Harlequin Love Inspired April 2016, Box Set 1 of 2 by Rebecca Kertz

Author:Rebecca Kertz
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781460395189
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

On the third week of the after-school program, as they drove to the Blue Thorn Ranch, Jose leaned his head out the window of the church van like a dog and said, “This is dumb.”

Nash was amazed they’d gotten to the Blue Thorn entrance before one of the boys made a crack like that. The wave of derisive eye rolling that had met his announcement last week could have knocked a lesser man flat.

“It’s not dumb,” he replied, glad Ellie couldn’t hear Jose. “And keep thoughts like that to yourself once we get on the ranch. The Blue Thorn means a lot to the Buckton family, and they and the girls need our help. You’re going to learn a bit about what they’re doing, and then you’re going to teach the girls how to change a spark plug. A cultural exchange of sorts.”

“I’d like to exchange a few things with Caroline Ivers, that’s for sure,” Billy said as he nudged Jose’s shoulder.

“You keep that to yourself, too. And your hands, your words, probably even your eyes.” Most of the girls in Ellie’s class were a quiet kind of pretty—not the popular, decked-out kind of pretty, but sweet and clean even if rough around the edges. If only these boys could learn now that what made a girl stand out in high school could easily lose its charm out in the adult world. Still, he couldn’t complain. He’d used the chance to hang out with the girls as leverage to get the boys to agree to this little adventure Ellie had dreamed up, anyway. “There they are—they beat us here.”

Ellie stood next to Gunner’s minivan with the girls from her class. He was glad to see that both the boys and the girls had followed directions and worn boots and long pants. Even though it was a warm April day, Ellie had explained to him that those things were necessary out in the pastures where they were going.

The boys piled out of the church van to stand in a posturing clump opposite the girls.

“Hello, boys,” Ellie said cheerfully.

“Hi,” Leon murmured.

Nash cleared his throat loudly and glared at the boys.

“Good afternoon, Miss Ellie,” they said in reluctant unison.

Ellie raised an eyebrow at Nash, clearly surprised and not a little impressed. Nash felt a pleasant pang in his stomach that his first goal for the day had just been met. The stereotype of the well-mannered Southern boy evidently hadn’t caught on with his current students. Not yet, anyway, but he was out to change that if he could.

“Miss Ellie,” Nash began, “why don’t you explain to everyone what it is we’re doing today.” Ellie had explained it to him, but he still found the whole thing odd and rather amusing.

“Sure,” Ellie replied. “Everyone come over here and I’ll show you.”

She walked them over to the side of the barn. Leaning up against it was something that looked like a telephone pole with a set of giant street brooms attached lengthwise—as if someone

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