Read Online Takin' The Reins by Stacey Coverstone - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stacey Coverstone
Ads: Link
interrupted the banter.
“Have you guys made up your minds?” Her gaze swung to Wyatt. “Oh, hi, honey. I didn’t see you sneak in.” She twirled a piece of hair into a curl, like Jordan had seen her do before.
After placing their orders, Nicki squeezed Wyatt’s shoulder and winked before leaving. The gesture was intimate. For some odd reason, Jordan was irritated by it. Maybe it was because of what Cole had said about her; intimating she was easy. Jordan normally wasn’t one to pay credence to gossip, but it got her to wondering about the kind of relationship Brannigan had with the waitress. She affixed him with a questioning stare.
“What?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders. She shook her head and took a drink of water.
Cole snickered.
“It’s not cool to flirt with one woman when you’re sitting with another, my friend.”
“I wasn’t flirting,” Wyatt defended. “Nicki’s always touching people. You know how she is. She’s a touchy-feely kind of person.”
Cole laughed.
“Did you visit Lydia’s grave while you were out and about this morning?” Wyatt asked Jordan, obviously trying to change the topic.
She shot him a surprised look. “Are you a mind reader or a stalker?”
“Neither. Not last time I checked, anyway.”
“Well, as a matter of fact, we did go to the cemetery. The marble stone is very nice. Did she choose that ahead of time?”
“I’m not sure.” His answer seemed vague.
“Someone recently left a pretty flower wreath, too. Cole thinks it was the church ladies.”
“How nice of them.” Wyatt glanced around. “Nicki didn’t bring me a glass of water. I’m a might thirsty.” His vagueness caused Jordan suspicion.
“It was you,” she said, eyeballing him. “You left the wreath, didn’t you? And you probably purchased the headstone as well. I’m right, aren’t I?”
He smiled again, and she placed her hand over his.
“That was very kind. I suppose you were her closest friend.” He cast an ornery glance at Cole and then back to Jordan. His tone was soft with her.
“Despite what rumors you might hear about me, I do have a heart.” He touched his fingers to his shirt where his heart beat. “Lydia was my neighbor for many years. She was worthy of a beautiful stone, and she deserves flowers on her grave.”
Jordan felt her eyes mist. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Tell me, do you know if anyone was with her when she died?”
He nodded. “I was.”
“What happened? How did it happen?”
“I found her on the ground outside the barn with a bridle in her hand. I called 911, but she couldn’t hold on. The paramedics said it was a heart attack. I’d known she hadn’t felt good for some time. She’d been complaining of indigestion and heartburn. I was worried, but she was as stubborn as a mule and wouldn’t go to the doctor. One day she told me she’d be ready when her time came. She said she’d made things right and wasn’t afraid of going home.”
Jordan considered that a moment. What had Lydia meant that she’d made things right? The lawyer had told her Lydia had made her will a few weeks before she passed. Was ensuring Jordan received the ranch what Lydia had meant by the words she’d spoken to Wyatt?
“Was she able to speak at the end?”Jordan asked him. “Did she say anything to you?”
“No, but I believe she was at peace. I held her hand, and she opened her eyes once and looked off into the sun. She smiled right before she passed.”
The table fell silent. After another moment, Jordan said, “I’m glad she wasn’t alone at the end. I’m glad you were with her.” She suddenly felt melancholy. Perhaps all the changes were making her feel nostalgic and sad. She was sorry for never having met Lydia, and sad that, for some reason, Lydia had been kicked out of the family and forced to live life on her own. Jordan had worries about her own future as well. Could she learn how to run a ranch alone? Did she have what it
“Have you guys made up your minds?” Her gaze swung to Wyatt. “Oh, hi, honey. I didn’t see you sneak in.” She twirled a piece of hair into a curl, like Jordan had seen her do before.
After placing their orders, Nicki squeezed Wyatt’s shoulder and winked before leaving. The gesture was intimate. For some odd reason, Jordan was irritated by it. Maybe it was because of what Cole had said about her; intimating she was easy. Jordan normally wasn’t one to pay credence to gossip, but it got her to wondering about the kind of relationship Brannigan had with the waitress. She affixed him with a questioning stare.
“What?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders. She shook her head and took a drink of water.
Cole snickered.
“It’s not cool to flirt with one woman when you’re sitting with another, my friend.”
“I wasn’t flirting,” Wyatt defended. “Nicki’s always touching people. You know how she is. She’s a touchy-feely kind of person.”
Cole laughed.
“Did you visit Lydia’s grave while you were out and about this morning?” Wyatt asked Jordan, obviously trying to change the topic.
She shot him a surprised look. “Are you a mind reader or a stalker?”
“Neither. Not last time I checked, anyway.”
“Well, as a matter of fact, we did go to the cemetery. The marble stone is very nice. Did she choose that ahead of time?”
“I’m not sure.” His answer seemed vague.
“Someone recently left a pretty flower wreath, too. Cole thinks it was the church ladies.”
“How nice of them.” Wyatt glanced around. “Nicki didn’t bring me a glass of water. I’m a might thirsty.” His vagueness caused Jordan suspicion.
“It was you,” she said, eyeballing him. “You left the wreath, didn’t you? And you probably purchased the headstone as well. I’m right, aren’t I?”
He smiled again, and she placed her hand over his.
“That was very kind. I suppose you were her closest friend.” He cast an ornery glance at Cole and then back to Jordan. His tone was soft with her.
“Despite what rumors you might hear about me, I do have a heart.” He touched his fingers to his shirt where his heart beat. “Lydia was my neighbor for many years. She was worthy of a beautiful stone, and she deserves flowers on her grave.”
Jordan felt her eyes mist. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Tell me, do you know if anyone was with her when she died?”
He nodded. “I was.”
“What happened? How did it happen?”
“I found her on the ground outside the barn with a bridle in her hand. I called 911, but she couldn’t hold on. The paramedics said it was a heart attack. I’d known she hadn’t felt good for some time. She’d been complaining of indigestion and heartburn. I was worried, but she was as stubborn as a mule and wouldn’t go to the doctor. One day she told me she’d be ready when her time came. She said she’d made things right and wasn’t afraid of going home.”
Jordan considered that a moment. What had Lydia meant that she’d made things right? The lawyer had told her Lydia had made her will a few weeks before she passed. Was ensuring Jordan received the ranch what Lydia had meant by the words she’d spoken to Wyatt?
“Was she able to speak at the end?”Jordan asked him. “Did she say anything to you?”
“No, but I believe she was at peace. I held her hand, and she opened her eyes once and looked off into the sun. She smiled right before she passed.”
The table fell silent. After another moment, Jordan said, “I’m glad she wasn’t alone at the end. I’m glad you were with her.” She suddenly felt melancholy. Perhaps all the changes were making her feel nostalgic and sad. She was sorry for never having met Lydia, and sad that, for some reason, Lydia had been kicked out of the family and forced to live life on her own. Jordan had worries about her own future as well. Could she learn how to run a ranch alone? Did she have what it
Similar Books
