Texas Rose by Marie Ferrarella Read Free Book Online

a tour of the city, she decided that this was the lesser of all evils.
    â€œAll right, I’ll show you around the city if that’s what you really want.”
    â€œI always love a warm invitation,” he said sarcastically.
    Beth intervened. “Make up and say yes, dear, before I show you your room.”
    Almost in shock, Rose stared at Beth and then Matt, praying that Beth was using some like of poetic license. “He’s staying here?”
    â€œWell, there was a suitcase in the hall next to his foot and I assumed it was his,” Beth told her.
    It could stay in the hallway for all Rose cared—along with him. “Just because he has a suitcase doesn’t mean he has to put it here. This isn’t a hotel.” The moment she said it, she regretted it, knowing what was coming.
    Beth didn’t disappoint her. “No, of course not, but I took you in, didn’t I?”
    Rose tried to rally and dig herself out of the hole she’d fallen into. “I’m family.”
    Beth merely nodded sagely. Her near-death experience on the operating table several years ago had made her reestablish communication between herself and a higher power.
    â€œWe’re all one big family in God’s eyes, dear.” She turned to Matt. “And Matt obviously needs a room, don’t you, dear?”
    He rose to his feet. “I was going to a hotel.”
    Leaning on the arm of the sofa, Beth pushed herself upright. “I’ll save you the trouble. Third door on theleft. Guest bedroom. I love having guests,” she confided.
    â€œMs. Wainwright—”
    â€œCall me Beth, please. And I won’t hear another word about it. Keep arguing and you’ll hurt my feelings. You wouldn’t want to do that, now, would you?”
    Matt shook his head in compliance, but Rose opened her mouth to protest. “But—”
    â€œGood.” Rose clapped her hands together. “Then it’s settled. You’re staying. It’s a big apartment. We won’t get in each other’s way.”
    Unless, of course, I orchestrate something, Beth added silently.

Four
    R ose was keenly aware that Matt was in the next room, settling in.
    There was another guest bedroom on the other side of her aunt’s room. Why hadn’t Beth given him that one? Why the one next to hers? What was she trying to do to her? Rose thought moodily. It was hard enough dealing with emotions and hormones that were completely out of kilter because of her condition without having to put up with barbarians not only at the gate, but storming through those same gates, as well.
    Matt had told Beth that he was planning to stay in New York about a week or two. He’d been looking at Rose when he’d said it, as if the length of time depended strictly on her.
    If that was the case, he should be on a plane for home right now, Rose thought, frustrated.
    Making up her mind to convince Beth to withdraw her invitation to Matt, Rose left her bedroom and went looking for her aunt.
    Instead she ran into a mini army of people carrying covered dishes toward the terrace.
    Following their path with her eyes, Rose found Beth. She was holding court on the terrace. Right in the middle of things, as always, stood Beth, pointing and issuing soft-spoken orders like a general mantled in a flowing caftan.
    Rose stepped out of the way of a young, trim-waisted man in black livery carrying a small box. Feeling like someone in the middle of Atlantis moments before the fatal earthquake, she made a beeline for her aunt.
    â€œAunt Beth, what is all this?”
    â€œRight there will be fine, dear,” she said to the young woman with the salad bowl. Beth spared Rose a quick glance over her shoulder. “Why, it’s dinner, darling. What does it look like?”
    There were crystal goblets, a very fancy bottle of what appeared to be ginger ale, another of champagne. Covered entrée dishes sat atop a table graced with a