The Reluctant Rancher Read Online Free PDF Page A

air.
    “ See what that woman has made me do? ” he grumbled, shaking the long, thin cylinder at his friend.
    Mark held up one hand to stop his words. “ Hold on a minute, Luke. Let me wake up. You’re not making any sense. Back up and tell me what happened. ”
    Luke drew in a ragged breath . He explained how his grandfather had hired Mary as his nurse for the next month or so in exchange for Luke giving her a loan when she left. His head of steam   came to an abrupt end,   and   he stopped talking.
    Mark nodded in approval. “ That seems like a reasonable arrangement. I’m glad you decided to help. ”
    Luke snorted in disgust. “ I didn’t. ” He started pacing again. “ That’s the problem. ”
    “ What’s got you so worried, pal? Mary’s a good nurse. She helped Jennifer after Jessica’s birth. We couldn’t have made it without her. And investing in her business also sounds like a wise move. Heck, if I had the extra money, I’d give it to her myself. ”
    His words didn’t impress Luke in the slightest . “ You’d give money to the devil himself if he seemed pathetic enough. ”
    “ If it makes you feel any better, Jennifer tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn’t listen. ” Mark shrugged his shoulders as if to say he had done all that he could do.
    Luke took another long drag of his cigarette. “ So, thi s isn’t another of your do-gooder schemes? You have no ulterior motive for sending Mary to the Circle T? ”
    “ I’m hurt, Luke. I’m truly hurt that you could think that of me . This had nothing to do with me. You and your grandfather hired Mary. I didn’t even suggest it, although I wish I had. Is Mary being there going to bother you? ”
    “ Of course not . ” L u ke realized he'd made his denial too quickly when he saw the gleam that entered his friend's eyes. “ I’ve sworn off women, Mark, remember? I don’t want a repeat of what happened with Debbie. ”
    He’d never told anyone, not even his friend, what had transpir ed on his wedding night. How he’ d been unable to maintain his desire long enough to consummate h is marriage. Once she’d gotten the gold band on her finger , her true colors had come out with a vengeance . Luke had realized he’d made a mistake before they’d reached the hotel ’s honeymoon suite , but he ’ d married the woman and he’d been willing to stand by his decision .
    Debbie had laughed while she ridiculed him . She ’d gloated about how she ’ d fooled him by   pretending to want him just so she could get his money. She had hurled other taunts and insults about his looks and his masc ulinity as she left the five-star room . Her words had cut to the quick and i t had taken him a long time to get over the pain.
    He realized now that his failure in the marital bed had been a direct result of his lack of love for his wife. H e’d used Debbie as much as she’d used him. He’d b een looking for someone to love; she’d been looking for an easy meal ticket. Neither had gotten their heart’s desire.
    So now if he found himself yearning for something more, for someone to believe in him, yes, someone to love, he squelched those feelings and worked even harder on his ranch.
    As if sensing his inner turmoil, Mark broke into his thoughts impatiently. “ How you can let that woman still get to you is beyond me. ”
    “ Your job is to forgive. ”
    “ My job is not to pass judgment, ” Mark corrected. “ Which I don’t. But the woman wanted your money and your ranch, Luke. And she went about it any way that she could. What sh e did had nothing to do with true love between a man and a woman. ”
    Luke finished his cigarette and tossed the butt aside. He watched as it made a wide arch before landing on the froz en ground, the glowing end extinguished by the melting frost. He didn’t acknowledge his friend’s support, he didn’t have to. Even though he rarely said the words aloud, Mark knew the high esteem with which Luke regarded