The Rancher Takes A Bride (The Burnett Brides Book 1)

before, didn't he?"
    "He was sick. I didn't question him."
    Rose felt so awkward. Somewhere on her face must be written that she'd given Travis her virginity while Eugenia was away. The woman's staring only increased Rose's own discomfort.
    "I ... I watered your flowers while you were gone and dusted the main room."
    "Why, thank you, dear."
    Eugenia stepped back and stared at Rose.
    Oh, my God, she could tell. Rose had checked herself repeatedly in the mirror, and nowhere could she find anything on the outside that showed the changes that one morning with Travis had wrought. But on the inside, she knew she was different. She felt older, sad, and disheartened by the way Travis ignored her. That he had treated their time together so lightly angered her beyond comprehension.
    "What's wrong?" Rose asked, afraid of the answer.
    Eugenia glanced at her, a quizzical look on her face. "Nothing. I was just noticing how nice that dress looks on you."
    "Oh."
    Rose inwardly cringed. The dress that Eugenia had lent her would never be the same. She could never return that dress spotted with mud, stained with her virgin's blood.
    The sound of boots striking against wood had her glancing up into Travis's brown eyes. Her heart lurched at the sight of him, hot and scowling from beneath his hat.
    "Hello, Mother," he said, hugging the older woman to his side as he stepped onto the porch.
    "What happened to your horse?"
    "Stone bruise, nothing serious. She needs some rest." He took off his hat. "How was your stay in town?"
    "Nice." Eugenia glanced between the two of them. "How about the two of you? Everything all right while I was gone?"
    Rose felt blood rush into her face. She gave a quick glance at Travis, feeling that anyone could tell from the expression on her face what had transpired between them. Eugenia must know.
    "Fine." Travis's voice was gruff and to the point. "Everything went fine."
    Tucker stepped from inside the house. He reached out and shook Travis hand. "I brought Mother back to you. I thought by now you'd be ready for her return."
    Travis nodded his head, but didn't say anything.
    Tucker glanced over at Rose, a grin on his face, and she twisted her hands nervously. "So you two didn't kill each other while Mother was away. Well that's a start. I really wasn't looking forward to arresting my own brother."
    Travis cleared his throat and glared at Tucker.
    "But then again, maybe this was a good time for the two of you to sort of clear the air. Settle your differences and—"
    "We did fine," Travis interrupted.
    Eugenia grabbed Rose by the hand. "Oh my, I almost forgot." She took Rose by the hand and led her to a swing on the front porch and sat down beside Rose. "You got the part, dear. They want you to play Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew ."
    Rose looked at her stunned. "What? I got the part?" She stared at Eugenia, who nodded yes. "Oh, my God. I got the part."
    She squealed with delight. "My first acting job!"
    "What part?" Travis asked. "How could you get that part? You never auditioned."
    Eugenia scowled at her oldest son. "Rose is going to be in The Taming of the Shrew ."
    "I told her she couldn't audition for that part. I specifically said I didn't want her around those people."
    Rose glanced at Travis. "You're not stopping me."
    Cookie stepped out onto the porch. "If anyone's interested, dinner's ready."
    They stared at one another, and Rose felt as though an invisible line had been drawn on the porch. They were facing off like gunfighters. The first one who said anything would fire the first shot. She waited, patient, expectant. After the last few days, she was ready to do battle. She was more than ready to put Travis in his place.
    Eugenia glanced between them, then patted Rose on the knee. "Dinner's ready. We can discuss this later."
    "We'll certainly discuss it later," Travis snapped.
    With a scowl on his face, he walked over to the door and yanked the wooden portal open. He motioned with his hand and said, "After you."
    Eugenia stood and Rose followed as they strode into the house. As she passed Travis, she glanced into his eyes. A glint of anger and something else shone from his brown eyes, and she couldn't help but give him a little half smile, along with a mocking glance that she hoped relayed to him that she would not back down. She would take this part.
    Eugenia sat down at the table, and Tucker took the seat across from his mother, leaving Travis little choice but to sit across from Rose. She glanced at