George Pettigrew and his papa must leave the California rancho they'd lived on since his birth. They end up in New York City, where Papa marries and George gets a new beloved mama. George also meets Frank and Bart who become fast friends, and in Bart's case, even more.<br><br>The start of the Civil War leaves George the man of the family, but although he’s found a job, it’s difficult to pay the ever-increasing rent. Then Papa dies at Appomattox and Mama falls ill.<br><br>After Mama dies, her father takes George’s siblings. When George learns his younger sister is being abused, he rescues the three children. But will dressing his sisters as boys and himself as a woman be enough of a disguise to keep them safe until they can reach the valley he’s dreamed of? Will Bart leave behind his own family and go with the man he loves?

Home Before Sundown

“That’s just as well. I thought we would all go out to dinner.”


And dinner wouldn’t be for another four or five hours.


“All right, Papa. We’ll…take our time. Come along, muchachas.”


“Thank you, George,” Mama said softly.


He glanced back over his shoulder. She’d caught Papa’s hand and twined her fingers in his, and for a brief moment George thought about holding Bart’s hand.


George knew his friend’s palm was rough—there had been times, climbing trees or scrambling into the hay loft when a grip was necessary. He also knew Bart probably wouldn’t object if George took his hand. Bart was his friend, after all, and he had gotten into a fistfight with one of the younger journeymen who’d mocked George as being too pretty—as if a man could be pretty. He’d insinuated something was going on between them, because Bart always had lunch with George. Bart wound up with a black eye and a bloody nose, but he’d knocked the journeyman on his ass.


Chapter 56