Cowboy Deputy by Cassidy Carla

Author:Cassidy, Carla [Cassidy, Carla]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Suspense
Publisher: Silhouette Romantic Suspense
Published: 2011-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

It was after eleven when Edie finally left Benjamin’s ranch the next morning. Margaret had insisted she have a big breakfast and it had been difficult to say goodbye to both her and Poppy.

She might have stuck around if she thought that Poppy really needed her, but she sensed a bit of romance taking place between him and Margaret, a romance that could fill any loneliness Poppy might have entertained.

Benjamin had already been gone when she’d gotten out of bed and she’d remained in her room the night before after she’d left him in the kitchen.

She’d been afraid to spend any more time around him, afraid that somehow he’d talk her into staying, afraid that he might kiss her again and made her want him even more deeply than she already did. It was definitely time to get out of Dodge, but her heart was heavy as the ranch disappeared in her rearview mirror.

She could have been happy there, she could be happy with Benjamin, if she deserved happiness. But deep in her soul she knew the truth.

Still, she was grateful she hadn’t had to face him one last time that morning. It was easier this way, with no long, drawn-out goodbyes.

By the time she entered the outskirts of town she was thinking of the problems that awaited her in Topeka. Thank God she had a little bit of savings put away, just enough to get her into another small apartment.

She wasn’t too worried about a job. She’d flip hamburgers if necessary to get by until she found something more permanent. It would have been nice if she’d gone to college, but there had never been enough money at home, and the minute she’d graduated from high school she’d started working to help out her mother.

When she reached Poppy’s place she parked in the driveway and got out of the car, surprised when a neighbor hurried out of his house and toward her.

“Hi,” he said with a smile of friendliness. “I’m Bart Crosswell, Walt’s neighbor. I was just wondering how he’s doing. Me and my wife heard about him getting beaten up but we haven’t seen him since then.”

Bart was about sixty with a broad face that looked as if it had never held a frown. “He’s staying with some friends for the next couple days,” she replied, “but he’s doing just fine.”

“Glad to hear that. And I noticed you cleaned up the yard real nice. We didn’t want to complain or say anything, but it was obvious that it had kind of gotten away from him over the past few months.”

“I’ll try to make sure that somebody is keeping on top of it from now on,” Edie said, grateful that the neighbor appeared to be a nice guy.

“I don’t mind mowing it whenever I mow my own. I just didn’t want to step on Walt’s toes,” Bart said.

“That’s very kind of you. When he gets back home maybe the two of you can work out an agreeable arrangement,” she replied.

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