The Shepherd's Daughter (Dry Bayou Brides Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Bayou proper. It only took her forty-five minutes to get to Tilly’s.
    “You’re going to warp the leather, twisting it all up like that,” Tilly said, staring at the strands of leather twisted around Ray’s fist.
    They’d had lunch and were now working on something Tilly called “fripperies”. Tilly, as usual, was knitting a delicate strip of lace she’d later sell at her parents’ store, but Ray was trying, and failing, to make a leather bracelet from thin straps of leather and one of Billy’s old belt buckles.
    She’d started the thing a week ago, hoping to give Billy something special for his birthday next month—but that was before yesterday, when everything changed. Ray stared down at the mess in her lap and heaved a sigh. She threw the pile on the table between her and Tilly, and crossed her arms.
    “What’s the point anyway? He’s gettin’ married. He don’t need my silly old bracelet. His new wife can knit him socks or sew him shirts or patch his boots—everythin’ I can’t do.”
    Tilly blinked at Ray and gently placed her lace on the table beside Ray’s half-made bracelet.
    Tilly Mosier was the youngest daughter of the town mercantile and her other best friend—well, her only friend besides Billy. Though Tilly would disagree, she was pretty, with her long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, an angel with a devilish side. Also, Tilly was the smartest and most forthright woman Ray knew—and she happened to be amazing with her hands. She drew designs of handbags, lace, and embroidery embellishments for old dresses, and then sewed what she drew.
    “I thought you’d be happy for Billy—him finding a nice lady to marry.”
    Tilly was right, Ray should be. But she wasn’t. She was angry and didn’t know why.
    “Why would I be happy about some trollop comin’ into town and takin’ my Billy from me?” Ray gasped with horror once she realized what she’d just said. “ Aw-dingit ! I didn’t mean to say that.” She buried her face in her hands and groaned.
    Tilly let out an excited noise and Ray looked up. Tilly had a huge smile on her face. “Why you…you love Billy!”
    Ray shot up from her seat and turned away, her mind racing to catch up to Tilly’s words. “Nah, that ain’t it,” she denied, her heart climbing into her throat.
    She heard Tilly get up from her chair and come to stand behind her. “You. Love. Billy. My gawt, why didn’t I see this coming?” Her voice was an awed whisper. “You love Billy and you’re jealous of this new woman.”
    Ray spun and pinned Tilly with an angry glare. “Why do you keep sayin’ that? I don’t love Billy, not like—not like you’re implyin’. He’s my best friend, has been since we were kids. That’s all it is.” She said the words but suddenly didn’t believe them.
    Tilly smiled bigger and Ray immediately despised her friend’s too-cheerful, gloating face. “I’m saying it because it’s true. Sure, you two were friends growing up, always together, heads always bent close over some slimy animal. It’s understandable that you would grow to love him.” Tilly placed her hands on Ray’s shoulders and forced her to look her in the eyes. “He’s handsome as sin, kind, and hardworking—it isn’t too hard to see why.”
    Ray thought back on all the years she’d known him. All the scrapes they’d fallen into, all the times they’d lay in the hay loft and talk about their dreams, and all the times she’d watched him leave for home at the end of the day and wish he could stay with her forever…
    “ Aw-dingit … I’m in love with him, Tilly,” Ray marveled.
    Her friend clapped her hands together. “Oh, Ray, this is wonderful! I am so happy for you.”
    Ray wanted to stomp a hole in the floor and fall through it. She didn’t know how she was supposed to face Billy knowing her traitor heart had gone and fallen in love with him.
    “What am I supposed to do now? How I can stand around, watchin’ him court his bride?” Ray