Read Online Jane's Long March Home by Susan Lute - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Lute
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isolation she found there littered her gorgeous eyes, betraying a fearful inner landscape.
He was snared. Well and truly. He would do everything he could to help her. Not because his uncle willed it, but because he’d unfortunately discovered there was more to Jane Donovan than the stoic Marine who’d been sent for him to heal.
Simply put she intrigued him. There was an intriguing woman hidden beneath all the layers of protection she’d wrapped herself in, and much to his dismay, he wanted to be the one to bring her out of hiding.
Gus poked his head into the office. “Bad news, Boss. I just got off the phone with Jim Bartlett. He just sold the last of his horses to another buyer.”
After his run in at the hospital with his neighbor lady, Chase had been vaguely toying with, someday, turning the place into some kind of working ranch, but mulling over the treatment plan he was developing up for Jane, a crazier idea came to mind. “Do you know anyone else who has horses to sell? Sweet-natured, gentle animals?”
“Maxine Connor has the sweetest animals in the county. She breaks them in real gentle like.”
Maxine Connor. Of course. Sighing, he gave into the inevitable. “Let’s go see her, then.”
“What about the youngsters?”
“Jane can keep an eye on them. Are they still in the barn?”
Gus raised bushy brows. “Yup. They finished cleaning up the tack room. When I left, they was sweeping out stalls.”
Grinning, he went to give the Marine the good news that she would be playing babysitter. When he stepped into the cool interior of the large building, the murmur of voices drew him past the stalls, to the back of the cavernous building.
“You boys do good work. How old are you?” Jane’s quiet, calming tone would coax a grown man out of his last beer. Chase stopped in the shadow of a sturdy support beam to listen.
“Six.” Pete scrubbed greasy hands on his pant legs. Jane handed the little guy a rag.
Bobby was slower to come up to scratch. “Thirteen.” his voice cracked on the last syllable, making him flush.
Chase was impressed with how little effort it took Jane to get useful information from the runaways. He straightened. The woman was more dangerous than the incendiary device that nearly took her out in Madrid.
“You boys in need of a job? I’m sure Russell could use some extra hands around here.” Amused blue eyes pinned him, her smile full of mocking humor. His heart did a sudden back flip.
He rubbed the ache at the back of his neck. Pete’s frail thinness, Bobby’s wary determination to protect his little brother no matter what, and the Marine’s cockiness made it near impossible to ignore her challenge to make room for the boys on the ranch.
How long could he reasonably expect to keep the brothers safely off the streets? He was going to find out. He’d play her game for the time being. But by his own rules.
Knowing what was there, he looked past Jane. “Did you find the motorcycle?”
Jane shrugged as though it were no big thing, but there was a glow of excitement in her eyes that hadn't been there when she first arrived on the ranch. “A Harley. Sweet machine. Looks like it’s been abandoned.”
“It was here when I bought the place. Must have been left by the previous owners.”
She looked longingly at the big bike. “I’d love to buy this baby from you.”
The sudden wish that she’d look at him with the same longing was completely irrational. But mixed with the sweet scent of vanilla she wore, the sharp smell of used motor oil and hay; the volatile combination had his blood pumping big time.
Get a grip, buddy. “I’m sure we can come to some kind of arrangement.” Dragging his attention away from the sexy lady, Chase addressed the boys. “I’ll pay good wages if you're willing to work hard.”
“You’d pay us?” The cautious hope sprouting on Bobby’s face was one more link in the chain binding Chase to a situation he would have bet, just that
He was snared. Well and truly. He would do everything he could to help her. Not because his uncle willed it, but because he’d unfortunately discovered there was more to Jane Donovan than the stoic Marine who’d been sent for him to heal.
Simply put she intrigued him. There was an intriguing woman hidden beneath all the layers of protection she’d wrapped herself in, and much to his dismay, he wanted to be the one to bring her out of hiding.
Gus poked his head into the office. “Bad news, Boss. I just got off the phone with Jim Bartlett. He just sold the last of his horses to another buyer.”
After his run in at the hospital with his neighbor lady, Chase had been vaguely toying with, someday, turning the place into some kind of working ranch, but mulling over the treatment plan he was developing up for Jane, a crazier idea came to mind. “Do you know anyone else who has horses to sell? Sweet-natured, gentle animals?”
“Maxine Connor has the sweetest animals in the county. She breaks them in real gentle like.”
Maxine Connor. Of course. Sighing, he gave into the inevitable. “Let’s go see her, then.”
“What about the youngsters?”
“Jane can keep an eye on them. Are they still in the barn?”
Gus raised bushy brows. “Yup. They finished cleaning up the tack room. When I left, they was sweeping out stalls.”
Grinning, he went to give the Marine the good news that she would be playing babysitter. When he stepped into the cool interior of the large building, the murmur of voices drew him past the stalls, to the back of the cavernous building.
“You boys do good work. How old are you?” Jane’s quiet, calming tone would coax a grown man out of his last beer. Chase stopped in the shadow of a sturdy support beam to listen.
“Six.” Pete scrubbed greasy hands on his pant legs. Jane handed the little guy a rag.
Bobby was slower to come up to scratch. “Thirteen.” his voice cracked on the last syllable, making him flush.
Chase was impressed with how little effort it took Jane to get useful information from the runaways. He straightened. The woman was more dangerous than the incendiary device that nearly took her out in Madrid.
“You boys in need of a job? I’m sure Russell could use some extra hands around here.” Amused blue eyes pinned him, her smile full of mocking humor. His heart did a sudden back flip.
He rubbed the ache at the back of his neck. Pete’s frail thinness, Bobby’s wary determination to protect his little brother no matter what, and the Marine’s cockiness made it near impossible to ignore her challenge to make room for the boys on the ranch.
How long could he reasonably expect to keep the brothers safely off the streets? He was going to find out. He’d play her game for the time being. But by his own rules.
Knowing what was there, he looked past Jane. “Did you find the motorcycle?”
Jane shrugged as though it were no big thing, but there was a glow of excitement in her eyes that hadn't been there when she first arrived on the ranch. “A Harley. Sweet machine. Looks like it’s been abandoned.”
“It was here when I bought the place. Must have been left by the previous owners.”
She looked longingly at the big bike. “I’d love to buy this baby from you.”
The sudden wish that she’d look at him with the same longing was completely irrational. But mixed with the sweet scent of vanilla she wore, the sharp smell of used motor oil and hay; the volatile combination had his blood pumping big time.
Get a grip, buddy. “I’m sure we can come to some kind of arrangement.” Dragging his attention away from the sexy lady, Chase addressed the boys. “I’ll pay good wages if you're willing to work hard.”
“You’d pay us?” The cautious hope sprouting on Bobby’s face was one more link in the chain binding Chase to a situation he would have bet, just that
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