Denim and Diamonds Read Free Page A

when the sound of male voices drifted up the stairs. She realized almost immediately that Chase Brown was with her brother.
    Running a brush through her short, curly hair, Letty composed herself for the coming confrontation with Chase and walked calmly down the stairs.
    He and her brother were sitting at the table, drinking coffee.
    Lonny glanced up when she entered the room, but Chase looked away from her. Her brother had made a point of telling her that Chase was different, and she could see the truth of his words. Chase’s dark hair had become streaked with gray in her absence. Deep crevices marked his forehead and grooved the sides of his mouth. In nine years he’d aged twenty, Letty thought with a stab of regret. Part of her longed to wrap her arms around him the way she had so many years before. She yearned to bury her head in his shoulder and weep for the pain she’d caused him.
    But she knew she couldn’t.
    “Hello, Chase,” she said softly, walking over to the stove and reaching for the coffeepot.
    “Letty.” He lowered his head in greeting, but kept his eyes averted.
    “It’s good to see you again.”
    He didn’t answer that; instead, he returned his attention to her brother. “I was thinking about separating part of the herd, driving them a mile or so south. Of course, that’d mean hauling the feed a lot farther, but I believe the benefits will outweigh that inconvenience.”
    “I think you’re going to a lot of effort for nothing,” Lonny said, frowning.
    Letty pulled out a chair and sat across from Chase. He could ignore her for only so long. Still, his gaze skirted hers, and he did his utmost to avoid looking at her.
    “Who are you?”
    Letty turned to the doorway, where Cricket was standing, blanket held tightly in her hand.
    “Cricket, this is Uncle Lonny’s neighbor, Mr. Brown.”
    “I’m Cricket,” she said, grinning cheerfully.
    “Hello.” Chase spoke in a gruff, unfriendly tone, obviously doing his best to disregard the little girl in the same manner he chose to overlook her mother.
    A small cry of protest rose in Letty’s throat. Chase could be as angry with her as he wanted. The way she figured it, that was his right, but he shouldn’t take out his bitterness on an innocent child.
    “Your hair’s a funny color,” Cricket commented, fascinated. “I think it’s pretty like that.” Her yellow blanket in tow, she marched up to Chase and raised her hand to touch the salt-and-pepper strands that were more pronounced at his temple.
    Chase frowned and moved back so there wasn’t any chance of her succeeding.
    “My mommy and I are going to bake a pie for Uncle Lonny. Do you want some?”
    Letty held her breath, waiting for Chase to reply. Something about him appeared to intrigue Cricket. The child couldn’t stop staring at him. Her actions seemed to unnerve Chase, who made it obvious that he’d like nothing better than to forget her existence.
    “I don’t think Mr. Brown is interested in apple pie, sweetheart,” Letty said, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence.
    “Then we’ll make something he does like,” Cricket insisted. She reached for Chase’s hand and tugged, demanding his attention. “Do you like chocolate chip cookies? I do. And Mommy makes really yummy ones.”
    For a moment Chase stared at Cricket, and the pain that flashed in his dark eyes went straight through Letty’s heart. A split second later he glanced away as though he couldn’t bear to continue looking at the child.
    “Do you?” Cricket persisted.
    Chase nodded, although it was clearly an effort to do so.
    “Come on, Mommy,” Cricket cried. “I want to make them
now.
”
    “What about my apple pie?” Lonny said, his eyes twinkling.
    Cricket ignored the question, intent on the cookie-making task. She dragged her blanket after her as she started opening and closing the bottom cupboards, searching for bowls and pans. She dutifully brought out two of each and rummaged through the drawers until