[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

long enough to finish his meal and pushed the plate back, his dark eyes holding Bess's for a long
moment while he lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair. "How was the sales trip?" he asked
Robert. The younger man was a good loser. He smiled at his older brother. "It went great," Robert
replied with a grin. "We've got a potential buyer coming down next Tuesday to look over our
operation. Big Jim's Tex- burgers." Cade cocked an eyebrow. "That new fast-food chain?" "Yes, and
Big Jim himself is going to look us over." Robert blew on his nails and polished them on his shirt.
"That could mean enough new revenue to get you out of the rodeo arena, big brother." "Indeed it
could," said Cade nodding. "Good job." "No need to thank me. A new Jaguar would suit me very
well." "Dream on," Cade said chuckling. "Bess, are you still leaving on Monday?" Elise asked gently.
"Yes," Bess said quietly. She avoided Elise's shocked look. Her soft eyes searched Cade's, and there
was a deep sadness in them that he still couldn't quite understand. "I have to get back to my job, for
now," she said falteringly. "Don't worry, I'm not going to let her get away," Cade told his mother, and
there was real intent in his eyes. Gussie noticed the long look that passed between her daughter and
Cade and felt the tension. She sat up straighter. "I'm going too," she announced. "I've got to get up
Tuesday morning and go to work." Cade dropped his lighter with a hard thud on the table. "What?" he
asked. Gussie gave him a haughty look. "Well, I'm not over the hill yet," she muttered. "I've got a good
business head, Frank always said so. I'm going to use it." She turned to Bess. "You'll have to help me
find an apartment Monday too." She smiled wickedly. "So that you don't get stuck with me." Bess
burst out laughing while the others stared at the two of them with faint surprise. "What are you going
to do?" Cade asked Gussie. "I'm going to help run a talent agency," Gussie said, and without the old
hostility. "I'm buying into a friend's business." "And you'll do marvelously well," Elise said. She
touched her friend's hand gently. "I'm very proud of you." Gussie smiled back at her. Cade sighed as
he saw the friendship between the two women, feeling a little guilty because his mother still thought
of Gussie as a home breaker. It was unfair that Gussie should suffer for trying to protect Elise.
Someday, he promised himself, he was going to tell his mother the truth. Even if it was a little painful
at first, in the long run it would be kinder. His father was dead. The truth couldn't hurt him now. Greg
came in just as the others were leaving the table. "I'm beat," he mumbled with a dry glance at Cade.
"But it was worth it. Our accountant shaved a few thousand off our tax bill with the information I took
him." "It's been that kind of day." Robert grinned. "I got us a new customer, I think. We'll know next
week. And Cade and Bess just got engaged." Greg grinned. "Well, congratulations!" he said, laughing
and shaking Cade's hand and hugging Bess gently. "And good for you, Robert. I see what you mean
about it being that kind of day." He glanced at Cade. "Do you want to sit down with me and go over
these figures?" "Eat your supper first," Cade told him. "Then we'll talk." He looked at Bess and held
out his hand. "Let's walk around for a bit," he said gently. She put her cool hand into his big, warm
one, tingling at the contact. She was all too aware of the indul- gent smiles they were getting from the
rest of the clan. He had his cigarette in one hand as he linked the fingers of his free one with hers. He
glanced at her. She'd changed the stained sundress for jeans and a nice knit top with a demure rounded
neckline and puffy sleeves. With her hair loose, she looked more deliciously feminine than ever. But
she looked sad and preoccupied. His fingers closed around hers. "What's wrong?" "I feel guilty," she
confessed with a wan smile. "Considering the way it happened, so do I," he replied. "I should have
remembered from your apartment how easily you arouse me. I was in over my head before I had time
to consider the consequences." He stopped on the edge of the yard where it met the long dirt road that
wound down to the highway. There was a crescent moon, and a patch of light that filtered down from
the house, bright yellow in the darkness. His dark eyes searched hers briefly before he turned his [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

  • zanotowane.pl
  • doc.pisz.pl
  • pdf.pisz.pl
  • mew.pev.pl

    		•