Read Navajo's Woman for Free Online Page B

never did.
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    Before Andi's foot even hit the ground, Joanna Black-wood, round and rosy in her eighth month of pregnancy, came waddling out of the house. Her long red hair hung down her back in a cascading ponytail. Turquoise-and-silver earrings dangled in her ears, and a flowing white-and-aqua striped tent dress hit her mid-calf. Andi had al-ways thought that Joanna was a lovely woman, and the bloom of pregnancy only added to her beauty.
    "You were expecting me, weren't you?" Andi smiled as she approached her friend, who waited on the wide, expansive veranda.
    Grinning, Joanna nodded. "Joe arrived about an hour ago, so I assumed you wouldn't be far behind."
    “Where is he?'' Andi hugged Joanna, then pulled back, looked at her swollen tummy and gave it a gentle pat. "You're bigger than you were last week."
    "If the ultrasound hadn't shown us differently, I'd swear I was having twins again." Joanna placed both hands atop her stomach. "Joe's in the den with J.T. They're talking strategy. Want to join them?"
    Andi laughed as she laced her arm through Joanna's. “You know that Joe all but forbid me to interfere.
    He told me that he'd keep in touch through you or Kate, and in-form me when he had any news about the boys."
    "Typical macho man."Joanna led Andi inside, into the large, terra-cotta tiled foyer. "But my guess is that neither Joe nor J.T. will be surprised to see you.Espe-cially not my J.T. He's gotten to know you pretty well these past five years and he's acquainted with your mile-wide stubborn streak."
    "I'm not going to let Joe bully me. I have every right to be involved in the search. I may not have his qualifi-cations, but—"
    "Save your arguments for Joe. I'm on your side, re-member? We women have to stick together against our ultra-masculine Navajo males."
    "Joe isn'tmyNavajo male," Andi reminded her friend.
    Joanna eyed the silver-and-turquoise bracelet that adorned Andi's wrist. "Then why are you wearing his brand?"
    Why, indeed! Andi fingered the magnificent piece of jewelry, handcrafted by Joe and J.T.'s great-grandfather, Benjamin Greymountain. The sentimentally priceless bracelet had been a gift from Joe on her twenty-fifth birth-day, shortly before her father's death.
    "It's the most beautiful piece of jewelry I own, but I wore it today for a reason. I'm going to give it back to Joe. I would have given it to him five years ago, if he hadn't left in such a hurry. He didn't stick around long enough even to say goodbye."
    "And you still resent his speedy departure," Joanna commented. "Admit it to yourself, even if you won't ad-mit it to me—you still care about Joe. Otherwise, you'd already have found someone else."
    "I think we've had this conversation before, haven't we? But I'll tell you again—I don't care about Joe.
    He means nothing to me. And as you well know, I've had several interesting men in my life during the past few years, so that should prove I haven't been pining away for some lost love."
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    "Just how many of those interesting men lasted longer than a couple of months?" Joanna asked. "Not one of those relationships got beyond the kissing—''
    Much to Andi's relief, Joanna's assessment of her love life, or lack thereof, was cut short by the interruption of two redheaded twin toddlers. Annabelle grabbed her mother's right leg as her brother Benjamin manacled the left. They gazed up at Andi with their father's dark eyes. Then a tall, lanky boy of six entered the foyer, halting abruptly when he saw his young siblings attached to Joanna.
    "Hi, Andi," the black-haired, green-eyed boy said. "Sorry, Mama, but they got away from me before I knew what was happening." John Thomas Blackwood acted if he were a grown-up, though he was nothing more than a child himself. J.T. and Joanna's eldest had been born an old soul, a protector and a caretaker.