Read Online Renegade: A Taggart Brothers Novel by Lisa Bingham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lisa Bingham
Ads: Link
may have a problem on your hands,” she said to Jace, envisioning a summer when Kari trailed behind Tyson like a lovesick zombie intent on devouring his brain.
“Not as much as you’re going to have,” Jace said, his tone rife with amusement.
She laughed. “You’re probably right.”
Bronte wondered how on earth she’d come to this point—from utter misery . . . to laughter. No, her problems hadn’tmagically melted away—and the darkness was there, hovering at the edge, threatening to swallow her whole.
But right now, a little bit of sunlight had touched her soul.
As if sensing the serious veering of her thoughts, Jace leaned back in his seat, resting an ankle on his knee and laying his hand on his boot. “So you’re going to see Annie?”
“As soon as I can clean up the breakfast things. It’s the least I can do after you’ve spoiled us this morning.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t do anything but crack some eggs and tear open a bag of potatoes.”
She wanted to tell him he’d done more, so much more. But to do so would require an explanation of how she’d come to be in Bliss, and she wasn’t ready to bare her soul to anyone about that.
“I’ll take charge tomorrow,” she insisted. It wasn’t until the words left her mouth that she realized she’d tacitly extended Annie’s invitation to meet for breakfast every morning. What shocked her even more was that she wanted Jace to come.
And Barry, she quickly amended.
Jumping to her feet, she quickly began to gather the dirty dishes, wondering if she’d overstepped her bounds—or lost her mind. For all she knew, this man had a wife or other responsibilities waiting at his own home. He might have met with Annie only to discuss business matters concerning the ranch, and such obligations wouldn’t extend to Bronte.
But before she could work herself into a dither, Jace said, “I’d like that. Sounds like Barry would as well.”
From outside, there was the peal of laughter, Barry’s a lower tenor and Lily’s a staccato soprano.
“Barry must be showing Lily the tire swing,” Jace said as he rose and peered out of the glass set into the door. “Yup. He’s got her going pretty high, too.”
Another high-pitched giggle shimmered through the air and Bronte couldn’t account for the relief that swept through her body. Lily had been so somber and introverted lately. As much as Bronte had tried to keep the children unaware of the problems between Phillip and herself, Lily had somehow sensed the dark undercurrents. It was the onlyexplanation Bronte had for the way her darling, chattering magpie had grown so serious and withdrawn.
It was her peal of laughter and the muted excitement of Lily’s voice as she cried, “Higher!
Higher!”
that made Bronte realize that she’d done the right thing in coming to Bliss. It didn’t matter that the proverbial shit would hit the fan, or that Phillip would be on the rampage as soon as he discovered what she’d done. If she could help her daughter to laugh again . . .
There wasn’t anything Bronte wouldn’t endure.
“So you’ll be staying awhile?” Jace said, somehow providing an echo to her thoughts.
She nodded. “Yes. Yes, we will.”
“I’ll be sure to let the hospital know. I don’t think there will be a problem, since you’re family, but Annie gave me power of attorney in regards to medical issues a few years ago. Just in case.”
Her brow creased. “She gave you power of attorney?”
Again, Bronte felt a wave of guilt. Her grandmother, her sweet, loving grandmother, had felt the need to make arrangements with a neighbor rather than her own family.
Jace’s expression was kind. “I assumed she thought that having someone close was more practical.”
Yes, if there was one constant in Grandma Annie’s life, it was her practicality. But the fact that she couldn’t trust one of her grandchildren to come to her aid stung nevertheless.
Jace threw the plates and cups into the
“Not as much as you’re going to have,” Jace said, his tone rife with amusement.
She laughed. “You’re probably right.”
Bronte wondered how on earth she’d come to this point—from utter misery . . . to laughter. No, her problems hadn’tmagically melted away—and the darkness was there, hovering at the edge, threatening to swallow her whole.
But right now, a little bit of sunlight had touched her soul.
As if sensing the serious veering of her thoughts, Jace leaned back in his seat, resting an ankle on his knee and laying his hand on his boot. “So you’re going to see Annie?”
“As soon as I can clean up the breakfast things. It’s the least I can do after you’ve spoiled us this morning.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t do anything but crack some eggs and tear open a bag of potatoes.”
She wanted to tell him he’d done more, so much more. But to do so would require an explanation of how she’d come to be in Bliss, and she wasn’t ready to bare her soul to anyone about that.
“I’ll take charge tomorrow,” she insisted. It wasn’t until the words left her mouth that she realized she’d tacitly extended Annie’s invitation to meet for breakfast every morning. What shocked her even more was that she wanted Jace to come.
And Barry, she quickly amended.
Jumping to her feet, she quickly began to gather the dirty dishes, wondering if she’d overstepped her bounds—or lost her mind. For all she knew, this man had a wife or other responsibilities waiting at his own home. He might have met with Annie only to discuss business matters concerning the ranch, and such obligations wouldn’t extend to Bronte.
But before she could work herself into a dither, Jace said, “I’d like that. Sounds like Barry would as well.”
From outside, there was the peal of laughter, Barry’s a lower tenor and Lily’s a staccato soprano.
“Barry must be showing Lily the tire swing,” Jace said as he rose and peered out of the glass set into the door. “Yup. He’s got her going pretty high, too.”
Another high-pitched giggle shimmered through the air and Bronte couldn’t account for the relief that swept through her body. Lily had been so somber and introverted lately. As much as Bronte had tried to keep the children unaware of the problems between Phillip and herself, Lily had somehow sensed the dark undercurrents. It was the onlyexplanation Bronte had for the way her darling, chattering magpie had grown so serious and withdrawn.
It was her peal of laughter and the muted excitement of Lily’s voice as she cried, “Higher!
Higher!”
that made Bronte realize that she’d done the right thing in coming to Bliss. It didn’t matter that the proverbial shit would hit the fan, or that Phillip would be on the rampage as soon as he discovered what she’d done. If she could help her daughter to laugh again . . .
There wasn’t anything Bronte wouldn’t endure.
“So you’ll be staying awhile?” Jace said, somehow providing an echo to her thoughts.
She nodded. “Yes. Yes, we will.”
“I’ll be sure to let the hospital know. I don’t think there will be a problem, since you’re family, but Annie gave me power of attorney in regards to medical issues a few years ago. Just in case.”
Her brow creased. “She gave you power of attorney?”
Again, Bronte felt a wave of guilt. Her grandmother, her sweet, loving grandmother, had felt the need to make arrangements with a neighbor rather than her own family.
Jace’s expression was kind. “I assumed she thought that having someone close was more practical.”
Yes, if there was one constant in Grandma Annie’s life, it was her practicality. But the fact that she couldn’t trust one of her grandchildren to come to her aid stung nevertheless.
Jace threw the plates and cups into the
Similar Books
