My True Cowboy Read Online Free

for nurses to call her back with answers to her questions.
    â€œWell, good luck with the game,” Kay said, bringing Susan back to the present. “Who knows? Maybe someone will want to take Rosa on besides you.”
    â€œI doubt that.” There wasn’t a person in the home who wanted to play cutthroat gin rummy the way she and Rosa Ventura did.
    Just as Kay walked away, Susan spied the topic of their conversation at the entrance to the room. “I’ve got us a spot over here,” Susan said brightly. “Let’s get started.”
    Rosa wheeled her way to the back table. As soon as they were in whispering distance, she murmured, “Is everything okay?”
    â€œOh, sure. She was just checking in.”
    â€œYou looked so serious. For a moment I was worried that it was about your son.”
    â€œIt really was nothing. Hank’s doing okay.”
    Rosa rubbed her hands together. “All righty, then. Let’s get started before Stan comes around.”
    â€œYes, let’s definitely do that.”
    As Rosa started dealing, the elderly lady looked Susan up and down. “Are you sure you’re all right? Something about you looks different today.”
    â€œI’m fine.” She picked up her cards. “Let’s just concentrate on our hands, shall we?”
    But instead of accepting Susan’s efforts to move them on, the older lady grimaced. “Don’t you start talking to me like I don’t have a brain in my head, Susan Young.”
    â€œI wouldn’t dare.”
    â€œYou better not, you hear me? You’re one of the few people in this place who treats me like I still have my wits about me. A couple of the nurses here talk to me like I’m in kindergarten. Yesterday, at dinner, one of them asked if I needed help cutting my chicken.”
    Susan hid a smile at that. She wouldn’t dare ask Rosa if she needed help cutting meat. At least, she wouldn’t if there was a knife nearby!
    As she sat across from her at the card table, Susan fiddled with her cards. “Just so you know, I really do like playing cards with you. I don’t look at it as a task. I promise I don’t.”
    Reaching out, the elderly woman patted Susan’s arm. “I know, honey. Now, let’s play before I lose my eyesight.”
    They ended up playing four games over the next hour. Susan won a hand, Rosa won the next two, and as they played the fourth round, the tension between them intensified as their competitive spirits took control. As always, they concentrated on their latest cards as if their lives depended on it. A little crowd gathered around and cheered them on.
    Susan was just about to draw another card when Rosa called out, “Gin!” and slapped her cards on the table victoriously.
    Susan leaned back against her chair and sighed. “One day I’m going to beat you, fair and square.”
    â€œI won’t hold my breath,” Rosa retorted, but there was abright light in her eyes that hadn’t been there when Susan arrived. “Same time tomorrow?”
    â€œI don’t know if I can. I have some work I need to do on the computer that might take a while.”
    â€œFriday?”
    â€œI can’t Friday, either. I’m, uh, taking the day off.”
    â€œSusan Young, I know it’s Labor Day weekend, but are you taking vacation already? Or are you finally going to tell me what’s got you so stressed and worried?”
    â€œI’m not taking vacation….” Though she was tempted to leave it at that, the concern in Rosa’s eyes practically asked her to share. “But I am kind of stressed today. You were right about that. And it actually does have to do with my son,” she said as the rest of the residents drifted away.
    â€œHas he gotten worse?”
    â€œI’m not sure. He’s been getting low a lot, which means his blood sugar’s been taking nosedives. I just found out that