12 Borrowing Trouble Read Online Free

and her full, pink mouth turned down at the corners more, if that was possible.  It was obvious this woman was wrapped so tight it would take years to unwind her.  Tara was going to have a job working out those kinks. 
    “Um, no thank you ,” she said primly.  “Who are you anyway, and what are you doing back here? Shouldn’t you be rustling cows or something?”
    “ No, ma’am.  Bulls are my specialty.”
    “I bet bull is your specialty,” she shot back.  
    One corner of her lips twitched, and a little thrill shot through him.  Making this woman laugh would be a challenge, and there was nothing he loved more than that.  
    She shook her head and sighed , as she turned to walk back down the hall.  “If you see Tara, tell her Carrie is awake and ready for her massage.” 
    Dylan’s eyes latched onto her round ass stretching the towel as it swayed, then slid down her perfect thighs to her tiny feet.  Yeah, he could definitely get into seeing what was under that towel again. 
    Her name was Carrie. 
    Dylan filed that at the back of his brain.  He’d have to casually ask Terri who she was, he thought, as he walked to the door to the gym and went inside to find Joel.

 
    CHAPTER TWO
     
    “What the hell are you doing?” Terri asked with frustration as she walked into the kitchen.
    Startled, Carrie spun away from the sink full of dishes.  She swiped at her bangs with her forearm.  Soapy water dripped all over the shiny tile floor she’d just mopped.  With a curse, she yanked the dishtowel off of the counter and dropped to her knees to mop it up.
    “I can’t just sit around here like a bump on a log.  I’m used to doing things, and I’m here for free.  I’m helping you.  Penny had to go to town to buy groceries, so I’m making sure she doesn’t come back to a mess.”  
    Carrie had been there three days now and she missed her kids.  She was worried about Chris getting into trouble at Trace’s house.  Trace and Ronnie didn’t have kids.  She was sure his new wife had never been around kids much.  She wouldn’t watch him like Carrie knew he needed to be watched, or know what that wild look he got in his eyes sometimes meant.  Carrie knew exactly what it meant, and she should’ve talked to Trace.  But she was embarrassed to have to tell him that her son was on the fast track to becoming a juvenile delinquent. 
    That she was a failure as a mother.
    “You are a guest!  You’re here to relax!” Terri shouted.
    “This is relaxing to me .” Carrie stood back up to set the rag on the counter.
    “We have a dishwasher .” Terri walked over to stand beside her, then bent to pull open the door of the dishwasher.  “And you do not have to do this!”
    “I want to do it, and dishwashers don’t get the dishes clean.  You have to wash them before you put them in there anyway. Why not just wash them by hand?  They come out cleaner, and it saves electricity.”  Carrie never used the dishwasher at home for just those reasons.  She was sure this ranch didn’t have to worry about money like she did though.
    Terri shook her head and leaned against the counter to fold her arms over her chest.  “You need to learn how to relax again, Carrie.  Trace was right.”
    That made Carrie wonder exactly what Trace and Ronnie had told Terri about her situation.  They didn’t know everything.  She hadn’t told anyone everything.  There wasn’t anyone to tell before them really.  But evidently they knew enough to worry Terri with her problems. 
    Carrie turned back toward the sink to pick up a plate and swish a sponge over it.  “I have responsibilities.  Trace has no idea what I deal with on a daily basis.  He doesn’t have kids.  He’ll understand after a week of dealing with them though.”  If they were all still alive.
    A hand dropped between her shoulder blades.  “I’ll make you a deal ,” Terri said.  Carrie looked at her.  “I’ll let you finish these dishes, but