A Daring Proposal Read Online Free PDF Page B

move beyond the pain of my childhood ?
    “When I said you should leave, I didn’t mean it.”
    Lifting his head to look at what had to be an aberration sitting across the table, Jed waited for more.
    “Steve and I’ve been talking. We want you to stay. Don’t worry I don’t expect you to work the ranch. I know how you feel about it. But, I would like you to stay here at the house.”
    Jed couldn’t hold his tongue any longer. With his forearms on the table, he leaned forward a little. “Really? You’ve never wanted me here. Do you think I don’t remember how much you resented having to take me in after Mom and Dad died?”
    Dale looked away for a moment. Jed knew he had hit his mark. His uncle had made the offer out of guilt, nothing more.
    “I know that’s how it looked,” Dale said.
    “Looked? That ’s how it was, Dale.” Jed’s anger was burning in his gut. He had never allowed himself to tell his uncle how much his rejection hurt.
    Dale shook his head. “No, it wasn’t taking you in I resented. I would have done anything for my brother. It was just . . .” he shrugged. “You were so much like your father. Every morning I would wake up and his double would be staring at me across the breakfast table, just like when he and I were kids. It wasn’t just your looks. I doubt you will believe this, but your dad was a handful when he was young. He got me in more trouble than I care to remember. You were the same way with Steve.”
    Jed couldn’t do more than stare. Now he was baring his soul? What was going on?
    “Losing my brother, well, it was like losing a part of me. The best part. He had all the brains and talent. You got that, too. Words came easy to him.”
    “But not you,” Jed said.
    Dale chuckled. “You noticed, huh?”
    Jed couldn’t hold back a grin. Words were never Dale’s strong suit. When Jed thought about it, this was probably the longest conversation he and Dale ever had. “As long as they were short sentences you didn’t have a problem. Like, what the hell are you doing, Jed. Or, I swear, boy, you are the orneriest creature God ever made. Is orneriest even a word?”
    “Hey, it got the point across. Sometimes too well,” Dale said, shaking his head and sighing. “I didn ’t mean to hurt you; it just hurt me so much to watch you. It should have been your dad telling you those things.”
    Dale capped the bottle before he stood. Jed watched warily, still not ready to let go of the past. He figured Dale’s welcoming attitude came from the emotions of watching his only son start a new life. Jed understood the loneliness of an empty house.
    His uncle chuckled. “I understand your doubts. It surprised me, too. But seeing you and Steve together today, I realized how much I’ve missed you.”
    “Like a splinter under your finger nail?”
    His uncle shook his head turning toward the hallway, then back. “I didn’t expect you to jump up and down with joy. Maybe it took me too long to come around, but I had to say it. I want to see my boys back together and happy.”
    His boys?
    “It’s been a long time since I’ve known happy.”
    “You deserve it as much as Steve. Maybe more with all you’ve lost. Stay and see if you can find it here. And,” he paused, pursing his lips a moment. “If you still love Chaney, go for it.”
    Jed poured himself another shot after his uncle’s door closed. He sipped it slowly, thinking about what the man said.
    Still love Chaney? No, he didn’t love her anymore. The only person he loved was his daughter. Could he marry someone just to win a custody battle? Someone willing to pretend to love him for the sake of a child they didn’t know? Could he pretend to love someone enough to convince a judge? Even Chaney?
    With that annoying thought, he threw back the rest of the shot.

 
    Chapter Two
     
    Entering the horse barn, Chaney couldn’t shake off the sense of doom that had been plaguing her all day. Concentrating on the ranch’s various issues