even sure what kind of shoes she wore. He didn’t think he’d ever noticed her feet.
Well, he told himself, no one ever said love came easy to a man. He’d just need to pay more attention. He could learn all he needed to know about Tracy’s footwear. She would make him a fine wife if Pete wasn’t going to make any moves—which, the more Conrad thought about it, the more he doubted. Pete was the most hard-core bachelor around. He might chase all the women, but he’d take care not to catch one.
Conrad wasn’t like Pete. He wanted to get married—someday. He was just being careful about it.
And Tracy might be the one for him. Granted, she didn’t make his heart wobble, but he wouldn’t wake up one morning like his father, either. He hadn’t told his uncle, but there were days with his father that were so bleak Conrad didn’t even want to be in the same house with him. He was probably seven years old at the time and he would spend days in the barn with the cats and the chickens, all of which would have starved if he hadn’t taken over their feeding. Grief never left his father’s house until the day the man died of a heart attack. Conrad had just turned sixteen, so he was old enough to stay on the ranch alone.
His uncle might think there was something wrong with him taking the safe road when it came to romance,but Conrad didn’t agree. Conrad had seen where the other road could take a man, and he never wanted to go there. Loving someone might seem good at first, but it could lead to unimaginable tragedy. He’d rather be alone than go through what his father had.
Chapter Four
K atrina sipped on the hot lemon tea that Linda had put down in front of her.
“It’s a soothing drink for a stressful day,” the café owner said. “I sit down and have a cup myself on busy days.”
“Oh, I’m fine,” Katrina said with a quick glance at Conrad. He had become distant when they came into this café and she thought she knew why. His uncle, probably without thinking, must have told the people here that she was on the verge of being arrested. She didn’t blame Conrad for wanting to be sure his friends knew he wasn’t getting too familiar with someone like that.
“I’m just passing through town,” she said, loudly enough for everyone to hear the words. Of course, technically the sheriff might have something to say about that, but she had to believe Leanne would answer the phone sometime today.
After Katrina’s declaration, no one even lookedback at her. Which was strange because they all seemed to have been looking at her before she spoke.
Linda excused herself and went to get the rest of their breakfast.
“Have you seen the new George Clooney movie?” Conrad asked.
“No, is there one?” Katrina’s attention was on the boys sitting at the table across from them. Linda had just set down pancakes in front of them that had mouse ears and what looked like dried blueberries for eyes. Or maybe the eyes were—
“Do kids choke on raisins?” she looked up and asked Conrad. He’d be the kind of guy to know something like that. He probably knew how to do the Heimlich maneuver, too.
“I suppose they could.” He looked startled. “It’s not likely, though. Why?”
She nodded her head toward the pancakes. “Look at that. They could get those raisins stuck in their throats and hurt themselves with those plastic juice glasses. I don’t know how parents do it.” She turned back and looked at him. “I’ve heard milk allergies can start around the boys’ ages. Do you think they should be drinking it?”
“What are they going to eat?” Conrad asked, looking bewildered.
She glanced over at her nephews and noticed they were eating too fast. And they had white rings of milk around their mouths. If they were allergic to something, she didn’t even know what to look for.
“I wonder if they have soy milk here.” Katrina started to look around for someone to ask. Fortunately, Linda was coming out of the
Well, he told himself, no one ever said love came easy to a man. He’d just need to pay more attention. He could learn all he needed to know about Tracy’s footwear. She would make him a fine wife if Pete wasn’t going to make any moves—which, the more Conrad thought about it, the more he doubted. Pete was the most hard-core bachelor around. He might chase all the women, but he’d take care not to catch one.
Conrad wasn’t like Pete. He wanted to get married—someday. He was just being careful about it.
And Tracy might be the one for him. Granted, she didn’t make his heart wobble, but he wouldn’t wake up one morning like his father, either. He hadn’t told his uncle, but there were days with his father that were so bleak Conrad didn’t even want to be in the same house with him. He was probably seven years old at the time and he would spend days in the barn with the cats and the chickens, all of which would have starved if he hadn’t taken over their feeding. Grief never left his father’s house until the day the man died of a heart attack. Conrad had just turned sixteen, so he was old enough to stay on the ranch alone.
His uncle might think there was something wrong with him taking the safe road when it came to romance,but Conrad didn’t agree. Conrad had seen where the other road could take a man, and he never wanted to go there. Loving someone might seem good at first, but it could lead to unimaginable tragedy. He’d rather be alone than go through what his father had.
Chapter Four
K atrina sipped on the hot lemon tea that Linda had put down in front of her.
“It’s a soothing drink for a stressful day,” the café owner said. “I sit down and have a cup myself on busy days.”
“Oh, I’m fine,” Katrina said with a quick glance at Conrad. He had become distant when they came into this café and she thought she knew why. His uncle, probably without thinking, must have told the people here that she was on the verge of being arrested. She didn’t blame Conrad for wanting to be sure his friends knew he wasn’t getting too familiar with someone like that.
“I’m just passing through town,” she said, loudly enough for everyone to hear the words. Of course, technically the sheriff might have something to say about that, but she had to believe Leanne would answer the phone sometime today.
After Katrina’s declaration, no one even lookedback at her. Which was strange because they all seemed to have been looking at her before she spoke.
Linda excused herself and went to get the rest of their breakfast.
“Have you seen the new George Clooney movie?” Conrad asked.
“No, is there one?” Katrina’s attention was on the boys sitting at the table across from them. Linda had just set down pancakes in front of them that had mouse ears and what looked like dried blueberries for eyes. Or maybe the eyes were—
“Do kids choke on raisins?” she looked up and asked Conrad. He’d be the kind of guy to know something like that. He probably knew how to do the Heimlich maneuver, too.
“I suppose they could.” He looked startled. “It’s not likely, though. Why?”
She nodded her head toward the pancakes. “Look at that. They could get those raisins stuck in their throats and hurt themselves with those plastic juice glasses. I don’t know how parents do it.” She turned back and looked at him. “I’ve heard milk allergies can start around the boys’ ages. Do you think they should be drinking it?”
“What are they going to eat?” Conrad asked, looking bewildered.
She glanced over at her nephews and noticed they were eating too fast. And they had white rings of milk around their mouths. If they were allergic to something, she didn’t even know what to look for.
“I wonder if they have soy milk here.” Katrina started to look around for someone to ask. Fortunately, Linda was coming out of the
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