Read Online Appaloosa Blues (Sisters of Spirit #8) by Nancy Radke - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nancy Radke
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help me...!"
"Simple. You said it was easier for the younger kids in a family to do something if the older ones did it first."
"Yes, but—"
Karen rubbed nervously at her cheek. "Don't you see? You and Adam get engaged first. Then Johnny and I can announce ours."
"What?" Jo choked on her sandwich as she realized how wonderful, how terrifying, that sounded. Engaged? To Adam! Even though the idea made her heart leap, she knew it would be disaster. Feelings of disloyalty vied with a sudden desire to agree. The temptation was sharp, enticing her to grasp the opportunity with all her strength. Resistance made her answer curt. "No! I can't do that!"
"But...but Adam said he'd do it," Karen protested in a bewildered voice, surprised by the violence of Jo's response.
"Oh, sure, of course he would. He'd love to." And have a grand old time, too, at her and her grandfather's expense. It would be like handing Adam a loaded gun and helping him point it at his enemy's heart. "I can't do that to Gramps. He...he trusts me. He knows I wouldn't let him down." Between her attraction for Adam and her loyalty to Gramps, her feelings took a wild swing.
Glancing down at the crescent-shaped nail prints on her palms, Jo shook her head, then picked up her sandwich. She searched her mind for an alternative solution, but came up blank.
Tears welled silently from Karen's expressive eyes and her head dropped, lower lip clamped tight in despair.
"Now don't start to cry," Jo said. "Talk to Mom in the morning. You should've told her long ago." Jo finished her sandwich and walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Karen followed, swiping at the tears that were still flowing, shoulders sagged in distress. "Mom's worried about Jenny, with Tom working such crazy hours. She's driving to Pendleton to stay with her until the baby is born."
"What's wrong?" Neither Tom nor Jenny had mentioned anything last week when Jo had called them.
"Jenny's doctor thinks there could be complications. Her mother has the flu, so Tom called Mom."
"I hope Jenny is okay. And the baby." Jo turned away and set her alarm clock for three a.m. as Karen watched.
"Where are you going at that hour in the morning?"
"To help Adam separate the herds. They're sure to be mixed up. I might not get home until eight or later."
"You're seeing Adam? Please, Jo, won't you change—-?"
"No! I'd rather face barbed wire and bulls any day than tangle with Adam." Jo jerked her head emphatically. She didn't want a stick of dynamite in her hands all summer, ready to blow her emotions sky-high. And Adam was capable of that. He'd push the situation past any limits she set.
Grampa always said a Trahern would take more than you gave them, and she knew he was right. She had first hand experience with Adam doing just that.
"Please, Jo. If you won't help me, I don't know what I'll do."
"What's the difference? Adam and me, or Johnny and you?"
"Lots. Gramps thinks you can do no wrong. You can convince him black is white. No one else can even persuade him to take his heart medicine."
"True. But getting engaged to his worst enemy is a little different."
"He'll still take it better from you. Gramps always accepts whatever you do."
Gramps was only half the problem. "He'd think I turned traitor."
"At first, maybe. You know you're Grampa’s favorite. You can get him to come around if anyone can."
The temptation to agree to Karen's plan was strong. But would it destroy the close relationship she had with her grandfather?
"You think so?"
"I know so."
If she agreed to this, could she trust Adam to play it straight? Or would he keep changing the rules, embarrassing her like he had in high school? Maybe insist on playing the heavy lover?
But, if she didn't help out, Karen might miss her chance for happiness. Jo knew how worried her mother was over Karen's lack of boy friends. If Johnny could see her sister's worth, then he should be encouraged. "What if we simply told Gramps about you and
"Simple. You said it was easier for the younger kids in a family to do something if the older ones did it first."
"Yes, but—"
Karen rubbed nervously at her cheek. "Don't you see? You and Adam get engaged first. Then Johnny and I can announce ours."
"What?" Jo choked on her sandwich as she realized how wonderful, how terrifying, that sounded. Engaged? To Adam! Even though the idea made her heart leap, she knew it would be disaster. Feelings of disloyalty vied with a sudden desire to agree. The temptation was sharp, enticing her to grasp the opportunity with all her strength. Resistance made her answer curt. "No! I can't do that!"
"But...but Adam said he'd do it," Karen protested in a bewildered voice, surprised by the violence of Jo's response.
"Oh, sure, of course he would. He'd love to." And have a grand old time, too, at her and her grandfather's expense. It would be like handing Adam a loaded gun and helping him point it at his enemy's heart. "I can't do that to Gramps. He...he trusts me. He knows I wouldn't let him down." Between her attraction for Adam and her loyalty to Gramps, her feelings took a wild swing.
Glancing down at the crescent-shaped nail prints on her palms, Jo shook her head, then picked up her sandwich. She searched her mind for an alternative solution, but came up blank.
Tears welled silently from Karen's expressive eyes and her head dropped, lower lip clamped tight in despair.
"Now don't start to cry," Jo said. "Talk to Mom in the morning. You should've told her long ago." Jo finished her sandwich and walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Karen followed, swiping at the tears that were still flowing, shoulders sagged in distress. "Mom's worried about Jenny, with Tom working such crazy hours. She's driving to Pendleton to stay with her until the baby is born."
"What's wrong?" Neither Tom nor Jenny had mentioned anything last week when Jo had called them.
"Jenny's doctor thinks there could be complications. Her mother has the flu, so Tom called Mom."
"I hope Jenny is okay. And the baby." Jo turned away and set her alarm clock for three a.m. as Karen watched.
"Where are you going at that hour in the morning?"
"To help Adam separate the herds. They're sure to be mixed up. I might not get home until eight or later."
"You're seeing Adam? Please, Jo, won't you change—-?"
"No! I'd rather face barbed wire and bulls any day than tangle with Adam." Jo jerked her head emphatically. She didn't want a stick of dynamite in her hands all summer, ready to blow her emotions sky-high. And Adam was capable of that. He'd push the situation past any limits she set.
Grampa always said a Trahern would take more than you gave them, and she knew he was right. She had first hand experience with Adam doing just that.
"Please, Jo. If you won't help me, I don't know what I'll do."
"What's the difference? Adam and me, or Johnny and you?"
"Lots. Gramps thinks you can do no wrong. You can convince him black is white. No one else can even persuade him to take his heart medicine."
"True. But getting engaged to his worst enemy is a little different."
"He'll still take it better from you. Gramps always accepts whatever you do."
Gramps was only half the problem. "He'd think I turned traitor."
"At first, maybe. You know you're Grampa’s favorite. You can get him to come around if anyone can."
The temptation to agree to Karen's plan was strong. But would it destroy the close relationship she had with her grandfather?
"You think so?"
"I know so."
If she agreed to this, could she trust Adam to play it straight? Or would he keep changing the rules, embarrassing her like he had in high school? Maybe insist on playing the heavy lover?
But, if she didn't help out, Karen might miss her chance for happiness. Jo knew how worried her mother was over Karen's lack of boy friends. If Johnny could see her sister's worth, then he should be encouraged. "What if we simply told Gramps about you and
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