Texas Homecoming Read Online Free PDF

said. “That ought to attract the attention of the stallions.”
    “We need the geldings,” Cade said. “Stallions are no good as cow ponies.”
    “Then let’s cut them.”
    Cade laughed. “You ever try to cut a wild stallion?”
    “No, but I bet it would be fun.”
    “Only if you’re trying to get yourself killed.”
    “I’ll do it,” Rafe said.
    They all looked at him.
    “I’ve done it before.”
    Cade wondered when and where. Though he’d known Rafe for nearly four years, he knew almost nothing about him.
    “I’ll hold you to that,” Cade said. “If you boys need to replace any equipment, there ought to be plenty in the bunkhouse.”
    “What do you think you’re doing?” Owen asked as Cade headed for the barn with the other men.
    “I need to check my equipment, too.”
    “We’ll do that for you. Get up to the house and convince that pretty young thing you think the sun rises and sets on her. I expect you to know all her secrets by this time tomorrow.”

Chapter Three
     
    Pilar hurried to get dinner on the table. From her experience, men expected food to be in front of them when they were hungry, seconds to be handed to them the minute they were ready. They never seemed to understand that food didn’t prepare itself or that no woman was born with eight arms so she could fulfill all their demands at once.
    She grabbed plates from the cabinet while keeping an eye on the stove. The chipped and cracked plates and cups were in stark contrast to the expensive French china the squatters occupying her family’s hacienda were using. She had buried the silver, but she expected that everything else in the house would be gone before they returned.
    If
they returned.
    She pushed that thought from her mind. Laveau would be home soon. He would drive the squatters out. She grabbed a handful of forks, knives, and spoons and started putting them around the table. They were made of tin. The Wheelers didn’t own anything that wasn’t cheap.
    She heard the door open and felt a surge of anxiety. The men were here, and she wasn’t ready. The old man would have a fit.
    “Need any help?”
    Pilar turned around so fast that one of the knives flew out of her hands. It struck Cade on the shin and landed on his foot. She stood there, too shocked to move. Cade calmly stooped down and picked up the knife.
    “I guess you need a clean one.” He turned to the drawer and took out a knife. “The boys will be in any minute. I’ll finish setting the table.”
    Pilar couldn’t understand why she couldn’t move. No shock should have affected her this strongly.
    “I don’t know what everyone wants to drink. I’ve got plenty of coffee, but I didn’t know if anyone might want milk.” She had to be losing her mind. Only farmers drank milk. A cowboy would go thirsty first.
    “I can’t speak for Rafe, but Holt drinks milk. He’s nothing but an old farm boy. Owen will drink whatever you offer him. He’s a helpless flirt around a pretty woman.”
    She remained paralyzed, staring at him, acting like a fool, sure her mouth was hanging open. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. Maybe it was worrying about having to feed so many men. He took the forks and knives from her limp grasp.
    “You’d better get the food on the table. I think I hear them coming.”
    He smiled, but no warmth reached his eyes. His voice sounded cold, unemotional. Pulling herself together, Pilar hurried to the stove, took a very large meat pie out of the oven, and placed it in the middle of the table.
    “That smells awfully good,” Cade said as he took cupsfrom the cupboard. “Don’t we have anything that’s not chipped or cracked?”
    “That’s all I’ve ever seen.”
    He inspected one of the coffee cups, turning it from side to side. “I guess I never noticed before.”
    He’d grown up with cracks and chips. He probably thought that was how plates and cups were supposed to look. She wondered where he’d been and what he’d done to