Read Wishing on a Rodeo Moon (Women of Character) for Free Online Page B

swiped at
the wetness on her cheek. She had made her life her own. All the faults were
hers, and it wouldn’t do any good to regret the decisions she’d
made.
    Stopping
to rest a moment near the barn, Tye leaned against the open wooden door,
staring at the fields as the sun crept higher in the sky.
    With a
wry grin, she dropped onto an old rickety bench beside the doorway, stretching
her legs out before her. Her right leg ached just the tiniest bit, but it was a
good ache. She had to be careful not to overdo it or she would be back on
crutches with blisters and sores. It was a constant battle, having to be
careful about things she'd never had to think about before.
    Gently,
Tye massaged the limb. Looking around, she had to admit Jake's ranch, with its
seemingly endless stretch of pasture and low hills, was a rancher's dream.
    Tye
decided she wanted to explore the layout of the land and become familiar with
the place. Even if she didn't stay long, she liked to know her way around.
Maybe Jake would let her work with the horses, even if she just brushed them or
exercised them on a lunge line.
    Right
now a walk would strengthen her leg. The long driveway to the house would be
the ideal place to start, for she could negotiate slight inclines. Her
therapist had told her walking would become easier the more she did it.
    Resolutely,
Tye got to her feet.
    #
    Jake was
getting ready to leave for town when Tye passed his office window. Curious as
to where she was going, he watched her walk down the driveway and disappear
around a curve.
    Mentally,
he shrugged his shoulders, then pulled on his suit jacket. It wasn't any of his
business, was it, if she wanted to go for a walk? Then a thought hit him. What
if she fell and hurt herself? Who would be around to help her? There were some
uneven stretches along the driveway. He opened the glass door leading to his
back deck and skirted the swimming pool. Quickly, he strode around the house.
    Jake
felt a need to keep an eye on Tye, if only for her own safety. He remembered
how rebellious she could be, how full of determination, but he also knew this
could be a real touchy situation. He had a feeling she'd be furious if she knew
he was worried about her. Still, Jake told himself, he didn’t need a lawsuit
on his hands if she got hurt. He needed to keep an eye on her.
    Rounding
the first curve in the drive, he spotted her and quickly ducked into the woods
on one side. At least the driveway had been paved last year and the going was fairly
smooth. Jake wondered if Tye realized that the way back to the house would be a
steady incline. He reminded himself that he had good reasons for staying out of
sight, but felt slightly foolish, sneaking around his own property.
    Jake
pushed his hair back, feeling sweat dampening his forehead and the shirt under
his jacket. He should have left the jacket at the house. Tye didn't seem to be
having any problems. In fact, she seemed steadier on her feet then when he had
seen her at the barn earlier. Jake began to feel he’d worried needlessly,
until she suddenly left the paved drive and wandered toward the woods. Why the
devil was she going there? She could really get hurt on the uneven ground.
    Jake
pushed tree limbs back so he could see her better. She looked around a few
times, but he ducked down quickly. He muttered a curse when he heard the sharp
snap of a twig beneath his shoe.
    "Who's
there?" Tye called out.
    Resignedly,
Jake pushed aside a tangle of brush and stepped forward.
    "Jake?"
    "Hello,
Tye." Casually, he straightened his tie and ran his palms over his hair to
smooth it down.
    Her
hands were on her hips and she had a suspicious look on her face. "What
are you doing in the woods?"
    Jake
felt heat slide up his cheeks and he cleared his throat. "I forgot to
mention the hot water was off because of a power shortage earlier this morning,
so if you want to take a shower, it'll take awhile for the water to heat
up."
    "Oh,
okay, Jake. Thanks." She moved