Rich, Rugged Ranchers. Kathie DeNosky

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СКАЧАТЬ Mama, I just wanted to say good morning.

      The loss was so keen that it always took Sophia a few seconds to realize that she would never be able to call her mother again.

      “Sophia?” Logan’s voice broke through her thoughts.

      She snapped her head up. “Oh, uh … Yes?”

      His brows gathered as he aimed a pointed question at her. “Something’s up with you today. What’s going on?”

      Sophia stared into Logan’s deep, dark eyes. For half a second, she wanted to confide in him about the mysterious note and how it had stirred bad memories for her. “I, uh—”

      His gaze drifted down to her hand holding the pen. She’d forgotten to bring her laptop, something Logan had probably noticed but hadn’t mentioned. She took notes the old-fashioned way today, and her hand trembled as she jotted things down.

      “Nothing. I missed breakfast. I guess I’m a little shaky.” That was the truth. She hadn’t eaten this morning and it was a good enough reason to give him.

      Although he gave her a nod of understanding, the entire time they spoke, she felt Logan’s gaze penetrating her, watching and waiting for a hint to indicate why she was acting so out of character. He was, by nature, suspicious of her. And no amount of explanation would convince him to be otherwise.

      Once the plans were set for the party, they moved the discussion to her progress with the lodge. Sophia forced herself to concentrate on details for the next fifteen minutes, and they concluded their business within the hour.

      Logan rose from his desk, hawklike eyes watching her every move. She rose, too. Thankfully, her legs were stronger now, and her nerves not quite so raw. She had a full day of work ahead of her and a party to plan.

      “I’ll call you tonight to check on the progress,” he said.

      Sophia slipped her purse strap over her shoulder. “Fine.” He came around his desk to meet her, and walked her toward the door. “How is Luke this morning?” she asked.

      “Better, from what the doctors tell me.”

      “Is he coming home today?” Sophia couldn’t keep hope out of her voice, which garnered a tight-lipped response from Logan. “If he has anything to say about it, he will.”

      “Give him my best when you see him.”

      “Will do,” he said as they reached the office door. “Oh, and Sophia.”

      “Hmm?”

      “Eat something. Can’t have Sunset Lodge’s manager faint dead away in the middle of the lobby.”

      Sophia sent him a sugary-sweet smile. “Thanks for your concern.”

      “Anytime.”

      Sophia had the distinct feeling that Logan Slade had his eyes trained on her backside as she walked out of his office and down the hall.

      “I’ll go crazy if I stick around here much longer.” Luke’s frustrated words issued from his mouth in a whisper.

      Poor guy, Sophia thought. He couldn’t move too much in his bed without feeling tremendous pain. Yet he stubbornly refused to take the meds the doctor had prescribed for him.

      “You have to give yourself some time, Luke,” Sophia said. “You’ve been home only a few days.”

      “Can’t do a damn thing on the ranch, either. With my cracked ribs and this here busted-up arm.”

      Sophia glanced at the cumbersome cast that went more than halfway up his right arm and couldn’t argue the point. Luke wasn’t one to sit still, yet what option did he have? He’d ridden the rodeo circuit and from what she’d gathered he’d never suffered an injury like this before. “What you need is something to take your mind off your troubles.” Sophia leaned toward him to bring a freshly baked butter cookie dusted with powdered sugar near his mouth. “Here, try one of these,” she said. “I made them early this morning for you.”

      Luke’s gaze lowered to the cookie hovering by his lips. “Smells delicious. Lay it on me.”

      He opened his mouth, and she inserted the cookie. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed and sighed with appreciation, laying his head back against the bed pillow. “You’re an angel, Sophia.”

      Too bad his brother didn’t think so. She was an angel to Luke, and the devil’s spawn to Logan. One wouldn’t think the two men had the same blood running through their veins.

      “That cookie melted in my mouth. Gotta be the best cookie I’ve ever had.” Then he added, “Don’t be telling Constance I said so.”

      She put the rest of the cookie into his mouth. Her mother’s recipe never failed to make people smile. “I made two dozen,” she said, gesturing with a head tilt toward the plate on his nightstand, sitting next to the bouquet of flowers she’d brought him when he first arrived from the hospital. “You can thank me later, after you’ve finished all of them.”

      Luke’s left hand came out to take hers. “I can thank you now—”

      “No problem, I love to bake—”

      “For coming to see me twice already since I’ve been home,” he rasped out. “And for listening to me moan and groan.”

      “That’s what friends are for.”

      Morning sunshine streamed in through the shuttered windows facing east. But the beautiful day didn’t have an effect on Luke’s sour mood. He was a man accustomed to being on the move. “There’ll be a hell of a lot more moaning and groaning,” he confessed.

      “I know. I can’t blame you. But you’ll heal. You have to be patient.” Sophia moved from the chair to the side of his bed, carefully lowering down so as not to disturb him. “Here,” she said, leaning forward and offering him a second cookie. “Have another.”

      He bit down, and closed his eyes while he chewed. “How are things at the lodge?” he asked quietly.

      A pipe had burst, leaking water into the rooms on the second floor, the smoke alarm had gone off for no apparent reason in the kitchen and one of the guests had slipped and sprained an ankle while stepping down from their saddle since Luke’s accident. Business as usual, she mused. “It’s coming along.”

      “Glad to hear it. You fit right in on Sunset Ranch.”

      Sophia sighed. “I love it here.”

      “And I love that you’re here, feeding me cookies.”

      She laughed and Luke cracked a smile, but a second later, he paid for the movement with a grimace of pain. Sophia grimaced, too, sympathizing with him.

      “Is there anything I can do for you before I go to work?” she asked.

      Luke shook his head. “Nope. You go on. Thanks for the visit and the cookies.”

      “I spoiled your СКАЧАТЬ