Read Online City Girl by Judy Griffith Gill - Free Book Online

are you?”
    The sound of that voice stilled both Mrs. Healey’s spoon halfway to her mouth and Liss in her tracks. They turned to see a tall redheaded woman stride into the kitchen on snowy boots, the smile on her face dying the instant she saw the strangers.
    “Oh!” Her glance, the same shade of blue as a winter sky and about as warm, swept over Liss. “Where is Kirk? And who are you?”
    “Kirk is out,” Liss said. “He may be late. I’m Liss Tremayne.” She squared her shoulders and reminded herself she had as much right to be there, more even, than the newcomer, though the redhead clearly felt welcome to walk in unannounced without even wiping her feet.
    Jason came staggering back into the kitchen, mittens dangling, asking to be zipped. Liss complied, then did the same for Ryan. “These are my children,” she went on to the other woman, “Ryan and Jason. And this is—”       “No need to introduce this lady.”  The redheaded woman strode right past Liss, failing utterly even to look at the boys, and offered her hand to Mrs. Healey. Smiling, she bent impulsively to kiss her cheek. “You must be Kirk’s mother. He said you’d be coming to stay. How wonderful to meet you at last. He’s told me so much about you. I’m Gina.”
    She said it, Liss thought, as if the mere name would explain everything.
    “I’m sure Kirk has told you all about me,” Gina went on. Pulling out a chair, she sat close to Mrs. Healey, who so far hadn’t said a word. She only sat staring, her mouth slightly ajar. With a tiny grimace, Gina added confidingly, “He’s probably told you about our little spat.” She laughed lightly. “Tell me, Mrs. Allbright, do you think he’s ready to listen to reason now?”
    Mrs. Healey, finally closed her moth and said “I’m Mrs. Healey and I’m not his mother. I’m his coheir.”
    Gina’s smile faded instantly. “Are you saying Kirk isn’t sole heir to Whittier Ranch? But why? I mean, what were you to the old goat—to Ambrose?”
           Mrs. Healey, Liss was perversely pleased to see, didn’t reserve her bad manners and ill humor strictly for her housemates. “That,” she said, shifting away from Gina, “can hardly be considered your business, and since this  is my home now as well as Kirk Allbright’s, I’ll than you not to enter without knocking another time.”
    “I . . .of course,” Gina said, suddenly humble. “Forgive me, please, but I naturally had no idea . . .and I’m accustomed to coming and going as if this were my own home. You see,” she added in a sweet little-girl voice that was completely at odds with her statuesque figure, “I expected it would be my own home by now, but when Ambrose got sick, Kirk . . . changed. It think it was grief that did it.” Gina laid one long-fingered, red-nailed hand on Mrs. Healey’s arm. “Please, won’t you help me?  I do       love him so very much, but like most men, he can be terribly unforgiving at times. Mrs. Healey, I’m begging you, make him listen to me. That’s all I ask, just that he listen to me! I truly wasn’t trying to lure him away from his ranch. I’d be happy to live here year-round.”
    Mrs. Healey pulled her arm free, her expression one of distaste. “I have no influence over that young man, miss, nor do I want to. He’s as rude, boorish, and insensitive as his father was. You’re better off without him.”
    She turned and fixed a look of dislike on Liss. “And that,” she added, “is advice you’d do well to heed, too, young woman, if you’re tempted to do any more smooching in the laundry room. That boy is his father all over again, using sex and charm and empty promises to keep a housekeeper around rather than paying her a living wage.”
    Quickly Liss shooed the boys out the back door, wondering what Mrs. Healey had seen and heard.
    Gina’s cold gaze swept over Liss for the second time. “You and Kirk, smooching in the laundry room? I can tell you one thing,