Blackstone's Bride by Teresa Southwick Read Free Book Online

was just going to remind you to watch out for your brother and sister.”
    He stared at her for a few moments, then nodded. “Can I go now? Before those two squirts find all the eggs?”
    “Git,” Jarrod said. “Don’t scare the hens,” he called out just before the door slammed. He looked at Lily. “Why don’t you go with the others?”
    “I thought you wanted me to cook. I should start making biscuits. When they come back with the eggs—”
    “I’ll start breakfast,” he said. “Abby will help. Right, Abby?” he asked, and glanced at her questioningly.
    She’d wanted to get on the road, but how could she refuse to help? “Can’t let a man make biscuits, can we?” She smiled at Lily. “You run along.”
    The young girl beamed at the two of them, then turned and ran out the door as if afraid they might change their minds. Far from doing that, Abby was more convinced than ever that she had to keep her word to Jarrod. The feelings he stirred in her were strange and unsettling, but she couldn’t take the safe path for herself and abandon these children. Especially Lily. She deserved to be a child until it was time for her to be a young woman.
    As she stared outside, Abby heard a clang and crash behind her. She turned and studied the play of muscles across Jarrod’s back as he stoked the stove and stirred up the fire. He cut the slab of ham into pieces and tossed them into the cast-iron frying pan.
    He glanced over his shoulder and caught Abby staring athim. When she closed her mouth, he grinned. “You gonna stand there? Or are you gonna make those biscuits you promised?”
    “I didn’t promise exactly. I said a man couldn’t be trusted to make biscuits. I really should get on back to town.”
    “You can, after you eat.”
    The sound of sizzling meat was followed by a delicious aroma that made her mouth water. “I shouldn’t,” she said, but the words lacked conviction. “My job is waiting for me. And it’s a long drive.”
    “You must be hungry. You need to keep up your strength.”
    She was starved, and the bacon smelled heavenly. She swallowed. “Not that hungry. If I could just have some jerky and hardtack, I could chew on that while I head back.”
    “Stay, Abby. Breakfast won’t hold you up long.” Gray eyes met her own. “I’d like to talk to you.”
    “What about?” She was weakening. Darn it. He was awfully hard to say no to.
    “Things. The kids.”
    He didn’t seem like the sort of man who asked for much, and that made it impossible for Abby not to give in. She sighed. “Right after breakfast I
have
to get back.”
    “Is Whittemore a hard man to work for?”
    She grinned. “He’d like folks to think he is, but he’s a faker.”
    “How did you happen to go to work for Hollister Freight?”
    Abby pulled a bowl from the cupboard, then measured flour into it. “Mr. Whittemore was a friend of my mother’s. I needed a good paying job. He did me a favor. He’s told me more than once that he didn’t think I could handle it when he hired me. But I’ve never given him cause to regret his decision.”
    Jarrod knew from first-hand experience that she was tenacious. And conscientious. Not many people came to mind who would take the time to bring four kids all the wayout to the ranch, then stay because they were all alone. He hoped Abby’s kindness hadn’t jeopardized her position.
    “Will Whittemore give you a hard time when you get back?”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “Good.” He jabbed a piece of ham with a fork and flipped it.
    “So what about the children?” she asked, stirring the biscuit mixture.
    Where did he start? In less than twenty-four hours his life had turned upside down. The welfare of four children was his responsibility, a fact that had kept him up half the night. He was tired. And not just on account of Katie.
    After she had finally settled down, he’d tried to sleep. Every time he came close, a vision of Abby’s wild red hair and big blue eyes jolted