Read Online Cowgirl Up by Cheyenne Meadows - Free Book Online Page B

“Not to mention it would be nice to have someone
to talk to besides my horse now and again.”
    He
grinned wryly, got up, and helped her arrange the meal on the top of the cooler
before filling his plate and sitting down once more. “Okay. You’ve talked me
into it.” Pulling off the first chunk of chicken, he dropped it in his mouth,
and chewed. “This is delicious.”
    Trinity
nodded, digging into her plate of food as she sat down on the cot. “Carmen is
the best cook around.”
    “Carmen?”
    “She’s
the stallion manager at Heritage.” Trinity took a drink from her water bottle.
“She’s also my boss, my friend, and feels obligated to stuff me with food every
time I go on the road.”
    “A
woman for a stallion manager? Odd.” Cody’s eyebrows furrowed. “Not that a woman
can’t do the job, just that those studs can get downright nasty.”
    She
shrugged. More than one person commented on the fact a woman might not be the
best choice to work with stallions. She never paid much attention to the
doubters since Heritage employed several women to work around the horses and,
as far as she knew, they didn’t have any more issues than the men did. “They’re
big teddy bears for me.”
    He took
a few more bites and studied her closely. “I’ve read good things about
Heritage. Reputable stud farm. Excellent care. Acres and acres of paddocks. Saw
some pictures online. Nice setup.”
    “I like
it.” Trinity sank her teeth into a roll. “They’re good people and everyone
there loves the horses. It’s not a job, but a calling, according to Carmen.”
    “Another
Victory Gallop is there, I understand.”
    “Yep.”
    “You
ever work with him?”
    Trinity
smiled. “All the time.”
    Cody
arched an eyebrow. “I hear he’s a handful.”
    “No
more than Legacy. Like father, like son.” She lifted her gaze, noticed Legacy
dozing standing up, then turned her focus back to Cody. “You never said, are
you living with your parents since you’re on the road every weekend?”
    He
finished his salad and tore off another bite of chicken. “Yes and no. There’s
another house on the property, which I’ve temporarily claimed as my own. It’s
comfortable, gives me privacy, and allows me the chance to be gone without
worrying about burglars breaking in since it’s pretty close to the main house.”
    She
picked up on the key word. “Temporary?”
    “Yeah.
Once I’ve figured out what I want to do and where I want to do it, I plan on
setting down roots.” His lips thinned the slightest, hinting at a possible sore
topic.
    Not the
first time Trinity noticed signs of discomfort when Cody spoke of his past, and
now, his future. She certainly understood the horrors of his military service,
but why the thought of finding a home and settling down troubled him she
couldn’t begin to fathom. Bewildered, she carefully chose her questions,
watching his face closely to make sure she didn’t overstep her bounds. “Your
father’s ranch is in Oklahoma, right?”
    “Yes.”
    “Is
that where you want to stay? Or perhaps wander a bit before deciding?”
    He
drank heavily from the bottle and sighed. “I don’t know yet.”
    She
nodded. “Fair enough.” Heck, she could empathize. She didn’t have a grasp on
her future plans any more than he did, by the sounds of it.
    “Do you
intend to raise livestock or just work out of your home?”
    “Another
element up in the air.”
    His
tone warned her to tread cautiously. She offered up a soft smile. “Hey, I’m not
about to criticize. Living in the present is where it’s at.”
    “That’s
so lame.” He snorted, but she caught the twitch of his lips.
    “Couldn’t
resist.” Finished with her food, she set the plate aside and cut the pie into
generous portions. “Ready for dessert?”
    “Sure.”
    She
picked up the largest slice and delicately placed it on the nearly empty plate
he held out. He eyed the pie and peered over at her. “Trying to fatten me