Promises Linger (Promise Series) by Sarah McCarty Read Free Book Online Page A

jumped down and strode around front.
    “Could you hop down and bring Shameless up with old Willoughby here?”
    Catching her skirts in hand, she did as asked. “I didn’t know his name was Willoughby.”
    “Occurred to me on the ride here that he had the look of a Willoughby.”
    As she brought his horse up beside the other, she couldn’t help asking, “What does a Willoughby look like?”
    He handed her the reins of the horse harnessed to the buckboard. “Like this.”
    He didn’t smile as he said it and, this close to the trough, she could see why. The water was brackish with bits of green slime drifting across the surface. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.
    “I gave orders…”
    She let the disclaimer trail off as Asa headed for the well pump. What did it matter if she gave orders? The fact that her hands had allowed the horse’s water to stand this long was humiliating testimony as to what they thought of her authority.
    He returned with two buckets and set one in front of each horse. She tightened her grip on Shameless’ reins. Whatever angle her husband wished to attack from, she had no defense. The ranch was a mess. She’d failed to control anything.
    His finger tipped her face to his in a gesture that was becoming familiar. She fought the urge to close her eyes. She deserved this.
    “You scooting my gaze because you’re embarrassed?”
    “Wouldn’t you be?”
    “Yeah, but I’m not a woman trying to keep a ranch together by myself.”
    Willoughby jerked his head free to reach the water. She jerked her chin out of Asa’s reach with no less urgency. Grinding her teeth for control, she shoved the reins into his hands. Useless. The man saw her as useless. “From the quiet, the men haven’t ridden in yet.”
    “How many are there?”
    “Ten when I left.”
    His left eyebrow rose. “Should I be expecting more or less?”
    She pulled off her gloves one finger at a time before answering. “I have no idea. Would you like me to introduce you when they get here?”
    “Morning’ll be soon enough.”
    She took a deep breath, shoved her gloves in her reticule, and wished he were given to excessive speech. At least that way she’d know what he was thinking. And where she needed to bolster her defenses.
    “Why don’t you head into the house and rustle up some dinner while I get Willoughby and Shameless settled?”
    Resentment swept over her in waves at his dismissal. But what did she expect? Respect? When his first view of her home showed the level of her failure?
    “Would you prefer steak or ham?” she asked carefully as he led the horses away.
    He stopped so quickly, Shameless bumped him with his head. He went forward two steps before asking, “You got any syrup to go with that ham?”
    “I think so.”
    Shameless bumped him with his nose, anxious to get to the barn. Asa didn’t budge. She remembered his tactful reaction to the shambles of the ranch and softened despite herself. “Would you care for anything special?”
    “Mashed potatoes?”
    Mashed potatoes were as common as day old bread, but he made the request with the same awe a miner would demonstrate when confronted with the specter of a two-pound nugget. She ran her gaze over Asa from his head to his toes. He was a big man. Last night, he’d had a dinner equal to hers in size. She remembered how quickly he’d demolished it. How closely he’d watched her finish hers. She remembered how he’d taken on Brent.
    “I could probably manage potatoes.”
    His free hand went to the front of his body. “I’d be obliged.”
    She studied him with new eyes. His chestnut brown hair, long overdue for a cut, curled over the collar of his shirt. His clothes were practical, but, on closer scrutiny, worn threadbare in places. He was tall and big-boned, no doubt about it, but now she wondered if his leanness came naturally or from lack of proper food.
    “If the coons didn’t get to the good corn, I could probably put together some