WESTERN ROMANCE: A Ranch to Call Home (Texas Romance, Mail Order Bride Romance, Clean Romance, Christian Romance) (Clean and Wholesome Romance) Read Free Page B

“How can I help…”
    Both Lucy and
Nash stood there stunned, starring at one another until Lucy had to grab the
fence to stop from falling over with a sudden wave of light headedness. Nash
lunged forward to steady her.
    “What are you
doing out here? Did you walk?” he asked, holding her up by her shoulders.
    “Wow, it’s hot.”
She shook the dizziness from her senses. The action made her head swim more and
she toppled backward. Nash caught her and scooped her up in his arms with no
effort at all. He carried her to the truck and set her down on the front seat,
reaching in a cooler and popping the top of a chilled bottle of water from
behind the seat.
    “Drink this.” He
ordered.
    Lucy took a sip
and went to speak. He tipped the bottle towards her lips again. “Drink all of
it, please.”
    She didn’t
question him and downed the entire contents of the bottle. Her eyes never left
his face. She saw him smile when she pulled the empty bottle away with a
satisfied sigh.
    “Better?”
    Lucy nodded.
    “Now tell me why
in the blue blazes are you out here?” his brow furrowed with concern and a
small hint of annoyance. “Didn’t Van tell you it was better for you to stay
close to the house and work? It’s too hot for you out here.”
    Lucy was caught
between being angry at Vanessa for not saying anything and offended that Nash
thought she was too fragile to handle the Texas heat. She jumped from the truck
and crumpled to the ground, her ankle twisted in a dip in the ground beneath
her. Nash reached for her and she swatted his hand away. “I’m fine.” she
snapped.
    Nash took a step
back and watched her struggle to get up. She limped several feet away from him
before the tears of frustration fell from her eyes. A gentle hand grasped her
upper arm and turned her around. Nash towered above her, his green eyes soft.
He wiped at the tears that had stained her flushed cheeks. “Come on, Dusty.
I’ll drive you back to the house.”
    The two arrived
back at the drive way, the few minutes it had taken were bathed in silence.
Nash helped her from the truck and held her arm guiding her up the stairs and
putting her in a rocking chair on the porch. “Stay put.”
    He disappeared
into the house, a moment later Olivia appeared with a bag of ice wrapped in a
towel. She assisted Lucy with pulling off her Wellies and then rested her foot
on a stool placing the ice on her ankle. Galen walked gingerly with a tall
plastic up of lemonade through the front door, handing it to her at a snail’s
pace so as not to spill any.
    “Daddy says drink
this.” Galen gave her a strict look. “I gotta make you.”
    “You have to make
me.” Lucy corrected.
    Galen picked up
the cup an extended it up to her lips, tipping it so she had to quickly take a
drink before it spilled in her lap. She took the lemonade from him and ruffled
his hair, laughing. “Good job, Galen.”
    He beamed with
pride. There were shouts and slamming of doors in the house and the children
looked at each other with surprise. Lucy rocked forward to look though the
screen door. Vanessa shoved the door open with force, stopped long enough to
drop her apron in Lucy’s lap and stormed down the stairs. Nash came out after her.
    “Van, don’t be so
pig headed.” He called after her as she opened her car door. “Van, please.”
    Vanessa slammed
the door and drove away, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake.

Chapter FIVE
     
    Three days had passed
before Vanessa showed up at the house again. Lucy had managed to make all the
meals, keep up with the laundry and entertain the children. She had limped
about the house, dusting, sweeping and polishing. When Vanessa walked in and
found them all seated at the kitchen table indulging in fried eggs and sausage
she had no words to offer.
    The children
sprang from their chairs and ran to her. “Aunt Van!” they yelled and hugged
her. She kissed the tops of their heads and wiped the corners of their mouths with
the pad of her