And Cowboy Makes Three by Deb Kastner

Author:Deb Kastner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-03-06T21:47:50+00:00

Chapter Seven

Rowdy’s response didn’t surprise Angelica in the least, and she doubted Jo was shocked by it, either. But Granny’s note had floored her as effectively as an uppercut to the jaw would have done.

Fortunately, she was already seated, or the lurch her stomach took might have sent her reeling. And she was glad Jo still held on to Toby. Angelica didn’t want her sweet son picking up on the maelstrom of emotions sweeping like a hurricane through her chest.

A ranch rodeo?

How could Granny have even considered such a thing?

Not for Angelica and Rowdy.

The ranch rodeo was a yearly event in Serendipity, where local ranchers competed in laugh-out-loud-hilarious events like wild cow milking and paint branding as they mimicked the work they did on the ranch.

“You both owe her so much,” Jo inserted, as if in response to Angelica’s thoughts—and Rowdy’s white-faced expression. “I don’t have to remind you that these are her last wishes. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do, no matter how painful it gets.”

“Yes, but—” Angelica didn’t know how to finish her response, so she let it drop. Her eyes flew to Jo, who nodded as if the matter was settled.

Angelica switched her gaze to Rowdy, who appeared even more befuddled than she was—and angry, as well he should be. His whiskered cheeks darkened to a deep cherry and worry lines creased his forehead.

Granny should never have asked this of him.

For once, Angelica could really see his age, and the effects of all the stress he’d had to endure, including the many ways she’d hurt him.

“You know what you have to do,” Jo reminded them. “Frances’s plans are in the top drawer of her filing cabinet in her home office. The youth group meets on Sunday afternoons, which means you’ll only have a couple of sessions between now and the day of the ranch rodeo to sort out who is doing what and when. We’ve been rotating teachers from the congregation to fill in for their weekly meetings, but now that you’re here you can take over.

“Frances won’t be the only one you’d be letting down. The kids will be so disappointed if you don’t step up and help them make this rodeo a success. And you only have two weeks to plan.”

That was one last jab Angelica didn’t need.

“Granny Frances couldn’t have meant that she wanted us there,” Rowdy protested. “She knew I never attended the Fourth of July activities, and I especially avoided the ranch rodeos. Everyone in town knows why.”

Angelica’s breath left her in a whoosh and her heart felt as if it was being squeezed by an invisible fist.

The fallout of Rowdy’s statement, the emotional shrapnel, rained over her.

Picnicking with Jo, even if she had ended up in the middle of a town crowd she had very much wished to avoid, and even learning how to work a sheep farm—those were doable, if difficult, tasks.

But organizing and overseeing a ranch rodeo?

Now, that was just plain cruel.

Angelica and Rowdy—especially Rowdy—ought to get up and walk away right now.

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.