Heart of Texas Volume 2: Caroline's Child. Debbie Macomber

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      GRADY WAS PLEASED THAT HIS SISTER HAD convinced Caroline and Maggie to stay for dinner. Now all he had to do was behave. It never seemed to fail—whenever he had a chance to make some headway with Maggie, he’d do something stupid. He wanted to blame Richard, but as usual he’d done it to himself.

       His brother brought out the very worst in him. As Grady washed up for dinner, he hoped this evening would give him an opportunity to redeem himself in both Caroline and Maggie’s eyes.

       The table was already set and the food dished up in heaping portions. A platter of sliced roast beef rested in the middle, along with a huge bowl of mashed potatoes, a pitcher of gravy, fresh corn on the cob and a crisp green salad. There was also a basket filled with Savannah’s mouthwatering buttermilk biscuits. His sister was one fine cook. He’d miss her when she moved into her own house with Laredo. But it was time, well past time, that she had a home and a life of her own. He knew from his talks with Laredo that they’d already started to think about adding to the family.

       “Dinner looks wonderful,” he said. Grady made an effort these days to let Savannah know how much he appreciated her. Over the years he’d taken her contributions for granted, discounting her efforts with her roses and her fledgling mail-order business—a business that now brought a significant income. He’d even made fun of her goats, which he considered pets rather than livestock. Now that she was married and about to establish her own home, Grady recognized just how much he was going to miss her.

       Savannah flushed with pleasure at his praise.

       The compliment had apparently earned him points with Caroline, too; she cast him an approving smile. Grady held in a sigh. He needed all the points he could get when it came to Caroline and Maggie. If everything went well, this evening might help him recapture lost ground with the child.

       Everyone began to arrive for dinner. With the scent of the meal wafting through the house, it wasn’t long before all the chairs were occupied—except for one. Richard’s. It was just like his spoiled younger brother to keep everyone waiting.

       “Where’s Richard?” Maggie asked, glancing up at her mother.

       Grady was asking himself the same question.

       “He’s coming, isn’t he?” Maggie whined.

       Even from where he stood Grady could sense the little girl’s disappointment.

       “I don’t know, sweetheart,” Caroline answered.

       “There’s no need to let our meal get cold,” Grady said. If Richard chose to go without dinner, that was fine by him. If anything, he was grateful not to have his brother monopolizing the conversation, distracting both Caroline and Maggie. Grady pulled out his chair and sat down. Laredo, Savannah and Caroline did so, as well. The only one who remained standing was Maggie.

       “What about Richard?” she asked in a small stubborn voice.

       “I guess he isn’t hungry,” Caroline said and pulled out the chair next to her own for Maggie.

       “He promised he’d sit next to me at dinner.”

       “It isn’t a good idea to believe in the things Richard promises,” Grady said as much for Caroline’s ears as for her daughter’s. He hated to disappoint the five-year-old, but it was God’s own truth. Richard was about as stable as beef prices. His loyalties constantly shifted toward whatever was most advantageous to him, with little concern for anyone else.

       His playful marriage proposal to Caroline worried Grady. She’d laughed it off, but Grady found no humor in it. Apparently his brother knew Grady was interested in Caroline and thus considered her fair game. It would be typical of Richard to do what he could to thwart any romance between Caroline and Grady by making a play for her himself. Grady knew that made him sound paranoid, but he thought his fears were justified. Experience had been an excellent teacher.

       He reached for the meat and forked a thick slice of roast beef onto his plate, then passed the platter to Caroline.

       Maggie folded her arms and stared defiantly at Grady. “I’m not eating until Richard’s here.”

       “Maggie, please,” Caroline cajoled. She glanced at Grady, her eyes apologetic.

       “Grady yelled at Richard.”

       Once again Grady was the culprit. “I shouldn’t have yelled, should I?” He was careful to speak in a low quiet voice. “I do that sometimes without thinking, but I wasn’t angry at you.”

       “You were mad at Richard.”

       No use lying about it. “Yes, I was.”

       “And now he won’t come to dinner.”

       “I think Richard has other reasons for not showing up,” Caroline explained as she placed a scoop of mashed potatoes on her daughter’s СКАЧАТЬ