noticed her eagerness to see Russ again. They figured it was a good sign.
Chapter Nine
Red watched as Russ ran out of the barn at the sound of a car, their conversation completely forgotten.
He followed Russ and stood with Megan and Mildred as Russ grabbed Isabella’s hand and tugged her toward the house. “Wait until you see what I bought you.”
“But you shouldn’t have bought me anything, Russ.”
“Yes, I should’ve. You’ll need them.”
The pair disappeared into the house.
“Well, well, well, so he’s marrying for the baby’s sake, is he?” Red said.
“That’s what he says,” Mildred said. “That’s what she says, too. But when I told her she’d be late, she rushed around like the house was on fire.”
“I think Janie’s right. I think Russ cares about Isabella, but he’s afraid to admit it,” Megan said.
“Yep,” Red agreed. “Let’s follow them. We’ve got to start dinner.”
Once inside the house, they found Janie at the table, but no sign of Russ and Isabella. “Where did the kids go?” Red asked.
“Upstairs to try on her new things,” Janie said, seemingly satisfied with their action.
“We all agree with you about what’s going on,” Mildred said.
“Good. Oh, Red, I invited Rich, Samantha and Mom over for dinner.” Janie smiled. “I gave them my opinion about what’s going on.”
“I hope you told them not to say anything,” Red said.
“Of course.”
“R USS , I CAN’T come out,” Isabella called through the door.
“Why not? I want to see you in the jeans.”
“They’re too tight, Russ. I guess I’ve gained weight since I got to Rawhide.”
He knew better than that. She’d only eaten for the past couple of days. And then not much. “Open the door and let me see,” he ordered.
She finally opened the door a couple of inches. From the way she’d talked, he’d expected to find the jeans unsnapped. But they fit her perfectly. He pushed the door all the way open. “You look great!”
“Russ! I’m afraid to bend over. They’ll split if I do.”
“No. That’s the way they’re supposed to fit. Now let’s try on the boots.”
“But I don’t have any socks. I’ll have to—”
“Mom!” Russ called down the stairs. “We need a pair of socks for Izzy.”
“Russ! I have socks, but—”
“You need thick ones for the boots. Here comes Mom. She’ll get you some.”
Isabella tried to close the door. “I don’t want her to see me! These jeans are too tight.”
“Mom, tell Isabella her jeans aren’t too tight. They look great.” Russ motioned his mother over.
“They do look good, Isabella,” Janie said. “We all wear our jeans a little tighter than your tailored pants.” She went into her room and came out with a pair of thick socks. “These should work with the boots. Oh, I invited Rich and Samantha and your grandmother for dinner tonight, Russ.” Then she disappeared back down the stairs.
“I thought your grandmother was dead,” Isabella said, distracted from her difficulties.
“This is my mother’s mother. You’ll like her. She lives with Rich and Samantha on her ranch, the one Rich and I and Casey will inherit. Rich runs it.”
“Oh. Is it big?”
“Fair size.”
“Does that mean you’ll quit your job?”
“Gosh, no! Rich does a good job of running it. I might go help during roundup each year, but he managed this year without me.” He guided her to the bed. “Sit down and I’ll put your socks on you.”
“I can do that.”
“Yeah, but I’m going to do it. Cute toes,” he said as his warm hand cupped one foot. Her toenails were painted pink, like her fingernails.
“Th-thank you.”
After he had that sock on, he took the boot for that foot and pulled out the packing material. He flexed the boot to loosen it up a little. Then he ordered, “Slide your foot inside.”
She had to stand up to do as he asked. After a struggle, she got her foot completely inside the boot. “I suppose you wear
Chapter Nine
Red watched as Russ ran out of the barn at the sound of a car, their conversation completely forgotten.
He followed Russ and stood with Megan and Mildred as Russ grabbed Isabella’s hand and tugged her toward the house. “Wait until you see what I bought you.”
“But you shouldn’t have bought me anything, Russ.”
“Yes, I should’ve. You’ll need them.”
The pair disappeared into the house.
“Well, well, well, so he’s marrying for the baby’s sake, is he?” Red said.
“That’s what he says,” Mildred said. “That’s what she says, too. But when I told her she’d be late, she rushed around like the house was on fire.”
“I think Janie’s right. I think Russ cares about Isabella, but he’s afraid to admit it,” Megan said.
“Yep,” Red agreed. “Let’s follow them. We’ve got to start dinner.”
Once inside the house, they found Janie at the table, but no sign of Russ and Isabella. “Where did the kids go?” Red asked.
“Upstairs to try on her new things,” Janie said, seemingly satisfied with their action.
“We all agree with you about what’s going on,” Mildred said.
“Good. Oh, Red, I invited Rich, Samantha and Mom over for dinner.” Janie smiled. “I gave them my opinion about what’s going on.”
“I hope you told them not to say anything,” Red said.
“Of course.”
“R USS , I CAN’T come out,” Isabella called through the door.
“Why not? I want to see you in the jeans.”
“They’re too tight, Russ. I guess I’ve gained weight since I got to Rawhide.”
He knew better than that. She’d only eaten for the past couple of days. And then not much. “Open the door and let me see,” he ordered.
She finally opened the door a couple of inches. From the way she’d talked, he’d expected to find the jeans unsnapped. But they fit her perfectly. He pushed the door all the way open. “You look great!”
“Russ! I’m afraid to bend over. They’ll split if I do.”
“No. That’s the way they’re supposed to fit. Now let’s try on the boots.”
“But I don’t have any socks. I’ll have to—”
“Mom!” Russ called down the stairs. “We need a pair of socks for Izzy.”
“Russ! I have socks, but—”
“You need thick ones for the boots. Here comes Mom. She’ll get you some.”
Isabella tried to close the door. “I don’t want her to see me! These jeans are too tight.”
“Mom, tell Isabella her jeans aren’t too tight. They look great.” Russ motioned his mother over.
“They do look good, Isabella,” Janie said. “We all wear our jeans a little tighter than your tailored pants.” She went into her room and came out with a pair of thick socks. “These should work with the boots. Oh, I invited Rich and Samantha and your grandmother for dinner tonight, Russ.” Then she disappeared back down the stairs.
“I thought your grandmother was dead,” Isabella said, distracted from her difficulties.
“This is my mother’s mother. You’ll like her. She lives with Rich and Samantha on her ranch, the one Rich and I and Casey will inherit. Rich runs it.”
“Oh. Is it big?”
“Fair size.”
“Does that mean you’ll quit your job?”
“Gosh, no! Rich does a good job of running it. I might go help during roundup each year, but he managed this year without me.” He guided her to the bed. “Sit down and I’ll put your socks on you.”
“I can do that.”
“Yeah, but I’m going to do it. Cute toes,” he said as his warm hand cupped one foot. Her toenails were painted pink, like her fingernails.
“Th-thank you.”
After he had that sock on, he took the boot for that foot and pulled out the packing material. He flexed the boot to loosen it up a little. Then he ordered, “Slide your foot inside.”
She had to stand up to do as he asked. After a struggle, she got her foot completely inside the boot. “I suppose you wear
Similar Books
