A Bridge Unbroken (A Miller's Creek Novel) by Cathy Bryant Read Free Book Online Page B

bare feet. More than anything he wanted to spend more time with her, to work on the trust issues between them. But was the timing right, especially with Grampa's condition?
    “Would you like to come in?”
    Chance entered the open door, and his mouth fell open. It was almost like walking into Levi Kelly’s house several years prior, only updated nicely. “Wow, this place sure looks different. You’ve been busy.”
    She shrugged. “It’s amazing what a little elbow grease and paint will do.”
    “I’ll say. And you have electricity.” And heat. She’d turned down money from Grampa, so she must have some financial resources.
    “How’s J.C.?”
    “Still weak and tired.”
    A look of concern clouded her face. “That’s how he was when I saw him earlier this morning.”
    “You’ve been to see him?” Why? To pressure him into leaving the farm to her?
    “Every day.” Dakota moved toward the kitchen. “Can I get you some water?”
    He shook his head. “No, thanks. Why'd you go see him?”
    She faced him, her head cocked to one side. “Because I’m concerned about him. It's okay if I go to see him, isn't it?”
    It should be, but it wasn’t. He just didn’t trust her motives at this point. But he couldn’t exactly come right out and say it without the risk of offending her.
    Dakota released a scornful laugh. “You're a piece of work, Chance Johnson. You think I’m going to see him because of the farm, don’t you?”
    He cleared his throat as he scrambled for words. “Don’t mean to offend you, but—”
    She turned her back. “You just did.” Dakota yanked a water bottle from the carton on the kitchen counter with more force than necessary.
    Time to change the subject. “So how long do you think our work on the barn will take?”
    Rather than answer, Dakota pushed past him and stopped when she reached the front door. “Don’t worry about it. Maybe your time would be better spent figuring out how to get your hands on my farm.” With that, she opened the front door, gave a pseudo bow, and held out her left arm, indicating her desire for him to leave.
    His anger catapulted to volcanic levels, but reasoning with her would only lead to more hurtful words. Instead, he stepped outside. “Good night.”
    Her response was a slamming door and the click of the lock.

    Chapter Five
     
    W ell, one thing was for sure. With or without Chance, the barn wasn’t going to re-build itself. And without a barn--and the animals to go with it--she'd never be able to sustain herself on the farm.
    Dakota shrugged on her ratty jacket and headed out the front door. Why had she let her anger get the best of her last night? Even as pig-headed, egotistical, and downright infuriating as Chance could be, having some help was better than none.
    She stepped inside the open entrance of the barn and surveyed the problem. Not good. The posts supporting the weight of the roof had rotted away on the bottom, and caused the whole structure to lean to the left. Maybe if she could find a way to shore up the outside rafter with the new lumber she'd picked up the other day, she could remove the rotten post and replace it with a new one.
    She moved to the dark recesses of the barn and hoisted a four-by-four post. A long splinter on the side shoved its way under the tender flesh of her palm.  “Ouch!” The heavy post thudded to the ground as she used her chewed-to-the-quick nails to remove the splinter. All but one tiny piece came out, but the one tiny piece was buried deep. It would just have to wait.
    Once more she grabbed the offending post, lugged it to the front left corner, and set it in place. Though she pounded as hard as she could, it refused to budge. Frustrated, she reared back to give the post the hardest blow she could muster, but the hammer slipped and landed on her left thumb.
    Unintelligible words fell from her lips through gritted teeth. She released the four-by-four and the hammer to grab her throbbing and bleeding thumb.