More Than a Rancher by Claire McEwen

Author:Claire McEwen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-05-20T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

JENNA WAS SHAKING, grateful for Sandro’s arm supporting her as they silently descended the steps back down onto Sutter Street. She walked quickly once they hit the sidewalk, and to her relief, Sandro merely followed, giving her some space. He didn’t speak until she led them back to Hyde Street. She needed to walk, to burn off the anger and hurt, and there were steep hills there.

“Jenna, wait.” She paused in front of a laundry. It was open late and the homey scents of soap and dryer sheets wafted onto the sidewalk. “Can I do anything for you?”

She didn’t want to talk, couldn’t talk. She just wanted to keep moving until the lump in her throat dissolved. “If you need to get home, I understand,” she told him. “But I think I’ll take a walk.”

“I can go with you, if you’d like company.”

“Sure.” She did want his company, which was kind of odd. Sandro the recently reformed womanizer seemed a strange person to seek comfort from tonight.

Sandro took her hand and they started up Hyde. Jenna tried to process what she’d seen—her dad about to sleep with someone. She tried to let it go. Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. But the Serenity Prayer was offering little serenity at the moment. At least there was exercise. After conquering a few steep hills, Jenna felt some of the emotion subsiding. “I’m so sorry you had to witness that,” she said.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“I don’t usually scream and yell in random hotel lobbies.”

He smiled down at her. “I didn’t imagine that was your usual style.”

She felt the need to explain herself. “Just a couple weeks ago I was at my parents’ house for dinner. I tried to bring up that my mom is drinking too much. My dad treated me as if I was some kind of crazy person. A pariah. He practically threw me out of the house. So tonight, to see him doing something so wrong, after that night and after all the years he’s spent judging me and looking down on me simply because I wanted to dance—it just made me crazy.”

“I get it.” Sandro smiled. “I admire you, honestly. I sometimes wish I could just have it out with my dad like that. Tell him to stop trying to get me to take over the ranch for him.”

“He still thinks you might?”

“While I was growing up, and ever since I got back home. I offer to help. Of course I want to help out—I love the ranch. But I feel like he’s always hoping it will turn into more. It won’t, because my first priority is my restaurant and it always will be. Plus, it’s not fair to my brothers. Joe and Gabe really love the ranch. They’re the ones who want it. I’m sure it hurts them that he can’t acknowledge all they’ve done and instead spends so much time trying to convince me to take their place.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.