True-Blue Cowboy Christmas Read Online Free PDF

had gotten her this far in her new life, and she couldn’t stop trusting it now.
    â€œAll right, lead the way.”
    â€œYou know, Daddy is going to get somebody to come watch me in the afternoons.” Kate slanted Summer a very adult look as they walked through the trees.
    â€œWhat does your daddy do?” She helped Kate through the fence, then managed to get over it herself.
    â€œOh, Daddy is like a real-life cowboy. He doesn’t like when I say that, though. He says, ‘Katherine, I am a rancher. There is a big difference between a cowboy and a rancher.’” She had adopted a low voice and a different posture, and Summer couldn’t keep herself from smiling.
    Summer wanted to ask about the girl’s mother, but she held her tongue. She knew what it was like to be asked about a missing parent when you didn’t know how to answer. The girl’s mother didn’t seem to be in the picture, one way or another. Maybe her father was trying his best, and he was simply overwhelmed. Although, honestly, wasn’t it awfully irresponsible to allow the girl to keep escaping like she did?
    A house came into view, and Summer’s steps slowed. It was…amazing. A vision of what the Shaw ranch could have been if everything at Shaw hadn’t been beaten down by age and bad luck. It was a little colorless, maybe, but the cabin was made of gleaming wood that was clearly taken care of year in and year out. There were two peaked windows on the second floor, a stone chimney, and a wraparound porch with a swing that looked like it might need a few repairs, but which somehow added homeyness to the picture.
    With craggy mountains in the background, the house was absolutely beautiful, even in the murky dark of a stormy morning. Summer could just imagine it lit up for Christmas, colorful lights wreathed against the pristine snow…
    â€œDaddy is doing chores in the stables. And Grandpa does his secret chores until—”
    â€œSecret chores?” Summer followed Kate around the house toward a stable, also gleaming and sturdy and so different from what they had at Shaw that it was almost jarring. She’d never really considered that there would be parts of Blue Valley without that aura of years of struggle, of being beaten down and out.
    No wonder Kate believed in magic. This place looked like magic.
    â€œGrandpa has a hard time breathing sometimes, and Daddy said there’s certain things he can’t do. So Grandpa does his secret chores when Daddy’s busy. I can’t tell Daddy, but I think he knows.”
    Summer blinked and tried to wrap her mind around all of that—what it might mean, and what it told her about this place. Kate only talked about two men. Dad and Grandpa. There seemed to be a lot of secrets between all three of them.
    Kate stopped a few feet away from the stable and offered that charming smile up to Summer. “We don’t have to tell Daddy I came to your fairy palace. We could just say…”
    â€œI think it’s really important we tell your dad the truth.” Summer paused, resisting the urge to touch the girl’s arm again. She clutched the shawl closer to her chest instead. “Unless you’re afraid.”
    Kate seemed to consider this, and Summer held her breath. It had nothing to do with her, but she just…she had to step in if the girl needed it. Maybe she’d found this place for a reason and—
    â€œBut if you tell, I lose TV privileges for a week .”
    Summer blew out a breath. TV privileges. For heaven’s sake. “Well.”
    â€œAnd Grandpa’s TV shows are stupid. So, so stupid. It’s always people yelling. And then he yells at them. And I can’t read when he’s yelling ‘ You greedy bastards .’”
    Summer had to press her lips together not to laugh. The girl certainly had her impressions down. “No, that doesn’t sound very fun. But, you can’t