Read Online By His Hand: Truly Yours Digital Edition by Jennifer Johnson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jennifer Johnson
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scowled at him. Why the man, out of nowhere, determined to set her fury wheels to spinning was beyond her. She’d never met a person who infuriated her so completely. “He asked me to come by tomorrow and fill out an application.” She smiled and looked back at Sondra.
Sondra hugged her with her free hand. “That’s wonderful news. You’ve got to tell me all about it”—she bounced Emily as the child started to fuss—“as soon as we get home. I think I’m going to have to get these kids home. Naptime is calling.”
“I’ll help.” Victoria reached for the bags.
“No, you stay here with Chris. He needs to talk to you, too.”
Victoria frowned. She didn’t know what Sondra was thinking. Victoria didn’t need to stay with Chris. She needed to help Sondra, to be away from Chris.
“I think God may have answered our prayers before we had time to actually mouth them.” Sondra winked and walked down the hall. Before she could take two steps Dylan had appeared and scooped Peewee into his arms.
“Makes sense.”
Victoria peered at Chris, noting the sarcasm that dripped from his words. She shifted her weight, anxious to get to the van and head back to the ranch. Something about the oversized mechanic made her uncomfortable. Not that he hadn’t always treated her as a respectable man should, he just made her feel different. And it had nothing to do with the car accident. “What makes sense? What are you talking about?”
“Zack Bradshaw.”
“Zack?”
“He’s definitely your type.”
Victoria lifted her purse higher on her shoulder and straightened to her full height. “And how, Chris Ratliff, would you know my type?”
He huffed. “It’s obvious.”
“I don’t know why Sondra wanted me to speak with you, but I’m sure it wasn’t so we could argue. Because I have no desire—”
He lifted his hand to stop her. “I’m sorry. I had no right. Zack’s a great guy.” He leaned his head back and glanced at the ceiling. “I’m just tired, overwhelmed really. I can’t seem to get a handle on her.”
Chris stared down at Victoria whose expression exposed nothing short of confusion. Why he had felt the sudden yank of jealousy at her mention of Zack Bradshaw was a mystery to him. He liked and respected Zack, and Chris definitely didn’t have any interest in Victoria.
Taking in her matching blue pants and jacket, the way her hair fell curly and full at her shoulders, and the sweet, soft scent that washed over him when she was near, Chris wondered if maybe he did. He shook his head, needing to remember the purpose of this conversation, and in truth, he felt confident Sondra had a good idea.
Now to convince Victoria
.
“What are you saying?” Victoria placed a manicured hand on her hip. She seemed none too happy to have been left with him.
Chris motioned for her to walk ahead of him. “Could we talk a minute?”
“Sure.” She didn’t budge.
“We could sit in the sanctuary.” She still didn’t move. He grinned. “Or we could stand right here and talk.”
Victoria exhaled. “Look, if it’s about the money for your car. I know I should have gotten with you before. I need to be honest …”
He lifted his hand to stop her. “I wasn’t going to ask you about the money for my car.”
“You weren’t?”
“You said you’d give it to me.” He motioned to his hand. “As good as in my hand, remember?”
Her mouth twitched. “Okay, so what are we supposed to talk about?”
Chris cleared his throat. “Well, I have a younger sister. She’s a teenager … and our mother has been gone for over a year.” He loosened his tie. “She’s gotten difficult for me to handle.”
Victoria furrowed her brow. “Okay, I’ve heard as much. What are you asking?”
“Actually, Sondra was saying that she needs a female influence. Someone who could teach her manners, how to be a lady.” Chris shoved both hands in his pants pockets and studied the floor. “She must think you’d be
Sondra hugged her with her free hand. “That’s wonderful news. You’ve got to tell me all about it”—she bounced Emily as the child started to fuss—“as soon as we get home. I think I’m going to have to get these kids home. Naptime is calling.”
“I’ll help.” Victoria reached for the bags.
“No, you stay here with Chris. He needs to talk to you, too.”
Victoria frowned. She didn’t know what Sondra was thinking. Victoria didn’t need to stay with Chris. She needed to help Sondra, to be away from Chris.
“I think God may have answered our prayers before we had time to actually mouth them.” Sondra winked and walked down the hall. Before she could take two steps Dylan had appeared and scooped Peewee into his arms.
“Makes sense.”
Victoria peered at Chris, noting the sarcasm that dripped from his words. She shifted her weight, anxious to get to the van and head back to the ranch. Something about the oversized mechanic made her uncomfortable. Not that he hadn’t always treated her as a respectable man should, he just made her feel different. And it had nothing to do with the car accident. “What makes sense? What are you talking about?”
“Zack Bradshaw.”
“Zack?”
“He’s definitely your type.”
Victoria lifted her purse higher on her shoulder and straightened to her full height. “And how, Chris Ratliff, would you know my type?”
He huffed. “It’s obvious.”
“I don’t know why Sondra wanted me to speak with you, but I’m sure it wasn’t so we could argue. Because I have no desire—”
He lifted his hand to stop her. “I’m sorry. I had no right. Zack’s a great guy.” He leaned his head back and glanced at the ceiling. “I’m just tired, overwhelmed really. I can’t seem to get a handle on her.”
Chris stared down at Victoria whose expression exposed nothing short of confusion. Why he had felt the sudden yank of jealousy at her mention of Zack Bradshaw was a mystery to him. He liked and respected Zack, and Chris definitely didn’t have any interest in Victoria.
Taking in her matching blue pants and jacket, the way her hair fell curly and full at her shoulders, and the sweet, soft scent that washed over him when she was near, Chris wondered if maybe he did. He shook his head, needing to remember the purpose of this conversation, and in truth, he felt confident Sondra had a good idea.
Now to convince Victoria
.
“What are you saying?” Victoria placed a manicured hand on her hip. She seemed none too happy to have been left with him.
Chris motioned for her to walk ahead of him. “Could we talk a minute?”
“Sure.” She didn’t budge.
“We could sit in the sanctuary.” She still didn’t move. He grinned. “Or we could stand right here and talk.”
Victoria exhaled. “Look, if it’s about the money for your car. I know I should have gotten with you before. I need to be honest …”
He lifted his hand to stop her. “I wasn’t going to ask you about the money for my car.”
“You weren’t?”
“You said you’d give it to me.” He motioned to his hand. “As good as in my hand, remember?”
Her mouth twitched. “Okay, so what are we supposed to talk about?”
Chris cleared his throat. “Well, I have a younger sister. She’s a teenager … and our mother has been gone for over a year.” He loosened his tie. “She’s gotten difficult for me to handle.”
Victoria furrowed her brow. “Okay, I’ve heard as much. What are you asking?”
“Actually, Sondra was saying that she needs a female influence. Someone who could teach her manners, how to be a lady.” Chris shoved both hands in his pants pockets and studied the floor. “She must think you’d be
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