Read Online Love on the Range: A Looking Glass Lake Prequel by Rebecca Nightsong - Free Book Online
Authors: Rebecca Nightsong
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rawness.
Finally, Jett crawled out of bed and stumbled to the mess tent. It was still quiet in camp when he stirred up the coals, and coaxed them back to life.
Normally, the camp cook would be up right about now, starting the coffee boiling and getting breakfast on.
But Marlee had to be plumb wore out. She’d worked hard yesterday. For a city girl. And she’d been a trooper, taking it on the chin when the food was so burnt.
By evening, she’d about proven to him she might toughen up enough to make it through this thing.
No harm in whipping up the biscuits, gravy and bacon himself this morning.
Just this once.
It was what any good trail boss would do, if that’s what it took to help a greenhorn settle in.
Besides, she’d lasted longer yesterday than he’d figured she would.
Chatterbox or not, she’d earned some respect.
And maybe some slack, too. Because he was a softy, and he’d heard her sniffles last night.
She’d tried to hide them, but he’d seen how she’d ducked her head over the dishes. Nobody found washing dishes that interesting, unless they were trying to hide tears.
Then she’d given him such a soft and grateful look when he’d handed her the hot cocoa last night. Those were the kind of looks a cowboy had to be careful of.
But soft looks or not, the truth was still as stark as ever: Marlee Donovan was still a city girl. There was a good chance she’d wimp out on her first full day on the trail. And it was his job to make sure every person on this cattle drive could carry their own weight.
He couldn’t ease up on her just because her velvety brown eyes with their long thick lashes made him feel a little weak in the knees.
Nope. If she wimped out, he’d have to treat her like any other cowhand. He’d have to fire her.
He couldn’t go easy on her. But there was nothing wrong with helping her get a running start since she was so new.
Starting with getting the biscuits on.
Jett was nearly elbow-deep in biscuit dough when Crazy Hoss ducked under the tent flap, rubbing his eyes.
“Coffee on yet?”
Jett handed him a mug and then followed the old-timer to the campfire where Fern hunched near the crackling flames.
Jett set the biscuits on and then squinted at the sky. It was nearly dawn and hungry folks were gathering around the campfire. A couple of cowboys came out of the mess tent.
Jett frowned. Even Ty was up.
But not Marlee.
By the time Jett choked down his flat, dry biscuits, the sun had broken out above the ridge.
Still no Marlee.
He didn’t mind making breakfast, but he’d expected her to be up by now. At least make an effort. It was already time to saddle up, and his camp cook had slept through breakfast.
“Boss,” Crazy Hoss interrupted his thoughts. “You gonna wake up Sleeping Beauty this mornin’?”
Jett grunted.
Fern laughed. “Yeah. With love’s true kiss?”
He glared and pulled his hat brim down so they couldn’t see his eyes. Fern and Crazy Hoss were some of his favorite people.
Even if Crazy Hoss poked his nose into everyone’s business. And even if Fern spread that business all around the county. Crazy Hoss owned the café in town, and Fern was an old cowgirl-turned housewife, turned gossipy beauty salon owner. Neither one of them had been on a cattle drive for over a couple of decades. And they weren’t being paid for this one, either. They’d volunteered when they had heard the Paycoach family was in need.
Yup, they were good people. But even good people got under the skin when they nosed into his business.
Jett strode to Marlee’s tent. If he let her sleep too much longer, his cowhands would think he’d gone soft. He’d find them slacking off. Taking naps when they should be flushing out the cattle that were spread out all over the mountain.
There was no way he was going to let that happen. Especially when the Paycoach family counted on him to hold things together during this time of crisis.
She’d left the flaps open, and the foot
Finally, Jett crawled out of bed and stumbled to the mess tent. It was still quiet in camp when he stirred up the coals, and coaxed them back to life.
Normally, the camp cook would be up right about now, starting the coffee boiling and getting breakfast on.
But Marlee had to be plumb wore out. She’d worked hard yesterday. For a city girl. And she’d been a trooper, taking it on the chin when the food was so burnt.
By evening, she’d about proven to him she might toughen up enough to make it through this thing.
No harm in whipping up the biscuits, gravy and bacon himself this morning.
Just this once.
It was what any good trail boss would do, if that’s what it took to help a greenhorn settle in.
Besides, she’d lasted longer yesterday than he’d figured she would.
Chatterbox or not, she’d earned some respect.
And maybe some slack, too. Because he was a softy, and he’d heard her sniffles last night.
She’d tried to hide them, but he’d seen how she’d ducked her head over the dishes. Nobody found washing dishes that interesting, unless they were trying to hide tears.
Then she’d given him such a soft and grateful look when he’d handed her the hot cocoa last night. Those were the kind of looks a cowboy had to be careful of.
But soft looks or not, the truth was still as stark as ever: Marlee Donovan was still a city girl. There was a good chance she’d wimp out on her first full day on the trail. And it was his job to make sure every person on this cattle drive could carry their own weight.
He couldn’t ease up on her just because her velvety brown eyes with their long thick lashes made him feel a little weak in the knees.
Nope. If she wimped out, he’d have to treat her like any other cowhand. He’d have to fire her.
He couldn’t go easy on her. But there was nothing wrong with helping her get a running start since she was so new.
Starting with getting the biscuits on.
Jett was nearly elbow-deep in biscuit dough when Crazy Hoss ducked under the tent flap, rubbing his eyes.
“Coffee on yet?”
Jett handed him a mug and then followed the old-timer to the campfire where Fern hunched near the crackling flames.
Jett set the biscuits on and then squinted at the sky. It was nearly dawn and hungry folks were gathering around the campfire. A couple of cowboys came out of the mess tent.
Jett frowned. Even Ty was up.
But not Marlee.
By the time Jett choked down his flat, dry biscuits, the sun had broken out above the ridge.
Still no Marlee.
He didn’t mind making breakfast, but he’d expected her to be up by now. At least make an effort. It was already time to saddle up, and his camp cook had slept through breakfast.
“Boss,” Crazy Hoss interrupted his thoughts. “You gonna wake up Sleeping Beauty this mornin’?”
Jett grunted.
Fern laughed. “Yeah. With love’s true kiss?”
He glared and pulled his hat brim down so they couldn’t see his eyes. Fern and Crazy Hoss were some of his favorite people.
Even if Crazy Hoss poked his nose into everyone’s business. And even if Fern spread that business all around the county. Crazy Hoss owned the café in town, and Fern was an old cowgirl-turned housewife, turned gossipy beauty salon owner. Neither one of them had been on a cattle drive for over a couple of decades. And they weren’t being paid for this one, either. They’d volunteered when they had heard the Paycoach family was in need.
Yup, they were good people. But even good people got under the skin when they nosed into his business.
Jett strode to Marlee’s tent. If he let her sleep too much longer, his cowhands would think he’d gone soft. He’d find them slacking off. Taking naps when they should be flushing out the cattle that were spread out all over the mountain.
There was no way he was going to let that happen. Especially when the Paycoach family counted on him to hold things together during this time of crisis.
She’d left the flaps open, and the foot
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