Love Inspired August 2014 – Bundle 1 of 2 Read Online Free PDF

seven-thirty by the time I’m done
     working.”
    He didn’t give her the opportunity to protest unless she chased him down, and he’d
     known Liv Franklin a long time. She wasn’t the guy-chasing, make-a-scene type. But
     she’d be prepared to give him an earful tonight, and knowing that made him look forward
     to hurrying the day along.
    * * *
    He grabbed a bouquet of wildflowers from one of the upland meadows just before six
     o’clock. He could have stopped at the florist nook tucked inside the Middletons’ grocery
     store. But if Rosemary Middleton saw him buying flowers after talking to Liv on Main
     Street, the entire town would be making wedding plans by sundown.
    He didn’t need that. Neither did Liv. But the thought of sitting side by side with
     her tonight, setting this baseball plan in motion...?
    That notion had lightened his steps all day. When a bossy cow pushed her bovine friend
     into the electric-fence wire and knocked the system out, he fixed it.
    When the radio offered a country tune laden with angst and dismay, he reached right
     over and turned it off. The ensuing silence was better than the twanging lament on
     life and love.
    And when his father reminded him that the horse auction was coming up, his first thought
     went to Liv, wondering if she’d like to ride along with him to Three Forks and see
     what was available. The Double M was in the market for a couple of new mounts. They
     could grab food in town, then trailer the horses back home, together.
    Shouldn’t you see how tonight goes first?
    He should, Jack admitted once he’d cleaned up and headed for Old Trail Road. This
     evening’s session might be a bust. But even if it was, he had tomorrow. And the day
     after. And the day after that, because Liv said she was going to be in town for a
     while.
    Which meant he’d have more time than he probably deserved, but as he steered the truck
     up and off the ranch property with a bouquet of yellow and purple wildflowers by his
     side, he figured a guy had to start making amends somewhere. This seemed as good a
     chance as any.

Chapter Three
    J ack rethought the whole flower thing when he spotted Dave Franklin coming out of his
     wood shop holding a high-torque nail gun. Not that he thought Liv’s father would actually
     shoot him full of metal brads—
    He’d had plenty of opportunities these past years if that was Dave’s intent.
    On the other hand, Liv had been living hours away in Helena, and married.
    Now things had changed and even the nicest father could be stretched too far when
     his daughter’s husband leaves her for another woman. In any case, he left the flowers
     sitting on the front seat of the pickup.
    “Mr. Franklin?”
    “Jack.”
    No welcome, but no animosity, either. Jack counted that as a plus and nodded toward
     the house. “Liv and I are going to work together on the Old-timers’ Baseball Game
     scheduled for the end of the month. I hope that’s all right?”
    “You asking permission?”
    For a split second Jack thought he glimpsed a sheen of humor in the older man’s eye,
     but when Dave faced him square, he saw nothing but calm, steady interest. “Do I need
     to?”
    Dave sighed, glanced skyward, then drew his attention back to Jack. His face said
     Jack should ask permission and beg forgiveness, but his voice said something else.
     “No. But think hard, Jack. Real hard. You get my drift?”
    He did, and couldn’t disagree. “I do, sir.”
    “Dad? Jack?” Livvie stepped onto the porch, and when she did, the melon-rinsed tones
     of the westward arching sun faded, she was that pretty. “You giving him the third
     degree, Dad?”
    “The temptation’s mighty strong, Liv.”
    “But?” She met her father’s gaze with a look that coached his next reply.
    “You’re old enough to take care of yourself and are inclined to do just that.”
    Liv smiled as she came down the stairs, slipped an arm around her father’s waist and
     hugged him. “Well