Read Online Promise Kept by Mitzi Pool Bridges - Free Book Online

do.”
    “I’ll ask him.” He whirled around to run out of the bedroom. She lunged for him, barely grabbing him before he made it to the door.
    “Mark, how many times do I have to tell you to stop bothering Donovan? He’s much too busy to entertain you.”
    “But he said…”
    She looked at her son’s face, at the disappointment, at the hurt. Why couldn’t he have this time to enjoy himself? Who knew where they would go next? Or when? “Why don’t I go with you? We’ll ride to the pond in the west pasture and back.”
    Smiling now, Mark raced downstairs, Phyl behind him.
    She paused when she heard a loud noise. It stopped abruptly and she hurried after Mark.
    She was at the back door ready to leave when she heard Donovan’s voice. When her heart kicked up a notch, she frowned. She was getting as bad as her son. Her fingers trembled as she pulled her ponytail through the hole in her baseball cap. She wasn’t attracted to him, she told herself. An attraction would be a distraction she didn’t need or want.
    Mark raced for the barn, the dogs at his heels. She would have to hurry. She didn’t want him out there alone.
    She almost made it through the door when Donovan stopped her. “Phyl, do you have a minute?”
    Turning, she was surprised to see a tall, lanky young man walk into the kitchen behind him. She went weak with fear. Then she gave the stranger another look. He seemed innocent enough as he turned his worn Stetson around and around in his hand. But how could you really tell?
    “Phyl, I want you to meet a young man I met in town, Cal Wiley.” He turned to Cal. “This is the woman I was telling you about, Phyl Leander.”
    “So you’re the one who made all that racket. Do you always make such a dramatic entrance?” she asked.
    His hat twisting in his hands, Cal ducked his head and smiled. “People do hear me coming.” For a minute he didn’t seem to know what to do next, then the hat twirling stopped, and he stuck out a hand in greeting.
    “I’d like to hire Cal to get the next bunch of cows ready for auction.”
    Maybe this was Donovan’s way of easing her out. “We can handle it.”
    “We need to get them ready as soon as possible. We can use an extra hand. Cal isn’t too experienced, but he can sit a horse and isn’t afraid of hard work. What do you think?”
    He was asking her opinion?
    She hoped her mouth wasn’t open in astonishment. From outside, she heard Mark yelling for her to hurry up.
    Once more, she gave Cal a hard look. His eyes were full of eagerness. He really wanted this job. Did he want it to get closer to her and Mark? The thought made her look closer. He was clean-cut, clothes pressed, boots new. Could he be what they called a ringer? Someone who wasn’t what he appeared to be? She just didn’t know.
    She didn’t want strangers here. And being the hired help didn’t give her a real voice in hiring or firing. Donovan could do what he liked, but she still shouldn’t have gone into town. First the uncle, now this kid...plus the creepy guy in the bookstore.
    She’d made a big mistake.
    She forced herself to shrug. “It’s your ranch. You can do what you want.”
    Donovan grinned. And despite the beard, the smile transformed his face.
    “Mark’s waiting,” she said, as she backed out the door.
    Phyl’s nerves didn’t settle down until they pulled their horses up at the pond.
    She shook her head at her own uncertainties. One minute she thought she should leave, the next she was afraid she’d have to.
    The truth was that if circumstances permitted, she’d stay here forever. Looking around, she took in the vast open space, the deep blue sky, the sparkling water a few feet away. The old homestead sat close by, and with its gingerbread trim looked as if it came straight out of a fairy tale. She wondered what had taken Donovan away from this paradise.
    Mark moved Lily closer to the pond.
    “Careful. You’re getting too close to the water.”
    He sent her a frown,