The Secret Truth at Dare Ranch Read Online Free PDF Page A

rolled
her shoulders to ease her knotted muscles.  
    "So
you gonna spill it or what?"
    Lexie
smiled and glanced at Vivian Palmer, her closest friend who sat at the kitchen
table. Vivian wore jeans, a bright red sweater and black boots. Her blond hair
was twisted into a messy knot on top of her head. Her skin appeared rosy from
the sun and her lips glossy. She sipped coffee and looked at Lexie over the rim
of her cup. Her green eyes filled with concern and her brows rose in anticipation
waiting for her answer.
    Thunder
rumbled in the distance. Lexie liked this time of day when the world seemed to
snuggle in for the coming night. "Spill what?"
    "You
and Mitch. What happened?"
    Lexie
turned back to the sink and rinsed another plate before placing it in the
dishwasher. She gazed out of the window at the mountains in the distance. Gray
clouds scudded over their peaks bringing with them the promise of more rain. "He
was frosted when he found out about Dani.” Guilt over keeping their daughter a
secret settled hard and heavy in the pit of her stomach. "It’s like I’ve
betrayed him all over again.” She lowered her chin and stared at her hands
gripping the edge of the sink.
    Vivian
patted the seat of the chair next to her. "Come sit down.”
    Lexie
walked to the table and slid onto the chair. She signed in relief at being able
to sit after such a long, trying day.
    Vivian
laid a hand on her arm. "What did you tell him?"
    "Everything.”
She brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. His bitter voice echoed through
her mind and remorse weighed heavier on her heart. I should have told him
the truth a long time ago. "The more I talked the veins popped out on
his neck.”
    Lexie
slumped against the back of the chair and gazed at Vivian. They had such an odd
friendship. Vivian was the attractive, successful accountant and Lexie the
average hen in the yard scratching for what she could get.
    She
told Vivian about Mitch’s plan to buy the ranch and turn it into a rehab
facility.
    "So,
what's your plan? How are you going to handle things with Dani and
Mitch?"
    Lexie
crossed her bare feet at the ankles. "I’m not exactly sure."
    "Mommy,
I can’t sleep. The thunder’s too loud.”
    Dani
shuffled into the kitchen with her best I-can’t-possibly-go-to-bed-right-now
look on her face. But when she saw Vivian all thoughts about the storm fled. "Aunt
Vivian!"
    Dani
scooted into the kitchen, breezed around Lexie and made a beeline for her
favorite person. She wore her Smurf pajamas with matching slippers. Her hair
was still a bit damp from her bath and she happiness beamed in her eyes.
    Lexie
wanted to keep her that way, but with Mitch showing up out of the blue anything
could happen. Anxiety swirled through her blood and a headache pounded at her temples.
How would she keep Dani from being hurt?
    With
a bright smile, Dani crawled into Vivian’s lap. She wrapped her small arms
around her neck and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek.
    "Hi
there, Priss," Vivian said. "When are we going to have another girls'
day out?"
    Dani’s
eyes widened and excitement lit her face. "Tomorrow?"
    Vivian
laughed and tweaked her nose. "You’ve got school."
    In
a practiced move that Lexie had witnessed many times, Dani turned, dropped her
chin and gave her mother a pleading, heartfelt look. "Could I stay home
from school tomorrow?" she asked in her sweetest voice.
    Lexie
laughed. "To go shopping and out to lunch? I think not."
    "I
figured you’d say that."
    "Now
off to bed.”
    With
Dani settled back in her bed, Lexie walked Vivian to the front door and gave
her a hug. "Thanks for stopping by."
    "That’s
what friends are for.”
    Her
tender words eased Lexie after her long, emotionally draining day. Vivian gave
Lexie a half smile and opened the door. A damp breeze blew in chilling Lexie's
skin. Winter was just around the corner. There was still so much to do before
the first snowfall.
    "Don’t
worry about Mitch. He’ll come around. Headlights swept