Free The Ranger Takes a Bride by Misty M. Beller Page B

maybe one of the cowboys can show you." And then her face brightened like a sun's ray. "Edward. I'll ask Edward to take you to the river the next time he's here for the day. He had to ride into Seguin this afternoon, and then he'll leave for an assignment tomorrow morning. But he should be back in a few days."
    So that's why Edward's chair was empty. Dare she ask what an assignment was? It sounded like he'd be leaving town for it. Maybe she could question Anna later when there weren't so many ears around.
    "I'll never forget the time our family traveled to the Villa de Guadalupe Hidalgo to celebrate the Virgin Guadalupe's appearance all those years ago. The festival was amazing." Juan held up one of the fried bread balls from his plate. "And the buñuelos were my favorite. But not so good as this." To prove his point, he popped the round sweet in his mouth, his face scrunching into a look of pure pleasure.
    Alejandra bit back a smile, as warmth flooded her chest. These people showed such appreciation and emotion. She'd never seen anything quite like it.
    Would Edward do the same?

 
     
     
    Chapter Nine
     
     
    Alejandra shuffled around the table the next morning, setting a white ironstone plate at each chair. The dishes were beautiful, with wide fluted edges and delicate leaf prints pressed into the sides. She'd never used anything so lovely. And to put them out for the vaqueros to eat from? It seemed loco .
    "If that food tastes as good as it smells, I'm sorry I have to miss it."
    The deep male voice resonated across the room, sending Alejandra at least three inches off the floor. Her heart stopped for a split second, then thundered in her chest. "What in the world?" She spun toward the voice.
    There stood Edward Stewart. He was halfway across the room, but even from this distance she could see his mouth quirked, exposing one of his dimples. "Sorry if I startled you." He held up a cloth sack. "Just came by to pack some food before I head out."
    Head out? Alejandra blinked to clear her mind. He was leaving already? She pushed herself into action. Striding forward, she reached to take the sack from him. "I'll pack lunch for you. Will you stay for breakfast before you go?"
    She was close enough now to touch him, and warmth crept up her neck at his nearness. She couldn't look at his face, so she kept her gaze on the sack as he handed it to her. He wore a gun today, like that day he'd saved her in San Antonio. But had he worn it the other day when they first visited the ranch? Not that she remembered. It was probably a good idea for him to be armed when he traveled, though.
    "Afraid I don't have time to eat here. I'll just snack on the trail."
    With the cloth sack in her hand, she spun toward the kitchen. "I'll fill this and be right back." She scurried through the doorway, conscious of the boot thuds that followed at a slower pace.
    "Buenas dias, Señora." His voice was warm as he greeted Mama Sarita, who stood at the stove tossing corn tortillas in a pan.
    Mama Sarita kept up a lively chatter with him while Alejandra focused on filling his pack. There were a few tamales left from the other night. She wrapped the apple one in a separate cloth. Tortillas. A hunk of cheese. A generous bundle of buñuelos. Too bad she didn't have a way to wrap the arroz con pollo. How long would he be gone exactly? She turned to ask him…
    And froze.
    What was that on his chest? Something metal glimmered in the light from the window. A star? Her chest burned, and she struggled to breathe.
    A badge? Edward wore a badge? No! He couldn't be a soldier. Could he? But only soldiers wore badges.
    He must have noticed the stricken look on her face, because he stopped in the middle of speaking to Mama Sarita. His brows lowered. "What's wrong?"
    Alejandra spun away from him. What was wrong? Everything! How could they be living in the home of a soldier? The kind that killed Mama. And Papa. How could she let this happen?
    And how could it be Edward? She