Read Online Last Chance Cowboys: The Drifter by Anna Schmidt - Free Book Online

“All right. I admit it. I could use your help.”
    He grinned and offered her his arm as they walked the rest of the way to her father’s office. “I’ll move my stuff back into the anteroom tonight.”
    * * *
    â€œYou’d best watch your back, Hunt.” Most of the other men were already sleeping when Bunker rolled over on his upper bunk and whispered the words in the dark.
    â€œGo to sleep,” Chet said. After being up half the night before and working all day, he was wiped out. It would be dawn before he knew it. At least he’d come up with a solution for Bunker’s snoring. He’d picked up a glob of candle wax from a fat candle he’d seen resting on a shelf in the barn, rolled it between his thumb and forefinger to soften it, and divided it in half. He was just about to use them as earplugs when Bunker started in talking.
    â€œYou’d be smart to listen to me.” Bunker was now leaning over the edge of his bunk, his whisper filled with urgency.
    Chet rolled onto his back and stared at the dip the large man made in the straw mattress above him. “Listenin’.”
    â€œOkay.” Bunker lowered his voice again. “Turnbull has charmed his way back into Miss Maria’s good graces and that, my friend, is not good news for you.”
    â€œBecause?”
    â€œWhat, are you stupid or something? Turnbull thinks you’ve got eyes on Miss Maria. More to the point, he thinks she might have eyes on you. Turnbull don’t like competition—not in his work and not with his woman.”
    The idea that Turnbull felt any claim to Maria irritated Chet. On the other hand, why should he care? He was just passing through. The best thing that could happen would be for him to stay clear of any personal involvement with the Porterfields. “I’m not a threat to Turnbull,” he muttered.
    â€œNot your decision,” Bunker hissed. “Just watch yourself.”
    â€œThanks for the warning,” Chet said and rolled onto his side, facing away from Bunker. But the big man wasn’t through talking.
    â€œThe boys and me will do what we can,” he promised. “Just don’t let yourself get in a situation where you and Turnbull are alone.”
    â€œGot it.”
    â€œAnd keep your distance from Miss Maria.”
    â€œOkay. Can we get some sleep now? It’ll be sunup before we know it.”
    â€œYeah. Sleep.” Not fifteen seconds later, the air was filled with Bunker’s snoring.
    â€œGlad somebody’s going to get some rest,” Chet grumbled as he pressed the wax into his ears.
    He’d finally managed to dose off when someone started shaking him. He must have overslept. “Hunt!”
    â€œRight here.” He rolled to a sitting position and reached for his boots. Through the small bunkhouse window, he saw that it was still pitch-black outside. “What time is it?”
    Eduardo was standing by his bunk. “It’s the senora,” he whispered.
    â€œWhat?” Chet remembered the earplugs and pulled them out.
    â€œThe senora is back at the stream, and Miss Maria can’t get her to listen to reason and…”
    Chet followed the man from the bunkhouse. “This habit she has of taking these midnight strolls must have happened before I got here,” he said, unable to disguise his annoyance. “Who got her back to the house then?”
    â€œSenor Turnbull, but—”
    â€œThen go wake up Turnbull. I’ve got to relieve Happy in another couple of hours, and it’ll take me near to an hour just to reach the herd. That leaves me less than—”
    â€œTurnbull is already down there with Miss Maria, but Senora Porterfield knows him. Miss Maria sent me to get you.”
    They were making their way toward the water. “So she recognized Turnbull. What’s the problem?”
    Eduardo frowned. “The senora does not like him and is not pleased that