Free Unbridled by Beth Williamson Page B

at home.
    The truth was, she could have cooked for herself, but Alex had never learned how. Bernice hadn’t had the patience to teach her and Alex’s mother didn’t like to cook. It didn’t matter now, though, because she was back at home, eating Bernice’s good cooking. Not everything would be as satisfying as this delicious food.
    She sat down and realized she’d forgotten to get a drink. Before she could get up, a glass of iced tea was set in front of her, the lemon nicely positioned on the rim. She looked up into Bernice’s smiling face.
    “Thanks.” When Alex took a sip, she groaned aloud at the cold concoction in her mouth. “God, I forgot what good tea tasted like.”
    Bernice sat down, her large callused hands in front of her on the table. “Dig in.”
    Alex didn’t need to be told twice. She took a huge bite of turkey, and the flavor exploded on her tongue. The gravy was creamy and salty, the turkey juicy and just right. She took a second bite, this one with a smattering of mashed potatoes included. It was almost a sexual experience.
    “I’m glad you’re enjoying the food, but I’m curious as to where you’ve been the last ten years.” Bernice sipped at the large mug of coffee in front of her.
    “L.A.,” Alex managed to say around the mashed potatoes.
    Bernice’s dark eyebrows went up. “That so? Long way from home, and I don’t mean miles.”
    Alex shrugged, then took a gulp of iced tea. “I needed that distance.”
    “I can see that. And what brings you back now, if you don’t mind my asking?” Bernice did the asking whether or not anyone minded.
    Alex finished the bite in her mouth before she answered. “I’ve got nowhere else to go.” The raw and pitiful truth, to be sure.
    Bernice nodded. “I’m glad you came here, then. I know things were a bit rough when your mama died. I didn’t get a chance to talk to you before you hightailed it outta here.” She sipped at her coffee, allowing Alex a bit more time to stuff her face.
    And stuff her face she did. The turkey disappeared from the plate, along with the potatoes. As she sopped up the gravy with a biscuit, Alex realized she’d eaten far too much. She was overfull and damn, but it felt good.
    Bernice’s gaze found hers again. “Now, tell me why you ran and never looked back. Why you thought it a good plan to disappear.”
    “I had to leave, and you know why. He brought another woman to her funeral, Bernice.” Alex tried to block out the memory again, unsuccessfully.
    “Your daddy, well, he made mistakes, but marrying Claire wasn’t one of them.” Bernice held up her hand, obviously seeing something in Alex’s gaze. “I ain’t saying he went about it the right way. Hell, he fucked it up right good, but Claire is a good woman and her boy isn’t such a bad kid either.”
    Alex set the biscuit down slowly. The turkey now sat in her stomach like a lead weight, her pleasure at the delicious food forgotten. Bernice had no right to defend her father’s actions, or that woman who’d taken her mother’s place.
    “I’m not ready to forgive him, or accept the strangers in my house. Jesus Christ, Bernice, it’s a goddamn dude ranch! After a hundred and fifty years as my family’s house, a Finley heritage, it’s no longer a home.” Alex glanced around to make sure no one was around. She didn’t want to offend people, but she’d been offended by what her father had done. “A bunch of damn city folks playing cowboy. What the hell?”
    Bernice shrugged. “The ranch wasn’t making any money on cattle, girl. The bigger ranches were putting Finley’s under. Your daddy had the idea to keep the ranch going. It weren’t easy, but it worked. Each year we made more and built more cabins.”
    Alex absorbed that information, knowing Bernice was probably right about losing money, but hell, most ranches did. It was a constant struggle to survive. However, turning a home into a dude ranch was still unacceptable. Her father had taken