Lonestar Sanctuary by Colleen Coble Read Free Book Online

window. An idea presented itself, a crazy idea. Not
even Jon would expect him to go so far to help his wife and kid. His gaze
lit on her old rattletrap truck. Both front tires were flat this morning.
    He owed Jon his life.
    No, he couldn't do it. There had to be another way. His thoughts
raced, looking for a way out. A good lawyer could help. He had some cash saved. Turning, he looked at her and saw what a judge would see.
A young woman with no steady means of support, dragging a kid all
around the country. Put that up against two stable parents with plenty
of money and a nice home, and Allie would lose.

    He'd promised.
    It wouldn't be forever. If he clung to that, maybe he could do it.
What right did he have not to? Jon had counted on him. And, really,
what would this cost him? Nothing in money. Only some time and a
little inconvenience.
    He went back to the table. "I made him a promise I've been too
chicken to keep."
    "A promise?"
    "To take care of you and Betsy. I only know of one way to ensure
Betsy isn't taken away from you." He hitched his thumbs into the
pockets of his jeans. "If you're married and your husband adopts Betsy,
his parents won't be able to touch her."
    The soft pink drained from her cheeks, and her blue eyes grew
enormous. "Marriage? To who?" she whispered. "Are you crazy?"
    "To me. You'll have a stable home, insurance for her care, a father
to replace the one she lost." He finally found the courage to look her
in the eye. "I'll probably be a lousy husband, but I think I could be a
good dad. A stepfather would have no trouble adopting Betsy."
    She swung her head from side to side. "I can't marry you. I don't
know you. Neither does Betsy."
    "Think of it as a temporary thing. Once the adoption is final, we
can wait a few months, then get a divorce."
    "Marriage should be more than a convenient arrangement."
    "Do you have a better idea?" He waited until she looked away. "I
didn't think so."

    She held up her hand. "Just be quiet a minute. Let me think. There
has to be some other way."
    He pressed his lips together and prayed she'd think of something.
But he knew she wouldn't. Sometimes only the hard way worked.
    ALLIE COULDN'T THINK, COULDN'T GET HER MIND AROUND RICK'S OUTlandish proposal. The silence had gone on between them long enough
that she managed to force down her breakfast, but it was as dry as the
sand outside.
    She couldn't marry him. Maybe she should just run back to El Paso
and take her chances. He was the exact opposite of the type of man
who attracted her. The Neanderthal type was too overpowering for
her taste. She liked long, slim limbs and someone who didn't tower
over her like a ponderosa pine.
    Even more importantly, she couldn't run the risk of anyone taking
Jon's place with Betsy. The little girl was already warming up to the
big man. How well did she remember her daddy? The thought of her
forgetting Jon broke Allie's heart. Jon deserved whatever it took to
keep his memory alive in his daughter's heart.
    Elijah stepped into the room.
    "Breakfast, mujercita?" Elijah's dark eyes drooped with fatigue, but
his step was spry.
    Allie pinned a smile in place. At least she and Rick didn't have to
discuss it now. "Good morning, Elijah. I hope you're hungry."
    "I could eat Roscoe, the big bull in the back pasture," Elijah said.
He took the plate of food. His gaze swept the kitchen. "You worked
hard this morning," he said. "Thank you for taking care of us bachelors. I think we would win a title for biggest slobs, si?"

    "My bedroom is neat," Rick said. "Too much military in me for me
not to make my bed."
    Allie avoided looking at Rick. "Is there anything else I can do for
you today, Elijah? I thought I might clean the house if that's all right."
    "I'm in need of a housekeeper since my Rosa retired," Elijah said.
"Would you want the position?"
    "Of course!" There. She didn't have to marry Rick. There were
surely other options.
    "The housekeeper takes care of