Texas Proud and Circle of Gold (Long, Tall Texans #52) - Diana Palmer Page 0,6

down into the now-empty cup. “Then another friend told me the truth. He said that I wasn’t bad to look at, but he didn’t want to take a disabled girl to a dance.” She smiled sadly, aware of Mrs. Brown’s angry expression. “After that, I sort of gave up on dating.”

“There must have been nicer boys,” she replied.

“Oh, there were. But there were prettier girls who didn’t walk with canes.” She put down the cup and saucer. “I didn’t need the cane all the time, of course. But when I had flares, I’d just fall if I made a misstep.” She shook her head. “No man is going to want a woman who may end up an invalid one day. So I go to work and save all I can, and hope that by the time I need to give up and apply for disability, I’ll have enough to tide me over until I can get it.” She made a face. “Gosh, wouldn’t it be nice not to have health issues?”

“It would. And I’m sorry that you do. But, Bernie, a man who loves you won’t care if you have them.” She added, “Any more than you’d care if he had them.”

Bernie smiled. “You’re a nice woman. I’m so lucky to live here. And thank you for the tea.”

“You’re very welcome. You get some sleep. Tomorrow’s Saturday, so you can sleep in for a change.”

“A nice change.” She grimaced. “But I don’t want you to wait breakfast for me...!”

“I’ll put it on a plate in the fridge and you can heat it up in the microwave,” said Mrs. Brown. “So stop worrying about things.”

Bernie laughed. “Okay. Thanks again.”

“You’re very welcome.” She hesitated at the door. ‘What a very good thing that we don’t have many young women living here, except you.”

“Why?”

“Well, that nice man who brought you in is really good-looking, and we don’t want a line forming at his door, now do we?” she teased.

Bernie blushed, but Mrs. Brown had closed the door before she saw it.

Chapter Two

Mikey waited for Santi in a parking spot near the front door of the San Antonio hotel. He hoped it wouldn’t take too long. The streets were busy, even at this time of night, and some of the people milling around were wearing gang colors and had multiple tats. He knew about the Los Serpientes gang. Although they were technically based in Houston, they had a presence here in San Antonio. Paulie had told him about them. They looked out for children and old people. Amazing. Kind of like the Yakuza in Japan.

Japan was a great place to visit. Mikey had gone there for several weeks after his tour of duty in the Middle East. He’d needed to wind down and get over some of the things he’d seen and done there. He’d been with a group of military overseas that included two men from here, Rogers and Barton, who’d been protecting the Grayling girls from contract killers. He hadn’t served directly with them, but Cag Hart and the local DA, Blake Kemp, had been overseas at the same time. From Afghanistan to Iraq, he’d carried a rifle and served his country. The memories weren’t good, but he had others he lived with. He just added the more recent ones to them.

He’d been surprised to find his company commander involved with Merrie Grayling. The Wyoming rancher, Ren Colter, had been the company commander of his sniper unit overseas. In fact, the Grayling girls’ protectors, Rogers and Barton, had also been part of his group. What a homecoming that had been. Not a really great one, because Mikey had gotten in trouble scrounging materials for a brothel. But his commanding officer had gotten him out of trouble with Ren, because Mikey had the greatest luck in the world at poker. He never lost. It was one reason he was so rich. Of course, he couldn’t get into casinos anymore. He didn’t cheat. He didn’t have to. But that luck had gotten him barred all over the world, even in Monte Carlo. He chuckled. It was sort of a mark of honor, being barred from those places. So he didn’t mind that much. He had all the money he’d ever need until he died an old man, so who cared?

The car trunk opened suddenly. Mikey’s hand had gone automatically under his jacket to the .45 he’d put there before Santi went into the hotel. He kept it in a secure compartment under the seat,