Read Online Montana Wrangler by Charlotte Carter - Free Book Online Page B

her.
    â€œI...” She felt Jay watching her. Knew the smug expression she’d see if she turned around to look at him. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little nervous.”
    â€œThat’s okay. I was kinda nervous the first time my mom put me on a horse.”
    â€œHow old were you?”
    â€œI dunno. Three or four, I guess.”
    She was thirty-two and had less courage than a three-year-old. Sweat edged down between her breasts. Her leg that had been broken so long ago started to ache, a phantom pain, at the thought of getting up close and personal with the horse.
    Bracing herself, she took the blanket. Bryan held Bright Star by the halter.
    With great care, she placed the blanket on the horse’s back. He shifted from one foot to another, and Paige quickly stepped away.
    Bryan scooted the blanket up a bit on Bright Star’s neck. “Okay, now get the saddle. I already hooked up the stirrups and cinches so they’d be out of your way.”
    She eyed the saddle. She’d managed to get the blanket on the horse. How hard could it be to put a saddle on top of the blanket?
    Except she’d underestimated how heavy it was. Bryan was only twelve and pretty skinny, but he had hauled the saddle out here without any trouble.
    As she struggled to carry the saddle, one of the stirrups came undone. She grabbed for it, juggling the awkward load in her arms and shoving it up onto her shoulder. With a grunt, she launched the saddle across Bright Star’s back.
    The blanket slid out from under the saddle and fell off to the other side. A stirrup whacked her in the face at the same time Bright Star kicked out with his rear legs.
    Panic drove Paige backward. Her oversize boots slipped on something and she landed hard on her rear end.
    Jay’s male laughter burst from the barn, joined by Bryan’s younger, high-pitched voice hooting and hollering at her expense.
    Something snapped inside Paige. She scrambled to her feet and held up her hand like a crossing guard to stop Jay, who was hurrying toward her. Tears of embarrassment burned in her eyes. Fury scorched her cheeks. Now he wants to help? Forget that!
    â€œAll right, cowboy.” She glared at Jay, who seemed to be trying hard not to laugh, but he couldn’t keep the smile off his face. Grandpa and Nathan were standing in the barn doorway, grinning like fools.
    â€œI’d like to see you plan a reception for nine hundred doctors who scarf up hors d’oeuvres like popcorn because they’re too cheap to buy their own dinner and their conference coordinator underestimated attendance by twenty percent. And that’s after you’ve spent the whole afternoon rearranging their room assignments because they didn’t want the morning sun to bother them or they’d brought their kids with them and hadn’t bothered to mention that little detail when they made their reservation.”
    â€œI’m sorry.” Tamping down his grin, Jay waved his hand as though he could silence her so easily. “Really, I didn’t mean—”
    â€œAnd in the middle of all that, some overweight doctor, who should know better, has a heart attack and you’ve got to clear the room, get the defibrillator out of the first aid room, call 9–1–1, then—”
    â€œI know, I know. I’m sorry.” He wiped his hand across his mouth and blew out a breath.
    â€œYou put the saddle on backward, Aunt Paige,” Bryan announced, still laughing.
    â€œThat’s enough, son,” Jay said, silencing the boy.
    She whirled and narrowed her eyes. Sure enough, the saddle horn faced toward the rear of the horse. How in the world had she done that?
    Jay came up beside her, looping his arm around her shoulders. “You’re absolutely right. There’s no way I could handle your job. I’d probably close the hotel down tight and send ’em all home.”
    â€œManagement wouldn’t exactly approve