Read Online Love Finds You in Daisy, Oklahoma by Janice Hanna - Free Book Online Page A

“All this nonsense will wash away with a good hot bath, Miss Jewel. I promise you, you’ll feel better once you’re clean and dry.”
    Rena nodded, realizing how good that sounded.
    “I’d be happy to show her around first,” Gene said, giving his mother a nod. Then he turned to Rena. “You ready for a quick look-see?”
    “I guess.” She followed along behind the sheriff as he showed off the various areas of the old home. The downstairs areas were in great need of updating, especially the furniture. The sofa had broken springs, the wingback chair was barely standing, and the end table looked as if someone had taken a knife to it. Were those initials in the arms? There were no pictures on the walls and no flowers or any other decor in sight. Everything was stark and broken-down. Well, all but the sheriff. He appeared to be in great shape. Her cheeks grew warm as the thought flitted through her mind. Heavens. Who knew she noticed such things?
    Gene led her up the stairs and into the children’s areas. The section that housed the girls didn’t look too bad. It was small but cozy. She’d never seen so many beds pressed into one room, however, and the place was rather stark. Metal bed frames, white sheets, brown blankets…nothing at all like the bedrooms back home.
    “Has anyone ever given thought to painting in here?” she asked. “I do think a nice coating of soft pink paint would make it feel girlier.”
    Judging from the smile, he appeared to find great humor in the idea. “Don’t suppose anyone would mind.”
    The boys’ area left Rena reeling. For one thing, none of the beds had been made. The paint was cracking, the ceiling was leaking, and the floor was creaking. And those beds! Broken-down. Rusty. Missing pieces. Talk about hideous. How the boys could sleep on something so primitive was beyond her. She would have to arrange for new beds to be sent as soon as possible. A good night’s sleep would do wonders for the children and help them with their studies as well.
    Gene continued showing her around, focusing on the remaining downstairs rooms at the front of the house. The parlor was far too small for social gatherings. Where did the children play? Was there no space to gather with friends and share in an afternoon’s activities?
    “Where do the children socialize?” she asked after seeing the entire home.
    “Beg pardon?” He gave her a funny look.
    “Play. Where do they play?”
    “Ah.” He shrugged. “I guess you could say the town is their playground.”
    “But there’s no area here for them to just be children?” she asked. “No rope swings? No parklike areas to run freely and get the necessary exercise? However do you expect them to stay healthy if they can’t go outdoors to burn off energy and be in the sunshine?”
    He still looked perplexed. “There’s a small yard out back. They make do. But, as I said, they have the whole town.”
    “Surely you don’t mean that they roam about the town on their own.”
    “Oh, I…” He paused. “Well, I guess that’ll have to change. We’ve always just sorta expected it. They show up all sorts of places in town. Mrs. Wabash tried to curtail some of their extracurricular activities, but they were left to their own devices much of the time.”
    Rena shook her head, unable to fathom such a thing. If the children ventured into town, who watched over them to make sure they weren’t up to mischief? “I can assure you that will not be the case now that I’m here. I firmly believe in spending time with the children. Roaming about the town is not my idea of child’s play.”
    A little girl tugged on her arm and Rena glanced down, taken in by the welcoming smile. The youngster had a beautiful face, but seeing it through the unruly dark hair was not easy. “Miss Jewel, I’m Callie.”
    “Nice to meet you, Callie. And you can call me Miss Rena.”
    “Miss Rena, your bath is drawn.”
    “Yes, do go up and relax,” Carolina said, appearing