Read Online Boots and the Heartbreaker: Ugly Stick Saloon, Book 11 by Myla Jackson - Free Book Online

an only child, her parents had showered her with everything, including cotton candy. They’d been a tight-knit family unit.
    Colin opted for pink cotton candy, bringing a smile to Fancy’s face.
    “I would have taken you for a blue cotton candy guy.”
    “To me, cotton candy isn’t right unless it’s pink.” He tore off a wad of the feathery concoction and stuffed it into his mouth, some of the pink dissolving on his lips.
    Fancy swallow hard, fighting the urge to lick the candy off him. Instead, she focused on her blue cloud of sugar. Anything but Colin and his kissable face. “Doesn’t pink damage your male ego?”
    “Not at all.” He glanced up. “There they are.”
    Fancy turned toward the fairgrounds entrance gate.
    Uncle Carl entered with Maggie McFarlan on his arm. He was laughing at something she said. Every time Fancy saw them together, they appeared happy and always smiling at each other. It seemed a shame to break up a happy couple.
    But Fancy didn’t want to deal with the alternative. Staring across the room at Colin and his latest conquest would be difficult. Perhaps by that time, Fancy would be glad she hadn’t fallen for him—glad she’d held out for a man who would love her forever, not just for a night or two.
    Somehow the vision in her head didn’t include a man for her. Only another woman for Colin.
    “Ready?” Colin held out his arm.
    Fancy opted to ignore his invitation and fell in step beside him without touching. She’d be better off weaning herself from Colin now.
    “Colin, Fancy, we didn’t expect to see you two here.” Mrs. M smiled, though her smile appeared strained.
    After the craziness of the previous night, Fancy didn’t look forward to ruining their evening, but she’d promised to help Colin. And she had a stake in this as well. “Uncle Carl, Mrs. M. Just the folks we were hoping to run into.”
    Uncle Carl’s brows pulled together. “You were?”
    “Yes. We’d like to apologize for last night, wouldn’t we?” Fancy elbowed Colin in the gut.
    “Uh, yes.” Colin rubbed his belly. “We would. I must have had too much to drink.”
    “A good thing Angus drove last night.” Mrs. M nodded. “At least he had his head on his shoulders.”
    “Right. Colin was in no shape to drive,” Fancy added. “We’d like to spend time with you both this evening to show you Colin can behave when he wants to.”
    “Oh, that’s not necessary,” Mrs. M assured them.
    “But we insist.” Colin cupped his mother’s elbow and led her away from Uncle Carl.
    Fancy hooked her arm through her uncle’s and smiled up at him. “It will give us time to catch up. I haven’t seen much of you over the past couple of weeks. How are the renovations coming along?”
    Her uncle stared down at her. “Fine. But then you know that. You’ve been working with the contractor as much as I have.”
    “True. But I haven’t been out there in a couple days and you probably have.”
    Colin and Mrs. M were a couple yards ahead of them when Uncle Carl leaned close to Fancy. “What are you two doing?”
    She glanced up at her uncle, her brows rising. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Is it a crime to want to spend time with my uncle? My only living relative?”
    “Yes, when you’re obviously trying to keep me from Maggie.” Carl stopped and faced Fancy, his posture stiff, a frown settling on his forehead. “Colin, I understand. He and his brothers don’t know me and certainly don’t trust anyone with their sweet mama.” He shook his head. “But you… Why?”
    Rather than answer his question, she asked, “Why are you dating Maggie?”
    Her uncle relaxed and a smile drifted across his face. “You might not think older people can fall in and out of love, but I’ve been in love with Maggie since before she married John McFarlan. As teens, the three of us were inseparable. Until John asked her to marry him the day we all graduated from high school.”
    “He beat you to her?”