Lone Star 04 Read Free Page B

didn’t. And you didn‘t, either.” She gave a light shrug and glanced out the window. “Beautiful day, Ki. Just marvelous!”
    â€œYes, it is quite pleasant,” he agreed. Her cheery mood pleased him, and he held back a smile. Samurai discipline was certainly not Jessie’s way, but sometimes she showed a remarkable ability to be what she wanted to be—in spite of what was going on around her. “I’ve ordered eggs, ham, and muffins,” he said solemnly. “Will that be sufficent?”
    â€œDon’t be cute,” warned Jessie. “Not till I’ve downed some of that good railroad coffee.”
    Ki hailed a waiter, who immediately filled their cups. Jessie made a pleasant sound in her throat and went after the scalding liquid.
    â€œOooooh, my dear! My goodness gracious!”
    Jessie paused and stared, the cup halfway to her lips. The chubby little lady waddled down the aisle toward the table, swinging her purse in delight.
    â€œChild, if you are not the image of my daughter, Lou Ann? Lord, I never! Is this seat taken, honey?”
    â€œUh—”
    â€œOh, good!” She slapped a hand to her ample breasts and sank down across from Jessie. “Just hate to eat alone. You know?” She blinked through spectacles that made her eyes look as big as small moons. “Don’t tell me now. No, wait, let me get it m‘self.” She tapped a finger on her teeth. “You ain’t a Wheeler, are you? No, the Wheelers don’t run to pretty hair, and you sure got that.” Suddenly her eyes lit up and she stabbed the air with her hand. “A Morrison. Now that’s it, tell me I’m wrong, child.”
    â€œI’m terribly sorry.” Jessie grinned and shook her head. “I don’t think I’m either one. Guess I’m mostly a Starbuck.”
    The woman’s face fell. “Oh, dear, you just got to be kin somewhere. Lord, if you an’ Lou Ann was sittin’ side by side, it’d be like tryin’ to tell one pea from another. ‘Course, she’s a little stouter.” She cackled and shook at the thought. “A little stouter, I say. That and then some! All us Wheeler girls take to fat. Runs in the family.” She leaned toward Jessie and frowned. “You suppose they got tea on this train, ’stead of coffee, dear? You get real nice tea on the Union Pacific. Don’t know why the other lines don’t do it. Now, when I come into Denver last May—no, I’m tellin’ a lie. Was it May, or last part of April? Had to be May, ‘cause Lottie was expectin’ her first and that’d be May. Lord, I said to Lou Ann—”
    Jessie rolled her eyes and cast a furtive glance at Ki. Ki, though, pretended great interest in the steaming hot muffins and crisp fresh ham arriving at the table. Coward, Jessie thought ruefully. Some samurai you are!
    Jessie couldn’t fault the old lady—she was doing what old ladies did. It just wasn’t the right morning to hear about overweight daughters named Lottie and Lou Ann. Jessie picked at her food, nodding now and then at her uninvited guest. At least, she thought drearily, no answers were required—just a nod in the right places.
    Glancing up, she saw her acquaintance of the day before move past to the front of the diner. Torgler was sporting a handsomely cut black suit, a plum-covered vest, and a soft ivory shirt. The black pearl pin in his blue ascot was just the right size—neither too small nor overly pretentious. The man ignored Ki, nodded politely at Jessie, and vanished behind her.
    Jessie ground her teeth and muttered under her breath. Torgler made a real show of being a gentleman, but she hadn’t missed the way his eyes brushed over her breasts. There was nothing wrong with a man’s admiration. Jessie welcomed it, and more than once gave back as good as she got. Torgler, though, was a sneak—not man enough to