Love Song Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Good morning, pretty thing,” she said softly. “Isn’t spring nice?”
    The bird flew away, but seconds later a gray and white mockingbird landed almost in the same place. He ran through a series of melodies, mimicking the calls and songs of other birds, repeating each one half a dozen times before going onto the next. Andi listened, smiling in pleasure.
    For about the twentieth time that morning, her thoughts drifted to Wade. She hadn’t heard from him since he left on Tuesday night. She went back to weeding the small flower bed, knowing he would come if she called him, wishing he would drop by on his own. Looking up at the now silent mockingbird, she asked, “Reckon he’s waiting for me to call?” The bird tipped his head as if considering her question. “Maybe he thinks I don’t want to see him.” The bird serenaded her again.
    She considered the possibility for a few minutes, then went inside, washed the dirt and green weed stains off her hands, and looked up his number in Buckley’s tiny phone book. Dialing the cordless phone, she glanced at the clock and wondered if he’d be home at eleven o’clock on a Saturday morning. He was, but he sounded sleepy when he answered on the fourth ring.
    “Hi, Wade. This is Andi. I’m sorry if I woke you.”
    “I was awake. Just being lazy. Waitin’ on the coffee.”
    His voice was deeper than usual, his speech slow and relaxed. Hearing the television in the background, she pictured him sitting on a couch, wearing old, faded jeans and a white T-shirt, with his hair still rumpled from sleep and his bare feet propped up on a coffee table. It was an image bound to make any woman’s heart beat faster.
    She heard a faint, but distinct, “beep, beep,” in the background and grinned. “Are you watching cartoons?”
    He chuckled. “Caught me. I still get a kick out of the Roadrunner and that dumb Wile E. Coyote. How are you feeling?”
    “Better, although I still run out of steam too fast.”
    “I was sitting here thinking about you.”
    The last traces of her gloomy mood evaporated as she walked into her bedroom and flopped down on the bed. “I’m not sure that’s good, considering what you’re watching.” He laughed, and Andi felt a rush of pure happiness.
    “I wasn’t making any comparisons. I’ve been meaning to call you all week but haven’t had the chance. Been getting home too late. We’ve had baby critters hatchin’ out all over the place.”
    “How are the mare and foal?”
    “Fine. Thanks to a good vet and plenty of prayer, they both made it. It was scary for a while, though. That little guy wanted to stay right where he was. We thought we might lose them both. A little filly arrived about three this morning. That’s why I’m moving so slow. You doin’ anything today?”
    “Nope. Dawn is at an estate sale, and I’m down to talking to the birds.”
    “Are they talking back?”
    “Well, Mr. Mockingbird had a comment, but I’m a little fuzzy on the translation.”
    “He was telling you to come out to the ranch and spend the day with me.”
    “Special air mail message, huh? I’d love to, but I’ll need a ride. The doctor doesn’t want me to drive for another week. I considered ignoring him and picking up a rental car anyway, but decided I’d better follow orders.”
    “I’ll come get you, but don’t dress up. I’d like to take you around the ranch, but we’ll need to go in the pickup. It’s a bit dusty inside.”
    Andi laughed. “I’d like to see a work pickup in this part of Texas that isn’t. I don’t mind a little dirt.”
    He made a funny noise, a cross between a yawn and a groan. Andi smiled, picturing him stretching the kinks out of his back. “Sounds like you need some more sleep.”
    “It just takes me a while to get my motor revved up.”
    She wondered why she found that so endearing.
    “I can be there about a quarter after twelve, if that’s all right.”
    “I’ll be ready.” She switched off the phone and