Read Online My Secret Boyfriend by Lurlene McDaniel - Free Book Online
Authors: Lurlene McDaniel
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suggestions.”
Then Carmen spoke up. “It just so happens that I’m in the middle of planning my birthday party for next Saturday. I’m sending out the invitations tomorrow. Maybe we could make it one big blowout.”
“Oh, I was thinking of something for just our staff. We don’t want to horn in on your birthday party.”
“Why not?” Carmen asked. “My parents have already reserved time at a ranch nearby. There’ll be music and dancing, food and goodies, and even a hayride once the sun goes down.”
“Just a small get-together?” Jordan asked with a teasing hint in her tone.
“Well, you know how I like a good party.” Carmen shrugged sheepishly.
“Don’t be a drag, Jordan,” Jennifer interrupted, her green eyes gleaming over the idea of a party.
Jordan frowned at her. “But what’s it have to do with us working together on the newspaper?”
“Well, we could do something special before all the other kids arrive,” Carmen suggested helpfully.
Jordan thought about Carmen’s suggestion. “Like what?”
“How about horseback-riding? You all can come early enough to go out on the trail and have a picnic. Then we can ride back in time to meet kids as they show up.”
“I like the idea,” Laurie said eagerly. “Can we bring our boyfriends?”
Jordan stiffened. “I was hoping we could just be together as a staff . . .”
“Why?” Jennifer asked, wrinkling her nose. “Good grief, we see each other almost every day. I’d rather take a romantic trail ride anytime.”
“I agree with Jennifer,” Laurie said.
Jordan knew she was out-voted.
Everybody but her wanted to bring someone else along. But if she brought Ryan, she’d have to pretend that they were an item without letting on to Ryan. Could she do it one more time? “All right,” she finally agreed. “But let’s keep the numbers down. This is supposed to be a
staff
party. Not a free-for-all.
But in spite of what Jordan had said, the entire staff invited friends to come along, and Jordan invited Ryan. The whole crowd was standing outside the barn while ranch hands saddled up their mounts. The weather had turned unseasonably warm. The sun shone, but the air still held a bit of a chill. Jordan took off her denim jacket and tied the sleeves around her waist.
“Ryan, I
love
your boots and hat. Are they new?” The way Jennifer cooed the words made Jordan roll her eyes in disgust.
“Yeah, I got them just for today. If I’m going to be a Texan, I thought I’d better look the part.” His blue eyes danced as he looked at Jennifer.
Jordan tugged on Ryan’s arm. “Let’s go riding, partner.” Ryan grinned at Jordan, and Jennifer frowned.
Why can’t she stick with her date?
Jordan thought. Poor Scott. Why had Jennifer dragged him along in the first place if all she was going to do was flirt with other guys?
Jordan swung onto a pinto that had soft brown eyes. Ryan mounted a bay, and together they trotted toward a trail that led away from the ranch and into vast, open plains. The sky was a hazy blue and the horizon was broken occasionally by mesquite trees and cacti. Jordan plodded along on her horse behind Ryan, inhaling the fresh air.
“What do you think?” she asked Ryan, indicating the land around her.
“It’s different,” he said. “And so flat. I’ve never seen land so flat.”
“I guess it
is
different from the Rockies,” Jennifer mused.
“The Rockies?” Ryan asked.
Jordan nudged her horse alongside his. In a loud voice she said, “Not as different as Washington, D.C., huh, Ryan?”
“That’s right. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how few trees there are out west.”
“Who needs trees?” Jennifer quipped. “Give me the wide open spaces any day.”
Then Jordan asked Ryan softly, “Are you homesick?” Her face showed concern.
A small smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “Not really. I’m getting used to this lifestyle. I sort of like living here. It’s different, but
Then Carmen spoke up. “It just so happens that I’m in the middle of planning my birthday party for next Saturday. I’m sending out the invitations tomorrow. Maybe we could make it one big blowout.”
“Oh, I was thinking of something for just our staff. We don’t want to horn in on your birthday party.”
“Why not?” Carmen asked. “My parents have already reserved time at a ranch nearby. There’ll be music and dancing, food and goodies, and even a hayride once the sun goes down.”
“Just a small get-together?” Jordan asked with a teasing hint in her tone.
“Well, you know how I like a good party.” Carmen shrugged sheepishly.
“Don’t be a drag, Jordan,” Jennifer interrupted, her green eyes gleaming over the idea of a party.
Jordan frowned at her. “But what’s it have to do with us working together on the newspaper?”
“Well, we could do something special before all the other kids arrive,” Carmen suggested helpfully.
Jordan thought about Carmen’s suggestion. “Like what?”
“How about horseback-riding? You all can come early enough to go out on the trail and have a picnic. Then we can ride back in time to meet kids as they show up.”
“I like the idea,” Laurie said eagerly. “Can we bring our boyfriends?”
Jordan stiffened. “I was hoping we could just be together as a staff . . .”
“Why?” Jennifer asked, wrinkling her nose. “Good grief, we see each other almost every day. I’d rather take a romantic trail ride anytime.”
“I agree with Jennifer,” Laurie said.
Jordan knew she was out-voted.
Everybody but her wanted to bring someone else along. But if she brought Ryan, she’d have to pretend that they were an item without letting on to Ryan. Could she do it one more time? “All right,” she finally agreed. “But let’s keep the numbers down. This is supposed to be a
staff
party. Not a free-for-all.
But in spite of what Jordan had said, the entire staff invited friends to come along, and Jordan invited Ryan. The whole crowd was standing outside the barn while ranch hands saddled up their mounts. The weather had turned unseasonably warm. The sun shone, but the air still held a bit of a chill. Jordan took off her denim jacket and tied the sleeves around her waist.
“Ryan, I
love
your boots and hat. Are they new?” The way Jennifer cooed the words made Jordan roll her eyes in disgust.
“Yeah, I got them just for today. If I’m going to be a Texan, I thought I’d better look the part.” His blue eyes danced as he looked at Jennifer.
Jordan tugged on Ryan’s arm. “Let’s go riding, partner.” Ryan grinned at Jordan, and Jennifer frowned.
Why can’t she stick with her date?
Jordan thought. Poor Scott. Why had Jennifer dragged him along in the first place if all she was going to do was flirt with other guys?
Jordan swung onto a pinto that had soft brown eyes. Ryan mounted a bay, and together they trotted toward a trail that led away from the ranch and into vast, open plains. The sky was a hazy blue and the horizon was broken occasionally by mesquite trees and cacti. Jordan plodded along on her horse behind Ryan, inhaling the fresh air.
“What do you think?” she asked Ryan, indicating the land around her.
“It’s different,” he said. “And so flat. I’ve never seen land so flat.”
“I guess it
is
different from the Rockies,” Jennifer mused.
“The Rockies?” Ryan asked.
Jordan nudged her horse alongside his. In a loud voice she said, “Not as different as Washington, D.C., huh, Ryan?”
“That’s right. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how few trees there are out west.”
“Who needs trees?” Jennifer quipped. “Give me the wide open spaces any day.”
Then Jordan asked Ryan softly, “Are you homesick?” Her face showed concern.
A small smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “Not really. I’m getting used to this lifestyle. I sort of like living here. It’s different, but
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