Heartbreak Ranch Read Online Free PDF Page B

him about.
    She almost winced as she remembered the conclusion he’d drawn about the reason for her edginess. There were a great many things she could and did blame Andrew for, but he wasn’t the cause of her show of nerves today. The cause had been Jed himself.
    Julianne raised an unsteady hand to push her hair back from her face. It must be the recent stress that had her so unnaturally aware of the man, so skittish around him. Whatever the cause, she was anxious to return to the soothing routine of life on the ranch. There was safety in resuming the old familiar relationship with Jed. Her lips quirked. However that was defined.
    Annie finished scrubbing the kitchen spotless and laid the washrag over the faucet with a sigh. “Should I get the cards out?”
    â€œGo ahead, if you’re that anxious to get fleeced.”
    She took a deck of cards, a pen and paper from a drawer and seated herself across from Julianne. “As I recollect, I cleaned you out more often than not.”
    Grinning, Julianne shook her head. “Age will do that to a person’s memory, I hear. But if it makes you feel better to think so…” She dodged the pencil Annie flicked in her direction.
    â€œAge, is it? We’ll see about that, miss. Same stakes as usual—a penny a point. Go ahead and deal those cards. And none from the bottom, mind you. I was on to your tricks long ago.”
    Expertly, Julianne shuffled and dealt the cards. She picked them up and arranged them, and the two settled down for some friendly competition.
    â€œI talked to Gabe today,” Julianne said, drawing a card and discarding another.
    â€œGood. He’s missed you something fierce, just like the rest of us. I know you called him when you could, but he didn’t get down to Florida to see you like Jed and I did. He’s going to enjoy having you back.”
    Memories of those trips to Florida had discomfort flickering. Jed had brought Annie out at least twice a year. After the first couple of years of her marriage, it had gotten more and more difficult to hide her dissatisfaction with it. And certainly impossible to admit that the dire warnings Jed had uttered about her choice in husbands had proved true.
    Annie picked up one of Julianne’s discards with a sound of satisfaction, and Julianne made a mental note of what the woman was collecting. “Did you roam the ranch over today?”
    Julianne nodded, then corrected herself. “Well, I got a start, anyway. Sounds like Jed has some big plans for changes.”
    The other woman nodded. “He’s determined, our Jed is. I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do once he sets his mind to it. He’s a good man—takes care of his own.” Studying her cards, she clucked her tongue absently. A sign, if Julianne remembered correctly, that the woman was close to gin.
    Annie drew another card. “You might be surprised to find out how much folks around these parts have started depending on him. Looking up to him.”
    She managed, barely, to avoid rolling her eyes. “I’m sure he enjoys that. I know he always expected me to treat his opinion as if it had been brought down from a mountain, chiseled on stone tablets.”
    â€œNow, Julianne,” Annie scolded, “that’s just not true. Jed’s got some mighty fine qualities, if you’d just take the time to remember.”
    Tilting her head, she pretended to try to summon those memories Annie spoke of. “I remember that his blood runs hot, and so does his temper. But it’s when he’s the coolest, the quietest, that he’s the most dangerous.” She remembered other things, too, memories much more recent. The way his hair still fell across his forehead despite his efforts to comb it back severely; the flex of the muscles in his arms when he’d dragged the heavy gates open so the truck could enter the north pasture; the heat that had transferred