Once and Always (Women of Character) Read Free Page B

on, he
showed up for work every morning, as he'd done since she arrived at the ranch
eleven years ago. She just didn't have the heart to turn him away when he so
obviously wanted to be here.
    "Miz Anna." Danny
approached them slowly, darting glances at Tyler. "Are you done with this
girl? I'll cool her down and put her out on grass." He held up the hand
he'd hid behind his back and held out a small bunch of blue flowers.
    "Thank you, Danny." She
accepted the flowers and put them to her nose. "You're always trying to
spoil me."
    He shook his head immediately, his
expression serious. "No, no, you're not spoiled. You're just right."
    Anna laughed, touched by his
sincerity. "You can take Spirit." Danny took the reins. "Thank
you." She looked at Tyler, then back at the other man. "Danny, do you
remember Tyler Stanton?"
    Danny froze and Anna saw the
recognition in his eyes, but then Danny ducked his head down and hunched his
shoulders.
    "I remember," he
mumbled.
    "How are you, Danny?"
Tyler asked quietly.
    "I do good work," Danny
said, shifting from one foot to the other. "I show up for work. I get Ms.
Anna groceries. She needs me." Danny looked at her as if for confirmation.
"You need me to work for you."
    "That's right, Danny,"
she said. "I don't know how I'd get along without you." She put her
hand on his arm. "But you know I may be leasing the ranch for a year,
which means you'll have a new boss." When Danny made no response, she
said, "You can take Spirit inside now and we'll talk about it later."
    Danny led the mare inside, but
Anna could tell it was with great reluctance that he left as he kept looking at
Tyler over his shoulder. She chewed her lip, wondering what thoughts went on in
Danny's mind. She didn't want her leasing of the farm to interfere with Danny's
work here. She turned to Tyler, "You know how Danny can be. He hasn't seen
you in some time and change throws him. It might take him awhile to adjust. But
he will adjust."
    "I can't see that there'd be
a problem. We used to get along all right. What have you told him about
me?"
    Anna raised a brow. "Are you
implying I've tried to influence Danny? I haven't told him anything. In fact,
I'd say telling Danny about you wouldn't even warrant a footnote on my to-do
list. Danny may be different, but he's got eyes in his head. He probably knows
as much as anyone about what happened six years ago, maybe even more. He looks
out for me, especially since the fire."
    "He brings you flowers―I
used to think he loved you, Annie, the way he followed you around."
    "Danny's caring is
simple," she said sharply. "He's never let me down. He's the only one
I've been able to depend on these last six years." She moved away to lean
against the split rail fence, careful not to crush her flowers. Her easily
stirred anger didn't make her feel good. "I don't want to revisit the old
anger. Is that too much to ask?" She turned her head to look at him.
    He narrowed his eyes. "It's
like you're implying everyone abandoned you."
    She stared at him in silence.
    Impatiently, he said, "You
made choices, Annie. We all did. And we have to live with them."
    She looked away from him, closing
her eyes as dust swirled on a sudden breeze. "If we go through with this
lease one condition is that Danny continues to work here. I haven't been able
to pay him much, but he comes every morning regardless and he knows what to
do."
    "He was always good with the
horses, but if he creates problems, then all bets are off."
    "You have to take into
account he's special."
    "I'm not a monster, Annie.
Does this mean you'll let me have the lease?" he asked bluntly.
    Anna swallowed hard. There was no
going back. "Are you sure―I don't want to get things underway and
then you change your mind?"
    "There's been no doubt since
I saw your ad. Once I make up my mind, it's set."
    "Yes, I know." Anna
nodded coolly. "Like a stone." She felt ill and her vision blurred a
moment. Could she be in close contact to Tyler every day and expect to