Read Online Learning To Love (Contemporary Cowboy Romance) (Carson Hill Ranch series:Book 1) by Amelia Rose - Free Book Online
Authors: Amelia Rose
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that the older man was sitting in his office, reading something in an oversized book as another man stood beside his chair. She walked down the staircase and approached the office, knocking gently on the frame of the open door.
“Miranda!” Bernard called out, his funny way of speaking making him stress the second syllable of her name in a way that was charming. “Please, come in, come in. You don’t ever have to knock to enter this office.” He stood up as she approached and pointed her to a chair near his desk. “Have you met my son, Anders? He is your new husband’s younger brother.”
New husband , she thought to herself, a worried frown crinkling her face for only a moment. That remains to be seen. Even the thought of marrying the guy’s son after the one conversation they’d had seemed not only stupid, it seemed downright impossible.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Anders,” Miranda began. “I’m afraid I arrived not knowing there was such a large family here, but I hope to get to know you better very soon.”
Anders smiled, then blushed to the roots of his hair and bowed slightly. He quickly left the room, his laptop tucked under one arm. Bernard sat back down behind his large oak desk and leaned forward, even as Miranda sat as straight in her chair as her business school education had taught her. For all practical purposes, this was exactly like a job interview, only for some reason, the job she was applying for was to be a wife.
“So, Miranda, what do you think of Carson Hill Ranch so far?” Bernard asked kindly.
“Well, it’s so overwhelming that I really haven’t had the chance to form an opinion. It’s beautiful, of course,” she added quickly to avoid sounding insulting. “and your men seem very attached to their lives here. I’m sure it will make a really great home,” she answered primly.
“And I want you to think of it as your home. What I said this morning was not just posturing for the men or pretty words to impress you. There was a time when this house was nothing more than a lean-to, and my ancestors—and their new brides!—slept on the very ground. And they were so happy. Even when I finally met my wife,” At this, Bernard turned a picture frame around so Miranda could see a petite, black-haired woman smiling back at her, her arms full of children of different ages, “this house was only about two-thirds of this size. Once I built my family’s fortune back up and tripled the herd of cattle,” Bernard’s hand swept out in an open gesture to encompass everything in sight, “it was my sweet wife who brought a feminine touch to the ranch. It was no longer a homestead filled with animals, but a place for a family to really live.”
“We lost her only a few years ago, shortly after giving birth to the angel who would have been my daughter. Both of them died only a few hours after the birth,” Bernard explained, his voice dropping in volume as sadness washed over him. “Our home—and our family—has never been the same.”
Miranda wanted to get up and go over to him, to wrap her arms around him. Something about the old man just seemed to bring out the best in people, herself included. She knew it wouldn’t be the polite thing to do because they had only just met, so she could only nod her head quietly.
“But this is why we need you,” Bernard continued, clearing his throat and washing away his emotion. “We need someone to make us remember that we are first and foremost gentlemen, not animal herders who happen to walk on two legs.”
“What exactly will I be doing around here, though?” Miranda asked earnestly. “I’m sure I’ll also need to earn my keep around
“Miranda!” Bernard called out, his funny way of speaking making him stress the second syllable of her name in a way that was charming. “Please, come in, come in. You don’t ever have to knock to enter this office.” He stood up as she approached and pointed her to a chair near his desk. “Have you met my son, Anders? He is your new husband’s younger brother.”
New husband , she thought to herself, a worried frown crinkling her face for only a moment. That remains to be seen. Even the thought of marrying the guy’s son after the one conversation they’d had seemed not only stupid, it seemed downright impossible.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Anders,” Miranda began. “I’m afraid I arrived not knowing there was such a large family here, but I hope to get to know you better very soon.”
Anders smiled, then blushed to the roots of his hair and bowed slightly. He quickly left the room, his laptop tucked under one arm. Bernard sat back down behind his large oak desk and leaned forward, even as Miranda sat as straight in her chair as her business school education had taught her. For all practical purposes, this was exactly like a job interview, only for some reason, the job she was applying for was to be a wife.
“So, Miranda, what do you think of Carson Hill Ranch so far?” Bernard asked kindly.
“Well, it’s so overwhelming that I really haven’t had the chance to form an opinion. It’s beautiful, of course,” she added quickly to avoid sounding insulting. “and your men seem very attached to their lives here. I’m sure it will make a really great home,” she answered primly.
“And I want you to think of it as your home. What I said this morning was not just posturing for the men or pretty words to impress you. There was a time when this house was nothing more than a lean-to, and my ancestors—and their new brides!—slept on the very ground. And they were so happy. Even when I finally met my wife,” At this, Bernard turned a picture frame around so Miranda could see a petite, black-haired woman smiling back at her, her arms full of children of different ages, “this house was only about two-thirds of this size. Once I built my family’s fortune back up and tripled the herd of cattle,” Bernard’s hand swept out in an open gesture to encompass everything in sight, “it was my sweet wife who brought a feminine touch to the ranch. It was no longer a homestead filled with animals, but a place for a family to really live.”
“We lost her only a few years ago, shortly after giving birth to the angel who would have been my daughter. Both of them died only a few hours after the birth,” Bernard explained, his voice dropping in volume as sadness washed over him. “Our home—and our family—has never been the same.”
Miranda wanted to get up and go over to him, to wrap her arms around him. Something about the old man just seemed to bring out the best in people, herself included. She knew it wouldn’t be the polite thing to do because they had only just met, so she could only nod her head quietly.
“But this is why we need you,” Bernard continued, clearing his throat and washing away his emotion. “We need someone to make us remember that we are first and foremost gentlemen, not animal herders who happen to walk on two legs.”
“What exactly will I be doing around here, though?” Miranda asked earnestly. “I’m sure I’ll also need to earn my keep around
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