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BOOK 6
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Being Yours BOOK 6
'Is there anything I can do, Jill?’She turned around at Eunice’s soft question. Eunice had come into the kitchen, probably anticipating Jill’s desire that everything be just right for her folks and Jill appreciated her thoughtfulness.‘I think we’re in excellent shape. Since you baked up those pies yesterday, and I’d frozen some casseroles, there really wasn’t much left to do except set the table.’Which she’d done yesterday, knowing that her parents would arrive about an hour and a half after church today. She knew she’d feel more relaxed if everything was pretty much ready, so putting Holly’s basket in the formal dining room and enlisting Joey’s assistance with laying out the tableware, Jill had been busy. All that was left to do was warm the casseroles as the chicken had been roasting since early this morning.‘You’ve done a marvelous job.’Jill smiled at Eunice’s compliment. ‘I like to cook, especially for my parents. I really haven’t had much chance to.’Peace with her past had
Being Yours BOOK 6
Silently, Dustin walked away from the door. Of course, he should make certain she didn’t need any assistance. But knowing Jill, she’d be plenty furious if she knew that her private moment of suffering had been witnessed.Dustin went down the stairs, promising himself that if she wasn’t down in five minutes, he was going to make Jill let him in. Or at least, reassure him that she was going to be okay.Exactly four minutes forty-five seconds later, according to Dustin’s watch, Jill came down the stairs. She walked into the parlor with a smile on her face and Holly propped up on her shoulder, looking like a madonna to Dustin’s worried eyes. Jill didn’t look like a woman who’d just been heaving her insides. He shot a critical eye over her body, but all he could see was shiny blond hair waving gently at her chin, emphasizing her sparkling smile. Her skin perhaps was a trifle paler than normal, but her blue eyes were as large and luminous as ever. But still, after she finished kissing her f
Being Yours BOOK 6
Eunice’s face was unconcerned as she picked up an empty cup to put away. ‘Lana, your strawberry bread was wonderful.’Lana’s face relaxed into a genuine smile. It was obvious that her parents’ problem wasn’t with Eunice, but with the grim-eyed rancher who’d sat and stared at Jill for most of the meal. She walked into the parlor to gaze out the window at the two men leaning against the fence rail. She’d been able to feel Dustin’s stare on her on several occasions, and could only wonder about it. Not once had he smiled at her, though he wasn’t prone to doing that, anyway. Still, he’d seemed very remote, a fact her parents had obviously picked up on.She sighed, patting Holly’s back in a soothing motion. Touching this baby was a wonderful experience. All the soft skin and fat-padded appendages soothed Jill whenever she held her. Joey sat in front of the tree coloring in a cartoon book, and Jill smiled. He was a good boy, another source of contentment for her. Plainly, Dustin was discover
Being Yours BOOK 6
Her movements stiff and panicked, Jill snatched her keys from her shoulderbag as she tried to walk as normally as possible toward her worn-out car. There had to be a way to get Holly into her car seat without giving that sinister looking man a chance to grab her. The stroller could be abandoned if need be.Telling herself to be calm and not to overreact, Jill shuffled the bag of bread and her purse down to her wrist as she unlocked the car door. Too frightened to look up to see if she’d been followed, she tossed her things to the car floor. Swiftly, she picked Holly up and fastened her into the car seat, all the while acting as though she weren’t petrified out of her wits. Risking a quick peek, she saw that the man had gone into the bakery and was locked in confrontation with the shop girl. Jill could see her head moving back and forth in an emphatically negative response to whatever the man was asking her. He glanced toward Jill’s car, pointing purposefully. Jill grabbed the stroller
Being Yours BOOK 6
‘What was that?’ Sadie gasped.Her mother didn’t reply. She stared at the window. ‘Did you lock the front door when you came in, Sadie?’‘I don’t know. I was so upset I might not have.’ She couldn’t bear not knowing what was outside her window. ‘You go check the door, Mama.’‘Okay.’ Vera ran from Sadie’s room. She stood, slowly going to the window. Cautiously, she pulled back the second-hand curtain her mother had bought at a garage sale.Curtis jiunped up from his hiding place under the ledge. Sadie bit back a scream, knowing he was deliberately trying to frighten her.‘What do you want?’‘You, babe.’ His laughter came through the thin window pane, mean and calculated to hurt.‘Mama’s calling the police. You get out of here and don’t come around anymore.’He held his hands up to his heart, faking fear. ‘I can only stay a minute, babe. Just wanted to let you know I found our little girl, safe and snug as a bug in a rug up at the Reed Ranch. You really didn’t think I’d let that skinny-
Being Yours BOOK 6
Dustin awakened to the sound of pounding on the front door. He’d spent an uncomfortable night in front of the fireplace, which was now letting in drafts of cold air. Cursing to himself, he got up to open the door.‘I should have known it’d be you. You’re going to have to get your own eggs and sausage out of the kitchen. I’m not cooking, and nobody else is awake,’ Dustin grumbled at Marsh.‘Breakfast sounds good, but actually I need to talk to you. You look like hell. Didn’t you sleep last night?’Dustin scrubbed a hand over the prickly growth on his chin. Lord, he needed a shave and a shower. ‘No. Orange juice?’Marsh glanced into the parlor as he walked by it. Dustin knew he hadn’t missed the blankets on the floor. He went into the kitchen, mentally bracing himself for Marsh’s question.‘Heat go out upstairs or something?’‘No,’ Dustin growled. ‘I spent the night in front of the fire because I thought it was a cool thing to do.’‘Hm.’ He looked at Dustin closely. ‘Why do you have pin
Being Yours BOOK 6
Dustin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His mother was well-recognized in Lassiter as an upstanding pillar of society, a model for other women to follow. Why would anyone suspect her of having an affair?A soft knock kept him from unleashing the harshedged question whirling in his brain. He flung open the door.‘What is it?’ he demanded. Jill jumped, obviously alarmed by his tone.‘Um, would you like me to take Joey downstairs?’ She peered around the door. ‘And Holly, too?’The baby was sleeping, totally unaware of Dustin’s fury. He glanced at his son, who had nestled up against Eimice, in either a protective or lookingfor-protection stance. Sighing, Dustin held the door open further. ‘If you wouldn’t mind. Holly can stay in here, though.’Jill’s gaze flew to Joey. She gestured to him, and he went to her without hesitation. Quietly, the door closed. Dustin could hear footsteps hurrying downthe stairs. His temper had definitely made an impression on his housekeeper. His mouth thi
Being Yours BOOK 6
Whatever minor easing of tension they’d managed to achieve had reverted to friction again. She couldn’t help thinking that the Reed Ranch might not be her home much longer.It was a very painful thought.Dustin was letting Rooster pick his way along a stream when he heard Marsh’s loud whistle. He returned the signal, then waited for his friend to appear. Moments later he did, astride one of Dustin’s geldings.‘You must have news or you wouldn’t have ridden out here to find me,’ he said.‘Yep. And I’m a damn good friend to do it, too.’He pulled his hat a little further down over his eyes to shield them from the light. Marsh had managed to park himself in the path of west-riding sun. ‘Give me the bad newsr.’‘They’re gone, Dustin. Sadie and her mother have left town. They’ve had their mail routed to a post office box and canceled their newspaper.’‘Where did they go?’Marsh shrugged. ‘No one seems to know. Or else they’re not telling. Would your mother have an idea of where any of Vera
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