The You I Never Knew by Susan Wiggs Read Free Book Online Page B

destroying them all.

Chapter 6
    A t 8:45, Sam heard the growl of a motor and the grind of tires over snow. Out in the yard, Scout, the Border collie who ruled the ranch, launched into a barking frenzy.
    Sam had taken Loretta Sweeney home early last night. He’d been up since six, and felt all jumpy in his gut; didn’t even want his morning coffee. Damn it, he was a grown man. The last thing in the world he should be doing was getting nervous over seeing an old girlfriend.
    Except that the words “old” and “girlfriend” didn’t seem to apply to Michelle. Though their love affair had burned like a forest fire half a lifetime ago, she didn’t seem old at all. Just… different. He remembered a girl with yellow hair and a quicksilver smile. Now she seemed far away and sort of fragile. But still so damned beautiful. And as for the girlfriend part—you didn’t call your first grand passion a “girlfriend.” The term was too inadequate to cover the delirium, the ecstasy, the sweaty palms and fevered dreams of that lost, intense season.
    The sound of car doors slamming made him wince. Shit. He
was
nervous.
    Going to the window, he expected to see Michelle’s Range Rover. Instead, he spied Ruby and Molly Lightning getting out of their old Apache pickup. Scout’s “who-the-hell-are-you” barking changed to “I’m-all-yours” whimpers of ecstatic greeting.
    Sam gritted his teeth and tried to smile. Ordinarily he’d be glad to see Ruby and her daughter. But it wasn’t an ordinary day. He was expecting Michelle, and he didn’t look forward to entertaining her, the kid, and now these two.
    He went out onto the porch. Sunlight glinted off the snow in the yard and driveway. A row of icicles dripped from the eaves. The Border collie nuzzled Molly’s hand.
    “Hey, ladies,” he said. “You’re out bright and early this morning.”
    Ruby propped an elbow on the battered hood of the pickup. She had a broad, pleasant face, one gold tooth, and an ease around people that made her a popular teacher at the high school. “Hey, Sam,” she said.
    “Hiya, Sam.” Molly scratched the dog behind the ears. “Nice ride last night.”
    “You, too,” he said.
    Ruby opened the door of the truck and started rummaging around. “I heard you wanted to buy a blanket.”
    “Ma’am, I wanted to buy them all.”
    Molly rolled her eyes.
    “I did,” Sam said. “It gets mighty cold up here in the winter.”
    “Well, I brought you one.” She held out a folded blanket.
    At that moment, another car turned off the highway and started up the drive. The Range Rover. Scout launched into her watchdog routine.
    Sam took the blanket from Ruby. The thick wool felt warm against his hands. Plenty warm. “Hey, thanks.” He reached into his back pocket for his wallet.
    Ruby reached around behind him and grabbed his wrist, holding it firmly. “Sam McPhee, don’t you dare. It’s a gift because you never let me pay you for delivering Glenda’s babies.”
    He laughed. “Glenda’s an Irish setter. She didn’t need much help.”
    “Whatever. The blanket’s to say thanks.”
    Michelle parked and got out of her car. And there stood Sam with Ruby’s arm halfway around him, her hand pressed against his hip pocket.
    He stepped back. “Morning, Michelle.”
    She inclined her head politely. Distantly. “Hello, Sam.” The collie hung back, head tilted to one side, waiting to see how friendly this one would turn out to be.
    “This here’s Ruby Lightning and that’s her daughter Molly over there.”
    “Pleased to meet you.” Although Michelle smiled readily, the temperature seemed to drop a few degrees. “Look, if this is a bad time—”
    “Not at all. You ladies want to come in for coffee?”
    Ruby shook her head, winking at him. “I better get going. We’ve got church this morning.”
    Molly walked over from the paddock adjacent to the barn. A few of the horses, their coats thick with inch-long hair, stood at the fence waiting for