took a bite of her sandwich and chewed. Peter raised his head and sniffed the air. He glanced up at Tex and mewed hopefully.
“Don’t even think about it,” the cook told him. “No tuna for you.”
Peter blinked, then collapsed back into the crook of Tex’s arm. He yawned, leaned against the large man’s chest and closed his eyes.
“Ten years is a long time to work somewhere,” she said. “First the marines and now the ranch. You bond with large groups. What about with individuals?”
He drew his eyebrows together. “You one of those psychological types? I’m not interested in being analyzed.”
“Just curious. You’re a great guy. Why aren’t you married?”
Tex cleared his throat. “Never met anyone I cared about that much. The marines kept me moving around. Not many women want to put up with that.”
Randi swallowed and took a sip of water. “Not to mention the fact you loved being a bachelor.”
He grinned. “That, too.” His grin faded. “I’ve got what I want here. A home. These are good people to work for.”
“I agree.”
His pale gaze settled on her face. “Brady’s a good man, too. He deserves some happiness in his life.”
“I’m sure he does.”
His gaze narrowed. “Be a shame for him to get hurt, wanting something he can’t have.”
The mouthful of sandwich dried up. Randi kept chewing, but she had to take a sip of water before she could swallow. Her appetite fled, and with it, her good mood.
She pushed her plate away. “Don’t be subtle, Tex. Just come right out and warn me off. But before you do, I want you to know I admire and respect Brady. He’s my employer. That’s as far as it goes. There’s no need for you to worry about anything else.”
She told herself she wasn’t lying. Just because she had some serious chemical reactions when Brady was around didn’t mean he returned her feelings. In fact, she would bet money he barely thought of her, and when he did, he considered her a kid sister. That was hardly a basis for romance.
She slid the chair back and stood up. After grabbing her plate, she crossed to the sink and dumped the rest of the food down the drain. The roar of the garbage disposal couldn’t drown out the disappointment she felt.
Not because Tex thought she was inappropriate for his boss. She was a drifter with no past—why would anyone want to risk that? Tex was only looking out for someone he cared about. What hurt the most was that she’d allowed herself to think she’d found a place to belong.
She turned off the disposal and rinsed her hands. When she turned around, Tex was standing behind her, the kitten still in his arms.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said awkwardly.
“Yes, you did. I can’t blame you. You don’t know anything about me, right? Who knows what secrets lurk in my past. You’re being cautious, and I’m sure Brady appreciates that.”
She walked out the back door and headed for the barn. Maybe she should just leave. That would solve everyone’s problem. Except she’d promised herself to stop running. She wanted to grow up enough to stay in one place and find solutions. But did it have to hurt this much?
“I thought I’d found a home here,” she told Pokey as she paused to bend down and pet the pregnant tabby. “You did. Life is complicated, and I want it to be easy. Pretty stupid, huh?”
The cat purred in response.
Maybe there was a bright side. Maybe Tex was concerned because he’d sensed interest on Brady’s part.
“Wishful thinking,” she muttered. Brady’s platonic hug and kiss on the cheek last week weren’t the actions of a man smitten by overpowering passion. He’d been attentive yesterday in town, but she suspected he’d been motivated by guilt. He’d needed to make up for her having not been off the ranch since her arrival. It wasn’t personal.
Randi straightened and glanced around the yard. All she’d wanted was to fit in. She didn’t deserve to be made to feel she was less than everyone else. She didn’t—She frowned, her attention shifting from her personal problems to the yard. “Something’s wrong,” she said softly.
She took a step back and turned in a slow circle, trying to take everything in. The barn doors were open, as they should be. A couple of the mares grazed in the pasture behind the bunkhouse. The main house looked fine. There were cats scattered all around. None of them looked alert or cautious. They were just dozing.
She snapped her fingers. That was it. The cats. They weren’t neatly herded together, resting in the shade of the barn. Odd behavior, because Princess usually kept them under control. But the shepherd was nowhere to be seen.
“Princess,” Randi called. “Princess, come here, girl.”
As she waited she tried to remember if she’d seen the dog at all this morning. There had been the usual frenzy when she’d fed everyone, but she didn’t recall seeing Princess.
She jogged around the barn, then checked up at the main house. There was no response to her repeated calls. Something wasn’t right. Something had happened to Princess.
Wishing there was someone else to tell besides Tex, Randi hurried toward the bunkhouse. She stepped into the kitchen. Tex stood at the sink, peeling potatoes.
“I can’t find Princess,” she said. “I don’t remember feeding her this morning. Have you seen her?”
“No.” The older man frowned. “She keeps a regular schedule and doesn’t usually go missing. Unless she’d found a sick cat on her route. Then she’ll stay by the animal until help comes.”
“Or she could have been hurt herself.”
Tex nodded. “That’s a possibility. Brady’s the only one who knows all her spots. You’ll have to go get him. Cell service is spotty where he is.” He crossed to the built-in butler’s pantry on the far side of the room and pulled open a drawer. There was a pad of paper on top. After grabbing it and a pencil, he returned to the table. He spoke as he drew.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
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