Read Online Do You Take This Enemy? by Sara Orwig - Free Book Online Page A

no illusions about Gabe Brant. He was attracted to her land, not to her. She needed to turn down his wild proposal and get on with her life. And she needed to find some way to get more help for her father. Tomorrow night she wouldgive Gabe his answer. He wouldn’t like her decision, but he was going to have to live with it.
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    The next day, her father left for a horse sale. Ashley spent the day working on the nursery, getting it ready for the baby. She spent an hour trying to decide what she would wear to go out with Gabe that night.
    At half past four, she heard a motor and glanced out to see a pickup she didn’t recognize coming up the road.
    She went downstairs and outside into the sunshine, shielding her eyes with her hand. As the pickup slowed and neared the back gate, she was startled to see it was Josh Kellogg driving, and her father was riding beside him.
    She stared in surprise, then she rushed to meet them. Something had to have happened for Josh to be bringing her father home.
    With her heart pounding, she ran through the gate and waited. Her fears were confirmed when Josh jumped out and came around the pickup, giving her a solemn, worried look.
    â€œYour dad isn’t feeling well, Ashley,” he said. “He wouldn’t let me take him to the hospital.”
    When Josh opened the door and helped Quinn out, fear chilled her. She knew something terrible must have happened for her dad to lean on Josh. Quinn’s face was ashen.
    â€œDad, why didn’t you go to the hospital?” she cried. “I’m going to call Dr. Bradley right now.”
    â€œCalm down, Ashley,” her father said. “I’ve taken my heart medicine and I don’t want to go to a damned hospital. I just wanted to come home.”
    â€œI’m calling Dr. Bradley,” Ashley repeated. She dashed ahead to the house and phoned, her fingers shaking as she punched numbers. She talked briefly to a physician she had known all her life and then hung up.
    â€œHe’s coming over,” she said, when she entered the family room. Quinn was stretched on the couch while Josh was pulling off his boots. The contrast in the two men madeher aware how frail her father had become. Josh was tanned, muscled and fit. He moved with ease and his jeans and T-shirt revealed the flex of muscles. Her father on the other hand, was thin, pale, and appeared helpless.
    â€œNow Karl doesn’t need to come over here,” Quinn said with his eyes closed. “I just got woozy. I feel better already. You’re making a mountain out of this when it’s nothing.”
    â€œKarl said he’d be here in about twenty minutes,” she said.
    â€œJosh, thanks,” Quinn said. “You want to sit down a while? Ashley can get you iced tea or pop.”
    â€œThanks, sir,” Josh replied, “but I’ll get on back.” He stood at the foot of the couch with his hands on his hips, a frown creasing his forehead while the worry in his green eyes frightened Ashley even more. Josh was tough just like her father and the other men who were ranchers. Whatever had happened had to be terrible for Josh to look so worried. “I’ll get your truck and bring it to you, sir,” Josh added.
    â€œDon’t bother,” Quinn replied without opening his eyes. “We can send someone for it. Ashley will take care of it.”
    â€œI don’t mind at all and I’m going back there anyway,” Josh insisted. “You take care now.”
    â€œThanks,” Quinn replied with his eyes still closed. He looked ashen and frail on the big sofa and Ashley wanted to throw herself down and hug him, but she suspected that wouldn’t help anything.
    â€œI’ll see Josh out, Dad. Call if you want me.”
    She left the room with Josh, both silent, but once they were away from the family room, she said, “Thanks for bringing Dad home.”
    â€œSure. It was no trouble.”
    When they went