Free The Convent Rose (The Roses) by Lynn Shurr Page B

man and not given to violence. Rather soft, the doctor could never have taken on her hard-bodied trainer anyhow. He satisfied himself with stripping his roving wife legally of everything but the furnished house her daddy had given them as a wedding gift and a few pieces of nice jewelry. If she hadn’t delayed having children, she would have gotten a much better settlement. Make a mental note—when she married Bodey start a family immediately and get it over with.
    Renee reviewed the Landrum assets again, a few million dollars made on the rodeo circuit invested in oil and a Texas ranch, a line of western clothing, endorsements for saddles and blue jeans and who knew what else, and of course, the newly inherited Three B’s Ranch and its contents. His body was great, his face handsome, his temper easy-going unless riled, and he’d had staying power in the sack when they’d gone together in high school—but he wouldn’t be indulgent like her second husband, Gerald Hayes.
    Renee had found Gerry, bless his weak ticker, a long, bad year after her divorce. He’d been faithful to his fat, diabetic wife until death did they part but was ripe for a well-deserved, shapely, good-looking reward forty years younger than himself. Gerry did everything to please her. He paid for the boob job even though he said her real breasts were a treat, but she needed to renew her confidence after being dumped by Elias. Gerald took Viagra against his doctor’s orders to please her in bed and died on top of her. Even the nitro she’d forced between his lips hadn’t revived old Gerry nor her rather out of practice attempt at CPR, a skill her first husband insisted she learn. His children got everything except for the Lexus, some lavish personal gifts, and a modest cash bequest that kept her comfortable for the past year. Now, she need to husband hunt again like a vampire badly in need of blood.
    Bodey Landrum possessed money, looks, and a crude charm. Renee thought she wouldn’t be tempted to stray for a good long time during which she would make the sacrifice and have a baby or two. At least, Bodey had no other children to suck up his fortune. He wasn’t likely to die on her either. On the other hand, if he ever did catch her cheating, Bodey seemed like a man who might take physical revenge on her lover. She’d noticed some scars on his knuckles, maybe from bull riding but possibly from brawling. Strangely, that held some appeal for Renee who shivered deliciously at the thought of men fighting over her.
    Who else was there? Not Red Courville who enjoyed playing around on his attractive wife, but would never leave her or their four kids. She’d given him a brief try and had no intention of being only a well-kept mistress. He’d use up her remaining good years, then find someone younger. Nope, her next husband had to be Bodey Landrum.
    ****
    Bodey Landrum looked hard at himself in the mirror. Okay, he had a few tiny lines in the corners of his eyes from being out in the sun too much. He had a lot of scars, but none were disfiguring. Some women liked them. He kept trim now by doing ranch work rather than going to the gym, though during his career he had worked out. His tan was real, not man-made. His dark hair grew thick on top and without any gray. True, he kept it clipped short or else his curls grew out long and girly. Some women preferred men’s hair to be long enough to be gathered in a horse tail like that Evan Adams. Maybe Eve was one of them.
    He stood several inches less than six feet tall and was squarely built. Sure, the gals liked longer, leaner men—men with gaunt cheeks and dark eyes like pet cocker spaniels and beaky noses like golden eagles. He regarded his own blunt nose, bright blue eyes, and the cleft chin with a hint of dark beard. Mama always said she thought his daddy might have had Irish blood.
    Too bad Bets hadn’t asked, or maybe remembered, his father’s name at that party where she’d had too much to drink and