Montana Hearts Read Online Free PDF Page A

need someone to be our partner for the three-­legged race,” Nadine finished.
    Luke glanced back and forth between them. “You only need two ­people for the three legged race, not three. You each have one leg free and tie your other two legs together to make the third.”
    The brown ponytailed twins stared at him, then chorused in unison, “You’re right !”
    Bree gave each of the sixteen-­year-­old girls a stern look. “What were you doing hiding in the pantry?”
    â€œWe needed bottle caps,” Nora replied. “I saw on TV that if you glue a design inside a bottle cap, add a dab of clear coating, and then put it on a chain—­”
    â€œWe thought we could help you, Bree,” Nadine said, cutting her sister off in her excitement.
    Luke smirked as Bree asked hesitantly, “Help me how?”
    â€œWe’re going to help design boot bling jewelry for your new business!” they chorused again.
    Grandma turned from the stove and waggled a crooked finger at them. “You better have left my bottled syrup unopened.”
    â€œWe got the caps out of the garbage,” Nora assured her.
    â€œYes,” Nadine agreed. “The five-­gallon recycling bucket.”
    Luke’s ma pointed to the bottle caps in their hands. “I hope you’re going to wash those first.”
    â€œBut—­” Bree’s face took on a horrified glance as the twins ran from the room. “That’s not the kind of jewelry I had in mind.”
    â€œYou won’t make much money with that,” Del agreed.
    â€œSpeaking of money,” Luke said in between bites of food. “Any news from the PI we have tracking down the Randalls?”
    The last they’d heard, their embezzling ranch managers had been hiding out in Arizona. However, Susan and Wade Randall had still not been caught despite the efforts both the police and their hired PI had put into the search. The husband-­and-­wife duo had been at large for over six weeks, ever since mid-­May when their father’s fall from his horse put him in the hospital with a concussion and a broken leg.
    Having been misinformed about the seriousness of his injuries, Luke, Bree, and Delaney had all flown home thinking the worst. They hadn’t been planning to stay, but when the Randalls stole the money and it became clear Luke’s and his sisters’ assistance was needed to keep the ranch afloat, their grandma offered them each a portion of the ranch if they agreed to stay.
    â€œDoug Kelly has a few leads so I hope to hear something good from him soon,” Bree said, referring to the PI as she rose from her chair and took her plate to the sink. “Dad’s given up on the sheriff’s efforts. Can you believe it? After all his fuss about how he trusts the authorities to do their part, yesterday Dad actually admitted he was glad I hired the PI.”
    Their father wasn’t one to dish out compliments or lend support, but since Bree had taken over management of the ranch she’d found a way to win the old man’s respect. So had Delaney, mostly because she’d brought back an adorable granddaughter. But their father had always been hardest on him, maybe because he was his only son, and had always demanded more than Luke could give.
    Now that he’d come home with a limp, and they’d had to hire Ryan Tanner to be head wrangler because he couldn’t ride, Luke felt like it was even more impossible to please his father than before. But he would do what he could.
    He pushed back his chair and thanked his ma for breakfast. “Got a full day of work ahead of me,” he announced. “I best be getting to it.”
    â€œLuke,” Bree called after him as he headed toward the door. “The father of the bride for the August wedding asked if we have a gazebo. He said the bridal ­couple would really love to get married in a gazebo.”
    He nodded,