Read Online Harm's Hunger by Patrice Michelle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patrice Michelle
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closer and patted Jena’s arm. “I’m so sorry about her passing, dear. Sally was inspiring woman and a great neighbor.” Putting her hand out, she said, “I’m Mary O’Donnell. I live a few miles down the road from Sally’s place.”
Jena shook her hand. “Jena Hudson. It’s nice to meet you.”
Releasing Jena’s hand Mary tilted her head, her gaze full of questions. “Are you going to live at Sally’s place then? I didn’t see a For Sale sign on the Double D property, which made me wonder who got the land since she didn’t have a family of her own to leave it to.”
Jena nodded. “My brother and I inherited the land and her house. I’ll be living there now.”
“Excellent!” Mary said, rocking on her heels as if she couldn’t contain her happiness.
Jena gave a half-laugh. “ I think so at least. My brother thinks differently. Well, I guess I’d better get the supplies I came for. It was nice meeting you, Mary.”
“Pooh on him. You’ll love it here. It’s nice meeting you too, Jena.” As Jena started to back away, Mary continued, “I’ll bring you a welcome casserole sometime soon.”
Jena paused. “You don’t have to do that.”
Mary’s smile broadened. “It’ll be my pleasure. Truly. Take care.”
Once Mary headed off, Jena took a deep breath and stared up at the aisle’s signs. “May as well start on aisle one.”
* * *
Later in the afternoon after exploring Sally’s property on horseback, Jena had just started to head down the main trail that led back to the house when an Irish Setter streaked across the worn down path, quickly followed by a blond, curly-haired boy calling out, “Quit chasing rabbits, Gimp! Dad’ll kill me if I’m late for dinner again this week.”
He’d paused for just a second and gave Jena a quick glance before dashing into the woods after his dog. Unfortunately their sudden appearance had startled the horse. As soon as he reared up, Jena let go of the reins in order to quickly grab the saddle horn to keep from falling off.
“Whoa, boy!” she called out forcefully, but he was too worked up. His hooves fell to the ground only to lift up in the air once more, this time accompanied by a panicked whinny.
While she attempted to hold onto the saddle horn with one hand and grab the flying reins with the other, two loud whistles shot through the air and her horse instantly settled.
Jena jerked her gaze to the source of the noise to see Harm sitting on a horse not twenty feet away, his expression thunderous.
Great. Has he come to yell at me some more? Leaning over so she could compose her expression, she retrieved the reins and waited for Harm to walk his horse up to hers.
“What the hell were you thinking going off riding?”
Her spine stiffened as she looked at him. She couldn’t see his eyes; the cowboy hat shrouded them in shadows, but the terseness in his voice was enough to set her on edge. “I’m checking out the property. What are you doing here? I figured you’d had enough of me for one day.”
Brackets formed around his mouth. He was so cold and distant it’s hard to believe this was the same man she met at the hotel the day before.
“I’m here to conduct business, Jena. If you recall, that part of our negotiation never happened.”
“I’m not selling,” she said as she moved her horse around his and nudged it forward.
“The hell you aren’t,” he grated out as he pulled up beside her. “We had a deal.”
She glanced his way and tried to ignore the pain in her heart. The anger in his eyes really affected her, more than it should. But last night she’d felt so connected to him, like she’d known him for years. How could that evaporate so quickly? Was it really all a fantasy? Her heart squeezed at the thought. “You had a deal with my brother. Not with me. He still wants to sell and I’m willing to sell part of my half, but I want the house, the barn, and a couple of acres.”
He shook his head in two fast
Jena shook her hand. “Jena Hudson. It’s nice to meet you.”
Releasing Jena’s hand Mary tilted her head, her gaze full of questions. “Are you going to live at Sally’s place then? I didn’t see a For Sale sign on the Double D property, which made me wonder who got the land since she didn’t have a family of her own to leave it to.”
Jena nodded. “My brother and I inherited the land and her house. I’ll be living there now.”
“Excellent!” Mary said, rocking on her heels as if she couldn’t contain her happiness.
Jena gave a half-laugh. “ I think so at least. My brother thinks differently. Well, I guess I’d better get the supplies I came for. It was nice meeting you, Mary.”
“Pooh on him. You’ll love it here. It’s nice meeting you too, Jena.” As Jena started to back away, Mary continued, “I’ll bring you a welcome casserole sometime soon.”
Jena paused. “You don’t have to do that.”
Mary’s smile broadened. “It’ll be my pleasure. Truly. Take care.”
Once Mary headed off, Jena took a deep breath and stared up at the aisle’s signs. “May as well start on aisle one.”
* * *
Later in the afternoon after exploring Sally’s property on horseback, Jena had just started to head down the main trail that led back to the house when an Irish Setter streaked across the worn down path, quickly followed by a blond, curly-haired boy calling out, “Quit chasing rabbits, Gimp! Dad’ll kill me if I’m late for dinner again this week.”
He’d paused for just a second and gave Jena a quick glance before dashing into the woods after his dog. Unfortunately their sudden appearance had startled the horse. As soon as he reared up, Jena let go of the reins in order to quickly grab the saddle horn to keep from falling off.
“Whoa, boy!” she called out forcefully, but he was too worked up. His hooves fell to the ground only to lift up in the air once more, this time accompanied by a panicked whinny.
While she attempted to hold onto the saddle horn with one hand and grab the flying reins with the other, two loud whistles shot through the air and her horse instantly settled.
Jena jerked her gaze to the source of the noise to see Harm sitting on a horse not twenty feet away, his expression thunderous.
Great. Has he come to yell at me some more? Leaning over so she could compose her expression, she retrieved the reins and waited for Harm to walk his horse up to hers.
“What the hell were you thinking going off riding?”
Her spine stiffened as she looked at him. She couldn’t see his eyes; the cowboy hat shrouded them in shadows, but the terseness in his voice was enough to set her on edge. “I’m checking out the property. What are you doing here? I figured you’d had enough of me for one day.”
Brackets formed around his mouth. He was so cold and distant it’s hard to believe this was the same man she met at the hotel the day before.
“I’m here to conduct business, Jena. If you recall, that part of our negotiation never happened.”
“I’m not selling,” she said as she moved her horse around his and nudged it forward.
“The hell you aren’t,” he grated out as he pulled up beside her. “We had a deal.”
She glanced his way and tried to ignore the pain in her heart. The anger in his eyes really affected her, more than it should. But last night she’d felt so connected to him, like she’d known him for years. How could that evaporate so quickly? Was it really all a fantasy? Her heart squeezed at the thought. “You had a deal with my brother. Not with me. He still wants to sell and I’m willing to sell part of my half, but I want the house, the barn, and a couple of acres.”
He shook his head in two fast
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