Read Online Lonestar Sanctuary by Colleen Coble - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Colleen Coble
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they also provide some income."
"When is our next group coming? How does it all work?"
"Sometimes we have a group come for a month or two, sometimes
a larger group for just a day. Right now, the crew is remodeling the
bunkhouse, so we have none. But a few rooms are done, and we will
take a handful later today." He went toward the door. "You look, si? I
will get us coffee."
The stack of bills seemed huge. Her head already ached from looking at just one page of the black numbers on white paper. She should
confess her condition and get it over with. Sitting back in the chair,
she glanced around the room until her gaze settled on the picture of
a young woman.
It almost could have been her.
She stood and picked it up, running her fingers over the cool glass.
The woman was younger than Allie, and her eyes were brown instead
of blue, but she had the same high cheekbones and full lips. The same
dark hair. Who was she?
She heard Elijah coming and put the picture back on the bookshelf. He arrived at the doorway as she turned around. Caught.
"That was my granddaughter, Maria."
"Was?"
"Ten years now she has been in her grave. A riding accident when
she was twenty-five."
"I'm sorry."
"You have the look of her, si?"
"I noticed. Was that why you stared when you first saw me?"
"It is so." He turned to the door. "I will leave you to your work."
"Could I use the phone to call my friend in El Paso and let her
know I arrived safely?"
"Si, of course. Anytime you wish." He closed the door behind him.
Allie looked at the picture again. Maria would have been her
cousin. Her mother had always told Allie she was an only child. So
who were Maria's parents? The thought she might still have family
filled her with a sense of purpose and rightness about coming here.
Allie went back to the chair, picked up the phone, and dialed Yo's
cell phone number. Her friend answered almost at once. "Yo, it's me."
"Allie, I've been so worried. Are you okay, girl?"
The chair squeaked as Allie leaned back, glancing at her nails.
She'd managed not to bite them for three days, but the polish looked
terrible. "I'm fine. Got here in one piece. How's everything? How are
you riding today?"
"I am all that, girlfriend," Yo crowed. "Ran just over 14.7 seconds
today."
"Oh great, Yo. You're going to win this year!" Allie pulled polish
remover from her purse and began to remove the chipped polish. The
pungent sting of the chemical reminded her that her chance at the title
was a thing of the past.
"As long as I don't bite it."
"You won't. You'll do great."
"I miss you, girl."
Allie closed her eyes and wished she could be back where she
belonged. "I miss you too,Yo. Listen, I need your advice." She started
to bite her nails, then yanked her fingers from her mouth. Her mother
always used to say a lady didn't bite her nails.
"Like I'm the one to ask." Yo's voice held a smile. "What's up?"
"I've had someone offer to help me make sure I don't lose Betsy. It's a friend of Jon's. He says if I'm married and he adopts Betsy, she'll
be safe from Jon's parents."
"Uh-uh, no way, girl. You don't go marrying no stranger." Yo's
voice rose.
"He was Jon's best friend. I I think I trust him,Yo. And it would
only be for a year or so. Just until Betsy is safe." Was she actually argu-
ingfor the idea?
"What kind of lesson is that teaching Betsy?You marrying then
divorcing for convenience's sake. And she'll be yanked from pillar
to post."
Allie winced. "I'll take care of her."
Yolanda sighed. "Allie, you don't know this guy. He could be an ax
murderer or something."
Allie grinned, remembering how Rick had said he wasn't an ax
murderer when she'd been afraid to get in the truck. "He's not like
that, Yo."
"Hmm, do I hear some interest, girl?"
"Not hardly. He's a big guy, all muscle and testosterone. Not at all
like Jon."
"That's not a bad thing. It's not good to try to find a Jon look-alike."
"Now who's pulling for the idea? Not
"When is our next group coming? How does it all work?"
"Sometimes we have a group come for a month or two, sometimes
a larger group for just a day. Right now, the crew is remodeling the
bunkhouse, so we have none. But a few rooms are done, and we will
take a handful later today." He went toward the door. "You look, si? I
will get us coffee."
The stack of bills seemed huge. Her head already ached from looking at just one page of the black numbers on white paper. She should
confess her condition and get it over with. Sitting back in the chair,
she glanced around the room until her gaze settled on the picture of
a young woman.
It almost could have been her.
She stood and picked it up, running her fingers over the cool glass.
The woman was younger than Allie, and her eyes were brown instead
of blue, but she had the same high cheekbones and full lips. The same
dark hair. Who was she?
She heard Elijah coming and put the picture back on the bookshelf. He arrived at the doorway as she turned around. Caught.
"That was my granddaughter, Maria."
"Was?"
"Ten years now she has been in her grave. A riding accident when
she was twenty-five."
"I'm sorry."
"You have the look of her, si?"
"I noticed. Was that why you stared when you first saw me?"
"It is so." He turned to the door. "I will leave you to your work."
"Could I use the phone to call my friend in El Paso and let her
know I arrived safely?"
"Si, of course. Anytime you wish." He closed the door behind him.
Allie looked at the picture again. Maria would have been her
cousin. Her mother had always told Allie she was an only child. So
who were Maria's parents? The thought she might still have family
filled her with a sense of purpose and rightness about coming here.
Allie went back to the chair, picked up the phone, and dialed Yo's
cell phone number. Her friend answered almost at once. "Yo, it's me."
"Allie, I've been so worried. Are you okay, girl?"
The chair squeaked as Allie leaned back, glancing at her nails.
She'd managed not to bite them for three days, but the polish looked
terrible. "I'm fine. Got here in one piece. How's everything? How are
you riding today?"
"I am all that, girlfriend," Yo crowed. "Ran just over 14.7 seconds
today."
"Oh great, Yo. You're going to win this year!" Allie pulled polish
remover from her purse and began to remove the chipped polish. The
pungent sting of the chemical reminded her that her chance at the title
was a thing of the past.
"As long as I don't bite it."
"You won't. You'll do great."
"I miss you, girl."
Allie closed her eyes and wished she could be back where she
belonged. "I miss you too,Yo. Listen, I need your advice." She started
to bite her nails, then yanked her fingers from her mouth. Her mother
always used to say a lady didn't bite her nails.
"Like I'm the one to ask." Yo's voice held a smile. "What's up?"
"I've had someone offer to help me make sure I don't lose Betsy. It's a friend of Jon's. He says if I'm married and he adopts Betsy, she'll
be safe from Jon's parents."
"Uh-uh, no way, girl. You don't go marrying no stranger." Yo's
voice rose.
"He was Jon's best friend. I I think I trust him,Yo. And it would
only be for a year or so. Just until Betsy is safe." Was she actually argu-
ingfor the idea?
"What kind of lesson is that teaching Betsy?You marrying then
divorcing for convenience's sake. And she'll be yanked from pillar
to post."
Allie winced. "I'll take care of her."
Yolanda sighed. "Allie, you don't know this guy. He could be an ax
murderer or something."
Allie grinned, remembering how Rick had said he wasn't an ax
murderer when she'd been afraid to get in the truck. "He's not like
that, Yo."
"Hmm, do I hear some interest, girl?"
"Not hardly. He's a big guy, all muscle and testosterone. Not at all
like Jon."
"That's not a bad thing. It's not good to try to find a Jon look-alike."
"Now who's pulling for the idea? Not
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