Page 42 of The Rancher's Secret Relationship

Farica tapped her on the shoulder. "Lemonade?"

Kady was surprised but grateful and took the drink from the other girl's hands. "Thank you—-"

"No biggie. I was thinking you'd need it, with all the screaming—-"

Kady, who had just turned away, ended up spewing the lemonade out...on Slade's shirt.

Oops.

Everyone burst into laughter as Kady's horrified gaze flew to Slade.

The billionaire regarded her with puzzlement. "That's strange. You normally swallow my c—-"

"OH MY GOD—-"

"Coffee," he finished innocently. "What did you think I was going to say?"

Kady fled into the kitchen, her face red as a tomato as laughter once more filled the cafe. Horrible, horrible,horribleman! But despite everything, a grin was already tugging at her lips. He was a horrible man, alright, but he could be so adorable about it, and she loved him so. If only—-

Her phone rang, and Kady tensed at hearing the ringtone.That,she thought uneasily, could only mean one person.

Elizabeth and Arden exchanged looks as the other girl mumbled an excuse before going out of the back door to take the call. "Should I tell Slade about it?" she asked her fiancé. They had heard all about Kady's breakdown from Farica, and if it was that awful ex of hers on the phone...

Outside the cafe, Kady was reeling from the most unexpected news. "You're r-really here?" she stammered.

"You can at least try to sound more excited about it," her mother said tartly.

"I'm just surprised—-"

"Don't you mean worried?" Catherine asked.

Kady jerked at the note of innuendo in her mother's voice. She couldn't possibly...she couldn't...

"I know about your new boyfriend, yes."

Kady's heart slammed against her chest. "Eric told you, didn't he?"

"As he should have."

"Whatever he told you—-"

"Is for me to judge," Catherine finished coolly, "which is why I'd like to meet him over dinner tomorrow night."

Over my dead body,Kady thought right away. She could just see it now, her mother with her favorite pearls around her neck, her cold gray eyes wordlessly disparaging Slade just because he had facial hair and wore jeans to work.

Over my dead body, she thought again.

"Tomorrow,Kady." And when her daughter remained stubbornly silent, Catherine said warningly, "Donotpush me—-"

"I just don't see the point, okay?" Kady's tone was faint and uneven. It had always hurt to disobey either of her parents, but she just couldn't do what Catherine was asking. "It's obvious enough that you've already made up your mind about him, and you couldn't be more wrong. He's not what you think he is—-"

"Oh, I do know," Catherine snapped. "I knowexactlywhat he is."

"Mother, please—-"

"He's the kind of man who thinks he can cash in by taking my daughter for a ride—-"

"Slade's a good man," she cried out just as she heard footsteps behind her.

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