Kyle's Modern Montana Bride (The New Montana Brides Book 6) Read Online Free Page B

teasing voice.
    “Probably,” he answered.
    “Kyle, you don’t have to be afraid of me. You can use the bedroom at the end of the hall. There’s a connecting bath. Zach had the other bedroom. Stay if you like. We could start planning early. I don’t have a project in play right now.”
    “Okay, if you’re sure,” he said. “I’ll get my bag from the car.”
    Sleep was slow in coming that night. I’m a father. Shit. I’m about as qualified to be a father as I am to fly the space shuttle . What if I don’t find him? What if something happens to him? There are so many bogey men and predators out there.
    He was up before dawn. He rummaged around in the refrigerator and found the makings of a western omelet. He had just buttered the toast when Susannah came into the kitchen. Wrapped in a powder blue house coat. Her hair had been brushed out, but not put up. Nor did she have makeup. She was still beautiful.
    “What are you doing up so early?” she asked.
    “We ranch types put in half a day’s work before normal people get up,” he said.
    “And you cook, too,” she marveled. “You earned your keep,”
    “I had trouble getting to sleep, and I always get up early. We were usually flying at dawn when we were in-country,” he said.
    “Was the bed uncomfortable?” she asked.
    “No, it was fine,” he said. “I couldn’t get all of the dangers Zach is facing out there out of my mind. There are so many predators, and he’s just a kid. What if he comes across one of them? He probably wouldn’t even recognize them.”
    “I try not to let myself think about it,” she said. She stood from the table, rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Standing behind him, she put her hand on his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for the breakfast. That’s the first time in an awful long time, for me.”
    “I’m going to get dressed. I won’t be long,” she said, and walked down the hall to her bedroom.
     

chapter Six
    The Search Begins
    As he watched her make her way down the hall, Kyle’s thoughts compared Susannah to Ashley. There’s a lot of resemblance physically, but it pretty much stops there. Ashley was always bubbly, taking charge, and giving orders. Susannah was more of a book worm. She is the type I’d like to have for a friend. She’s caring and compassionate. Look at all she’s done for Zach. She should have told me about Zach. Ashley should have told me. I could have helped. I had a right to know I was a father.
    His anger was growing when she came back into the room. He started, like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
    “Where were you?” she asked.
    His cheeks colored. “I was just thinking,” he said.
    “About what?” she asked. “You’ll find I’m the nosy type.”
    “If you must know, I was comparing the similarities and differences between you and Ashley,” he said. “I wish you had told me. You should have.
    “Come on now,” she said. “I know I should have and I’m truly sorry for not telling you. You had a right to know.
    “Damn straight,” he said.
    “Stop swearing. I don’t like it. And, I’m nothing like Ashley. She was a beautiful girl. Everyone liked her.”
    “Yes, she was beautiful,” Kyle said. “Look in the mirror. You don’t have to take a back seat to her or anyone.”
    “That’s sweet of you to say, but it’s not true,” she replied.
    Kyle said, “Ashley always told people what to do, like the night we broke up, she told me I was not going off to the Army, and how silly the idea was. Somehow, I don’t picture you that way.”
    “You’re embarrassing me,” she said. “Let’s get to what you came for. Where’s the map?”
    He had taped the overlay over the map. “Well,” he said. The first call came from Scottsdale. That’s not very far. I might as well start at the beginning. Are you coming along?”
    “No, I want to be here if he calls,” she said.
    “Do you have call forwarding? If so, you can forward