Catherine's Awakening by Joanna Wylde Read Free Book Online

said. “There’s some concern that you’ll get married before the term ends. You do
    realize there’s a substantial pay penalty if that happens?”
    “Oh, you don’t need to worry about that,” she said. “I have no intention of
    marrying, Mr. Reynolds. I very much like the idea of being self-sufficient. That’s why
    I’m so interested in the house.”
    “Yes, well, I’m sure you’d do a wonderful job,” he said, nodding and smiling at her.
    Wade had to keep himself from grinding his teeth—she had every man who met her

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    Catherine’s Awakening
    crawling at her feet and she didn’t even realize it. Half the town would be all over her
    the moment she moved into that house.
    “Do you really think it’s a good idea for a woman to live alone like that?” he asked
    Reynolds, ignoring the daggers she shot at him with her eyes. “When we built the
    house, it was with the understanding that there would be a schoolmaster—a man—
    living there. Texas is a dangerous place for a woman alone. Not only that, nobody’s
    lived there for several years now. Is it even habitable?”
    Reynolds frowned, and shook his head.
    “I don’t think it’s in that bad a shape,” he said. “But you’re right about a woman
    living alone. Perhaps I should talk to the board about it.”
    “Surely it’s safe,” Catherine said, giving him a winsome smile. “It’s in the heart of
    town, not far from where you live, Mr. Reynolds. I can’t imagine any woman would feel
    unsafe there. In fact, I believe I’m probably in more danger out at the ranch. Sometimes
    the men are gone for weeks at a time, and I’m left to fend for myself.”
    Wade narrowed his eyes at her. He’d never left her alone for weeks. There were
    always ranch hands around, and his father.
    “I think you’re exaggerating,” he said. “You probably have no idea how unsettled
    this area still is.”
    “I know I lived here all through the war,” she said. “You men were gone, and the
    women were left to keep the town running. It didn’t dry up and blow away, now did
    it?”
    He opened his mouth to retort, but Reynolds stepped between them, looking
    slightly alarmed.
    “I don’t think we need to settle this here and now,” he said, his voice sounding a
    little strained. “Mrs. Masters, I’m sure you’re perfectly capable of running your own
    household. We’ll have to discuss the situation at the board meeting. Will you be
    attending the spring social and dance next week?”

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    Joanna Wylde
    “Of course,” she said, looking quickly to Wade. “That is, unless the countryside is
    too dangerous for me to travel?” She arched one delicate brow at him, challenging him.
    “We’ll be there,” Wade said, his voice gruff. Somehow he felt like he was the loser
    in this little exchange, although he wasn’t quite sure how or why.
    “Wonderful, I’ll let you know then,” Reynolds said. “Good day to both of you.”
    He tipped his hat and left. Catherine looked up at Wade, her eyes cold and hard.
    “What did you say to him before I got here?” she asked. He took her arm and
    started walking her out of the office. For a moment it seemed like she might fight him,
    but then she realized that they still had an audience, albeit a small one. She let him walk
    her back toward the wagon before she started speaking again.
    “I swear to God, Wade, if you told him something to keep him from hiring me, I’ll
    make you wish you were never born!”
    “Sometimes you make me wish that already,” he replied, feeling the blood start to
    pound in his head. “So I guess that’s sort of an empty threat. For your information, the
    only thing I told him was that we’d miss you out on the ranch. Oh, and that I thought
    you might not make it through the term without getting married.”
    “How could you say that to him?” she demanded, turning from him and shaking
    off his touch. “I want that job, Wade. I need it.”
    “Because it’s the truth,” he