THE RENEGADE RANCHER by Angi Morgan Read Free Book Online Page A

home, making amends with his high school sweetheart and planning to adopt her daughter.
    “Whoever stitched you up did a crappy job, bro. That’s going to leave a scar. And don’t think I’m slicing my forehead so we can switch places again.”
    “Seems as though every time we’ve switched it was your idea and I was getting you out of trouble.”
    “Don’t change the subject. What happened?” John stepped back, stiffening, as if he was at attention, commanding his men. It was obvious he wasn’t continuing with scooping oats until he got an answer. “After you went to the cops and they laughed in your face, I thought we agreed that it was over.”
    “Stand down. This ain’t the Navy, man. Nothing major happened to me. This is from a drunk in my rig.” He straightened his hat. “Lindsey’s the one who had an accident. She’s a little freaked to be alone, that’s all. I brought her here. That’s it. No big deal. Now, I’m awful tired, so why don’t we get through the chores and I’ll explain after breakfast. Once. To everyone. Alicia will be home and Dad can pretend that he’s been home all night. Right, Dad?”
    His father popped his head around the open double doors leading to the paddock. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”
    “You’re not interrupting. Maybe Blue Eyes will be awake for your interrogation. That work for everybody?”
    “Blue Eyes?” John and his dad questioned together, sounding so much alike it was creepy.
    “Yeah, Lindsey.”
    “You agreed to leave this alone. What happened twelve years ago doesn’t matter.” John picked up the scoop and measured oats for the horses.
    “It matters to me. And I never agreed. You ordered and I reminded you that I don’t take orders from you.”
    Brian left each bucket in a different stall, feeding the trained quarter horses he’d been trying to sell for months. He was ready to move to the next chore when John began laughing. “What’s so dang funny?”
    “It just occurred to me, you put those stitches in yourself. Right?” He slapped his thighs, stumbling back a couple of steps, laughing hard at his own joke. “I knew it.”
    “What stitches?” his dad asked, leaning on his cane. Not bad for a man recovering from a major stroke four months ago. He walked a good two miles every day just coming home from Mabel’s across the street.
    “John’s losing his mind. Glad you’re here to take care of him if he starts convulsing.” Brian lengthened his stride to leave faster. “I’m going to make breakfast.”
    “We need to talk about the ranch, boy-o,” his father said loudly. “The bank called again.”
    “Can’t right now, Dad. I have a date with the griddle.” Brian left as John expounded on the crooked sutures. If his brother noticed, it was probably a good idea to let his sister-in-law, the professional nurse in the family, redo his sutures.
    Right now, he was starved and needed to get his mind off some sky-blue eyes and corn-silk hair spread over a pillow in the front bedroom.
    * * *
    “Y UM . P ANCAKES .”
    The distinct smell of a hot griddle and syrup wafted into Lindsey’s nose, encouraging her to breathe deeply and enjoy. She stretched her arms above her head. No surfing today, her shoulder was a little sore. She rubbed it as she sank back into the pillows, surrounded by the comforting feeling of her favorite place in Florida. The sun streamed through the windows every morning and she’d breathe in the soft, fresh smell of sun-dried sheets. There was a plus side to not owning a dryer.
    Snuggling the quilt closer to her chest, she wanted to spend the rest of the morning asleep. But there was work or something she was supposed to do. And pancakes. Her eyes fluttered open to an unfamiliar room.
    Wide-awake in an instant. Panic. Aches.
    Where am I?
    Then her memory kicked in with Brian’s words that he was taking her to his home. Darn. She was on a ranch, not back at the beach. She’d be inside the storefront cage where