Read Online Summer Lightning by Cynthia Bailey Pratt - Free Book Online Page A

by the greed of men like Waters who want to hang on to a dollar.
    Longhorns are big critters, cheap to raise, and so cheaper to buy. On the other hand, that Texas beef is usually as bad as can be. That’s why you’ve got to stew so many cuts of meat to make it eatable. Either that or see a dentist regular.”
    The waiter came back, carrying two new platters. “Here you are,” he said, laying them down. “You should have told me you were friends of the boss.”
    In a very few minutes, Edith laid down her knife and fork. Sitting back in her chair with a soft sigh, she smiled dreamily at Jeff. ‘That was wonderful.”
    Jeff glanced at her plate, empty and shining, then down at his own with half a steak to go. His eyes showed his mirth. Edith snapped upright. “I beg your pardon. It’s dreadfully rude to gallop through a meal.”
    “Not at all. It’s a pleasure to watch a lady enjoying her food. Most just pick and nibble, you know.”
    Edith launched upon a more elaborate apology. She did not want to admit to Mr. Dane how deep her hunger ran. Actually, she could have eaten another steak with all the trimmings and never have felt a moment’s discomfort. After a moment, Edith realized that she had lost Mr. Dane’s attention.
    Knowing it was rude, she turned in her chair to look over her shoulder. What was he staring at?
    A blonde girl, tall with an elegant figure, was speaking rapidly to Mr. Waters. Edith stared at the girl with as much attention as Mr. Dane did. A goddess could not have been more lovely, with her beautiful figure, fine bust and swanlike neck. Under her draped mantle, she was dressed in the extremely tight clothing that the latest fashions dictated, with the lashings of ruching and feathers that only the most majestic figure could carry off.
    Edith glanced toward Mr. Dane. “She’s lovely. Is that Mrs. Waters? If so, I must thank her personally for her kindness.”
    “What? No, that’s not, definitely not Mrs. Waters.” Miss Parker’s interested eyes drew more from him against his will. “Her name is Sabrina Carstairs.”
    “Do you know her?”
    He didn’t want to lie, but he wished he hadn’t gotten started.
    “Oh, yes. That is, I knew her once. Briefly. Hardly spoke at all.”
    The blonde threw her hand in the air, obviously exasperated. She twirled away from Mr. Waters and began to walk as rapidly as her tight skirt would allow, with the plain intention of never darkening this door again. As she passed their table, Jeff ducked his head, becoming blatantly interested in his meal.
    Edith, however, openly watched the girl as she stalked past. She’d never seen so truly beautiful a girl before, though she’d often wondered what it must be like to be one.
    Suddenly, the girl stopped, as if she’d thought of several good things to say to Mr. Waters. But instead of walking back to him, she said, “Why, Jefferson Dane, is that you?”
    “Hello, Sabrina,” Jeff said looking up.
     
         Chapter 5
     
    “Been in town long, Jeff?”
    “I’m here on business. I’ll be going home in a day or two.”
    “That’s too bad. I would have liked to have seen more of you. Talk over old times.” Her smile was slow, deliberately intriguing. Jeff shifted in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck. He avoided glancing at Edith. What she must be thinking!
    “I’ve found a new place to live, on Elm. Not so fancy as the place I was in when you and I were . . .”
    “Times are hard,” he said, cutting her off quickly.
    “Seems that way. ‘Cept in the cattle business. It doesn’t look like that boom will ever end.”
    Jeff remembered that Sabrina had possessed, in addition to an inviting body, a sharp, almost male mind. She certainly understood the laws of supply and demand. “Like everything else,” he said, “it has drawbacks.”
    He saw that Edith’s bright eyes flickered between the buxom blonde and himself. She seemed as excited and involved as though she were watching a play. He only