Shattered Hearts ePub Read Free Page B

her!” Nate fumed.
    “That’s where the room and board comes in,” Maggie explained patiently.  “It offsets the cost and gives her a place to stay.  It’s a win-win situation and besides, Amanda and I have already worked out and agreed on everything.  Stop worrying.”
    “We don’t need help!” Nate hissed, still sounding furious.  “I told you I can handle the farm so let me handle it.  I’m your big brother.  It’s my job to look out for you...to look after you – I don’t need you going behind my back and making business arrangements!  Where did you even find her, anyway?”
    “You can’t handle the farm!” Maggie insisted, standing up to her brother fearlessly, apparently undeterred by his temper.  “I know that’s not what you want to hear but it’s the truth!  It doesn’t make you less of a man to accept help, you know.  Stop trying to do everything yourself.  If you don’t hire someone I’m going to have to drop out of college so I can pitch in full-time!”
    “You’re not doing that!” Nate roared, raising his voice in an impassioned way.  “College is your dream and it was Mom and Dad’s dream for you.  I’m not letting you give that up.”
    “Then go back into the kitchen and apologize to Amanda,” Maggie ordered, clearly aware that she’d won the argument.  “Tell her you’re a big dumb hothead – as if she hasn’t already noticed – and let her know the job is hers.”
    “What does she even know about farming?” Nate grumbled, unconvinced.
    “It doesn’t matter.  She can help with the other stuff,” Maggie retorted, unfazed.  “She can look after the animals so it doesn’t take your time away from being in the field.  She can cook, run errands...it will all work out, you’ll see.  This is going to be great.  You should be thanking me, not scolding me.  I’m like, the best sister ever.”
    “We’ll see about that.”
    Nate stomped back into the kitchen then, Maggie right on his heels.  I pretended to be very busy eating my dessert and tried my best to act like I hadn’t heard a thing.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Maggie give Nate a nudge in the ribs.
    “Sorry,” he muttered, looking at me briefly before averting his eyes.
    “Nate will take you on a tour of the farm first thing in the morning,” Maggie chirped.  “It’s too dark to see much now.  But come on – if you’re done your cake then let me show you around the house!  It’s your house now too, so I want you to feel at home...don’t feel like you have to stay in the basement!  Maybe tonight if you’re not too tired we can hang out and watch a movie?”  She linked her arm through mine and led me out of the kitchen, happily chattering away like the blow-up with her brother hadn’t even happened.
    I snuck a peek over my shoulder and saw Nate watching me, the expression on his handsome face unreadable.  Biting my lower lip, I whirled back around, startled that we’d made eye contact. 
    I’d had a great feeling about this job and my new life until Nate had walked in the door.  Now I wasn’t so sure.  Brooding and sullen in his ripped jeans, he was every bit the tough, macho cowboy.  I just hoped he wouldn’t be trouble.
    After all, I’d come to Minnesota to escape trouble, not to find it.

Chapter 03
    “D id you sleep okay?”
    I jumped as Maggie’s voice startled me.  “I didn’t know you’d be up already!” I exclaimed, startled.  “I was just coming in here for a glass of water...”  That was my routine:  wake up in a cold sweat with a pounding heart and get up for a drink.  I wasn’t even thirsty.  The water was simply intended to distract me from my thoughts.  Sometimes it even worked.
    Maggie sat at the kitchen table wearing polka dot pajama pants and a pink t-shirt.  A thick textbook was in front of her.  She wrinkled her nose and closed it.  “I have an online class at 8 a.m.” she explained.  “You’d think that taking a class