Texas Brides Collection by Darlene Mindrup Read Free Book Online Page A

her pa could be stubborn about some things. He seemed to forget she’d be eighteen years old soon.
    “Chet, we haven’t caught a thing,” she said.
    A furrow creased his brow, and he expelled a heavy breath. “The cap’n is expecting fish for supper.”
    “I know. He’ll be disappointed.”
    “No, he’ll be wrathful,” Chet said.
    “Pa wouldn’t get mad because the fish weren’t biting.”
    “He’s more concerned about things other than what we pull out of this river.”
    Serena’s heart pounded hard against her chest. “Your job along the Rio Grande?”
    “No.”
    Silence seemed to deafen her. She couldn’t think of anything to say or ask. So he lay back down on the grass, and they sat for another half hour waiting for the fish to bite.
    “Are you hungry?” Serena asked when she heard his stomach growl.
    “Yeah.” He glanced up at the sky. “A little food would be nice.”
    She stood and walked over to the leather pouch containing leftovers from earlier. Refusing to dwell on Pa’s anger when he would find out they hadn’t caught any fish, she pulled out biscuits and corn bread left from breakfast and chunks of smoked ham and laid them on a cloth. The canteens held plenty of water.
    “Here we are,” she said, doing her best to sound cheerful. Spreading the cloth between them, she urged him to eat, but she had no appetite, no fish for Pa, and no endearing words from Chet.
    “Aren’t you hungry?” he asked, after downing a thick biscuit with a layer of ham tucked inside.
    “No, go ahead. Can I ask you something?”
    “Sure.”
    “Will you still be here for my birthday, like you said last night?” She held her breath, almost afraid of his reply.
    Chet wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and took a swallow of water. “Serena,” he said softly.
    She peered into his face, and if somebody had asked her, she wouldn’t have known her own name.
    “We both know why the cap’n is expecting a whole mess of fish.”
    She took a deep breath and nodded. A noisy blue jay chased a squirrel up a tree, reminding her of Pa chasing Chet.
    “So what are we gonna do about it?” he asked.
    The gurgling sound of the river hitting the rocks masked her fluttering heart. She wet her lips and tried to form her words. “I don’t know.”
    “I’ve been praying for what’s right—not saying a word to you and abiding by your pa or speaking my mind.”
    Her heart pounded so hard, she could barely breathe. “Since you spoke up, what have you decided?”
    “Aw,” and he tossed a pebble into the water, skimming it in wide circles. “Both.”
    Stunned, Serena gazed into his eyes, then hastily glanced away. “Then say your piece.”
    He leaned on his side again, still balancing the fishing pole with his boots. “I need to tell you how I feel. Not sure why, except I’m about to explode like a hundred shotgun blasts.” Taking a deep breath, he continued. “I believe I’ve fallen in love with you, Serena, and your pa would have my hide for saying it.”
    She felt herself trembling. How many nights had she lain awake dreaming of Chet telling her those words? Did she dare reply? “I…I feel the same,” she managed.
    He snapped off a blade of grass. “Might be easier if you didn’t. I didn’t mean to stir up any more trouble than I already have.”
    She fidgeted with the petals of her wildflower. “So you believe there’s nothing we can do?”
    The tension between them could have been split with an axe.
    “Well, I certainly hadn’t planned on this, and life with me wouldn’t be easy. I reckon I could give up rangering. It might ease things with your pa.”
    Serena shook her head. “You belong with the Rangers. It’s your life, like breathing. I wouldn’t ever ask you to give it up. There’s bound to be another way.”
    He chuckled and squinted up at her with the blade of grass sticking out his mouth. “Sure wish God would tell me what to do.”
    “Me, too.”
    “Funny how I’ve known you