brides for brothers 02 - cowboy daddy by judy christenberry Read Free Book Online

have a new nickname, ’the Blob.’”
    “Well, open them up. I feel like a chocolate break,” Lavinia said, and poured them each a cup of coffee.
    When Hank came in half an hour later, he found both the females of his family sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by their bounty. “What’s going on?”
    “Have a piece of candy, Daddy,” Janie offered.
    “What’s the occasion?”
    “Your daughter is being courted by her two suitors.” Lavinia picked up another piece of chocolate. “And I’m enjoying it.”
    “Damn! What’s wrong with those boys?” Hank fumed. “Don’t they know it’ll cause a lot of talk?”
    “Oh, Hank, just sit down and have some chocolate.”
    Hank followed his wife’s suggestion. But he suddenly wondered if he should’ve sent Lavinia chocolates every once in a while. She sure seemed to be enjoying Janie’s.
    W HAT DID HE DO NOW ? Pete asked himself. He had sent flowers and chocolates yesterday. When he’d called last night, he talked to Hank, but Janie had refused to speak to him. Seemed like his gifts didn’t help any.
    What else could he send her?
    What else could he do?
    “Well?” Jake asked, walking up beside him.
    “Well what?”
    “Did you send the flowers?”
    “Yeah, and candy, too.”
    Brett paused beside them, cocking one eyebrow. “Kind of expensive, isn’t it?”
    “Yeah, but Janie’s worth it. Only, she wouldn’t even talk to me on the phone last night.” Pete frowned at the cowboys on the cutting horses in the arena as if it were their fault.
    “Not a good sign,” Brett said calmly.
    Why not be calm? His future wasn’t at stake, Pete thought glumly.
    “Now what?” Jake asked.
    “I don’t know. I can’t figure out what to do.”
    “Maybe something a little more personal. Anyone can order flowers,” Brett stated.
    “Anyone with a lot of money,” Jake added.
    “Manning sent her flowers and candy, too.” Pete wasn’t sure how much money the man had, but he seemed as determined as Pete in his pursuit of Janie.
    One of the cowboys called from across the arena. “Pete? Telephone.”
    Jake had had phones put in all the barns several years ago. It saved them a lot of steps. Pete figured one of the rodeos he’d been in contact with had a question about the animals he was going to supply.
    “Hello?”
    “Pete, it’s Hank. I figured you might like to know that Lavinia sent Janie into town to do some grocery shopping. If she won’t talk to you on the phone, she can’t refuse to speak to you over broccoli.”
    “Okay, I’ll track her down there. Thanks, Hank.” Whether it was in produce or dairy, she’d talk to him, all right.
    J ANIE NAVIGATED the streets of Rawhide with reluctance. She hadn’t wanted to come to town so soon after the flowers and candy. But her mother needed some things right away. Besides, the weatherman said another snowstorm was moving in. It didn’t pay to be short of supplies during the winter.
    At least it was the middle of the day, when most people would be at work. She pulled into the almostempty parking lot at the only grocery store in town.
    Inside the store, she unbuttoned her coat, the sudden blast of heat thawing her out quickly.
    “Hi, Janie,” one of the checkers, Elizabeth Munger, called. Janie had gone to school with her, too. “Buddy said you’ve been getting some special deliveries.”
    Janie smiled and waved but kept on going. She hoped if she ignored those gifts, everyone would forget about them sooner. Pulling her mother’s list out of her coat pocket, she began pushing the grocery cart up one aisle and down another, piling supplies in her cart.
    “Hi, Janie. Figured you or your mother would be here,” an older woman said. She was the wife of the rancher on the other side, opposite the Randalls.
    “Hi, Mrs. Fisher. Stocking up?”
    “You bet. When one of those storms hit, you know the menfolks will tend to the cows first and the roads last. Don’t want to be caught short of the