Read Online Accidental Cowgirl by Maggie McGinnis - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Maggie McGinnis
Ads: Link
beautiful spot on earth, I’ve got my two best friends, the trial’s over, and Wes is in jail. It’s high time to get my life back, don’t you think?”
Hayley grinned. “I do think!”
Jess blinked hard as she gathered Kyla into a hug. “Me, too, darlin’. Me, too.”
Kyla pulled back and winked at Jess. “Y’know what? I think I might be ready for you to make that voodoo doll you promised. I want it to look just like Wes.”
“I was kidding about that, honey. I don’t really do those.”
“Hayley? How about you?”
“Oh, I’d be happy to stick pins in a Wes-doll! Let’s make one!”
Chapter 7
“Anyone know what the most common trail injury is?” Cole tipped back his hat and scanned the guests. Kyla pulled her sweatshirt closed and sipped her cocoa. Holy brr , it was cold. It’d been eight-five degrees at noon yesterday, but it was just cresting forty right now. Apparently this was August in western Montana, at least this year.
She longed again for the gooshy, perfect queen-sized bed in her cabin, which was a lot softer and warmer than the log she was currently sitting on. The sky practically crackled blue above her, and she could hear robins and chickadees skittering around in the trees near the ranch house.
“Anyone awake yet?” Cole’s amused voice snapped her out of her daydreaming. “What’s the most common injury we see on the trail? Any guesses?”
“Sprained ankles?” Theresa ventured.
“Nope.”
“Back injuries?” Maureen guessed.
“Nope again.”
“Sore heinies?” Hayley tried, to a round of sleepy laughter.
Cole grinned. “Getting closer. That’s second. Anyone else?”
Jess shivered. “Concussions?”
“Nope. You’re not going to believe this, but the number one most common trail-riding injury here is …” He looked around the circle to make sure everyone was listening. “… sunburn.”
“Sunburn? Seriously?” Cheryl looked up at the sky.
“But don’t worry. Sunburn we can prevent. Today’s lesson is dedicated to the stuff we can’t necessarily predict or prevent.” Cole turned toward the barn on his left with his arm outstretched. “Allow me to introduce my assistants for today’s program, Jimmy and Pete.” They emerged from the stable, hobbling from what looked like multiple fake injuries.
Pete got to the circle first and collapsed on a log, holding his ankle in mock pain. Jimmy was next, bracing his head and blinking rapidly. Kyla looked from one to the other, trying not tolaugh at their antics. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Decker smile as he shook his head.
She jumped. Where had he come from? She’d been so relieved to find him missing from the log circle this morning, since last time he’d seen her, she’d been playing Runaway Sleepwalker.
“Okay, we’ve got two injuries. First order of business—who do we treat first?” Kyla tore her eyes from Decker to concentrate on Cole’s instructions.
“The head injury,” Tom guessed, and Maureen nodded.
“Right. What do we do?”
“Ask him what happened?”
Cole turned to Jimmy. “What happened, Fred?”
Jimmy scowled. “I don’t know, but my head is killing me. I gotta sit down.” He careened onto a log, then clutched his stomach and lurched back up. “Never mind. I don’t feel so good. I gotta lie down.” He stumbled a bit as he walked outside the circle and lay down on the grass.
“You tired?” Cole asked.
“Mmm.”
Cole turned to the group. “What do you think, docs? Does he have a concussion?”
“He sure looks like it,” Maureen offered.
Cole nodded. “Yep. He’s nauseous, he’s tired, and his head hurts. And he’s disoriented enough not to notice I’m not even using his right name. Those are all pretty strong signs.” He scanned the circle of guests again, but this time, everyone was paying attention. “I want to assure you we’ve never had a guest experience anything like this, but head injuries are serious business. You see someone take a
Hayley grinned. “I do think!”
Jess blinked hard as she gathered Kyla into a hug. “Me, too, darlin’. Me, too.”
Kyla pulled back and winked at Jess. “Y’know what? I think I might be ready for you to make that voodoo doll you promised. I want it to look just like Wes.”
“I was kidding about that, honey. I don’t really do those.”
“Hayley? How about you?”
“Oh, I’d be happy to stick pins in a Wes-doll! Let’s make one!”
Chapter 7
“Anyone know what the most common trail injury is?” Cole tipped back his hat and scanned the guests. Kyla pulled her sweatshirt closed and sipped her cocoa. Holy brr , it was cold. It’d been eight-five degrees at noon yesterday, but it was just cresting forty right now. Apparently this was August in western Montana, at least this year.
She longed again for the gooshy, perfect queen-sized bed in her cabin, which was a lot softer and warmer than the log she was currently sitting on. The sky practically crackled blue above her, and she could hear robins and chickadees skittering around in the trees near the ranch house.
“Anyone awake yet?” Cole’s amused voice snapped her out of her daydreaming. “What’s the most common injury we see on the trail? Any guesses?”
“Sprained ankles?” Theresa ventured.
“Nope.”
“Back injuries?” Maureen guessed.
“Nope again.”
“Sore heinies?” Hayley tried, to a round of sleepy laughter.
Cole grinned. “Getting closer. That’s second. Anyone else?”
Jess shivered. “Concussions?”
“Nope. You’re not going to believe this, but the number one most common trail-riding injury here is …” He looked around the circle to make sure everyone was listening. “… sunburn.”
“Sunburn? Seriously?” Cheryl looked up at the sky.
“But don’t worry. Sunburn we can prevent. Today’s lesson is dedicated to the stuff we can’t necessarily predict or prevent.” Cole turned toward the barn on his left with his arm outstretched. “Allow me to introduce my assistants for today’s program, Jimmy and Pete.” They emerged from the stable, hobbling from what looked like multiple fake injuries.
Pete got to the circle first and collapsed on a log, holding his ankle in mock pain. Jimmy was next, bracing his head and blinking rapidly. Kyla looked from one to the other, trying not tolaugh at their antics. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Decker smile as he shook his head.
She jumped. Where had he come from? She’d been so relieved to find him missing from the log circle this morning, since last time he’d seen her, she’d been playing Runaway Sleepwalker.
“Okay, we’ve got two injuries. First order of business—who do we treat first?” Kyla tore her eyes from Decker to concentrate on Cole’s instructions.
“The head injury,” Tom guessed, and Maureen nodded.
“Right. What do we do?”
“Ask him what happened?”
Cole turned to Jimmy. “What happened, Fred?”
Jimmy scowled. “I don’t know, but my head is killing me. I gotta sit down.” He careened onto a log, then clutched his stomach and lurched back up. “Never mind. I don’t feel so good. I gotta lie down.” He stumbled a bit as he walked outside the circle and lay down on the grass.
“You tired?” Cole asked.
“Mmm.”
Cole turned to the group. “What do you think, docs? Does he have a concussion?”
“He sure looks like it,” Maureen offered.
Cole nodded. “Yep. He’s nauseous, he’s tired, and his head hurts. And he’s disoriented enough not to notice I’m not even using his right name. Those are all pretty strong signs.” He scanned the circle of guests again, but this time, everyone was paying attention. “I want to assure you we’ve never had a guest experience anything like this, but head injuries are serious business. You see someone take a
Similar Books
