Read Online Morning Glory by Carolyn Brown - Free Book Online Page A

be ready in another fifteen minutes."
    "You cook?" Briar asked.
    "Sure do. Clara couldn't boil an egg without setting
the house on fire, but she's the best at cleaning. Tilly
and I are both good cooks, but our cleaning skills leave
a lot to be desired. That's why we want her to sell the
boarding house and move in with either of us. We could
both use a cleaning lady." Tucker poured lemonade into
all their glasses and sunk into a rocking chair.
    Another voice echoed from the end of the house.
"Yoo-hoo, anybody home?"
    Tucker almost dropped his glass. "Good Lord! What
is she doing here? Did you invite her, Clara? I'll have
you drawn and quartered and fed to Tilly's hogs if you
did."
    "Around here, Olivia," Clara called out in a singsong voice. "You grow up, and no, I did not invite her."
    "Well, looks like you've got a party going on " Olivia
batted her eyelashes and smiled at Tucker. "I won't
intrude. I was out riding my bicycle and thought I'd
stop by and see if you were home."
    "You must be exhausted. It's three miles to town"
Clara grinned. "Come on out of that sweltering sun and
pull up a rocking chair. Tucker, honey, please go get another glass of ice. And here it is lunch time. Maybe
you'd better set another plate while you're in there."

    Olivia sank down into a rocking chair right next to
Tucker. "Oh, I couldn't. I would enjoy a glass of something cold though before I pedal all the way back to
town. It is so hot."
    "Why of course you'll stay for lunch," Clara said.
"It's no trouble at all and you surely are not intruding.
It will be delightful to have you"
    Olivia nodded. "Well, if you insist, I would enjoy the
company. Saturdays are a bit long for me and that
would be a special treat"
    Clara winked at Tucker, who was fuming. Not a single expression or nuance missed Briar. It should prove
to be another tension-filled meal. Briar sighed. Good
tender pork roast was one of his favorite meals, and
now every bite would be glazed with stress.
    Before Tucker returned with Olivia's glass of ice,
another man appeared at the foot of the steps. He was
tall and muscular with a full head of curly blond hair
and light brown eyes. He removed his hat before stepping up on the porch. "Briar, there's four men over at
the site asking for work. Said you gave them a ride
from Ardmore a couple of weeks ago. They claim you
told them to talk to me if they didn't like working for
Crystal Oil. What do you think?"
    "Hire them. They seemed like good men with experience," Briar said. "Let me introduce you to these ladies. This is Cecil Broadrick. That would be Clara
over there in the pink dress and Olivia right next to her.
You've met Tucker," Briar said.

    "Nice to meet you, ladies," Cecil said.
    "Likewise," Clara said.
    Olivia didn't miss a single muscle or blond hair, and
she surely liked what she saw. "My pleasure, I assure
you"
    "Cecil," Tucker acknowledged the man. "Would you
like something to drink?"
    "No, I'll get on back over to the rig."
    "Why don't you eat with us? There's plenty. It'll be
ready in a few minutes." Tucker looked right at Clara,
who was frowning.
    "Much obliged. I'd love a home-cooked meal. I'll go
tell those guys that they're hired and put them to work,
then come right back. Got time to do that?"
    "I figure it'll be fifteen minutes until the hot rolls are
done" Tucker grinned. If Clara could invite a viper like
Olivia to give him grief over lunch, then he'd invite
Cecil as well as Briar. She could have a double portion
of evil oil well riffraff.
    "Hot homemade bread! I'll be back in ten minutes,"
Cecil bailed off the porch and took off in a jog.
    Olivia sipped lemonade and congratulated herself on
her good fortune. Three unattached men. Granted,
Tucker was the big fish. Briar was next in line since he
had enough power to hire and fire men. Then the new
fellow, Cecil; the best looking one. Oh, yes, she had fallen into a pile of soft rose petals when she turned her
bicycle