Read Online Dream Kisses (Romance on the Ranch Series #1) by Verna Clay - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Verna Clay
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largest bedroom at the end of the
hall. When they returned, Newt mumbled something about checking on the horses
and Jacob walked back to her. Mindy and Mandy cornered her dad and Julie heard
Jacob snicker. He quickly did another "cough" act and turned around.
She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing herself. She
could see from the grinding of her dad's jaw that he was really irritated with the twins. She watched him force a smile and then politely
extricate himself from their clutches. Before he left the room, he said,
"Julie, when Sarah's ready, show her to her room and help her
unpack."
"Sure,
Dad."
After
he left, Jacob asked, "Is your dad okay?"
"Yeah.
He's just got a lot on his mind," she hedged. "Hey, since it's free
time, do you want to go for a horseback ride before supper?"
"That
sounds great! Do you think we could ride to the river?"
"Oh,
yeah. Why don't you bring your rope and we'll practice some tosses?"
"That's
a great idea. Your dad was watching me earlier today and said I'm learning
fast." Jacob looked kind of embarrassed and started to say something else,
but stopped.
"What?"
"I
was just going to tell you how much I like the cowboy life—never thought I'd
say that."
Julie
grinned. "Sure wish you were staying for the wagon train next week."
"Me,
too. I asked my mom and dad if we could stay, but Dad said no cause he's got
too many obligations, although I think my mom wants to stay. She's been acting weird
all day. She always caters to my dad and now she's practically ignoring him.
She even looks younger and keeps getting this grin on her face. I can tell it's
driving my dad crazy. He hasn't pulled his laptop out all day."
"Yeah,
my dad is acting strange, too," Julie admitted. "Well, let's see if
Mims…er…Sarah, is ready to be shown to her room."
"Why
do you keep calling her Mims?"
"Ah,
I know someone who looks like her and that's her name."
"Oh,
okay."
Julie
and Jacob walked to stand beside Sarah who politely excused herself from talking
with Mr. and Mrs. Tully. After showing Sarah to her room and helping her
unpack, Julie returned to the great room where Jacob was waiting. The twins had
disappeared. They were probably trailing her dad around the ranch, which would
no doubt put him in a worse mood. Jacob's mom was now exercising with the
aerobics video and doing a pretty good job of keeping up. His dad sat in one of
the recliners watching her with a sullen expression.
A
knock on the door interrupted everyone. Julie opened it. "Hey, Jackson,
good to see ya. You just missed my dad. You might catch him at the barn. Want
me to call him on the walkie-talkie?"
"Uh,
yeah. Can I come in a minute?"
Julie
stepped aside. "Sure. Hey, were you at Boot Bustin' Barn last night? Did
you meet our guests?"
Jackson
removed his Stetson. "Yes, I met everyone last night." He glanced
toward Mrs. Hackstetter who had stopped exercising. Julie couldn't tell if she
was red-faced from exertion or blushing. Mr. Hackstetter's face was red as a tomato.
Jackson
said, "I'm…ah…delivering the last of the fence posts Sage bought from the
Triple T. I thought he might be here."
Duh,
since when do you look for dad when delivering fence posts?
Mrs.
Hackstetter said softly, "Hello Jackson. It's nice to see you again. Last
night was fun."
"Thank
you, ma'am. I enjoyed myself."
Curley
walked in from the kitchen with a fresh pot of coffee that he always kept brewed.
"Hey, Jackson, haven't seen you for awhile."
"Howdy,
Curley." He held his hat in front of him and nervously played with the
brim.
There
was an awkward silence and then Julie said, "Curley, will you call Dad on
the walkie-talkie and let him know Jackson's looking for him?"
"Sure
thing." Curley got to the kitchen door then turned back around. "Hey,
Jackson, why don’t you join us for supper? I'm servin' stew and cornbread."
Jackson
smiled. "I'd like that."
Julie
glanced at Mrs. Hackstetter. She looked delighted. Mr. Hackstetter looked
hall. When they returned, Newt mumbled something about checking on the horses
and Jacob walked back to her. Mindy and Mandy cornered her dad and Julie heard
Jacob snicker. He quickly did another "cough" act and turned around.
She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing herself. She
could see from the grinding of her dad's jaw that he was really irritated with the twins. She watched him force a smile and then politely
extricate himself from their clutches. Before he left the room, he said,
"Julie, when Sarah's ready, show her to her room and help her
unpack."
"Sure,
Dad."
After
he left, Jacob asked, "Is your dad okay?"
"Yeah.
He's just got a lot on his mind," she hedged. "Hey, since it's free
time, do you want to go for a horseback ride before supper?"
"That
sounds great! Do you think we could ride to the river?"
"Oh,
yeah. Why don't you bring your rope and we'll practice some tosses?"
"That's
a great idea. Your dad was watching me earlier today and said I'm learning
fast." Jacob looked kind of embarrassed and started to say something else,
but stopped.
"What?"
"I
was just going to tell you how much I like the cowboy life—never thought I'd
say that."
Julie
grinned. "Sure wish you were staying for the wagon train next week."
"Me,
too. I asked my mom and dad if we could stay, but Dad said no cause he's got
too many obligations, although I think my mom wants to stay. She's been acting weird
all day. She always caters to my dad and now she's practically ignoring him.
She even looks younger and keeps getting this grin on her face. I can tell it's
driving my dad crazy. He hasn't pulled his laptop out all day."
"Yeah,
my dad is acting strange, too," Julie admitted. "Well, let's see if
Mims…er…Sarah, is ready to be shown to her room."
"Why
do you keep calling her Mims?"
"Ah,
I know someone who looks like her and that's her name."
"Oh,
okay."
Julie
and Jacob walked to stand beside Sarah who politely excused herself from talking
with Mr. and Mrs. Tully. After showing Sarah to her room and helping her
unpack, Julie returned to the great room where Jacob was waiting. The twins had
disappeared. They were probably trailing her dad around the ranch, which would
no doubt put him in a worse mood. Jacob's mom was now exercising with the
aerobics video and doing a pretty good job of keeping up. His dad sat in one of
the recliners watching her with a sullen expression.
A
knock on the door interrupted everyone. Julie opened it. "Hey, Jackson,
good to see ya. You just missed my dad. You might catch him at the barn. Want
me to call him on the walkie-talkie?"
"Uh,
yeah. Can I come in a minute?"
Julie
stepped aside. "Sure. Hey, were you at Boot Bustin' Barn last night? Did
you meet our guests?"
Jackson
removed his Stetson. "Yes, I met everyone last night." He glanced
toward Mrs. Hackstetter who had stopped exercising. Julie couldn't tell if she
was red-faced from exertion or blushing. Mr. Hackstetter's face was red as a tomato.
Jackson
said, "I'm…ah…delivering the last of the fence posts Sage bought from the
Triple T. I thought he might be here."
Duh,
since when do you look for dad when delivering fence posts?
Mrs.
Hackstetter said softly, "Hello Jackson. It's nice to see you again. Last
night was fun."
"Thank
you, ma'am. I enjoyed myself."
Curley
walked in from the kitchen with a fresh pot of coffee that he always kept brewed.
"Hey, Jackson, haven't seen you for awhile."
"Howdy,
Curley." He held his hat in front of him and nervously played with the
brim.
There
was an awkward silence and then Julie said, "Curley, will you call Dad on
the walkie-talkie and let him know Jackson's looking for him?"
"Sure
thing." Curley got to the kitchen door then turned back around. "Hey,
Jackson, why don’t you join us for supper? I'm servin' stew and cornbread."
Jackson
smiled. "I'd like that."
Julie
glanced at Mrs. Hackstetter. She looked delighted. Mr. Hackstetter looked
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