Family Ties (Hidden Secrets) by P. J. Belden Read Free Book Online Page B

got on the wrong horse.  This horse hadn’t been broken in yet.  To make a long story short, he was tossed off.  If that wasn’t embarrassing enough, he landed in shit.  He was called Piles for a while after that.” Tobey said, laughing.
    “ I can actually picture that,” I said laughing.

Chapter Four
    Tobey
     
     
     
    Her laugh was enchanting; too enchanting.  I was beginning to forget my reason for being here. Oh but when she laughed her whole face lit up like lights on a Christmas tree.  It was a sight to see.  Lost in her laughter, I just stared at her.  My head was telling me to focus on the mission, but everything else was telling me to focus on her. 
    The sudden buzzing of my phone broke my trance over her laughter.  When I looked down I saw who it was. I glanced up at Mary.
    “I’m sorry. I have to get this.” I gave her my best apologetic smile.
    “ It’s okay, I understand.” She smiled and played around with her napkin.
    “ Hey, what’s wrong?”
    “ Stargazer got tangled in a downed wire.”
    “ What are you talking about?  Why was she in a pasture with wire and not fencing? You know she doesn’t see them as fencing.  It was the whole reason we sectioned off the pastures the way we did.”
    “ I know. I can’t tell you how it happened.  I asked the guys and they said none of them moved her over.  We’re asking the hands, but I just wanted to let you know.  She’s hurt pretty bad.”
    “ We were supposed to show her next week.  How bad is she?”
    “ I’m not going to lie to you brother, she’s pretty tore up. Unless the vet can do plastic surgery, I think we lost our show horse…with her anyway.”
    “ Fuck!”
    “ Look, I gotta go Joel’s flagging me down here.”
    “ Yeah, keep me updated.”
    As I hung up the phone and was rubbing the bridge of my nose, Mary ’s phone rang.  I glanced at her as she got a nervous look on her face.  She kept staring at her phone and I could see her hand begin to shake.  Slowly, she lifted her hand and swiped her finger across the phone, answering it, raising the phone to her ear.  She jumped a little.
    “ I’m eating lunch or will be once the fo-…No…I stayed for…Will you…No ple…” She pulls the phone away from her ear and stares at it blankly.
    “ Everything okay?”
    She jumped as if she didn’t know I was sitting there. “Oh yeah, fine,” she smiled and I could tell it’s forced.
    For some reason, I wanted to help her.  I had to clench my fists under the table to keep from reaching for her.  I was still unsure what the hell is going on with my body, but thankfully my brain still has control.  There is no room for error right now.  I have to execute my plan and get back to my ranch. Just as I ’m about to get ready to be a complete ass, a voice breaks through my anger about losing my show horse.
    Find out her secrets and tell the world … then you can bring down the girl.
    That ’s exactly what I need to do.  I need to figure out how to bring her down and the only way I can do that is by getting close to her. Besides, what harm would there be in having my cake and eating it too?  It has been a while since I have even thought about having some fun and meeting some of my physical needs, but Mary just seemed like the perfect woman to end my dry streak with.  If my semi was any indication of the effect she had on me.  She was definitely different.
    Mary was smart, entertaining, sexy as hell and just fun to be around.   Yes, I still remembered what I was doing, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t have some fun while I was at it.  She was definitely one of a kind.  Talking to her, I couldn’t help but wonder why she would have gone after my family like she did.  She doesn’t seem to have an evil bone in her body.  Though, I have learned that looks can be deceiving.  Hell for all I know she could be acting the role because we’re in public. But then I watch as she thinks of others before herself.