kind of magic, these hash browns

to the ordinary store-bought patties had

eric and garlic pow

ecause the omelet was pretty amazing. Among the sounds of voices in cheerful conversation,

. Usually, Terry and her husband Bill didn’t bother to join Hallie, ma

ve abducted him and replaced him with an identical copy, which was mu

am he liked and did he enjoy living in A

he said, “and we get al

ster Terry, Hallie wished the

of sorts lately, but even they

dn’t even bother to talk about the rift between he

d sibling rivalry over who got the run the… uh… family company. But, as Shakespeare said, ‘uneasy lies the

rences with my brothers, that’s for s

ely subtle by dropping hints about how she and Terry

time now for little sis,” Terry drawled. “

ing my outfits

like a sl*t,” Terry replied casually

kind of language at the

plied, “And if you actually spent any quality time wit

fault you’re

s enough,” Vi

e Luke had done most of the cooking. They went into the kitchen,

Luke, and she still hadn’t

f Texas, so he couldn’t be all bad. People usually spoke the

tion. “I don’t want to brag, but it l

ted. The poor sap! He couldn’t have known he

ell for an alien repl

ebrows coming together

ng air on the porch. It smelled like horses,

wed her outside into the warm morning, standing annoying

d. “Well, no.

ou have my deep

against the rounded wooden beam that s

thing wrong this morning too,” he

t the barns and pastures. “I j

e wh

er m

was, but I can usually pass for a decent f

t’s

ry man sho

wished he di

“even your breath is fresh.

t by it too, only she calls it ‘Dr. Jekyll an

Hallie sai

’t we start ov

rate, kind… exactly the kind of g

to work,” Hallie said. “It was

he said, stretching his arms up

o comfortable

vision. His smooth hair hung down attractively as his grinning face radia

” Hallie

free stay at the ranch that appealing to him? Maybe he didn’t have an

hundred dollars,” she said,

upid expression when they were confused, but his handsome face held a

stay…” she mumbled, fearing sh

you s

forg

ve chest shaking in quick burst

n’t k

are in order. But I see I’v

ack to town,” Hal

se to get her truck keys, but Luke bl

t to know me, Miss?” he asked. “You d

full of hims

n enough,” Hallie

im and made her way