Read Online The Rancher And The Runaway Bride: Part 3 by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Mallery
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drop them off.”
He pointed to a small pile of clothing on the love seat opposite the sofa.
She forced herself to smile. “That’s nice. You didn’t have to come all this way. You
could have boxed it up and sent it.”
“Not all of it.”
He glanced at her mother’s lap. There, curled up on a fluffy cushion of formal silk,
was a small black kitten.
Randi’s eyes filled. She swore she wasn’t going to cry, but her voice cracked as she
said, “P-Peter?”
The kitten stirred, yawned, then mewed sleepily. His eyelids fluttered as he sank
back to sleep.
Her mother touched the kitten’s head. “Tex was telling me that Peter didn’t care for
the long trip. He looked tired and hungry. I gave him some tuna and water, then he
went to sleep. I hope you don’t mind.”
Randi wasn’t sure which part she was supposed to mind. “That’s great. Thanks.” She
looked at Tex. “Are you heading back tonight?”
“No.”
Melissa Howell cleared her throat. “Well, I thought it was so kind of your friend
to return your belongings and bring this precious kitten. Tex and I have been talking
and, well, I’ve invited him to stay for a couple of days. You know, to recover from
the trip. It’s the least we can do.”
“Sure,” Randi said, wondering when the aliens had first taken over her mother’s body.
“No problem. Are you two doing okay entertaining yourselves or do you want me to hang
around?”
“Oh, we’re fine,” her mother said brightly. “We’re going out shortly to get a litter
box and supplies for Peter. I thought I might set up a bed somewhere upstairs.”
“Great.” Randi backed out of the room. “I’ll be in my room.”
As she climbed the stairs, she didn’t know whether to laugh or call for the men in
white coats. Her mother had actually let a pet into her house. This from the same
woman who had often complained about her children simply playing with neighbors’ animals.
But the kitten was the least of it.
Her mother and Tex? Her mother?
Randi shook her head. It’s not that Melissa wasn’t attractive. If anything, she could
easily pass for a woman much younger. She dressed well, was socially correct and had
many qualities that Randi kept trying to appreciate. But her mother and Tex.
She sat on the edge of her bed, trying to take in what was happening. Good thing she
was already planning to leave. Things were just too weird around here.
She’d barely finished packing a suitcase when there was a knock on the door. “Come
in,” she called.
Tex stepped into the room. He glanced around, taking in the designer bed covering
and matching drapes, the pale bleached-oak furniture, the numbered lithographs on
the wall. “I don’t care much for your decorator,” he said at last.
“Me, neither.”
He nodded. “I’ve asked your mother to dinner and she’s accepted. Seeing as I had an
opinion about you and Brady it only seems fair to let you voice yours about your mother
and me.”
She studied the tall, proud man. He was about ten years younger than Melissa, but
that wasn’t likely to bother either of them. “Does she know what you do for a living?”
“I told her right off. She knows I was in the marines, too.”
Randi laughed. “Let me guess. She wants to see your tattoos.”
He grinned. “We’re negotiating that.”
Tex and her mother. “I wouldn’t have put the two of you together, but if you think
you really like her, then have a good time. Don’t worry about me being here to cramp
your style. I’m leaving.”
He looked at the packed suitcase. “Going anywhere special?”
“Back to the ranch. I’m going to make Brady see sense, whether he likes it or not.”
She clenched her hands into fists. “Am I making a mistake? Has he forgotten all about
me?”
Tex moved next to her and gathered her into a bear hug. “That boy’s moping around
like a she-cat without her cubs. He won’t eat, can’t sleep.
He pointed to a small pile of clothing on the love seat opposite the sofa.
She forced herself to smile. “That’s nice. You didn’t have to come all this way. You
could have boxed it up and sent it.”
“Not all of it.”
He glanced at her mother’s lap. There, curled up on a fluffy cushion of formal silk,
was a small black kitten.
Randi’s eyes filled. She swore she wasn’t going to cry, but her voice cracked as she
said, “P-Peter?”
The kitten stirred, yawned, then mewed sleepily. His eyelids fluttered as he sank
back to sleep.
Her mother touched the kitten’s head. “Tex was telling me that Peter didn’t care for
the long trip. He looked tired and hungry. I gave him some tuna and water, then he
went to sleep. I hope you don’t mind.”
Randi wasn’t sure which part she was supposed to mind. “That’s great. Thanks.” She
looked at Tex. “Are you heading back tonight?”
“No.”
Melissa Howell cleared her throat. “Well, I thought it was so kind of your friend
to return your belongings and bring this precious kitten. Tex and I have been talking
and, well, I’ve invited him to stay for a couple of days. You know, to recover from
the trip. It’s the least we can do.”
“Sure,” Randi said, wondering when the aliens had first taken over her mother’s body.
“No problem. Are you two doing okay entertaining yourselves or do you want me to hang
around?”
“Oh, we’re fine,” her mother said brightly. “We’re going out shortly to get a litter
box and supplies for Peter. I thought I might set up a bed somewhere upstairs.”
“Great.” Randi backed out of the room. “I’ll be in my room.”
As she climbed the stairs, she didn’t know whether to laugh or call for the men in
white coats. Her mother had actually let a pet into her house. This from the same
woman who had often complained about her children simply playing with neighbors’ animals.
But the kitten was the least of it.
Her mother and Tex? Her mother?
Randi shook her head. It’s not that Melissa wasn’t attractive. If anything, she could
easily pass for a woman much younger. She dressed well, was socially correct and had
many qualities that Randi kept trying to appreciate. But her mother and Tex.
She sat on the edge of her bed, trying to take in what was happening. Good thing she
was already planning to leave. Things were just too weird around here.
She’d barely finished packing a suitcase when there was a knock on the door. “Come
in,” she called.
Tex stepped into the room. He glanced around, taking in the designer bed covering
and matching drapes, the pale bleached-oak furniture, the numbered lithographs on
the wall. “I don’t care much for your decorator,” he said at last.
“Me, neither.”
He nodded. “I’ve asked your mother to dinner and she’s accepted. Seeing as I had an
opinion about you and Brady it only seems fair to let you voice yours about your mother
and me.”
She studied the tall, proud man. He was about ten years younger than Melissa, but
that wasn’t likely to bother either of them. “Does she know what you do for a living?”
“I told her right off. She knows I was in the marines, too.”
Randi laughed. “Let me guess. She wants to see your tattoos.”
He grinned. “We’re negotiating that.”
Tex and her mother. “I wouldn’t have put the two of you together, but if you think
you really like her, then have a good time. Don’t worry about me being here to cramp
your style. I’m leaving.”
He looked at the packed suitcase. “Going anywhere special?”
“Back to the ranch. I’m going to make Brady see sense, whether he likes it or not.”
She clenched her hands into fists. “Am I making a mistake? Has he forgotten all about
me?”
Tex moved next to her and gathered her into a bear hug. “That boy’s moping around
like a she-cat without her cubs. He won’t eat, can’t sleep.
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