Tina Leonard - Triplets' Rodeo Man Read Free Page A

or two.
    â€œJosiah, I’ll play cards with you, but only if you quit sipping out of that bottle,” Jack heard Cricket say.“Because if you don’t quit, you’ll be too relaxed to tell Jack that you don’t want his silly old kidney.”
    Jack leaned close to the door, amused by Cricket’s coddling.
    â€œI hadn’t thought of that,” Josiah said.
    â€œAnd the liquor will skew the blood tests,” Cricket said practically. “It will mess up your medication, and the next thing you know, you’ll be at Jack’s mercy.”
    â€œYou have a point.” There was silence for a long while. “I do not want to be at anyone’s mercy.”
    â€œOf course you don’t. Who does?”
    â€œNot me, durn it. Toss this bottle into your purse and take it home to the ranch for me, would you? Store it in my liquor cabinet.”
    â€œI will. It’ll be waiting safe and sound for your return.”
    â€œAnd when will that be? C’mon, Deacon, I want you to spring me from this place.”
    â€œAren’t you happy here? You seem to be getting plenty of attention from the ladies,” Cricket said, her tone soothing.
    â€œMy heart is already taken,” Josiah said. “Anyway, I was hunting for a girl for Jack.”
    â€œWhen I saw him ride in January, there was a rumor going around that your son has all the female attention he wants,” Cricket said. “Let’s just focus on you.”
    â€œWas he any good at rodeo?” Josiah asked. “I’ve never seen him ride.”
    â€œHe was average,” Cricket said.
    Jack straightened. Average! That day he’d placed first with his highest score, the best ride he’d ever had.
    â€œOh,” Josiah said. “I was kind of hoping he was good at the one thing he’s chased all his life.”
    â€œWell,” Cricket said, “some men are late bloomers.”
    Jack blinked. The woman was crazy! She didn’t know what she was talking about. He hadn’t been a late bloomer at anything.
    â€œLater on, Jack mentioned he was considering giving up rodeo,” Cricket said, her tone serene. “Let me see…what did he say he was going to do?” Jack strained, listening to the deacon spin her incredible yarn.
    â€œOh,” Cricket said, “I remember. He said he’d decided to go into ranching. And do a little math tutoring at the high school. Did you know he got a college degree by correspondence course?”
    â€œHe did?” Josiah demanded.
    I did? Jack mouthed.
    â€œYes,” Cricket said. “From what I could tell, he’s very smart and a huge believer in education.”
    â€œThat makes me very happy,” Josiah said. “I wish I’d known all this so that I could have told him how proud I am when he was visiting me. I didn’t have a chance,” he said sadly. “We always seem to get into a fight right off the bat.”
    â€œOh,” Cricket said, “Fathers and eldest sons do that.”
    â€œThey do?” Josiah said.
    â€œSure. And eldest daughters sometimes scrabble with their mothers. I argued a time or two with mine. And my brother.” Jack heard cards being shuffled. “Anyway, you can tell him how proud you are tomorrow.”
    â€œYes,” Josiah said, sounding happy. “I can. And you know, if he really wants to go into ranching, his brothers have started a new breeding business between them. They’d probably really appreciate the help. Heavens knows I’ve got the land. In fact,” he said, lowering his voice so that Jack had to really bend an ear to hear, “it’s time for me to rewrite my will.”
    â€œOh, dear,” Cricket said, “let’s play Twenty-one and not think about wills, Josiah.”
    â€œAre preachers supposed to know how to play cards?” Josiah demanded.
    â€œIt’s either this or dice. Pick your poison, sir.” Jack