Healing Hearts by Cheryl Wolverton

Author:Cheryl Wolverton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2000-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

The restaurant wasn’t crowded though there were quite a few people. Many waved to Liam and just as many avoided looking directly at Drake.

Stan helped Drake into a seat and then sat across from him. Tessa and Liam took seats across from each other. Drake didn’t mind where Tessa was seated since it was close enough so that he could talk to her. He’d found that he enjoyed and even looked forward to her company.

Studying his brother as the waitress brought the menus, Drake decided to say nothing about church but to dive into other things that were bothering him. He felt a responsibility for his brother and what he was going through right now, in more areas than one. “What did the doc say about the cows?”

Drake opened his menu and pretended to be reading it though he already knew what he wanted.

Out of his peripheral vision he saw his brother start at his actions then glance at Tessa before back at him. “Diseased. We’re gonna have to kill an eighth of our herd.”

Drake sighed. “That’s going to cost us a lot.”

“I’ve been going over the books. I’ll see everything is okay, Drake.”

Drake didn’t argue.

The waitress took their orders.

“Just salad for me,” Tessa said politely smiling.

Drake couldn’t help but be distracted by her words. “You sure you don’t want to share a steak with me, Tessa?” he drawled.

He ignored the other two men’s curious gazes and continued to prod Tessa.

Her nose went up, her cheeks flushed bright. “No. I think not. Especially if they’re now diseased.”

He chuckled.

“I’ll have steak and potato, too,” Stan murmured. “And an explanation about that last comment, if you will, Tessa?”

Drake chuckled. “We have an agreement going. Sooner or later she is going to have a steak dinner with me.”

Stan chuckled.

Liam simply glanced from one to the other, confused.

Drake grinned. “I didn’t tell him.”

“Tell me what?” Liam asked.

“You didn’t tell him?” Tessa demanded of him. Her eyes sparked with emotion and she glared at him.

“He doesn’t know about Tessa?” Stan asked, amusement lacing his voice.

Liam looked downright alarmed now. “What’s going on?”

Drake shrugged. He found himself actually enjoying his brother’s discomfiture. It took his mind off his condition, got his mind off the worries of the ranch. Resisting a smile, he said, as if it were something he wouldn’t be caught dead saying, “I’m not telling him. Go ahead, Tessa.”

He turned his attention to the tea glass the waitress set in front of him. Grabbing up the sugar with his left hand, he placed it in his right and worked to tear open the sugar and dump it in the glass without spilling.

“What is it, Miss Stanridge?” Liam asked, his attention off Drake and now on Tessa. Relieved, Drake finished the preparation of his tea and allowed his smirk to show.

Tessa kicked Drake under the table.

He jumped, dropping his spoon. His gaze shot to her.

She promptly blushed red.

Drake muffled his laugh, knowing the other two had no idea why she was turning such a shade of red.

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