His Texas Wildflower by Stella Bagwell Read Free Book Online Page A

finally answered! Is everything all right?”
    Rebecca’s jaw tightened. “Is that question supposed to be some sort of joke? How could everything be all right? I just watched my aunt—an aunt I didn’t even know I had—be lowered into the ground!”
    â€œNow, Rebecca, honey, please let’s don’t start in about all of that now. Gertrude is gone. There’s no use talking about her anymore.”
    If it hadn’t been for disturbing the other hotel guests, Rebecca would have actually screamed into the phone. Instead, she tried to calm the rage boiling inside her. “Sure. Just forget her,” she said, in a voice heavy with sarcasm, “and get on with our neat little lives. The way you’ve seemed to do for the past thirty years.”
    There was a long stretch of silence and then Gwyn asked, “When are you coming home?”
    Clearly Gwyn was still refusing to open up about Gertrude and her indifferent attitude about her own fleshand blood caused something to suddenly click inside Rebecca. Feeling strangely calm, she said, “I’m not. At least, not for a good while. I have things to do here. And I want to make sure they’re done right.”
    Gwyn gasped. “What sort of things? What are you talking about?”
    â€œListen, Mother, my aunt left everything she had in this world to me. And even though she’s gone now, she still deserves my attention. I owe her that much—” Emotions suddenly filled Rebecca’s throat, choking her. “That and so much more.”
    â€œBut, Rebecca—she—your job—you’ll have to be getting back here to Houston soon!”
    â€œYou worry about my job, Mother. You seem to love it much more than I do, anyway.”
    â€œRebecca! You—”
    â€œI’m sorry, Mother. I’m very busy. I’ve got to get off.”
    Rebecca hung up the phone, then purposely walked over to the closet and pulled out the luggage she’d brought with her. An hour later, she’d packed all her things, checked out of the hotel, and after purchasing a few items at the grocery store, headed north to Gertie’s place.
    As she drove northwest, out of the mountains and onto the desert floor of the Tularosa Basin, she picked up her cell phone and pushed a button that would connect her with her boss in Houston.
    â€œYou’re going to do what?” the woman exclaimed loudly in her ear.
    Rebecca felt the ridiculous urge to smile, but forced herself not to. Even before her father had died, she’d been a responsible child, who’d grown into an even more responsible adult. She’d never done an impulsive thingin her life and she was shocked at how good it felt to be doing it now.
    â€œI need to take a leave, Arlene.”
    â€œYes, but you said indefinitely! Surely this break you’re taking won’t require that much time! What will I do without you? The Dallas show is coming up and then New York City. I have to have a buyer there! Otherwise—”
    Outside her car window, the sun was casting a purple and gold hue across the desert floor. She’d never seen anything so wild and beautiful. “Send Elsa. She knows what she’s doing and she’ll be more than happy to step into my shoes.”
    Arlene snorted and mouthed a curse beneath her breath. The woman’s reaction didn’t surprise Rebecca. Arlene was in her late fifties and had spent more than thirty years working for Bordeaux’s. Still single, she’d made the famous department store her life and believed that Rebecca and its other employees should, too.
    â€œElsa doesn’t have your taste or finesse with people. I want you back here in two weeks. That’s all I can afford to give you, Rebecca.”
    The demanding ultimatum brought an angry flare to Rebecca’s nostrils. She’d given so much of herself, her life, to Bordeaux’s and all she could expect in return for her