When You Are Near by Tracie Peterson

Author:Tracie Peterson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction;Christian fiction;Mystery fiction;FIC042030;FIC042040;FIC014000
ISBN: 9781493417223
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2019-01-29T05:00:00+00:00

fourteen

For three days, Lizzy did very little. She offered to help around the house, but Cookie’s wife, Irma, took care of most of the household duties and wouldn’t hear of it. Lizzy read a little and went for a couple of rides but unfortunately had to take Jason Adler with her on most of them. Because she didn’t want to ride out alone with him, she asked Mary and Ella to accompany them. She knew that didn’t please Jason, but she’d made her feelings clear, and if he didn’t like it, that was entirely too bad. The rest of the time she spent trying to familiarize Ella with the ranch and house.

Mother quickly lay claim to Mary and Ella. She taught Ella how to wash clothes and cook, and enticed Mary to bake some of her grandmother’s favorite German recipes. The three women worked well together, and Lizzy found herself unneeded in the kitchen.

“You need to learn how to run the ranch,” Mother told her more than once. “For all these years you’ve paid it little mind. Now, with your father gone, I need you to help me in this.”

Lizzy knew it was just an excuse to put her and Wes together, but at the same time, she hoped to make this place her home after retiring from the show. She imagined a good life, just her and Mother—and Uncle Oliver when he was home from the show. It would serve her well to know the details of how the ranch operated. She had a working knowledge of the various duties that were performed throughout the year, but no firsthand experience. What little time she had been in residence, she was always training for the next show. And back then, Father had been alive and Uncle Oliver sober. There had been no need for her to know how the ranch operated.

Walking around the yard, Lizzy paused to look at the massive log house. It was nothing fancy, but she loved it. She had made so many memories here, and even now, in the early morning, she could hear voices from the past.

“I think we need a porch,” Mother had said, standing arm in arm with Father.

“Whatever would we do with a porch?” he’d asked.

“We could hang a swing from it and then snuggle up on chilly evenings and talk about the future,” Mother had replied.

But the show had taken up so much time, and the porch was never built. Maybe it could be now. Of course, that would cost money, and Jason would probably think the idea unreasonable. But Lizzy didn’t, and while Jason might have something to say about the show, he didn’t have any authority over the ranch. Maybe she’d talk to Wes about it.

That only served to remind her of her next duty.

“So what’s planned for today?” Mary asked, coming to join her. “Another romantic ride?”

Lizzy grimaced. “No. I’m hoping Jason will be otherwise occupied. Uncle Oliver has taken to bed with a bad cold, but Mother said he still planned to meet with Jason about the show’s schedule for next year.

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