Sarah's Surrender by Vickie; McDonough Read Free Book Online Page B

He pulled out the chair next to Jack’s for Sarah, and once she sat, he dropped down in the chair on her left.
    Jack leaned forward, turning his head toward her and Luke. “Mr. Hawkins is a newspaperman from Kansas City. He and his daughter have come to cover the lottery.”
    â€œOh?” Sarah focused on Miss Hawkins. “Do you also work for the paper?”
    Miss Hawkins covered her mouth and giggled. “Oh no. Father would never allow that, but I do transpose his notes.” She leaned forward as if conveying a secret. “His handwriting is atrocious, and I’m the only one who can decipher it.”
    â€œNannette,” her father scolded, his cheeks red beneath his closely cropped beard.
    â€œI do like to travel, too,” the vivacious young woman continued, as if her father hadn’t said a word. “So I usually jump at the chance to see new places.” She cast a quick glance around the dining room. “Although I have to say, this is one of the more backward places we’ve been to.”
    Sarah tried to view the room through Nannette’s eyes. She’d stayed in nicer hotels on the shopping trips she’d taken to bigger towns, but she failed to find fault with this one. The furniture was nice, and obviously the bed had been comfortable since she’d fallen asleep so quickly.
    Luke cleared his throat. “It’s admirable of you to help your father as you do.”
    Miss Hawkins’s gaze latched onto Luke’s, her eyes gleaming. “That’s kind of you to say so, Mr. McNeil.”
    He shook his head. “Call me Luke. Everyone else does.”
    Sarah frowned. Luke never met a stranger, and he had no sense of propriety. Besides teaching Sarah to read and speak properly, Lara had taken plenty of time to teach Sarah what was proper and what wasn’t. She knew manners and etiquette enough to know that you don’t refer to someone you just met by his Christian name.
    â€œAnd you must call me Nannette.”
    Her father cleared his throat as the waitress stopped at their table. “I do believe it’s time to order.”
    They each relayed their requests, and then the waitress moved to another table.
    â€œDo you plan to stay in town until the lottery?” Mr. Hawkins smoothed his mustache with a thick finger.
    â€œNo. We don’t care to live in the hotel for several weeks. We’re only staying long enough to get registered. Then we’re returning to my brother-in-law’s ranch, where we all live,” Jack offered.
    â€œI take it you’re all staying in this hotel?” Mr. Hawkins asked.
    Jack stirred some sugar into his coffee. “Not exactly. I had requested two rooms, but when we arrived, they’d only had one for us, so I gave it to Sarah.”
    She stared at her lap, greatly relieved he’d left out the part about possibly sharing the room.
    â€œOh, that’s a shame.” Miss Hawkins shifted her gaze from Jack to Luke again.
    Sarah squirmed in her seat, uncomfortable with the woman’s open admiration of her close friend.
    Miss Hawkins batted her lashes as if she had dust in them. “So, where will you stay since the hotel is full?”
    Luke shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “It won’t be the first time we’ve slept under the stars.”
    After picking up her napkin, Miss Hawkins gave it a shake then placed it in her lap. “But if I’m not mistaken, we may get rain today.”
    Jack grinned. “The rain’s good for washing off the dust.”
    Miss Hawkins frowned, but then her eyes lit up as if she’d thought of something. “Please excuse me while I ask Father a question.” She leaned over and whispered something in his ear.
    He lifted one eyebrow and studied his daughter for a moment. “If you’re sure that’s what you want to do, you have my permission.”
    A brilliant smile enveloped the pretty woman’s face.