Texas Twilight Read Online Free PDF Page A

be.
    John could now make out the ranch house in
the distance. It was large with white adobe walls and big glass
windows. Several earthen pots filled with flowering bougainvillea
plants and a few cacti sat in front. “Uncle, she’s beautiful. That
must be Aunt Winnie waiting out front.”
    “It is. And here come Becky and Madeline,”
Winston went on, raising his arm and waving. Dustin and Chaim were
nowhere to be seen.
    The three women rushed over as the men
dismounted. They crowded in, and for a moment John felt a flash of
homesickness for his family in Montana.
    His aunt went to embrace him, but pulled back
quickly. “You’ve had an accident, John.” She placed her cool palm
on his forehead, making him smile. “You’re warm, too.”
    She took his arm and pulled him toward the
house. “And you’re tired. You’ll take your supper in bed after you
have a bath and a shave, where you can relax. You’ve had a long,
exhausting trip.”
    That was music to John’s ears and he wasn’t
going to argue.
    “But, but…Mother?” the younger girl spoke up,
a note of disappointment in her voice. “What about the dinner we’ve
been planning?”
    “It’ll wait until he’s feeling up to it,
Becky. Another time.”
    “Don’t we even get to meet him?” The two
girls were following closely behind. Uncle Winston brought up the
rear, carrying John’s saddlebag.
    “Just briefly,” Aunt Winnie replied. She
stopped and turned to the girls. “John, this is Madeline and Becky.
Girls, this is your cousin, John.”
    With his free hand John tipped his hat. “It’s
nice to finally meet my Texas relations. I look forward to getting
to know you.”
    Their faces turned pink. Madeline was the
eldest, with an oval face and big brown eyes. Her hair was dark
like his and she was slender and very pretty. Becky, the younger of
the two looked a lot like Charity. She had the same blondish hair
and was the same age as his little sister. Pretty as well.
    Becky giggled, making him feel a bit awkward,
and Madeline’s blush deepened. He shuddered to think how they would
fare even a day at the ranch amidst his brother’s teasing, if a
little statement like that embarrassed them. They nodded in return
as his aunt took his arm, and led him away.

Chapter Five
     
     
    A fter washing
up, Lily went to the window in her bare feet. The rosy, golden
sunrise waxed poetically over the mountaintops and spread
throughout the town, but today the beauty of it brought little
delight.
    Why on earth Texas? The question was still
there. With each passing day, as they got farther and farther away
from Boston, the only home she’d known since coming to America a
year and a half ago, her anxiety grew.
    She glanced over at Tante Harriett still
asleep in the hotel bed. Always generous, her mother’s older sister
had sent for her in Germany. The ocean crossing had taken two
months. Since her arrival, Lily had made many friends. Learning to
be a seamstress had been her dream. But the puzzling truth was,
throughout the time spent with her aunt she’d never once mentioned
anything about leaving.
    It wasn’t until the night they’d left that
Tante Harriet had shown Lily the agreement between her and a Mr.
Bartlett here in Rio Wells for the lease of his shop on Spring
Street.
    She sighed. It was a mystery. For now she’d
let it be.
    And now there was John. And her attraction to
him. She needed to remind herself often that he was engaged. Her
conscience prickled for the childish way she’d treated him when
they’d arrived. Especially after all he’d done for them. But, she’d
not been able to help herself. She’d grown used to sitting at his
side, as distracting as it was, and she would miss him horribly now
that the trip was over.
    Somewhere a door slammed, making Lily jump.
People passed down the hallway and were gone. Tante Harriet stirred
under the quilt, then reached for her spectacles on the bedside
dresser. She put them on and blinked.
    “Why, Lily,