Jackie Draws a Straight by Patricia Green

Author:Patricia Green [Green, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blushing Books Publications
Published: 2012-12-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Yanking a cardigan on as she ran, Jackie hurried out into the early morning sunshine to catch her father before he left. Although the spring sky was cloudless, the morning chill remained and her scrubs weren't much protection against it.

She rushed to catch up with Leo as the back screen door slammed closed behind him. It was late enough that he'd already done his morning tour of the local buildings and had returned to get a fresh thermos of hot coffee for his meanderings further afield.

"Daddy! Daddy wait!"

Outside, Leo paused by the door to his truck, turning back toward her. "Somethin' wrong, li'l girl?"

"No…not exactly. I need to talk to you about somethin'." She couldn't look him in the eye. He was going to have a cow. Jackie almost quailed at his dark, assessing gaze on her face.

"If this is about your movin' away from the ranch again, daughter…"

"It is, and it isn't." She wrapped her arms around herself.

Leo snorted. "Jus' like a woman. Well?"

"I'm…uh…gettin' married."

There was a deep and uncomfortable silence between them. In contrast, birds nearby continued to chirp merrily and a horse whinnied out by the paddock.

"You're getting' married to who? That Bud fella better not be sniffin' around you again."

Jackie sighed. This was so hard. "Not Bud, Daddy. Pete Kaminsky."

If Leo was surprised, he kept it to himself. "So… It's like that, hm? One spankin' and you're off to the altar."

Jackie turned her gaze up to him, a thread of annoyance creeping into her voice. "Four spankin's, as a matter of fact. And, if I don't marry him I'm gonna be chewed up like a mouthful of stringy chicken."

He chuckled and Jackie's annoyance ratcheted up a twist. "Chewed up, eh?" He paused a beat. "You're not in a family way, are you? You been workin' for him less than two months!"

"No!" Oh God, this whole conversation had gone wrong. "I'm not! We haven't…" She groaned before continuing. "That's the problem, Daddy. We want to, but he won't."

"Hmm. I like that fella more 'n more."

A small bud of relief began to blossom in Jackie's heart. "So it's okay? You aren't mad?"

"Hmph. Your daddy's permission don't mean much in the scheme of thin's, li'l girl. You're grown and will do as you want no matter what I say."

Jackie put her hand on his thick forearm. He was still a very sturdy man, despite his advanced years. "But I want you to be happy about it, Daddy. It's important to me."

"It's mighty sudden."

"Yeah, well…"

"Have you talked to Father Roskovy about it?"

"No, sir. I am gonna call him today."

He turned away and opened the door to his truck. "You do that; do things proper-like. I expect to see Pete Kaminsky at our dinner table in the next day or two. I have words to say to him."

Anticipated embarrassment washed over Jackie and her face burned. Leo was going to put Pete on the hot-seat for sure. "I'm not a child, Daddy! I won't let you browbeat him."

Leo gave her a sharp look and then got in the truck.

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