Read Online Bridleton by Becky Barker - Free Book Online Page B

served steaming bowls of steak, mashed potatoes, hot rolls and mixed vegetables. The delicious aroma filled the room as Nanna offered grace. Then everyone filled their plates.
    Unused to eating such a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, Andrea took small portions. She slowly savored every bite and grinned when Trace started teasing her.
    “You won’t get fattened up on that bit of food.”
    “Compared to yogurt and lettuce it’s a real feast,” she argued. “How do you all keep from weighing a ton?”
    “Just burn it off, I guess,” he said.
    Cheyenne picked at her food. “Men really get an unfair advantage with the metabolism,” she grumbled.
    “It’s all about the physical activity,” put in Nanna.
    “Yeah, where were you today?” Andrea asked Cheyenne. “I thought Zack planned to recruit you for chores.”
    “He mostly lectured me about my reckless lifestyle and neglected responsibilities,” she stated flatly.
    Andrea put down her fork and focused on her sister. She’d never seen Chey looking so miserable. “Why the lecture?”
    “He thinks I’ve been drinking too much and going to too many wild parties.”
    “Have you?”
    Cheyenne broke eye contact and poked at the food on her plate. “Maybe, but it’s not like I’m hurting anyone or that I have much else to do. I hate the city but I can’t find a decent job around here. Believe me, I’ve tried.”
    “Good grief, don’t you know how much we need you?”
    Chey looked startled by the passionate sincerity of her tone. “What can I do that would make a difference? Clean the pool? Mow the yard? That won’t help pay the bills or save Bridleton.”
    “But it still saves time and money,” insisted Andrea. “We’re understaffed, overworked and desperate for an extra pair of hands. Right?” She glanced at the men for corroboration.
    Noah nodded and gave Chey a rare smile. Trace added his laconic agreement. “We need all the help we can get.”
    Andrea picked up one of Cheyenne’s hands and glanced at the neat, polished nails. “Of course, you can say goodbye to your lovely manicure.”
    Chey laughed softly. “I have lots of time for primping.”
    “What about your art? I have to apologize again for not making it to your graduation but I’m so proud of you. Your artwork is truly amazing. I’m hoping we can put those talents to work once we get all this spring ranch stuff caught up.”
    “Really?” Chey sounded surprised again. “What do you have in mind? I’ve been told repeatedly that there are few practical purposes for my art degree.”
    “Well,” continued Andrea, “you have the artistic talent. I know and love fashion. You probably don’t remember but Caroline and I used to have big plans to design our own line of clothing. We planned to call it the Bartell Collection. I imagine some of her old sketches are still around here. If you’re willing and interested we could come up with new plans.”
    Chey thought it over a minute and then said, “I do remember all those sketches of Caroline’s. And you have lots of connections in the industry. That’s invaluable.”
    “Hopefully,” agreed Andrea. She’d given the idea serious thought over the last few months. “I can run the idea past my agent and see how much support we’d garner from the New York front.”
    “Is this the same agent who wants to marry you and use you for a broodmare?”
    Andrea almost choked on her tea, wishing she hadn’t shared that bit of information in one of their late-night transcontinental phone calls. She shot a glance at Noah. His eyes briefly glittered before he dropped his lashes. A flash of anger? Jealousy? Possessiveness? Whatever the sentiment, it sent a quiver of emotion over her as well as alerting everyone at the table to the tension between them.
    “Same agent, totally new plan.”
    Nanette glanced back and forth between them. “Sounds like the man wants to be more than an agent, Andrea. Anything serious?”
    She shook her head.