Read Online Appaloosa Blues (Sisters of Spirit #8) by Nancy Radke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nancy Radke
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Johnny?"
"Too sudden. We might set off another heart attack. You know the doctor said he shouldn't be upset."
Jo rubbed her hand across her face. She had found that out tonight. Should she try? She looked at Karen's face, frozen with a mixture of hope and uncertainty, the dark stain adding its silent plea. An even stronger persuasion was the memory of Adam's arms, holding her. "Well...okay, I'll talk to Adam about it."
Karen threw both arms around her resigned older sister and hugged her tightly. "You will? Oh, Jo, thank you! I'll call Johnny right now and tell him!"
"I didn't say I'd do it, just that I'd talk to Adam."
"I know, but—"
"I need to think about this."
"Of course. Just so something's being done."
"It might work," Jo muttered, half to herself.
"It will, I know it will," Karen proclaimed with the irrational belief that if you wanted something badly enough, you'd get it.
"We'll see. Maybe we can come up with a better idea. Good night. I have to get to sleep."
"Good night, Jo. Thanks again."
"You're welcome." I guess . She watched as Karen softly closed the door.
I should have my head examined for even considering this. The last thing I want is to get entangled with Adam Trahern. What if he intends to use Karen's plan against Gramps? Jo closed her eyes tightly, tossing uncomfortably in bed. She wouldn't put it past him.
Was she wise enough to spot it, and stop him, if that was his intention? And was she strong enough emotionally to keep him at arm's length throughout the charade, so she could break away afterwards, without tearing herself apart?
A little of him at one time seemed all she could handle. Like today. He had only been trying to steady her, but her emotions had taken off at a rough gallop.
As a demonstration of her power to resist him, it wasn't.
Distraught, Jo thumped her pillow into shape. She'd do almost anything to help Karen find happiness.
Just then Karen eased open the door, interrupting Jo's thoughts. "You still awake? Mike called. He'll take the truck. You can load Paca at three-thirty."
"Great. Thanks." That would save Paca's legs. It would also give her a chance to talk with Mike.
The first light had not yet paled the sky when Jo left the house, but its promise was visible. It was the best time of day, becoming lighter by the minute.
The morning hours were cool and her denim jacket inadequate, so she worked quickly to warm herself up. The mountain breeze stayed quiet—force zero on the Beaufort scale. The wind force probably wouldn't change until evening, when cooler air rushed down the mountain, pulled by gravity.
She checked Paca's cuts, putting fresh salve on the deepest one. It was not enough to slow the horse down, and the mare snorted and pranced around like a three-year-old. By the time she loaded Paca, she could distinguish dim outlines.
Mike greeted her with an older brother's nonchalance, the tone of his voice telling her how glad he was to have her home, even if his words and actions were matter-of-fact.
He was large-boned, almost homely, solid as steel. Both his nose and ears were on the large side—as were his father's—so that classmates during his grade school years nicknamed him "Dumbo." As he grew taller, all reference to the little elephant was dropped and the previously embarrassing features now gave his face an open, honest appearance.
He loaded the truck carefully, tying the fence posts down so they wouldn't bounce around and bother Paca. A roll of barbed wire hung suspended on the outside of the stock rack and a gunny sack containing staples, hammers, cutters and a wire-stretcher was placed on the floor in the cab.
He put the truck into gear and drove away from the loading ramp, traveling relatively fast on the graveled road, slower as they turned onto the rock and dirt of the mountain section. Up ahead, Adam waited, and Jo found the anticipation both frightening and exhilarating.
"By the way, Mike..."
"Yes?"
"Adam told me about your
"Too sudden. We might set off another heart attack. You know the doctor said he shouldn't be upset."
Jo rubbed her hand across her face. She had found that out tonight. Should she try? She looked at Karen's face, frozen with a mixture of hope and uncertainty, the dark stain adding its silent plea. An even stronger persuasion was the memory of Adam's arms, holding her. "Well...okay, I'll talk to Adam about it."
Karen threw both arms around her resigned older sister and hugged her tightly. "You will? Oh, Jo, thank you! I'll call Johnny right now and tell him!"
"I didn't say I'd do it, just that I'd talk to Adam."
"I know, but—"
"I need to think about this."
"Of course. Just so something's being done."
"It might work," Jo muttered, half to herself.
"It will, I know it will," Karen proclaimed with the irrational belief that if you wanted something badly enough, you'd get it.
"We'll see. Maybe we can come up with a better idea. Good night. I have to get to sleep."
"Good night, Jo. Thanks again."
"You're welcome." I guess . She watched as Karen softly closed the door.
I should have my head examined for even considering this. The last thing I want is to get entangled with Adam Trahern. What if he intends to use Karen's plan against Gramps? Jo closed her eyes tightly, tossing uncomfortably in bed. She wouldn't put it past him.
Was she wise enough to spot it, and stop him, if that was his intention? And was she strong enough emotionally to keep him at arm's length throughout the charade, so she could break away afterwards, without tearing herself apart?
A little of him at one time seemed all she could handle. Like today. He had only been trying to steady her, but her emotions had taken off at a rough gallop.
As a demonstration of her power to resist him, it wasn't.
Distraught, Jo thumped her pillow into shape. She'd do almost anything to help Karen find happiness.
Just then Karen eased open the door, interrupting Jo's thoughts. "You still awake? Mike called. He'll take the truck. You can load Paca at three-thirty."
"Great. Thanks." That would save Paca's legs. It would also give her a chance to talk with Mike.
The first light had not yet paled the sky when Jo left the house, but its promise was visible. It was the best time of day, becoming lighter by the minute.
The morning hours were cool and her denim jacket inadequate, so she worked quickly to warm herself up. The mountain breeze stayed quiet—force zero on the Beaufort scale. The wind force probably wouldn't change until evening, when cooler air rushed down the mountain, pulled by gravity.
She checked Paca's cuts, putting fresh salve on the deepest one. It was not enough to slow the horse down, and the mare snorted and pranced around like a three-year-old. By the time she loaded Paca, she could distinguish dim outlines.
Mike greeted her with an older brother's nonchalance, the tone of his voice telling her how glad he was to have her home, even if his words and actions were matter-of-fact.
He was large-boned, almost homely, solid as steel. Both his nose and ears were on the large side—as were his father's—so that classmates during his grade school years nicknamed him "Dumbo." As he grew taller, all reference to the little elephant was dropped and the previously embarrassing features now gave his face an open, honest appearance.
He loaded the truck carefully, tying the fence posts down so they wouldn't bounce around and bother Paca. A roll of barbed wire hung suspended on the outside of the stock rack and a gunny sack containing staples, hammers, cutters and a wire-stretcher was placed on the floor in the cab.
He put the truck into gear and drove away from the loading ramp, traveling relatively fast on the graveled road, slower as they turned onto the rock and dirt of the mountain section. Up ahead, Adam waited, and Jo found the anticipation both frightening and exhilarating.
"By the way, Mike..."
"Yes?"
"Adam told me about your
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