Read Online Austin (New Horizon Ranch Book 8) by Debra Clopton - Free Book Online Page A

was there earlier? How dare him!
    “And speak of the devil—look who just walked in.” Rae Anne smiled happily at Jolene. “He’s as handsome as my Dalton.”
    Jolene didn’t have to turn around to know Austin had just walked into the room.
     
     

Chapter Nine
     
     
    Nope, Jolene didn’t need Rae Anne telling her that Austin had just walked into Sam’s. She knew because the atmosphere seemed to take on a charged feeling and the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention. And then there was her pulse skittering and jumping around like a colt on a spring day in open pastures.
    “He’s spotted you,” Amber said through straight lips, as if she was a ventriloquist. “He’s coming this way-ay.”
    Darn it, no! And then he had moved so he stood beside her at the table. “Ladies, Jolene.” She didn’t look up at him. She was too furious and too doggone flustered. She was not a female to get flustered and yet this lawman had the uncharacteristic way of getting to her. And she and the law did not mix. They didn’t.
    The table was unusually silent. Amber was sitting next to Jolene and she gave Jolene’s thigh a shove with her knee.
    “Deputy,” she gritted out, and did not like the breathless way her words sounded even gritted through clenched teeth.
    Austin had removed his gray Stetson and held it in his hands. He cleared his throat. “Could I ask you to step outside with me for a moment, Jolene?”
    Her jaw locked. “What?”
    He looked uncomfortable and she was liking that. She narrowed her gaze and met his and had every intention of telling him to just find a table somewhere and leave her alone. “Fine. Sounds like a plan.” She stood. “I’ll be right back,” she told her friends, who watched with great enthusiasm.
    Her knees were weak as she held her head up and headed toward the door.
    Riley was coming in the door as she reached it. “Hey, Jolene,” he drawled. “May I say you are exceptionally lovely this evening.” He smiled a dazzling white smile and let his gaze sweep down her before he captured her gaze with his. “You okay? Is the deputy here manhandling you again?” He shot Austin a steady look over Jolene’s shoulder.
    “No, it’s fine.” Her stomach was a twisted pretzel. What was Riley doing anyway?
    “If you need me, I’m right here.”
    “She won’t need you, Riley.” Austin stepped up behind her.
    If there was one thing she hated, it was a scene. She’d lived through them as a kid with her dad and she tried hard to avoid them. She had had two today: once in the parking lot, and now because she could feel every eye in the diner on her back. She glanced over her shoulder, careful to only look at Austin. “I sure won’t,” she enunciated and then sidestepped Riley and pushed the door open.
    “I’m here if you need me,” Riley said, not giving up.
    She’d made it onto the sidewalk just as three older ladies were walking to the door. One stood out with bright red hair, one had snow-white hair, and one had kinky gray curls.
    “Hi Austin,” the robust woman with gray curls said.
    “Evening, Norma Sue. Adela and Esther Mae, it’s good to see you too. Looks like it’s ladies’ night at Sam’s tonight. All the New Horizon Ranch ladies are here too.”
    The redhead beamed. “Oh, it is. We’re finalizing dance preparations over some of Sam’s delicious catfish.”
    “My husband does know how to fry catfish,” the white-haired lady said. She extended her hand to Jolene. “I’m Adela Ledbetter Green. Sam’s wife. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
    Jolene shook her thin, elegant hand. “I’m Jolene Bartee. It’s nice to meet you.”
    “Likewise. This is Esther Mae Wilcox.” She nodded at the redhead and then nodded at the other lady with the white Stetson sitting perkily on her gray curls. “This is Norma Sue Jenkins.”
    “You’re the new ranch hand at the New Horizon,” Esther Mae gushed. “We were looking forward to meeting you. Maddie told