The Rancher's Hired Fiancée by Judy Duarte

Now they're in the kitchen, coloring and playing with their sticker books.'Ĭatherine never had been one to nap during the day. 'Sofia and Stephen woke up a few minutes ago. 'I wasn't the one who was supposed to fall asleep.'Įva chuckled softly. She tried to guess the time of day but didn't have a clue-other than it was obviously nearing the dinner hour. 'I'm sorry to bother you, but we're having company for dinner tonight, and I thought you might want to know.'Ĭatherine glanced out the window, which was shuttered tight, only a faint light creeping through the slats. Now, as she scanned the empty room, she saw that they'd both slipped off, leaving her to nap alone.Įva opened the door and peered into the darkened bedroom. 'Yes?' she said, realizing she'd dozed off after reading a storybook to the children. Thoughts and visions tumbled together in her sleepy mind-until another knock sounded, this time on the bedroom door. She'd no more than thanked them and sent them on their way when she heard a light tapping noise in the distance. Then the darling two-year-olds wrapped their pudgy arms around her and placed soft, moist kisses on her cheeks, on her forehead, on her chin. Recognizing Sofia and Stephen, Dan and Eva Walker's youngest twins, Catherine knelt and received the flowers.

Their faces were a blur until two of them glided toward the stage, greeting her with red rosebuds, their long stems free of thorns. She took a bow, then straightened and glanced out into the audience, only to see an empty stall and a bale of straw in an illuminated old barn, where a group of children clapped their hands in delight.

Catherine Loza napped in a child's bedroom at the Walker family's ranch in Texas, dreaming of sold-out nights on Broadway, the heady sound of applause and the pounding of her heart after a well-executed performance.

The Rancher's Hired Fiancée by Judy Duarte