Read Online Austin (New Horizon Ranch Book 8) by Debra Clopton - Free Book Online
Authors: Debra Clopton
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curious why good ole Mo Jordon would say such a thing about you?”
“He made advances that I wasn’t willing to accept as part of the job description. Ruining my career was part of the payback.” Jolene tried not to think of that day in the barn when her ex-boss had made his move. He hadn’t appreciated her refusal of his advances and…Jolene pushed the disgusting memory from her mind. She had been lucky it hadn’t been worse. And she’d been lucky that when she’d called Ty, he’d taken her word and hired her. No one else would. Mo was a powerful man in the horse circles.
“Let’s go meet everyone.”
Jolene nodded and climbed out of the truck. She looked down the street of the bright and cheerful town that was painted in a kaleidoscope of colors. Hot pink, purple, blue, bright yellow with green trim…she couldn’t help but think that in a town this happy-looking that she could start over. And Maddie and Ty and the other partners were giving her a shot at it.
“Cute, isn’t it?”
“Perfect.” Jolene stepped up onto the board sidewalk and followed Maddie into the diner. The moment Maddie pushed open the heavy swinging front door, the music from a jukebox signaled the night would be lively.
Maddie led the way through the crowd and several cowboys she recognized from the ranch stopped Jolene and told her she’d done a good job with the horse that afternoon. She thanked them and then continued on to the table where Maddie had pulled out a chair. Several ladies were already there.
Jolene recognized Sadie, Rafe’s wife, but no one else.
Maddie quickly introduced her to the others and Jolene repeated them in her head, trying to remember. Amber was Chase’s wife. Sadie and Rafe, Mia and Ty, Rae Anne and Dalton.
“So.” Sadie leaned toward her with a huge smile. “Is it true? I heard that you and our handsome, hunky Deputy Austin kissed this afternoon. I added the handsome, hunky myself. The birdy who told me just said you got a whopping kiss laid on you in the parking lot today.”
All eyes were on Jolene. She’d just met Mia, Rae Anne, and Amber, and she suddenly felt like a bug in a jar.
“Y’all,” Maddie scolded. “I drove all the way from the ranch and restrained my interest because I didn’t want to just butt in on Jolene’s privacy and y’all just barely met her.”
They all looked a little embarrassed but it was clear they were curious. Jolene bit her lip, thinking. “I knew everyone had to have seen that kiss. Austin just hauled off in the middle of an argument and kissed me. I should have kicked him in the knee.”
Five pairs of eyes widened.
Rae Anne frowned. “Why would you go and do that?”
Sadie smiled. “Yeah, why? Sounds like a few fireworks in the mix here. I remember how mad Rafe Masterson made me when we first met. Fireworks in flight, I can tell you. And same with Maddie. Right, Maddie?”
Maddie grinned. “Yup. That man tried to tame me. Thinking he could keep me from doing what I love.”
“No one is going to keep me from doing what I love.” Jolene instantly thought of how Austin had reacted to her riding Dimples. “ Do you know how dangerous it is to be doing what you’re doing? Watch yourself.”
He’d questioned her ability…like other men had over the years. She usually let it roll off her like water off a duck, but with Austin she’d been ready to fight. And he’d kissed her.
Sam came up then to take orders. “You must be Jolene,” the small man in jeans and a white shirt and apron said. His weathered face lifted in a smile. “You’re the new bronc buster. Austin and some of the fellas were talking about you just this morning. I hear you’re real good.”
“I try to stay in the saddle and I try to gentle them up before getting on their backs, so that helps.” She forced a smile because everyone was looking but all she could think about was that Austin had been discussing her riding in the diner with other cowboys. Had that been why he
“He made advances that I wasn’t willing to accept as part of the job description. Ruining my career was part of the payback.” Jolene tried not to think of that day in the barn when her ex-boss had made his move. He hadn’t appreciated her refusal of his advances and…Jolene pushed the disgusting memory from her mind. She had been lucky it hadn’t been worse. And she’d been lucky that when she’d called Ty, he’d taken her word and hired her. No one else would. Mo was a powerful man in the horse circles.
“Let’s go meet everyone.”
Jolene nodded and climbed out of the truck. She looked down the street of the bright and cheerful town that was painted in a kaleidoscope of colors. Hot pink, purple, blue, bright yellow with green trim…she couldn’t help but think that in a town this happy-looking that she could start over. And Maddie and Ty and the other partners were giving her a shot at it.
“Cute, isn’t it?”
“Perfect.” Jolene stepped up onto the board sidewalk and followed Maddie into the diner. The moment Maddie pushed open the heavy swinging front door, the music from a jukebox signaled the night would be lively.
Maddie led the way through the crowd and several cowboys she recognized from the ranch stopped Jolene and told her she’d done a good job with the horse that afternoon. She thanked them and then continued on to the table where Maddie had pulled out a chair. Several ladies were already there.
Jolene recognized Sadie, Rafe’s wife, but no one else.
Maddie quickly introduced her to the others and Jolene repeated them in her head, trying to remember. Amber was Chase’s wife. Sadie and Rafe, Mia and Ty, Rae Anne and Dalton.
“So.” Sadie leaned toward her with a huge smile. “Is it true? I heard that you and our handsome, hunky Deputy Austin kissed this afternoon. I added the handsome, hunky myself. The birdy who told me just said you got a whopping kiss laid on you in the parking lot today.”
All eyes were on Jolene. She’d just met Mia, Rae Anne, and Amber, and she suddenly felt like a bug in a jar.
“Y’all,” Maddie scolded. “I drove all the way from the ranch and restrained my interest because I didn’t want to just butt in on Jolene’s privacy and y’all just barely met her.”
They all looked a little embarrassed but it was clear they were curious. Jolene bit her lip, thinking. “I knew everyone had to have seen that kiss. Austin just hauled off in the middle of an argument and kissed me. I should have kicked him in the knee.”
Five pairs of eyes widened.
Rae Anne frowned. “Why would you go and do that?”
Sadie smiled. “Yeah, why? Sounds like a few fireworks in the mix here. I remember how mad Rafe Masterson made me when we first met. Fireworks in flight, I can tell you. And same with Maddie. Right, Maddie?”
Maddie grinned. “Yup. That man tried to tame me. Thinking he could keep me from doing what I love.”
“No one is going to keep me from doing what I love.” Jolene instantly thought of how Austin had reacted to her riding Dimples. “ Do you know how dangerous it is to be doing what you’re doing? Watch yourself.”
He’d questioned her ability…like other men had over the years. She usually let it roll off her like water off a duck, but with Austin she’d been ready to fight. And he’d kissed her.
Sam came up then to take orders. “You must be Jolene,” the small man in jeans and a white shirt and apron said. His weathered face lifted in a smile. “You’re the new bronc buster. Austin and some of the fellas were talking about you just this morning. I hear you’re real good.”
“I try to stay in the saddle and I try to gentle them up before getting on their backs, so that helps.” She forced a smile because everyone was looking but all she could think about was that Austin had been discussing her riding in the diner with other cowboys. Had that been why he
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