Wishing on a Rodeo Moon (Women of Character) Read Online Free PDF

fridge and the cupboards for me," she
told him softly, still not looking at him.
    "No
problem, Tye. Ben helped me with suggestions about what you might like. I go
shopping once a week. Make a list if you need anything."
    She
looked surprised, then disappointed. "Oh. I thought maybe you remembered
what I like." Quickly, she put up a hand to brush the hair from her eyes,
her laugh sounding forced. "Isn’t that silly? We wouldn’t
remember anything from that long ago."
    Jake’s
smile felt frozen. He remembered that she liked strawberries piled with whipped
cream. He recalled the time he’d kissed the cream from her lips, then
deliberately sprayed some whipped cream on her neck and licked that sweetness
from her skin.
    "Mama's
bringing my vehicle out sometime this week." Tye ran her fingertips over
the rough-cut wall boards. "By the way, I talked to Ben this
morning."
    "Really?
Is he back in the country?"
    "He
is. I contacted him via chat. I want to reassure you I won’t impose any
longer than necessary. Ben’s looking around for somewhere else for me to
rent." Tye looked Jake in the eye and blurted, "If it's okay, I'd
like to stay here until he comes up with something. I-I can’t go home right
now. I promise to stay out of your way."
    "Yeah,
sure, no problem." Jake tried to keep his voice offhand, while something
inside him lifted. She wasn't leaving, at least not immediately. Then he felt
irritated with his thoughts. He wanted her to get well and leave: he had to
keep that firmly in mind. They weren’t in love anymore. Maybe they could
find a comfortable solution for her, or maybe she would realize on her own that
this arrangement could work. She could rest and get her life together. Once
things settled down for her, she could leave, and they could all go on as
before. Jake felt satisfied with that conclusion. He was only helping someone
in need. When she was on her feet once more, good riddance.
    "I
have things to do," he said abruptly, exasperated with his own meandering.
He made himself walk away and left her standing by the barn. It was best for
both of them if they stayed out of each other’s way.

§ Chapter Four §
    Tye
watched Jake walk toward the house, still unable to shake the sense of
unreality each time she saw him. She had had him pegged a certain way in her
mind, and to see him now, it felt as if she’d never left. She must have
been out of her mind that night, to think he was an angel sent especially for
her.
    Once
Jake was out of sight, she determinedly walked away from the barn to the split
rail fence enclosing the pasture. If it killed her, she would learn to walk
normally with this fool artificial leg.
    The barn
itself was in good repair. Tye found three horses out in the pasture. The first
two were beautiful bays, their coats the color of copper, with legs dark and
fine. The third horse, a deep, true black, was of a heavier build. Tye
immediately felt drawn to him. He reminded her of her favorite horse, Pongo, a
black-and-white paint horse.
    The
black horse trotted over to the fence and poked his dark muzzle over the rail
next to Tye. Speaking softly, she leaned against the wood for support and
rubbed her palm down his sleek neck.
    "You're
gorgeous," she told him, and an unexpected homesickness hit her. Because
of her stubbornness, she hadn't seen her horses in over three months.
    The
horse dipped his head and, in the next moment, pushed against Tye's chest. The
unexpected movement made her take a step backward on her right leg. She lost
her balance and landed awkwardly on the ground. Hearing running footsteps, she
turned her head to see Jake coming toward her, alarm all over his face.
    "Damn."
Tye tried to scramble up, but only managed to rise to one knee by the time Jake
reached her side. She held herself off the ground with her hands in the dirt,
looking up at him awkwardly, her face flushed, her shirt damp from her
exertions.
    "Tye,
are you okay? I just happened to see you fall." Jake knelt