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Lahat ng Kabanata ng All About Love: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

65 Kabanata

Chapter 21

Pepper sat behind the carved desk in the lobby, studying the registration list on her computer."Hey, Cilla?" she called."What's up?" Cilla hurried in from the kitchen, carrying two iced teas.Breakfast was over, the kitchen cleaned, and Mary Tierney was working her way through the bedrooms and bathrooms. The weekend guests had all left, and the next group wasn't due to arrive until the next day."When did all these reservations come in?" She continued to scroll through the program."Oh." Cilla read the screen over Pepper's shoulder. "We had a slew of calls yesterday afternoon while you were out. Did I do it wrong?""No. You did great. I'm...I don't know where they are all coming from all of a sudden. Can you believe it? We're booked up for the next four months.""Isn't it exciting?" Cilla laughed and squeezed Pepper's shoulder. "Word of mouth, I guess. Or maybe those listings you've been placing on travel sites are finally paying off.""Maybe. It just seems so weird, you know

Chapter 22

Pepper was up early the next morning. She wanted to go through the guest rooms and make lists of what she needed to jazz them up before the television people showed up. Flowers in vases on all the dressers. Special sachet packets in the drawers. Crystal dishes with those special peppermint candies people loved so much. She'd make sure the bathrooms were all stocked with the full complement of special toiletries. She'd have Cilla work on the downstairs. The woman had a great eye and knew exactly what to do to make a room "pop," as she was fond of saying. She was suspicious that she hadn't heard a word from her parents for a while but she decided not to worry about it for the moment.She had just fixed a mug with coffee when she heard the front door open. Tony Rosen, the local UPS delivery man, waited for her in the lobby. He was wearing a big smile when he greeted her."I got an envelope here for you, Pepper. Says I have to get your signature." He looked at it as if it was a foreign o

Chapter 23

Part Two: A Touch of MagicThe Story ContinuesMaddie Woodward concentrated fiercely on navigating the narrow highway that led out of town out to the ranch. In her small compact she would have felt at ease but the big SUV was still new enough to be challenging.Had she made a mistake buying it? Just as she might have made a mistake in her other recent decisions?No. I won't play that game. I made up my mind and I'm doing this. No matter what.The moment the arched rock entrance of the road leading to the house came into view, with the Flying W in wrought iron swinging slightly in the breeze, her heart stuttered.Home!That was all she could think. She was home. And she didn't plan on ever leaving, no matter what her sisters said or tried to talk her into. She'd burned her bridges to make sure there was no going back.She stopped for a moment to look at the familiar brand, the wings of the W looking like angel's wings, and she thought how appropriate it was for Christmas. But

Chapter 24

"God, Maddie, you feel so good. So damn good."They were lying on a thick quilt under the big oak tree next to the creek in the north pasture. The day's chores were finished. No one would come by now to disturb them. Maggie lay on her back, her head nestled in the crook of Zach's shoulder. The last year away at college without him had stretched endlessly but she knew he was busy too, riding the rodeo circuit. But now she was home for good and ready to settle down with him. To make a home like they'd talked about."I missed you," she told him, staring up into his eyes. "So much.""I missed this," he said, sliding her t-shirt up and cupping her breast through the thin lace of her bra. With his thumb and forefinger he tweaked her nipple and she felt it harden into a sharp point. "I missed touching you, feeling the softness of your skin. I'd close my eyes at night and see these rosy nipples dancing before my eyes."Expertly he opened the front clasp of her bra and placed his hot mouth

Chapter 25

Maddie had carried in one suitcase, the one with the things she'd need right away and left everything else until she was in a better mood. Heaving it onto the bed in her old room, she yanked open the zipper with an angry tug and flopped back the cover. She stomped around the room as she unpacked the clothing and toiletries, her anger building with each step, each task.How dare Ty Blackwell even talk to anyone about the sale of the ranch when the will still wasn't probated. So he had a power of attorney that allowed him to see the place was taken care of. So what? So Liza and Jenna wanted to sell the ranch. Again so what? What gave anyone the right to do anything until she'd had her say? And putting Zach Brennan in charge just absolutely frosted her.She dropped to the edge of the bed, hugging a pile of clothes to her chest. The ranch was all she'd thought about since her parents were killed. It was in her blood. She was the only one of the three girls to compete in barrel racing. Th

Chapter 26

Downstairs Maggie checked the refrigerator and cupboard. Bare, just as she expected. She should have stopped when she drove through town but she'd been so anxious to get to the ranch - to get home - that she bypassed all the stores. No problem. She'd just go into town, get some barbecue takeout for tonight and whatever necessities she needed and wait until Lisa arrived and they could shop together. Maybe look for a Christmas tree.A Christmas tree. Oh, God.They always had a big tree. No, make that a huge tree. Her father would get it himself from the tree farm and set it up in the big window in the living room. Then her mother would make hot punch and popcorn and they'd listen to carols while they all decorated the tree. She just didn't know if she could stand it this year, without them there. Even the thought of getting the tree was daunting.She dropped into a kitchen chair, tears misting her eyes. Their first Christmas without their parents. How would she get through it? How wou

Chapter 27

Maggie had avoided going out of the house all morning. Instead she hauled all the Christmas decorations into the living room and began hanging the ornaments on the tree. Trying to get herself into the holiday spirit and out of her depression, she put on a CD of Christmas carols and made herself sing along with them in her off-key voice. It took her most of the morning but by noon when she stepped back to look at it, the tree looked as close to what she was used to as she could make it. When she plugged in the lights she felt tears threaten again but deliberately forced them back. She didn't intend to spend the entire holiday season like a watering pot. She'd already done that enough yesterday and what a disaster that had been.But when she found the three stockings in a box and hung them up on the fireplace mantle, she couldn't hold back the tears. She just stood staring at the remnants of her youth and letting the tears roll unheeded down her cheeks. Finally she dug a tissue out of h

Chapter 28

Maddie had put a thick vegetable beef soup on to simmer that morning. They had it for dinner along with a salad. Liza opened a bottle of wine she'd brought and they talked about everything except the elephant in the room. They had just gone to bed, settling in for the night, when headlights swept up the driveway. In less than a minute Liza was rapping on her door."Wake up, kiddo." Her voice was filled with excitement. "I think we have unexpected company."Pulling on their robes, they hurried to the front door, Liza throwing it wide just as someone exited the ugliest station wagon Maddie had ever seen."Oh, my God!" Maddie shrieked. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God.""No, not God," Jenna said. "Just your wandering sister. Sorry about the late arrival.""Trust you to arrive in the middle of the night," Maddie said, laughing and crying at the same time.""I can't believe you're actually here." Liza gave her an extra hug. "I thought you couldn't get back in time.""It wasn't hard to figure

Chapter 29

Maddie was up first in the morning, making coffee and warming cinnamon rolls. The coffee had just finished brewing when Liza came into the kitchen butterscotch hair brushed to a sheen, a startling contrast to the black wool slacks and silky sweater she wore."You look more like you're going to a funeral than a meeting with an attorney," Maddie teased. But then, at the word funeral, her eyes filled with tears."Oh, punkin." Liza enfolded her in her slim arms. "It's okay. We'll get through this and everything will settle out."Maddie brushed away the tears that wouldn't seem to leave her and gave Liza a watery smile. "I know. I leave it all in your capable hands."Liza's face turned serious. "Just a word to the wise, okay? It wouldn't hurt to mend your fences with Zach.""Just like you're going to with Ty?" Maddie interrupted.For a moment Liza had a faraway look in her eyes. "Maybe it's time for all of us to put the past where it belongs. And I mean all of us. Just a thought, okay

Chapter 30

"Maddie!" Zach reached for her. "This is a surprise. Come on in."Nervously she let him draw her inside, wondering if she hadn't made a mistake in doing this. She looked around at the cabin Jack Grady had lived in for so many years. She'd been inside it a number of times but she didn't ever remember it looking like this. Homey. Beckoning. And everything sparkling as if it had just been polished.A fire was banked in the fireplace, the familiar big leather chair and footstool still sat in front of it at an angle, facing a long cowhide couch. Beyond that was the oak trestle table and chairs polished to a high gloss. Colorful Native American rugs were scattered on the polished wood floor. The kitchen area was immaculate.This was a place cared for with a great deal of love. Why would she have expected anything less? One thing Zach was not, was a sloppy roughneck. Taking good care of things was part of his nature.Except for me, when I needed him."I didn't realize you were such a goo

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