Bossy Bridegroom Read Online Free PDF

was failing, but I hadn’t heard she’d died.”
    Jeanie nodded. “Late yesterday.”
    “We’re having a planning meeting for the Memorial Day celebration tonight. We’d love to have you there.”
    “I’ll be there. Michael, too.”
    Michael turned to Jeanie. “I had hoped we could spend some time together tonight.”
    Jeanie narrowed her eyes. “Hope all you want.”
    The last church woman gave Jeanie a quick hug and invited her to tea when she had a free minute. They both laughed as if they knew that would never happen.
    Jeanie said a final good-bye to her sleeping congregation.
    Michael had to admit several of the elder folks had sung along with the old standard hymns, and he’d been moved by that. Jeanie was doing something worthwhile.
    She left the building without looking back.
    Michael felt a spurt of irritation as he scrambled to keep up with her.
    As Jeanie strode across the paved parking lot, swinging her bat in time to some military march music, Michael had to jog to catch up to her. They reached the street, and Jeanie turned left. There were no sidewalks in this residential section of Cold Creek, but no traffic either, so walking in the street seemed safe enough.
    “Where are we going?”
    Jeanie glared. “How did you end up getting Pastor Bert to let you stay with me? It’s a terrible idea. The only reason I didn’t fuss about it is you won’t last a single night. If you have to leave as soon as you lose your temper, we won’t even get through one meal.” She looked forward and picked up her pace.
    Michael hesitated to ask where they were going again. It didn’t matter anyway. He’d just follow her wherever. “So, what’s the schedule for today?”
    She whacked him with the bat.

six
    It had to be a sin. It felt too good.
    Forgive me, God. I’ll wait until he’s got it coming
.
    That shouldn’t take long.
    “Jeanie, while we walk, talk to me about Sally. Please.”
    She turned on him, and he flinched, lifting his arms to cover his face. Oops, the tingle of joy told her she was sinning again.
    “Please, I’m not going to say a word about your choices. I just want to know how she’s doing.”
    Jeanie walked on, lengthening her stride. Of course that long-legged jerk Michael kept up easily. Sally was his daughter, even though he’d been as rotten a father as a child had ever been saddled with.
    Fine.
    “She’s five, almost done with kindergarten. She lives out on Wyatt Shaw’s ranch.
He’s
her father, and he’s a good man. A fifth-generation rancher. Buffy’s really happy with him. They’ve got cattle and buffalo on the ranch, and Buffy’s made a really nice tourist destination out of the buffalo. Plus they’ve started supplying a string of really top-flight restaurants all across the country.”
    Michael shoved his hands in his pockets. She could tell by his clenched jaw that he wasn’t happy with her, probably because she was talking about Buffy, not Sally.
    “She started half-day kindergarten last fall. She goes to Peaceful Mountain Church, and I see her every Sunday. She calls me Aunt Jeanie, and I know her really well. I babysit sometimes. Wyatt has twin sons older than Sally, and Wyatt and Buffy have a baby of their own.”
    “Four kids, huh?”
    “Yes. Sally is really happy. She’s got a great life. She doesn’t know she’s adopted.”
    “How can she not?”
    “I moved in with Buffy right after you left. Sally was eighteen months old. She bonded with Buffy immediately, and I let it happen. I didn’t even care that I was losing my daughter. I thought I deserved it. Sally knows I’m”—Jeanie shrugged, not sure how to put it into words—“special. We’ve developed a truly loving relationship. Buffy wants to tell her the truth when the time is right.”
    Michael nodded and didn’t comment. Jeanie hated that. She really could have used an excuse to swing away. “She’s blond like I was. Short for her age, but not overly. She’s just beautiful, Michael.