Rachel's Cowboy by Judy Christenberry Read Free Book Online

storm?”
    Rachel and Madge exchanged a look. Then Rachel said, “I’m not out in the storm. I’m on a sheltered porch with a heater two feet away from me.”
    “But you shouldn’t be out here!” J.D. exclaimed, glaring at her for daring to be reasonable.
    “J.D., I’m not that useless. I can help,” Rachel said stiffly.
    J.D. noticed Madge waving him away. He couldn’t believe she was telling him to leave. He gave it another shot. “This has nothing to do with your usefulness, Rachel. I’m trying to do what’s best for you.”
    “We know, J.D.,” Madge said gently. “Now be on your way and find us more babies to care for.”
    Rachel reached for the latest arrival, already cooing to it, as if it were a real baby. J.D. stood a moment longer, watching her rub the baby calf and coax it to suck the milk bottle.
    Madge awakened him from his trance. “J.D.”
    “Right.” He walked away from the porch, returning to the wild weather outside to look for more stranded calves.
     
    “I THINK YOU SAVED that baby’s life, Rachel. I didn’t think he’d learn to take the bottle.”
    “Do you think he’ll make it, Madge?” Rachel asked, her gaze on her favorite calf.
    “Yes, I do. I wouldn’t have had the time to cuddle him like you did. I’m so glad you’re here.”
    A smile broke across her face as she sat back on her heels. They’d been on the porch with the calves for hours, but Rachel felt nothing but elated. “That’s such a nice thing to say. I’ve enjoyed it so much. For the first time in a long time, I’ve done something useful.”
    “Surely your modeling is useful.”
    “Not very. How desperate would you be without seeing a picture of some woman posing in clothing they want you to buy?”
    Madge helped her up from the porch floor, and together they went into the kitchen. “But you make lots of money. I’ve read about models making millions.”
    Rachel gave a bitter laugh. “In my dreams. I’m not a high fashion model, Madge. I’m a print model. I’m in the catalogs, or the flyers that come with your monthly bill, trying to get you to buy more. I’ve made decent money, but not all that much. After my mother stole my savings, I was flat broke. But Jeff, Rebecca’s husband, recovered about twenty-five thousand for me and I’ve been working hard ever sinceto put some money away. I have no retirement funds except for my savings. And models don’t have long careers.”
    “But you’re so pretty. I’m sure you can model for many more years.”
    “I’m not pretty now. I was under such pressure I lost too much weight and got run-down. That’s why I caught pneumonia.” She took off her coat and sat at the table Madge had set for lunch. When had she had the time? “You should see my twin. She’s expecting a baby and she just glows.”
    “Was it strange, finding out you had a twin?” Madge asked as she brought Rachel a cup of her tomato soup.
    Rachel took a sip before she answered. “In some ways. But I always had a feeling something was missing. I tried to ignore it, but I finally understood it when Rebecca and I were reunited. Even Vanessa, my youngest sister…we’re all so much alike.”
    “How did they find you?” Madge asked.
    “It was more like how did I find them, ” Rachel said. “I was reading a local newspaper one day last fall when I saw a picture of myself. Actually, it was my twin.” She went on to explain how Rebecca had been photographed at a basketball game with her son and Jeff Jacobs, a local lawyer. Once she laid eyes on the woman in the picture, all the suspicions she’d had growing up had been confirmed. Whenever she’d questioned her mother about why there’d been no pictures of her before the age of three, she’d never believed her mother’s lame excuses. For Rachel, there was always a part of her that felt incomplete. After seeing thepicture, she contacted the law firm, and the rest was history.
    Madge had tears in her eyes. “It must be wonderful