The Rancher And The RunawayBride: Part 2 Read Online Free Page A

grinned. “That, too.” His grin faded. “I’ve got what I want here. A home. These
     are good people to work for.”
    “I agree.”
    His pale gaze settled on her face. “Brady’s a good man, too. He deserves some happiness
     in his life.”
    “I’m sure he does.”
    His gaze narrowed. “Be a shame for him to get hurt, wanting something he can’t have.”
    The mouthful of sandwich dried up. Randi kept chewing, but she had to take a sip of
     water before she could swallow. Her appetite fled, and with it, her good mood.
    She pushed her plate away. “Don’t be subtle, Tex. Just come right out and warn me
     off. But before you do, I want you to know I admire and respect Brady. He’s my employer.
     That’s as far as it goes. There’s no need for you to worry about anything else.”
    She told herself she wasn’t lying. Just because she had some serious chemical reactions
     when Brady was around didn’t mean he returned her feelings. In fact, she would bet
     money he barely thought of her, and when he did, he considered her a kid sister. That
     was hardly a basis for romance.
    She slid the chair back and stood up. After grabbing her plate, she crossed to the
     sink and dumped the rest of the food down the drain. The roar of the garbage disposal
     couldn’t drown out the disappointment she felt.
    Not because Tex thought she was inappropriate for his boss. She was a drifter with
     no past—why would anyone want to risk that? Tex was only looking out for someone he
     cared about. What hurt the most was that she’d allowed herself to think she’d found
     a place to belong.
    She turned off the disposal and rinsed her hands. When she turned around, Tex was
     standing behind her, the kitten still in his arms.
    “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said awkwardly.
    “Yes, you did. I can’t blame you. You don’t know anything about me, right? Who knows
     what secrets lurk in my past. You’re being cautious, and I’m sure Brady appreciates
     that.”
    She walked out the back door and headed for the barn. Maybe she should just leave.
     That would solve everyone’s problem. Except she’d promised herself to stop running.
     She wanted to grow up enough to stay in one place and find solutions. But did it have
     to hurt this much?
    “I thought I’d found a home here,” she told Pokey as she paused to bend down and pet
     the pregnant tabby. “You did. Life is complicated, and I want it to be easy. Pretty
     stupid, huh?”
    The cat purred in response.
    Maybe there was a bright side. Maybe Tex was concerned because he’d sensed interest
     on Brady’s part.
    “Wishful thinking,” she muttered. Brady’s platonic hug and kiss on the cheek last
     week weren’t the actions of a man smitten by overpowering passion. He’d been attentive
     yesterday in town, but she suspected he’d been motivated by guilt. He’d needed to
     make up for her having not been off the ranch since her arrival. It wasn’t personal.
    Randi straightened and glanced around the yard. All she’d wanted was to fit in. She
     didn’t deserve to be made to feel she was less than everyone else. She didn’t—She
     frowned, her attention shifting from her personal problems to the yard. “Something’s
     wrong,” she said softly.
    She took a step back and turned in a slow circle, trying to take everything in. The
     barn doors were open, as they should be. A couple of the mares grazed in the pasture
     behind the bunkhouse. The main house looked fine. There were cats scattered all around.
     None of them looked alert or cautious. They were just dozing.
    She snapped her fingers. That was it. The cats. They weren’t neatly herded together,
     resting in the shade of the barn. Odd behavior, because Princess usually kept them
     under control. But the shepherd was nowhere to be seen.
    “Princess,” Randi called. “Princess, come here, girl.”
    As she waited she tried to remember if she’d seen the dog at all this morning. There
     had been the usual