Somebody Like You by Lynnette Austin Page A

mama and daddy will be here?”
    She set a mammoth sandwich down in front of him, a pile of thinly sliced roast beef cradled between two thick slabs of homemade bread with juicy tomato slices nestled amongst the meat. His stomach rumbled.
    “Yes, they will. I’m making an airport run to pick them up later today.” He lifted one slice of bread, saw the horseradish sauce she’d slathered on it, smiled, and took a bite. “Mmmmm. Good stuff, Rosie.”
    “’Course it is. Made it, didn’t I? Here’s a glass of cold milk to go with it. Drink it like a good boy.” She plunked it down on the table in front of him, poured a cup of coffee for herself from the old percolator on the stove, and sat down across from him. “It’ll be good to see your folks. It’s past time for them to come home.”
    She sneaked a sidelong glance at him. “Maybe they can talk some sense into you.”
    “Rosie,” he warned. “We’ve already covered this ground. I’m not gonna do it.”
    “Yeah, yeah. I know.”
    “You’ve got a lot to take care of in the next couple days. Anything I can do?”
    “Yeah. You can gag and bind that woman upstairs and lock her in a closet.”
    He grinned. “Anything else?”
    “Nope. I’ve got the rest under control. Estelle and Mary are coming in the next couple days to help. They’ll be back early on the Fourth to finish things up. I’m making the apple pies myself, though. Can’t be trusting anybody else with those. Baked Alaska,” she muttered. “In a pig’s eye.”
    He smiled and wiped his face with the napkin Rosie handed him. Leaning across the table, he kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”
    “Ain’t no need to thank me. I’m just doin’ my job.”
    “We both know you do more than that.” He hesitated. “Has Hank said anything about the new help I hired?”
    “The old coot was madder than a banty rooster when she showed up. Thought I was gonna have to double up on his blood pressure meds. But after that first day, he settled down. Said even though the girl looked like some pampered princess, she wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty or too good to put her back into what needs doing.”
    “That’s pretty high praise, coming from your husband.”
    “Yeah, it is. So I figure this Annie of yours must be okay.”
    “She’s not my Annie,” he said quickly.
    “Hmph.” She arched her brow. “Maybe she should be. Now get out of here and let me do my work.” She swatted him with a dish towel.
    “Yes, ma’am.” As he let himself out the back door, he thought about what Rosie had said. His Annie. Somehow, the idea of that didn’t put him off nearly as much as it should.
    And Vivi’s accusations about Annie? Absolute rubbish. Good move on her part, though, he admitted reluctantly. Make him doubt Annie, her intentions. Drive a wedge between them. The woman would do whatever it took to protect her interests.
    Well, he wouldn’t think about it anymore. She was wrong.
    Barbecue crisis averted, for now anyway, he meandered over to the barn. He’d check on Hank, make sure he was indeed taking things easier. He refused to admit his trip had anything to do with catching a glimpse of Annie.
    Sticky hot and feeling more than a little grouchy, he stepped into the barn. Annie was nowhere in sight. Bathed in shadows, the building was a good ten degrees cooler than outside. It smelled of horse and fresh hay, familiar and comforting.
    Crouched in a stall, Hank wrapped one of the mare’s legs. Cash leaned against the wood railings. “Annie around?”
    “She’s out in the paddock.”
    “Okay.”
    He straightened to leave, but Hank, madder than a hornet, said, “You gotta do something about this mess.”
    “There’s nothing I can do, Hank. You know I would if—”
    “Don’t go givin’ me that, boy. You gonna stand back and watch everything your grandfather worked for go down the drain?”
    “He did that himself.”
    “No, by damn. You and I both know the old man wasn’t in his right