Read Online Montana Refuge by Alice Sharpe - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alice Sharpe
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hat.
“You’ll all be fine. Have a little faith in your wife.”
His wife. That was a joke.
“See you in a week,” he said.
* * *
A FEW YEARS BACK , one of the wranglers had asked if he could spend the winter rebuilding the chuck wagon. As the thing was very old and had a myriad of problems, Tyler had given the man the okay. Turned out the guy was a real craftsman and had taken the job to heart, ordering replacement pieces and adding on all the bells and whistles he could think of.
The result was beautiful and never failed to seduce guests with its charm. The natural wood pieces were shiny with varnish, while the trim had been painted a weathered-looking green. Large red wheels handled the rocky terrain with ease. The built-up back housed a dozen wooden cubbyholes and cabinets intended to hold supplies, while a table that folded down from them formed a work space. A big box below called a boot was devoted to storing cooking gear. The inside bed was empty to accommodate bedrolls, personal items and emergency supplies. The canvas awning stretched atop the bows that formed the overhead superstructure were covered with linseed oil to keep the contents dry and clean. Oak barrels for water and wooden kegs for sugar and flour were strapped along the sides.
Andy was in the front of the wagon, hooking up the horses, two big Belgium palominos named Ned and Gertie who took care of all the wagon duties on the ranch. Tyler stopped to lend a hand. “I need you to drive the team,” he told Andy as he fastened the harness on Gertie.
“Me? What about Rose? She can do it. I’m assigned to help three of the guests.”
“We’ll have to share the load. Mom is sitting this one out.”
“Who’s going to cook? Me?” Andy asked, his silver gaze darting around the yard as though looking for an exit.
“No, you’re just the driver,” Tyler assured him as he looked up to see Julie trotting across the yard toward the wagon, buttoning her jacket as she ran. Her hair flew out behind her and caught the morning light like a raven’s wing. “That’s the cook.”
Andy glanced over his shoulder. “Julie? I wondered why she was back. Are you and her—”
“No,” Tyler said. “There is no me and her.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
Andy finished his job and looked Tyler in the eye. “I’ve been here a long time, boss. I remember when you brought that little gal home after you was hitched. I never saw two people so into each other. Really surprised me when she upped and left.”
“Sometimes things just don’t work out,” Tyler said. “You know that. You were married once, right?”
“Long time ago. But me and her was never as close as you and Julie were. My Lily wanted a whole different life.”
Tyler didn’t respond although the truth was that was exactly what Julie wanted, too. Ten minutes of passion in the straw wasn’t going to change any of that.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” he said instead, and patting Gertie’s golden neck, walked around to the back of the wagon where he found Julie studying the contents of the cabinet while gathering her hair into a high ponytail. She looked up as he approached.
There was something about her eyes. Dark brown like the finest chocolate or the richest coffee, they were set slightly slanted in her face making her look as though she knew a secret of some kind, something juicy and sexy, something he wanted to know. She looked at him that way now and it just about split his heart in two pieces or maybe it was the fatigue he also saw on her face, the smudges under her eyes...
She’d come to him for help and what had he done? Punished her. Turned on her. Tried to make love to her.
She cleared her throat and met his gaze. “I know my still being here is awkward and that coming along on the cattle drive is the last thing you wanted—”
“Or that you wanted,” he said.
“I couldn’t say no to her.”
“Do you think she’s really sick?”
“She’s sure
“You’ll all be fine. Have a little faith in your wife.”
His wife. That was a joke.
“See you in a week,” he said.
* * *
A FEW YEARS BACK , one of the wranglers had asked if he could spend the winter rebuilding the chuck wagon. As the thing was very old and had a myriad of problems, Tyler had given the man the okay. Turned out the guy was a real craftsman and had taken the job to heart, ordering replacement pieces and adding on all the bells and whistles he could think of.
The result was beautiful and never failed to seduce guests with its charm. The natural wood pieces were shiny with varnish, while the trim had been painted a weathered-looking green. Large red wheels handled the rocky terrain with ease. The built-up back housed a dozen wooden cubbyholes and cabinets intended to hold supplies, while a table that folded down from them formed a work space. A big box below called a boot was devoted to storing cooking gear. The inside bed was empty to accommodate bedrolls, personal items and emergency supplies. The canvas awning stretched atop the bows that formed the overhead superstructure were covered with linseed oil to keep the contents dry and clean. Oak barrels for water and wooden kegs for sugar and flour were strapped along the sides.
Andy was in the front of the wagon, hooking up the horses, two big Belgium palominos named Ned and Gertie who took care of all the wagon duties on the ranch. Tyler stopped to lend a hand. “I need you to drive the team,” he told Andy as he fastened the harness on Gertie.
“Me? What about Rose? She can do it. I’m assigned to help three of the guests.”
“We’ll have to share the load. Mom is sitting this one out.”
“Who’s going to cook? Me?” Andy asked, his silver gaze darting around the yard as though looking for an exit.
“No, you’re just the driver,” Tyler assured him as he looked up to see Julie trotting across the yard toward the wagon, buttoning her jacket as she ran. Her hair flew out behind her and caught the morning light like a raven’s wing. “That’s the cook.”
Andy glanced over his shoulder. “Julie? I wondered why she was back. Are you and her—”
“No,” Tyler said. “There is no me and her.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
Andy finished his job and looked Tyler in the eye. “I’ve been here a long time, boss. I remember when you brought that little gal home after you was hitched. I never saw two people so into each other. Really surprised me when she upped and left.”
“Sometimes things just don’t work out,” Tyler said. “You know that. You were married once, right?”
“Long time ago. But me and her was never as close as you and Julie were. My Lily wanted a whole different life.”
Tyler didn’t respond although the truth was that was exactly what Julie wanted, too. Ten minutes of passion in the straw wasn’t going to change any of that.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” he said instead, and patting Gertie’s golden neck, walked around to the back of the wagon where he found Julie studying the contents of the cabinet while gathering her hair into a high ponytail. She looked up as he approached.
There was something about her eyes. Dark brown like the finest chocolate or the richest coffee, they were set slightly slanted in her face making her look as though she knew a secret of some kind, something juicy and sexy, something he wanted to know. She looked at him that way now and it just about split his heart in two pieces or maybe it was the fatigue he also saw on her face, the smudges under her eyes...
She’d come to him for help and what had he done? Punished her. Turned on her. Tried to make love to her.
She cleared her throat and met his gaze. “I know my still being here is awkward and that coming along on the cattle drive is the last thing you wanted—”
“Or that you wanted,” he said.
“I couldn’t say no to her.”
“Do you think she’s really sick?”
“She’s sure
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