Free Texas Rose Forever (Texas Rose Ranch #1) by Katie Graykowski Page A

truly hate.” Lucy’s voice was mean but level.
    “Wow. She sounds like poison.” Cinco seemed so no-nonsense that it was hard to think of him with someone like that. Then again, she didn’t know him that well.
    “Poison, that’s exactly what she was. I’m glad that he finally divorced her.” Lucy crossed her arms. “Thank God she’s out of our lives.”
    “Mom, are you staying for lunch?” With a blanket tucked under his arm, Cinco opened the gate, stepped into the backyard, and closed the gate.
    “No.” She smiled at her oldest son. “Just dropped by to see how CanDee was settling in.” She walked over to him and patted him on the arm. “I see that you’re taking care of our guest. I’m off. I’m meeting your father for lunch and then I have back-to-back surgeries this afternoon.”
    He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “See you later.”
    There was a lot to be said for a man who still kissed his mother goodbye.
    CanDee grabbed the basket and walked to him. “So, what’s for lunch?”
    He led her to the arbor, spread out the blanket, and sat. She sat next to him. He opened the basket.
    “Chicken salad sandwiches, root beer, potato chips, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.” He pulled out the Ziploc-bagged sandwiches and a small thermal bag that held two cold Abita Root Beers. “The Reese’s are in here too, but I’ll pull them out later.”
    CanDee reached into the basket and pulled out two bags of Zapps Sour Cream & Creole Onion chips. “I love these, and chicken salad is one of my favorites.”
    Well, pretty much anything she didn’t have to cook was a favorite, but she did like chicken salad.
    He unwrapped one sandwich and handed it to her and then unwrapped the other one and took a bite.
    “Did you make this?” She took a small corner bite. It was good. She liked a man who could cook. Since she didn’t, it was good to have someone around who did. Well, she supposed it would be nice. Her ex hadn’t been able to cook.
    “Yes, I like to cook.” He opened one bag of chips and laid it in front of her and then opened the other bag and popped a chip in his mouth.
    He went out of his way to make sure she was taken care of first before he took anything for himself. It was strange having a man see to her first. It felt nice.
    “This is really good. I like the chunky pickle bits.” She took another bite, chewed, and swallowed. “What else can you make?”
    “Just about anything with a recipe that’s not too complicated. I follow directions well.” He bit into his sandwich again.
    “I like a man who can follow directions.” And one who put her first. “This is a nice spot.” She pointed to the roses. “Who planted them?”
    The way the thick vines wove in and out of the cedar trellis made her think that this rosebush had been here quite a long time.
    “My great-grandfather, Deuce, planted this rosebush in atonement for his many sins.” One side of Cinco’s mouth turned up in a grin and a single dimple popped out on his left cheek. “Somehow the bloodred roses that bloom every year were supposed to cleanse his soul.”
    “Your great-grandfather sounds like a very religious man.” Either that or he was a little bit crazy.
    “I don’t think religion had anything to do with it. It was the shotgun that his wife was holding on him when she found him in bed with the maid that was more the driving force behind his sudden need to cleanse his soul.” He unscrewed the cap on a bottle of root beer and handed it to her. “After that, Deuce had a change of heart. He started going to church and pretty much doing whatever Great-Grandmother Roberta told him to do.”
    “Religion comes in many forms, and apparently the business end of a shotgun is one.” She sipped the root beer. “I love root beer but I never buy it.” She saluted him with it. “Thanks for this and for lunch.”
    He looked very pleased with himself. “You’re welcome.”
    “So, what are some more deep dark