Love On The Brazos by Susan Leigh Carlton Read Free Book Online

going to be hot out here pretty soon.”
     
    “I noticed it was getting a bit warm,” she said as they wandered slowly back toward the mansion.
     
    She went with him to take care of the horses.  She said, “I’ll take care of mine.”
     
    “Well, look at you.”  They wet the horses down, and Michael put some grain out for them and turned them out to the pasture and watches as they galloped off.
     
    “Come on, I want to show you my special place,” and walked around to the back of the house.  There was a nice shade tree with a swing hung from one of the branches.
     
    “Papaw has one of these he hung for me when I was about seven or eight,” she said.
     
    “Mine has a spare tire to sit in.  I used to try to swing high enough to touch the clouds.  I never made it, but I scared Papaw to death.”
     
    “Where does your grandfather live?”
     
    “He and grandmama have a ranch near Rosenberg on the Brazos.  They don’t do much on the ranch.  They have some cattle and Papaw has a foreman that runs the ranch.  Dad wants him to move closer to Sugar Land or Houston so they are closer to medical facilities.  They both are eighty and healthy as a horse.”
     
    “Is there oil on their ranch?”
     
    “Oh yes.  I don’t know how much of it is active but I would go with Papaw when I was little.  We would ride out on horseback.  I loved to watch the pumpjacks.”
     
    “Sounds as if you had a happy childhood.”
     
    “I did.  I had no idea what was going on in the real world, but it was fun.  When school was out I would go to work with Daddy.  I even had my own hard hat.”
     
    “I did just about the same thing with my Dad, but he didn’t get his hands dirty by then.  It was a good life.  I was lucky.  Dad wanted me in the business, but I was more of a numbers person.”
     
    “Are you going to stay in banking, then?”
     
    “Banking and investments.  That’s where the real money is, and it’s fun digging out the good ones.  I seem to have a knack for it, and I love it.”
     
    “Michael, as enjoyable as this has been, I need to get back.  I have some work to do.”
     
    Michael took her in his arms and held her closely.  He looked down at her and reflected, “This is one smart, and special girl.  I want to share her life, and her to share mine” He tilted her chin and brought his lips to hers.  They tasted of warm honey and cream.  They shared a long and tender kiss. 
     
    When they broke it off, she said, “That was nice and sweet.  I enjoyed it, but I have to go.  I want to thank your mother for the lunch.  That was very thoughtful of her.”  They went into the house.  She went to his mother, and hugged her and thanked her for the picnic lunch. 
     
    Michael walked her to her car and held the door for her.
     
    “Talk to you tomorrow, Michael?”
     
    “I hope so.” 
     
    “Bye, and thanks for a nice day.”  With that, she closed the door, waved goodbye and drove off.
     
    Michael went back into the house and into the kitchen where his mother was putting some things away.  She said, “Michael that is a lovely girl.  I really like her.”
     
    “I do too, Mom.  I think she is really special.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 6   An Old Flame Returns
    “Jordy, we need to talk,” Jim Carlyle said to his daughter.
     
    “Sure, Daddy, what’s up?”
     
    “I went to the doctor yesterday, and we discussed my condition.  He pretty much told me, I’m not going to get any better than I am today.  There’s no way I can ever come back to work full time,” his voice filled with emotion.
     
    With tears in her eyes, and a lump in her throat she replied, “I think you’re getting better, a little bit at a time.”
     
    “That’s wishful thinking honey.  It’s a part of life, and I accept it.  It’s just that I always wanted to work with you and I thought we’d have years of working together.”
     
    “Daddy, I need you.