Read Online Fortune's June Bride (Mills & Boon Cherish) (The Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country, Book 6) by Allison Leigh - Free Book Online
Authors: Allison Leigh
Ads: Link
California if you had the chance?”
She gave him a rueful look. “Maybe I’ll go on a vacation there someday.”
He didn’t know why her answer sat so wrong, but it did. “If you hate it here, why don’t you go? There is such a thing as hiring ranch hands, you know.”
Her eyebrows rose. “I never said I hated it here.” Her hands spread again. “I’m a Texas girl. Horseback Hollow is my home. I love my folks. Maybe if Mark hadn’t died, I would have ended up somewhere else. But he did. My parents needed me more than I needed to follow some pipe dream that would probably have never gotten me any further than—” she thought for a moment “—than teaching high school drama classes.” She started across the parking lot again. “Being away at college wasn’t all that perfect, either. Don’t expect it ever is for anyone.”
“Texas A&M was pretty perfect in my eyes.”
She grinned. “What a good Texas son you are. Bet you have Aggie pennants pinned on your bedroom walls.”
He snorted. “Basement.”
She laughed outright, and just like her smile, it seemed to show in her entire body.
He much preferred her in smiles and laughter over that solemn, vaguely fatalistic acceptance of her life’s path.
In silence, they crossed the rest of the parking lot to his truck. He started to open the passenger door for her, but she beat him to it, climbing up handily inside.
So he rounded the front of the vehicle and got behind the wheel.
“This is nice.” She was running her hand over her leather seat.
“It does the job.” He started the ignition and worked his way through the parking lot. Even though their show was done for the day, the rest of the attractions would still be going strong until the park closed for the day. Which meant there were a passel of employees still at work and the lot was more full than not.
“My mother tried talking Daddy into buying a new truck instead of going on their trip.” She crossed one leg over the other, and the toe of her tennis shoe bounced in time to the George Strait tune coming from the radio. “I’m glad he stuck to his guns even if it means driving that old Ford for a few more years.”
He didn’t have to work hard at recalling she was contributing to the cost of her folks’ trip. It was one of the reasons he’d caved when it came to playing Rusty. That, and not being a cause of Aurora’s disappointment. “If you need any help at your place while they’re gone, just let me know.”
She gave him an arch look. “And why would I let you help me, when you wouldn’t let me help you?” Her eyebrows rose a little higher. “Don’t confuse me with Lila, Galen Fortune Jones. I’m not sitting around waiting to get rescued. I may not be as strong physically as you are, but I can work just as hard.”
“Whoa there, Nelly.” He waved his hand in surrender. “I’m not saying you can’t. It’s just a—” he thought for a moment “—a neighborly offer. One I’d make to anyone.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded once. “That’s better,” she muttered.
He bit back a smile that even he knew wouldn’t be well received and turned the truck toward the Two Moon. “You guys get together a lot at the Moon?”
“The cast and crew, you mean? Maybe once a week, if that.” Her toe tapped a few times. “Haven’t seen Serena there, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Wh— Oh. Serena. I wasn’t.” He ran his tongue against the edge of his molars and wondered why
she
was wondering.
“Wasn’t she the first girl you kissed?”
He couldn’t stop the bark of laughter. “Well, yeah. But I was
nine
. At the time, I think I was more curious about whether or not our braces would get stuck together.”
She muffled her laughter with her hand. “You were not.”
He tried thinking back, and nodded. “Nope. No, yeah. I think I was. Your brother was the one who was more interested in copping a feel from a girl, even if she didn’t have
She gave him a rueful look. “Maybe I’ll go on a vacation there someday.”
He didn’t know why her answer sat so wrong, but it did. “If you hate it here, why don’t you go? There is such a thing as hiring ranch hands, you know.”
Her eyebrows rose. “I never said I hated it here.” Her hands spread again. “I’m a Texas girl. Horseback Hollow is my home. I love my folks. Maybe if Mark hadn’t died, I would have ended up somewhere else. But he did. My parents needed me more than I needed to follow some pipe dream that would probably have never gotten me any further than—” she thought for a moment “—than teaching high school drama classes.” She started across the parking lot again. “Being away at college wasn’t all that perfect, either. Don’t expect it ever is for anyone.”
“Texas A&M was pretty perfect in my eyes.”
She grinned. “What a good Texas son you are. Bet you have Aggie pennants pinned on your bedroom walls.”
He snorted. “Basement.”
She laughed outright, and just like her smile, it seemed to show in her entire body.
He much preferred her in smiles and laughter over that solemn, vaguely fatalistic acceptance of her life’s path.
In silence, they crossed the rest of the parking lot to his truck. He started to open the passenger door for her, but she beat him to it, climbing up handily inside.
So he rounded the front of the vehicle and got behind the wheel.
“This is nice.” She was running her hand over her leather seat.
“It does the job.” He started the ignition and worked his way through the parking lot. Even though their show was done for the day, the rest of the attractions would still be going strong until the park closed for the day. Which meant there were a passel of employees still at work and the lot was more full than not.
“My mother tried talking Daddy into buying a new truck instead of going on their trip.” She crossed one leg over the other, and the toe of her tennis shoe bounced in time to the George Strait tune coming from the radio. “I’m glad he stuck to his guns even if it means driving that old Ford for a few more years.”
He didn’t have to work hard at recalling she was contributing to the cost of her folks’ trip. It was one of the reasons he’d caved when it came to playing Rusty. That, and not being a cause of Aurora’s disappointment. “If you need any help at your place while they’re gone, just let me know.”
She gave him an arch look. “And why would I let you help me, when you wouldn’t let me help you?” Her eyebrows rose a little higher. “Don’t confuse me with Lila, Galen Fortune Jones. I’m not sitting around waiting to get rescued. I may not be as strong physically as you are, but I can work just as hard.”
“Whoa there, Nelly.” He waved his hand in surrender. “I’m not saying you can’t. It’s just a—” he thought for a moment “—a neighborly offer. One I’d make to anyone.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded once. “That’s better,” she muttered.
He bit back a smile that even he knew wouldn’t be well received and turned the truck toward the Two Moon. “You guys get together a lot at the Moon?”
“The cast and crew, you mean? Maybe once a week, if that.” Her toe tapped a few times. “Haven’t seen Serena there, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Wh— Oh. Serena. I wasn’t.” He ran his tongue against the edge of his molars and wondered why
she
was wondering.
“Wasn’t she the first girl you kissed?”
He couldn’t stop the bark of laughter. “Well, yeah. But I was
nine
. At the time, I think I was more curious about whether or not our braces would get stuck together.”
She muffled her laughter with her hand. “You were not.”
He tried thinking back, and nodded. “Nope. No, yeah. I think I was. Your brother was the one who was more interested in copping a feel from a girl, even if she didn’t have
Similar Books
