Hill Country Hero Read Online Free PDF Page A

the door.
    The little girl obviously won because there she was, complete with a tutu, a tiara and a doll. There was something funky about that doll but Jake couldn’t put his finger on it.
    “Who are you?” the tiny diva asked. She was holding the doll high enough so the boy standing behind her couldn’t reach it. And Jake figured out what was so strange about the doll.
    Poor G.I. Joe was wearing a wedding dress and the little boy was trying to rescue him from a fate worse than death.
    “Give it back to me!” The kid’s squeal was loud enough to peel paint.
    “No! Go away!” The girl stuck out her tongue. That was apparently the final straw. A scuffle ensued with no winner, other than G.I. Joe, who was tossed in the corner.
    “Uh, kids.” Jake tried to get their attention, but they ignored him.
    “May I help you?” The honeyed drawl was typically Texan. The face accompanying it was anything but ordinary. Except for her height, she could have easily been a Miss Texas contestant.
    “I’m Jake Culpepper.” He was about to explain why he was there, but he didn’t get a chance to say anything else.
    “No kidding!” the blonde beauty squealed.
    “Uh, yeah.”
    “Mia, get a grip.”
    Jake had been so entranced by the overall drama he’d missed CiCi’s arrival on the scene. She looked embarrassed, or chagrined or something.
    Before he could figure out what her pink cheeks were all about, another gorgeous woman strolled up. This one he recognized. If memory served, her name was Mac, and she was the assistant coach for the Road Runner cheerleaders. He hadn’t realized she was one of Texas Bob’s daughters.
    “This is Jake Culpepper,” Mia announced to the world.
    Mac gave him a nod and a wink. “I know. Did you come to see Daddy?”
    “No, I wanted to talk to CiCi.”
    “Me?”
    Mac jabbed her sister in the ribs. “Yes, you, dummy,” she said with a giggle.
    CiCi grabbed Jake’s hand and led him out onto the front porch. “Come with me. And you two—” she pointed at her sisters “—close the door.”
    Mac complied, but not before giving them a finger wave and a hair flip.
    “I’m sorry about the ruckus. It gets hectic around here.” CiCi didn’t bother to squelch her grimace as she led him toward a grouping of white wicker lawn furniture at the far end of the porch. “Let’s sit down. So?” Her phony smile was as transparent as a telemarketer’s scam.
    “I came by to apologize.”
    “You already did that.”
    “I know, but I, uh, I don’t know. I was afraid I’d hurt you this afternoon.” Words had never been Jake’s forte. He was much better at letting his actions speak for him.
    CiCi made an expansive gesture with her hands. “As you can see, I’m fine.”
    “That’s good. Real good. Since we’re going to be working together for the month, I didn’t want us to start off on the wrong foot.” That was true. But was there another reason he’d driven across town to see her? He’d save that thought for another day.
    “Great.” She was saying the right thing, but there was something off about her level of enthusiasm. “Friends?” She stuck out her hand.
    “Of course.” Jake reciprocated.
    “Will you come in for a drink? I’m sure Daddy would like to see you.”
    Was she kidding? Jake would rather face the defensive line of the Chicago Bears without pads than have a drink with Texas Bob. “I think I’ll take a rain check.” He stood. “Well, I guess that’s that.” He didn’t know what to do with his hands so he stuck them in his pockets. “I can’t get up to the camp until Saturday morning, but I guarantee you I’ll be there.”
    “Great,” CiCi said again, although her enthusiasm still left a lot to be desired. Then something over his shoulder caught her eye and she looked puzzled. “I wonder why the gardener left his truck here.”
    Now Jake saw her true colors, and he felt like that kid from the trailer park all over again. He hated it when that happened.