Hang Tough by Lorelei James Read Free Book Online

Renner started down the long hallway.
    Tobin grabbed a soda out of the fridge and followed. In the office, he dropped into the chair opposite Renner’s desk and sighed heavily.
    Renner said, “So?”
    â€œI know I’ve filled you in on the Garnet situation but it just got a whole lot more interesting.”
    â€œMoving vans haven’t shown up already, have they?” Renner said sharply.
    â€œNo. Garnet’s granddaughter Jade showed up yesterday instead.”
    â€œJade?” Renner frowned. “I don’t recall ever hearing that name.”
    â€œExactly.”
    â€œWhat do you know about her?”
    â€œShe’s beautiful,” popped out of his mouth first thing. “Got an attitude too, that’s for sure. She was in my face from the get-go, which was a challenge for her since she’s like five foot nothin’. She accused me of manipulating her grandma. I questioned why Garnet’s family took an interest in her only when they wanted to imprison her.”
    â€œYikes.”
    â€œYeah. Not a productive conversation. Long story short, Jade has moved in and is bein’ vague about how long she intends to stick around. I can’t just abandon Garnet, especially after . . .” Tobin scratched his jaw. “You know how Miz G always wears them funky clothes? The more outlandish the better? This morning she was wearing khakis. Khakis! And a plain, long-sleeved tan shirt. She even put on those preppy loafers. Not in vivid orange or bright pink but in basic brown. No jaunty scarf tied around her neck or worn as a headband. No jewelry. No rhinestones or sparkles anywhere. She looked like a Sears appliance saleswoman.” Tobin swigged his soda. “So I asked her, ‘Is it laundry day, Miz G, and that’s all you have left to wear?’”
    â€œHow’d that go over?”
    â€œDammit, Ren, she got teary-eyed. She said the time had come for her to toe the line and act her age.” He tamped down his anger. “Then she asked if I’d drop off the eight garbage bags of clothes she’d removed from her closet and bring them to the Salvation Army donation center. I told her I would, but only if she was sure.”
    â€œWas she?”
    â€œUp until her gold lamé disco pants fell out of the bag I was carrying to my truck. When she picked them up and hugged them, I had to turn away. I hoped when I turned around I’d see that she’d run those garish pants up the flagpole as a sign of rebellion. But she just handed them over and said, ‘You dropped these, sonny.’”
    â€œChrist.” Renner’s gaze flicked to his monitor and then back to Tobin. “All those bags are in your truck now?”
    He nodded.
    â€œTake ’em to Harper at the clothing store and explain what’s goin’ on. There’s plenty of storage in the back room. She’ll keep an eye on them for a while in case Garnet changes her mind.”
    â€œThanks. So in light of this . . . I’ll be sticking around longer than I planned.”
    â€œHow much longer?”
    Tobin blew out a breath. “I’m hopin’ just a week.”
    Renner sipped his coffee. “What about Albuquerque?”
    â€œI told them I had a family emergency.” He’d hated calling to postpone, but he’d tossed and turned half the damn night and hadn’t seen an alternative.
    â€œWhile I believe what you’re doin’ for Garnet is admirable, don’t let it interfere with your plans any more than it already has.”
    â€œAny applicants for my job?”
    â€œNot a single one.”
    â€œThat sucks.”
    â€œTell me about it. Anyone worth their salt knows bein’ a ranch foreman is a lot of work. Anyone with a map can see we’re highly isolated here. Those two things together . . .” He shook his head. “Anyway, my personnel issues ain’t your