Read Online The Bull Rider's Homecoming by Jeannie Watt - Free Book Online Page B

already know where our boots are. And we polished them,” Kristen said. “Does the furnace mean we can’t get new ones?”
    Stab to the heart. “The weather is supposed to get really cold over the next few weeks. We might not be able to ride for a little while, so let’s wait and see.”
    â€œAll right.” The wistful note in Katie’s voice pushed the knife in a little deeper, but facts were facts. Warmth before hobbies. At least their other shoes still fit.
    â€œBe honest with me...are your toes just barely touching the end of the boots, or are you curling them?” Because the girls had definitely curled their toes to stay into favorite shoes even when Annie could afford to replace them.
    â€œBarely,” the girls said in unison and Annie had no doubt that they were telling the truth. Okay...maybe the furnace parts wouldn’t cost too much and maybe she could squeeze the boots into the next budget and in the meantime they could wear their old ones.
    Think positive.
    â€œDo you want us to polish your boots?” Kristen asked as she lugged the polish box out of the pantry and Katie started to spread the newspaper to protect the floor.
    â€œI’d love it,” Annie said. It was a ritual Grady had started with them to help contain their preriding excitement, and now they wouldn’t dream of heading to Lex’s farm without polishing first.
    Annie reached for her sweatshirt hanging by the door and shrugged into it. It was getting cold fast, which meant that she needed to find the heaters and start burning some dollars.
    * * *
    T HE NEXT MORNING the house was frigid when Annie got out of bed. She turned on the thermostat and instantly turned it off again as the grinding rattle started. Okay. Heaters it was.
    She knew from past experience that she couldn’t run electric heaters for three weeks without taking a huge hit to her wallet. The money would be better spent on the furnace itself. The question was how much was the part and what would the repair cost with labor?
    With Danielle’s blessing, she left work two hours early on Monday, picked up the girls from Emily’s house just as they arrived there from school and headed off to the public library where she found her favorite fix-it book on the shelf. Flames aside, it would definitely be cheaper to figure out the problem, order the part and attempt to fix it herself. Worst-case scenario, she’d have to hire Marlo to install the part she was going to order from him.
    â€œAgain?” the librarian asked as Annie set the heavy book on the counter to be scanned.
    â€œFurnace this time. Last time it was a faucet.” Small potatoes compared to a furnace, and no flames involved.
    â€œIf we ever cull this book, I’ll save it for you.”
    â€œI would love you forever.”
    Annie took the manual to the children’s section and read while Katie and Kristen chose books. By the time they were done, Annie had come to the conclusion that the blower motor was losing a bearing. Of course she would have to replace the entire assembly. She stopped by Marlo’s Small Engine and Appliance Repair on the way out of town and asked if he could order the part for her.
    He made a quick phone call then said, “I can have it by Saturday.”
    She could last until Saturday.
    â€œI thought you were afraid of tackling the furnace.”
    â€œEconomics have changed my mind.”
    â€œI wish you luck.” Marlo shook his head. “I don’t like working on oil furnaces. Too temperamental.”
    â€œTell me about it,” Annie replied, ignoring the small twist in her gut at his words.
    â€œI’ll give you a call when the part comes in.”
    Annie patted the counter. “Thanks, Marlo.”
    â€œAnnie?” She turned at the door. “If it’s just the blower motor assembly, you shouldn’t have a problem. It’s the burners that I hate working