Free His Texas Bride by Deb Kastner Page A

the rent I’m paying covers the mortgage on the ranch each month.”
    Which was sort of true. At least it had been until Mama Esther had passed.
    Ellie realized Buck hadn’t heard the entire will, though probably he had guessed the truth. With Esther’s passing, Buck now owned the ranch free and clear. All the more reason for him to give Ellie her notice—so he would finally own some land of his own with no strings attached.
    His own horse ranch.
    The one dream, Ellie suspected, he’d never quite released, even when everything else in his life had gone sour.
    Ellie knew she should share the information, but she remained silent. He’d learn about it soon enough. She needed as much time as she could get between now and then to prove what she had here was a bona fide ministry to the children and that he should keep her on past the end of their two-month agreement.
    Buck lifted an eyebrow and blew out his breath. “If you don’t mind my asking, how much does the government pay you for this weekly therapy?”
    Ellie hoped Buck didn’t notice her change in demeanor, because that was the one question she didn’t want him to ask. Hastily, she picked up the platter of tuna wedges. “I need to get these out to the children.”
    Buck stood and was blocking her path out the door faster than she thought possible. Cowboy reflexes, she thought miserably. And Buck looked like a big, black-clothed brick wall—no way to get over, under, around or through him. At least not until she’d answered his question. And it didn’t help that her heart began to flutter at his close proximity.
    “I’m waiting,” he said, staring down at her and crossing his arms over his chest.
    Ellie looked down at the tray in her hands, not able to bring herself to make eye contact with him.
    “Nothing,” she murmured under her breath, fighting the urge to squirm under his narrowed gaze.
    “I’m sorry?” Buck said. “I don’t think I quite heard that.”
    Oh, he’d heard it all right. Ellie was sure of it. He was just making her repeat it to torture her. She looked up at him, locking gazes with him testily.
    “Nothing,” she repeated irately, much louder than she needed to speak.
    “Nothing,” Buck parroted. “Ellie, you aren’t going to tell me you’re giving your services, whatever they may be, away for free, are you?”
    Ellie refused to look away, no matter how scathing Buck’s gaze was on hers.
    “Sometimes,” she admitted. “To the kids who really need it. The government can’t afford to pay. Or rather, they have too many other expenses.”
    Buck huffed. “I imagine they do.”
    Ellie glared at him. “I won’t turn these children away. Not as long as they need what I offer.”
    “But this is a business, right?” He didn’t sound like he believed that it was.
    “It’s a ministry, Buck,” she said, tired of repeating herself. “I do what I do to serve God and others. But, yes, in answer to your question, I do actually make my living on this ranch, thank you very much.”
    “By giving everything away for free.”
    “No.” She wanted to shake Buck until he could see the truth—until his teeth rattled, as a matter of fact—but she doubted it would help. The man clearly had rocks in his head. “I have many clients who pay for the therapy program. The foster-care program just doesn’t happen to be one of them.”
    “I see,” Buck said, nodding to himself as if he’d suddenly stumbled across the truth. “So that’s where the tourists come in—and the bed-and-breakfast you insist you don’t run here. To pay for the foster-care kids. I guess that makes sense, in a cockeyed sort of way.”
    Ellie sighed loudly, clenching the platter in both fists, willing herself not to toss the entire sticky contents right in his face. He was baiting her deliberately, and they both knew it.
    “Ellie?” he said when she didn’t rush to explain herself.
    “No.” She shook her head fiercely. “They aren’t tourists. Or at