Home to You Read Online Free PDF Page A

eyes.
    Compassion and concern as she teetered on her feet.
    Taking a step forward, she waved the bottle. “How ya doing, Cody? We said we’d be best friends forever.” She giggled and took another swig of the bottle before tossing it over the porch rail and into the flower bed. “I’m here to be your sister.” With that, she threw out her arms, promptly lost her balance and fell headlong into the stunned arms of Dakota Ryder.

    Chapter Two
    “Whoa, Dakota!”
    Chase came rushing up the stairs, dropping the box he’d been carrying, intending to help his friend.
    Dakota lay, stunned, beneath an unconscious body that smelled like the sewers of Fort Worth, boxes scat-tered about him. Shifting, he managed to get to his knees and then lifted the woman into his arms. With Chase’s help, he stood. Then, fumbling in his pocket, he managed to find and toss his keys to Chase. “Will you get the door?”
    “Sure thing.”
    “Can we help?”
    Margaret and Mary were both standing at the foot of the stairs.
    Not sure what to say, he hesitated before finally nodding. “She’s gonna need some hot coffee and soup, if you wouldn’t mind.” The two women were eccentric but loved to help, and he knew they’d appreciate having something to do. Especially when they’d be able to tell Cheryl Wolverton
    33
    the entire town, for months to come, how they’d gotten to assist the pastor in taking care of her.
    Chase pulled the screen door open and then shoved the large oak door inward.
    Dakota strode in, carefully carrying his bundle into his childhood home. His feet echoed hollowly on the old wooden floor as he crossed the foyer before stepping onto the rug near the sofa. Shoving two of the decorative pillows out of the way, he deposited his load on the brocade couch.
    She was definitely out. Leaning forward to examine her, he held his breath. The fumes alone were enough to make him drunk. Dear God, who is she and why is she here? he prayed silently. Checking her pulse, he found it strong and steady. At least that was a good thing.
    “I’ll get the boxes,” Chase murmured and left the house.
    Dakota made a call to a friend who was a doctor, asking him to come by, and then he went to his closet to get a blanket. Actually, the less Mary and Margaret saw of the woman, the better. The less any of them saw, the better, he thought.
    Bending down, he patted the woman’s cheek.
    The screen door squeaked as Chase came back inside. “Your box is a bit banged up but it looks okay.
    Hope you don’t have anything breakable in it or the other one.”
    Dakota blinked. His eyes watered at the smell the woman exuded. Going to a window, he shoved first one and then another open. “No. They were just papers and other things I had to go over. It’s getting close to the end 34
    Home to You
    of the year and we’re thinking of changing a lot of the church curriculum. We are also going over the mission budget and I wanted to review everything personally.”
    He shook his head at the smell as it filled his nostrils.
    Chase sidled over toward the window. “No one can say life as a pastor isn’t interesting. Tell me, do you know her?”
    Dakota started to shake his head then paused. “She said she was here to be my sister,” he murmured.
    “That’s not sister’s garb she’s wearing,” Chase mocked.
    Dakota shot him a look. “The words rang a bell. I just can’t place them.”
    Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself before moving back to her side. “It’s possible someone sent her to me for help. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time, though I think she managed to shock my neighbors, which is a first.”
    “They remembered my bike,” Chase muttered.
    Dakota finally grinned. “They don’t forget much.”
    “You don’t say? That was over twenty years ago.”
    Dakota nodded. “You should try living next door to them. Anytime I think of getting a big head over something, they remind me of things that promptly knock it back down.