Bran (Prairie Grooms, Book Six) by Kit Morgan Read Free Book Online Page A

times.”
    Fina laughed. “So I've heard. Sadie told me!”
    “Why have I never heard about this?” asked Apple, feeling a bit put out. But that was okay, at least their talk of a life-saving chicken would keep her mind off of her own troubles.
    “Probably because you've been out at the Triple C so much,” suggested Fina.
    “Far too much,” sighed Apple. “But I'm glad I get to visit you, and now Penelope!” She sat back down and took a bite of her biscuit.
    “Have you eaten supper?” Fina asked Penelope.
    “No, have you had yours?”
    “No we haven't. I'm sure Levi and August will come into the house soon. I'm trying my hand at soup today.”
    “She hasn't burned it yet,” said Apple with a smile. “And her biscuits aren't burnt either!”
    “You stopped burning your biscuits?” asked Penelope, her tone envious.
    “Yes, at long last! What about you?”
    “I've got mine to a dark brown-not-quite-black on the bottom,” Penelope told her with a smile. “But clearly, you’ve already mastered yours.”
    Fina sighed as she took Penelope's hand and led her to the kitchen table. “Yes, but I'm still working on my bread.”
    “Good Heavens!” Penelope exclaimed. “That's not all you've been working on! Look at that table!”
    “Yes, it's a start,” said Fina with pride.
    Penelope laughed. “What does Levi think of your painting?”
    “He's… adjusting.”
    Penelope laughed then took in the rest of her surroundings. “I love it, Fina. Your home is lovely.”
    “Thank you. Lena’s is nice too, I finally got to see it the other day.”
    “Do like being so close to your sister?” asked Penelope.
    “Yes, I love it. There's a trail that connects the two properties and we can see each other whenever we want.”
    “How wonderful! I do wish I could say the same, especially when it comes to Constance, but she's happy with Ryder and where they live.” She turned to Apple. “And what about you Apple? Are you hoping to marry someone who lives close to town?”
    Apple gaped at them, then slowly shook her head. “I don't think it's going to matter.”
    Penelope and Fina exchanged a quick look. “It will once you're finally married,” said Fina. “Personally, I hope it's someone who lives close by, and we can see each other whenever we want just as Lena and I are able to. Wouldn't that be wonderful?”
    Apple smiled then looked away and feigned interest in another biscuit. “Yes, of course it would.”
    Fina went to the stove and stirred a pot of soup. “Any thing new with you and August?” she asked her cousin.
    Penelope sat at the table. “No news of anything other than a cranky rooster.”
    Fina laughed. “Of course you heard about what happened yesterday?” She turned and looked at Apple. “Penelope is going to find out anyway, we might as well tell her.”
    Apple cringed and nodded. She then looked at her cousin across the table. “Did you hear?”
    “Hear what?”
    Apple grimaced. “I accidentally shoved Deputy O'Hare into the safe at the bank, and locked him inside.”
    Penelope gasped. “You did what?!”
    “I almost killed him,” Apple said with a shrug.
    “Killed him?” Penelope screeched. “Apple, what you talking about?”
    Apple let out a sigh. Did she really want to talk about this? No, but now that it was out of the bag, her cousin would want to know everything. She might as well get used to it. “I was in the bank… er… when I really shouldn't have been… and Deputy O'Hare came in to put money in the safe for some folks. I mistook him for an outlaw.”
    “Oh dear,” said Penelope. “Then what happened?”
    Apple studied her fingernails. “I thought the best way to take care of the situation would be to push him into the safe and shut it.”
    “Why was the safe open in the first place?” asked Penelope.
    “Mr. Van Cleet locks the bank, but he hardly locks the safe,” explained Fina. “Levi had been there earlier and left, but dropped his key in the street out