylvia coming?” Jake asked.
    Brett was surprised to discover the kitchen empty except for his brother and Red, the old cowboy who’d taken care of them for a quarter of a century.
    “Yeah. Where is everyone?”
    “Janie and Megan take a nap after lunch every day. Anna had visits to make, and your brothers are out saddling up.”
    “Sorry. I didn’t mean to take so long.” He was looking forward to working this afternoon. There was something so straightforward about ranch work, unlike the political scene where he’d just spent the past two weeks.
    “So when is she coming?”
    Brett looked at Jake, surprised that he had forgotten to tell them when Sylvia would come. He’d been thinking about the afternoon. “She’ll be here Friday. I’ll drive in and pick her up.”
    “I thought you was startin’ the branding Friday,” Red said, looking at Jake.
    “I didn’t know,” Brett hurriedly said. “I’ll call her back and pick her up on Thursday.”
    “That’s all right. We’ll manage,” Jake assured him. “You go pick up Sylvia.”
    “Right,” Brett agreed in a distracted fashion, and headed outdoors.
    “Man,” Red said, shaking his head. “He’s got it bad.”
    Jake grinned. “He’s supposed to, isn’t he? If I remember rightly, once they fall for someone, they don’t hardly know what’s going on around them.”
    “I suppose. But I met that little lady once. She’s not like the other two.”
    “Brett thinks she’ll make him happy.” Jake wouldn’t admit that he had his doubts, too. “Are you going to be able to manage with another mouth to feed?”
    “Trust me, she won’t eat much. But I’m worried about getting everything cleaned up. I’ve been meaning to talk to you anyway. As pretty as everything is now since Megan and the other lady redid the house, I hate to see it all get dusty. But I can’t seem to manage everything.”
    “I should’ve noticed we’d put too much on you. Especially since Janie can’t help anymore. I’ll have to think about what to do.”
    “I have a suggestion. We could hire Mildred.”
    “Mildred, B.J.’s aunt?”
    “A-course that’s who I mean.”
    “I thought you two didn’t get along.” B. J. Anderson, the local veterinarian, had moved to the ranch last winter, about the time his two brothers had married, bringing with her her four-year-old son and her maiden aunt. Jake had noticed that Red seemed uncomfortable around Mildred.
    Red’s cheeks reddened, and he looked away. “We get along fine.”
    “Great. I’ll speak to her.”
    Red nodded and began scrubbing the kitchen counter, which was already spotless.
    B RETT COULDN’T SLEEP .
    He’d gone up to bed with the rest of the family around ten o’clock, but he was restless. Finally, after reading for a while, he pulled on his jeans and a T-shirt.
    Chuckling, he went down the stairs barefoot. Things had changed. In the past, when they were all men at the ranch, he wouldn’t