My Southern Bride (The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 4) Read Free Page A

"Seriously, why did you bring a goat with you?"
    "With the approaching storm, Billy's been following me like a shadow. When I opened the truck door, he climbed in." Monty Joe shrugged. "So he rode along."
    Lori turned to the goat. "Thanks for being part of my welcoming committee, Billy."
    He bleated.
    Lori cocked a brow at Monty Joe. "Are you sure his name is Billy?"
    Monty Joe shrugged.
    "He doesn't look like a Billy."
    The goat head-butted Lori's arm.
    "See? He needs a more dignified name."
    Another bleat.
    By the time they pulled up to the ranch, Lori had suggested and Monty Joe had discarded dozens of potential names. While he still wasn't thrilled about having to put Lori up at the ranch overnight, he'd reconciled himself to having her around. At least she was trying to be entertaining, but he wouldn't forget that she absolutely wasn't to be trusted.
    Self-interest was her middle name.
    And for now, it was in her self-interest not to annoy him. By morning, though, all that would change. First thing, he'd get her back in his truck and return her to the airport.
    In the meantime, she'd presented him with an opportunity on a silver platter. Yup. While his brother and Kelli might have excused Lori for all she'd done to keep them apart, Monty Joe hadn't forgiven or forgotten.
    Lori might be under his roof for only a few hours, until morning, but he could mete out a little Nelson justice. Someone needed to make Lori pay, and while he wouldn't be too hard on her, he could make things at the ranch a little... uncomfortable.
    He smiled.
    She returned the smile with one of her own. Foolish woman.
    "When you bring in your luggage, head for the stairs. You can have the guest room in the attic. Third floor."
    Lori sputtered. "Third floor?"
    Oh, yeah, this was going to be fun. "You'll have to wash the sheets first. Laundry room's off the kitchen. Grab your suitcases, and I'll show you."
    Lori paused as she climbed from the truck. "You know I can't lift my big one."
    Monty Joe shrugged. "Guess it can stay in the truck overnight."
    "It's full of books. They can't get wet."
    "Sounds like a quandary."
    She rolled her eyes. "Stop giving me a hard time, Monty Joe. If you'll lift it out of the truck, then I can pull it somewhere out of the way until morning."
    "If it'll stop your whining," he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear, as he stepped out of the truck. Billy jumped out the driver's side and followed close behind as Monty Joe lowered the truck gate.
    He dragged out the small carry-on and placed it on the ground, then turned back and made a show of grunting and panting and heaving while pulling the large suitcase out of the truck.
    "You are such a child." Lori grabbed the suitcase handle, then strapped her carry-on on top of the bigger case. "Lead the way."
    * * *
    Yeah, the man was trying to punish her, thought Lori as she finished removing the sheets from the dryer—the sheets she had to strip from the bed in the attic bedroom Monty Joe had assigned to her for the night.
    But the thing was, she deserved it.
    Well, not exactly the justice Monty Joe was attempting to deliver, but certainly some sort of punishment was due her because of how she'd behaved.
    She'd hurt her sister and her brother-in-law in ways she could barely tolerate now that she understood how selfish she'd been. She'd managed to insinuate herself between two people meant to share their lives. Yes, she was in the process of remaking her life, and had already changed a lot. Her sister had forgiven her without making her pay in a form other than a shared tear session.
    And as far as Lori was concerned, she hadn't paid dearly enough. Monty Joe apparently agreed. He was fiercely protective of his family, a truly admirable trait.
    So if he wanted to make her pay, she figured it was long overdue.
    The karma payback still owed to her would come to a lot more than a few sets of stairs, washing some sheets and making her bed.
    As she worked on the laundry, Monty Joe