Read Online High Lonesome by Stacey Coverstone - Free Book Online Page B

name.”
    Scott’s eyes widened. “You remember your name?” he asked.
    “No, Daddy,” Willow giggled. “I thought up a new name for her. She’s going to be Beth from now on.”
    “Oh. Beth, huh? How did you come up with that?” Willow pointed to the label on the bread bag and Scott laughed. “It works as well as anything, I guess. Beth. I like it. It’s pretty.”
    “Just like her, right Daddy?”
    Beth felt a flutter in her chest when his gaze latched onto her. Being in his company had every nerve tingling with awareness.
    “Yes, honey. Good job.” His eyes lingered on the newly christened Beth for what seemed an eternity.
    “Do you want to eat now, Mr. Scott?” Carmen asked, reaching for another breakfast plate.
    He washed his hands in the kitchen sink and dried them on a dishtowel. “Sure. I’ll join these two lovely ladies, if they don’t mind. He straddled an island stool.
    “When do your guests eat?” Beth asked.
    “They’ll be coming in any minute. They all eat together in the dining room. I normally take breakfast with them, but I asked the wranglers to act as hosts this morning.”
    As they chatted, Carmen hurried back and forth from the kitchen. She delivered bowl after bowl of food to the long wooden table in the dining room, in preparation for the arrival of the guests.
    Beth jumped up. “I should be helping you with those.”
    Carmen shooed her away. “No thank you. This is my job. Eat before yours gets cold.” Right on cue, she set the last bowl down as the guests came through the front door and took their places at the dining room table.
    Beth heard them chattering like jays. She didn’t have to be told twice before delving into her plate of eggs.
    Scott doused his potatoes with salt and ketchup. “Willow, tell the lady what you were doing at your friend’s house yesterday.” He poured a cup of coffee then swiped some bacon off the heating plate on the counter behind him.
    “She’s not the lady, Daddy. She’s Beth .”
    “I’m sorry. I forgot already. Tell Beth.”
    “I was practicing for the Little Wranglers Rodeo.”
    “You’re going to be in a rodeo?”
    “Yep. I’ve been in plenty of rodeos already. I compete in pole bending on my horse, Midnight.”
    “What’s pole bending?” Beth asked.
    Willow looked to her father to explain. He finished swallowing a link of sausage before he spoke.
    “The object of pole bending is to ride through a pattern of upright poles in the shortest time without toppling any of them. There are six plastic poles set in rubber bases. The first one is about twenty-one feet from the start/finish line, with the others placed progressively farther from the line at twenty-one foot intervals. Willow gallops at full speed down one side. Then, at the end, she turns one hundred eighty degrees and weaves through the serpentine path. When she reaches the last pole, she turns and goes back through the pattern again until she reaches the far end. When the pattern is completed, she dashes to the finish line.”
    Beth blinked. “My gosh. You really do all of that on a horse? Without falling off?”
    Willow giggled. “Yep. Would you like to see Midnight? Come on, I’ll show you.” She reached for Beth’s hand and tugged.
    When their hands touched, Beth felt a spark, and the image of a little dark-haired child flashed in front of her again. This time, the girl was lying in a canopy bed and appeared to be listening to a bedtime story.
    I feel a connection to that little girl. But who is she? What does she mean to me?
    “Later,” Scott told Willow. His fork stopped in midair. “Beth, what is it? Are you getting a headache?”
    She nodded confirmation, realizing he understood what was happening to her. When he scooted away from the island ready to help, she lifted her hand. “It was just a sharp pain, but it’s gone now. I’m okay.” The image disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. She took a drink of juice and couldn’t help but wonder if