Free The Reluctant Wrangler by Roxann Delaney

why?” he asked.
    “I’m not sure, but I think it should be addressed.”
    He thought about it, trying to make some sense of it and failing. What kind of food would an eight-year-old boy steal? A boy who was given three meals a day and quite often a snack, too. “You’re sure it was food?”
    “I went to his room while the boys were at breakfast and found a pillowcase in his closet. It had food in it.”
    “What kind of food?”
    “A box of crackers, a jar of peanut butter and two packages of cookies. None were open.”
    Considering the items stolen, it wasn’t a big deal, but because some of the boys were at the ranch for reasons other than good behavior, he felt something needed to be done. “We can’t let this go,” he told her. “These boys are here because they have problems. He stole items that didn’t belong to him.”
    “But why?” she cried. “They have plenty to eat here.Why would he feel the need to steal food? I think that’s what we need to focus on.”
    “He should be disciplined,” Mac announced. When she shook her head, her lips a thin line, he knew he had a battle on his hands. Kirby was her favorite. “Look, Nikki, something needs to be done.”
    “We need to talk to him,” she countered, “not punish him.”
    “I agree that someone should talk to him, but there must be some kind of repercussion for stealing. And that’s what it was.”
    This time her hair flew when she shook her head. She just wasn’t going to be reasonable, no matter what.
    Sighing, he knew she had a point, but there needed to be more than talk. “He knows it’s wrong, Nikki. You know that, I know that.”
    Her brown eyes flashed with anger. “Forget I mentioned it.”
    When she turned for her room, he reached for her. She spun around to look at him, and he noticed her anger had reached the boiling point. “Calm down, Nikki. Maybe we should—”
    “I can handle it myself,” she stated, pulling away from him and reaching for her door.
    He raised his hands in surrender. “Fine. I’ll leave it in your hands. You talk to him. And while you’re at it, put some clothes on.”
    She stopped, her shoulders stiffening before she turned back to him. “Excuse me?”
    “That top you’re wearing,” he said, pointing to the multicolored strapless knit thing that clung to her like a second skin. “Find something else to wear or cover it up. Teenage boys don’t need that kind of encouragement.” It was out of his mouth before he could stop it.
    Eyes blazing with fury, she stepped closer and tilted her head up to look at him. “I don’t believe you said that. I’ve worked with troubled boys, teenagers and younger, since I graduated from high school. No one has ever had a problem with my choice of clothing.”
    Angry at her for being so stubborn and even more at himself for saying what he had, he shrugged. “Then I guess I had to be the first, but somebody needed to say it.”
    Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened, but he didn’t stay around to hear what she had to say. She was one stubborn female, he thought as he strode out the door and pulled in a deep breath. But he never should have said what he did.

Chapter Five
    Nikki managed to avoid Mac for the rest of the day. She noticed he kept his distance from her, too, and she was relieved. Anger wasn’t something she handled easily, and she didn’t trust herself to be around others when it had taken hold of her. Even the next morning, forgiveness was not a part of her vocabulary, and she was thankful when he didn’t show up at breakfast.
    She kept watch and waited until she had an opportunity to find Kirby alone. Asking him about the food he’d taken wasn’t the time to include everyone. Still seething over Mac’s rudeness, she had no intention of asking for his help again. She certainly couldn’t trust him. She would take care of it herself. His handling of the boys was too stern, and while they needed some of that, they also needed understanding and