Cowboy Come Home Read Online Free PDF Page B

his words, he sighed. “Look, I appreciate your hospitality. You’ve been generous, kind—hell, you’ve been damn saintly!” he exclaimed. “But I don’t belong here.”
    “You know,” Jake said calmly, after taking a bite of macaroni and cheese and chewing, “you’ve never told us about your life in Chicago. What do you do there?”
    What did he do there? Good question. The past year, he’d taken care of his mother. He’d scarcely seen anyone, never daring to leave her alone. One elderly neighbor had come in once a week so he could do the grocery shopping and run errands. He could’ve hired some help, but his mother didn’t want strangers around.
    “I was a stockbroker,” he snapped.
    Another gasp. What was wrong with the woman? This time he glared down the table, seeking Camille out. He discovered she’d closed her eyes, her pale lashes resting against even paler cheeks.
    Jake brought his attention back to the subject at hand. “Was?”
    “I retired when Mother got sick.”
    “Retired? You must be a lot older than you look,” Pete offered with a chuckle. Several others joined in.
    Griffin realized he should’ve been more guarded in his answer. But it was too late now.
    “I got lucky,” he said gruffly.
    “Lucky with someone else’s money!” Camille leaped to her feet after her bitter words filled the air, and she hastily excused herself and ran from the room.
    Megan, with an apologetic smile in Griff’s direction, followed her.
    “What was that about?” Griffin asked.
    “I’m afraid Camille just had a really bad experience with a stockbroker,” Chad explained.
    “She lost some money? Buying stock is a form of gambling. Surely her broker warned her of the possibility?”
    “I don’t think so,” Jake drawled. “People seldom warn you right before they skip town with all your money.”
    Griffin considered Jake’s answer, wanting more details, but Jake wasn’t willing to change subjects.
    “We can discuss Camille’s misery another day. Tonight we need to settle things between us.”
    “What’s to settle, Jake? I don’t belong here.”
    Red spoke for the first time. “Why don’t you? You’re a Randall, aren’t you?”
    Griff smiled at the man. “It’d be hard to deny, sitting next to Jake.”
    “Damn right,” Jake agreed with a chuckle.
    “But because we look alike, because my mother was raised here, doesn’t mean I should live here. I belong in a big city. Where I’ve always lived.”
    No one responded, and Griff breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe they understood at last.
    “You know, I’ve never been to Chicago. What’s it like?” Jake asked as if nothing important had been under discussion.
    Griff was ready to describe his hometown when the door opened and Camille and Megan returned to their places at the table. He watched Camille, but she never looked his way. Murmuring something softly to Red, who sat at the foot of the table, she picked up her fork as if she were starving to death.
    “Uh, Griff? Chicago?” Jake prodded.
    “Oh, uh, yeah,” he replied, hoping his cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. “Chicago is big, busy. It’s on the banks of Lake Michigan. There are beaches and museums, parks and office buildings. Anything you want.”
    “Sounds like a fine place,” Jake said, nodding.
    Griffin nodded. Great. Jake accepted his decision, and he’d be out of here first thing in the morning.
    “But Chicago will still be there next week, won’t it? I’d really like for you to hang around here a few more days.”
    Griffin swallowed and took one look at the other end of the table. “Uh, Jake, I—”
    “What’s a few more days, Griffin? It’ll give us all time to get to know each other.”
    That’s what he was afraid of.
     
    GRIFFIN STOOD on the back porch, one arm wrapped around the post that supported the roof, staring up at the night sky. The air was crisp, almost chilly, but no colder than it would be in Chicago. But the stars were