Read Online Getting Lucky by Carolyn Brown - Free Book Online Page B

drove away and Julie sat down on the porch with a heavy thud. She propped her elbows on her knees. Lizzy was welcome at her house, but she'd be damned to hell for all eternity if she ever gave Annie permission to go to Lizzy's house. She didn't give a damn if Griffin or— what was his brother's name?— Graham were as rich as Midas or if they lived in a tent on the banks of the Red River.
       Graham? That was Annie's biological father, and he'd been killed a few days after that motel night. Julie didn't believe in fate. You made your own way in life; accepted the consequences for your own mistakes; gathered laurels for your victories. But if it wasn't fate meddling in her life then how in the hell did she get pregnant on a rebellious one-night stand and wind up six years later living next door to the man's twin brother? That was too much to chalk up to coincidence.
       "Why?" she muttered.
       "Because I wanted a black and white kitten and Lizzy wanted a yellow one," Annie answered.
    *********
    Lizzy ran into the house and straight into Nana Rita's arms. "I ran away but it's all better now acause Daddy said that Rachel won't be coming back to the ranch. She won't spank me no more. Annie's momma called her a bitch and said she was going to whip her ass."
       Marita looked up at Griffin for an explanation.
       He rolled his eyes.
       "Those are naughty words," he said to Lizzy.
       Lizzy went right on talking. "We traded kittens and Annie has got a black and white one. And I played in her room today with her Barbie dolls. I'm hungry now. Can I have a sandwich?"
       "Griffin?" Marita raised a black eyebrow.
       "It's a mess. One big hellacious mess. This lady…"
       Lizzy piped up. "She's not a lady. She's red-haired white trash and she's my teacher and I'm going to grow up and be just like her and she called Rachel a bitch and told her not to hit me no more."
       "Lizzy, it's my turn to talk and your turn to be quiet. As I was saying," Griffin said, "the lady who bought the old Lassiter place is Lizzy's new friend's mother and her teacher."
       Lizzy followed Marita to the kitchen and crawled up on a chair on the other side of the island in the middle of the floor. "Rachel screamed at Annie acause she thought she was me and Rachel is mad at Daddy now."
       "I imagine she is," Marita smiled.
       "There's a bigger problem over there," Griffin said. "Can you make a couple of sandwiches for me? I missed dinner because I was trying to find this runaway kid. Lizzy, don't you ever, ever do that again. And no matter where you go on this ranch, you take that phone with you. Your punishment for running away is that you can't ride your pony for a month and you can't leave the yard for a whole week. Is that understood? And I don't want to hear dirty words coming out of your pretty mouth again."
       She nodded seriously. "Then Annie will have to come play with me since I can't go play with her. Did you get her phone number so I can call her up and tell her that?"
       "I did not," he said. His world was listing to one side and he wondered if it'd ever be right again.
       "Her mother's name is Julie Donavan. Just call the 'perator on the phone and ask her for the number," Lizzy said.
       "I think you've had enough excitement for one day. We certainly have." Marita said.
       "I expect you want to talk to me without little corn's big ears?" Griffin said.
       Marita nodded. "Bring your sandwich to the back yard and I'll clean up this mess your woman left behind after we talk. Next time I'll take Lizzy with me. It's less trouble than having a heart attack or cleaning up after a messy cook," she fussed.
       "I want to go, too," Lizzy said.
       "You eat your sandwich right here at the bar, young lady, and then you're going to put on your bathing suit and play in your little pool where I can see you all the time," Marita said.
       When they got to the backyard Griffin was glad to