Renegade Father by RaeAnne Thayne Read Free Book Online

her pulse sounded loud and strident in her ears. She was more edgy than she cared to admit, a realization that sent fresh anger coursing through her.
    This house, with its softly weathered logs and its wraparound porch, was her haven now. She had no reason to be afraid here anymore and she hated that someone could dredge up all these old feelings. If it was Patch playing a trick, she planned to give him an earful he wouldn’t soon forget.
    She walked into the big kitchen, expecting somebody to jump out any minute with a gleeful “boo,” but the room was empty.
    She scratched the back of her head, baffled and uneasy. Was she going crazy? She had heard the door open and close, hadn’t she?
    Maybe not. Maybe she was hearing things. Maybeshe was just overwrought from all the stress of the day before.
    It was the only explanation, since there was obviously no one in the house and a quick glance out the kitchen window showed no one between the house and the outbuildings except a few chickens scratching through the snow looking for lunch.
    She couldn’t see any tracks on the walk either, but C.J. had cleared most of the snow away this morning and the rest was so packed it probably wouldn’t show anything.
    This was too creepy. Maybe she ought to go take a look upstairs….
    The phone suddenly jangled loudly in the silence, sending her jumping at least a foot into the air. She grabbed at her chest where her heart threatened to hammer through her rib cage. “It’s just the phone, you big baby,” she chided herself, and crossed to the wall unit next to the refrigerator.
    â€œHello?” Despite her best efforts to calm herself, her pulse still fluttered wildly.
    â€œHey. I hear you’re on the lookout for a new foreman.”
    She slumped against the counter at the familiar voice of her closest neighbor and pushed away the rest of her lingering unease. “Hey, Colt. News travels fast.”
    â€œIt does when it’s bad news. What the hell is Joe thinking? He can’t leave you in the lurch like that, right before spring planting.”
    â€œHe’s given me two months’ notice—more than anyone else would. I can’t ask for more than that.”
    â€œI can. I’m coming over to talk some sense into him.”
    She ground her teeth. Lord spare her from arrogantmen who didn’t think she was competent enough to brush her teeth without them standing over her checking every last inch of enamel.
    Colton McKendrick grew up on the adjacent ranch, the Broken Spur, where Joe’s father had worked. And just like Joe, he thought it was his mission in life to watch out for her. Even though she had been four years younger than the boys, they were the only other kids for miles so the three of them had been inseparable, always tumbling into one scrape after another.
    Before her divorce, Joe had run the Broken Spur for him while Colt devoted himself first to the military and then to FBI undercover work, trying to outrun his ghosts.
    She loved him dearly and was thrilled that his days of running were over, but she wished just once he and Joe would both realize she was all grown up and could take care of herself.
    Most of the time, anyway.
    â€œColt, stay out of it. This is something Joe wants to do and I’ve accepted that. You should, too.”
    â€œBull. You need him.”
    â€œI need a foreman,” she answered. “But it doesn’t necessarily have to be Joe Redhawk.”
    â€œHe’s the best there is. Dammit, how can he just run out on you like this?”
    â€œYou’ll have to ask him that.”
    â€œI plan to, right now. I’m on my way.”
    Colt severed the connection before she could argue with him. She had barely returned the phone to the receiver and put more coffee on when she heard the crunch of truck tires on snow out front, followed by a vehicle door slamming.
    She opened the mudroom door before he could knockand was