Read Online The Convenient Cowboy by Heidi Hormel - Free Book Online
Authors: Heidi Hormel
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head, her jaw thrusting out just like Olympia knew her own did. “I can’t leave you here by yourself.”
Olympia didn’t resist when Rickie led her down the hall. “The other bedroom,” she told her sister, directing her away from the master bedroom—the one that had been Olympia’s before Spence had moved in. Since she hadn’t told her sister or anyone else in her family about the marriage or about Spence, how could she explain his presence there or in other places in the house, where he’d made himself at home for nearly a month? Her head swam a little, making it hard to concentrate. Did her room still smell like him and sex? Why hadn’t they gone to his room with its big bed?
Rickie topped Olympia by a good four or five inches and liked to loom over her, like a bosomy sequoia. “What was wrong with your old bedroom?” Rickie didn’t move, and Olympia kept her mouth closed. “I’ll bring you cinnamon toast and chocolate milk.”
Tears stung Olympia’s eyelids. That was what she’d always brought the girls when they didn’t feel good. She nodded and watched Rickie amble out of the room. Her sister never hurried. Her father had been a true cowboy from Oklahoma who’d passed through their lives like a slow summer breeze. Olympia had liked him, but Papa Don had left like all the other men. He sent birthday cards...some years.
No rehashing the past. She had to focus on the here and now. What would she tell Rickie? And how could she get her sister to move on? Olympia smelled the cinnamon, and she actually felt hungry. Maybe something would finally stay down. She resisted stroking her belly, instead propping herself up on the pillows and waiting.
“Here,” Rickie said when she came in with the milk and toast.
Olympia focused on the spicy sweetness. This would do it. She took a bite and savored the memories of tucking herself into bed with her sisters, munching toast and giggling. “Perfect.”
“Move,” Rickie said as she pushed at her sister’s legs, so she could sit on the bed. “What’s going on? There’s dark beer in the fridge, and I checked out what was wrong with the master bedroom. It’s obvious a man is living here.”
This was why Rickie needed to go to college. The girl was too smart. “You know my daddy left me the house, but there are taxes and repairs. I needed a roommate to make ends meet.” Good lie on short notice.
“Then, why are you giving me money?”
“You need it. Plus having a roommate isn’t a big deal. And that’s all he is.” Olympia sipped at the chocolate milk, the coolness soothing her throat and easing her sickness. Could she live on toast, milk and sex?
“Limpy, why are you lying?”
“I’m not lying. I don’t mind a roommate. Plus, when I go out on the circuit, it would be good to have someone I can trust here at the ranch.”
“Not sure you can call this a ranch.” Rickie’s nearly turquoise gaze stayed locked on Olympia. Then she shrugged, her lush fall of red hair drifting over her shoulders as she picked at the comforter. “I could get a job, and you could rodeo sooner.”
“No,” Olympia said flatly. “You need to focus on your schoolwork. I don’t mind waiting to get everything in line. I’ll be able to go out on some of the amateur rodeos as soon as I find a horse.”
“I saw horses when I drove up.”
“They’re boarders and rescues.”
“You look a lot better. You’re not white anymore. I’m going to put my stuff in the green room. Where’s the air mattress? I can’t wait to meet your roommate. I’ll bring the horses in while you rest, and then I’ll let the sisters know where I am. You all mother-hen me.”
Her sister left before Olympia could answer that they mother-henned her because there was something about Rickie that tugged at all of them. Maybe it was her large eyes or soft mouth. They just wanted to protect her from the harsh realities that all the James girls knew firsthand.
* * *
S PENCE WIPED HIS
Olympia didn’t resist when Rickie led her down the hall. “The other bedroom,” she told her sister, directing her away from the master bedroom—the one that had been Olympia’s before Spence had moved in. Since she hadn’t told her sister or anyone else in her family about the marriage or about Spence, how could she explain his presence there or in other places in the house, where he’d made himself at home for nearly a month? Her head swam a little, making it hard to concentrate. Did her room still smell like him and sex? Why hadn’t they gone to his room with its big bed?
Rickie topped Olympia by a good four or five inches and liked to loom over her, like a bosomy sequoia. “What was wrong with your old bedroom?” Rickie didn’t move, and Olympia kept her mouth closed. “I’ll bring you cinnamon toast and chocolate milk.”
Tears stung Olympia’s eyelids. That was what she’d always brought the girls when they didn’t feel good. She nodded and watched Rickie amble out of the room. Her sister never hurried. Her father had been a true cowboy from Oklahoma who’d passed through their lives like a slow summer breeze. Olympia had liked him, but Papa Don had left like all the other men. He sent birthday cards...some years.
No rehashing the past. She had to focus on the here and now. What would she tell Rickie? And how could she get her sister to move on? Olympia smelled the cinnamon, and she actually felt hungry. Maybe something would finally stay down. She resisted stroking her belly, instead propping herself up on the pillows and waiting.
“Here,” Rickie said when she came in with the milk and toast.
Olympia focused on the spicy sweetness. This would do it. She took a bite and savored the memories of tucking herself into bed with her sisters, munching toast and giggling. “Perfect.”
“Move,” Rickie said as she pushed at her sister’s legs, so she could sit on the bed. “What’s going on? There’s dark beer in the fridge, and I checked out what was wrong with the master bedroom. It’s obvious a man is living here.”
This was why Rickie needed to go to college. The girl was too smart. “You know my daddy left me the house, but there are taxes and repairs. I needed a roommate to make ends meet.” Good lie on short notice.
“Then, why are you giving me money?”
“You need it. Plus having a roommate isn’t a big deal. And that’s all he is.” Olympia sipped at the chocolate milk, the coolness soothing her throat and easing her sickness. Could she live on toast, milk and sex?
“Limpy, why are you lying?”
“I’m not lying. I don’t mind a roommate. Plus, when I go out on the circuit, it would be good to have someone I can trust here at the ranch.”
“Not sure you can call this a ranch.” Rickie’s nearly turquoise gaze stayed locked on Olympia. Then she shrugged, her lush fall of red hair drifting over her shoulders as she picked at the comforter. “I could get a job, and you could rodeo sooner.”
“No,” Olympia said flatly. “You need to focus on your schoolwork. I don’t mind waiting to get everything in line. I’ll be able to go out on some of the amateur rodeos as soon as I find a horse.”
“I saw horses when I drove up.”
“They’re boarders and rescues.”
“You look a lot better. You’re not white anymore. I’m going to put my stuff in the green room. Where’s the air mattress? I can’t wait to meet your roommate. I’ll bring the horses in while you rest, and then I’ll let the sisters know where I am. You all mother-hen me.”
Her sister left before Olympia could answer that they mother-henned her because there was something about Rickie that tugged at all of them. Maybe it was her large eyes or soft mouth. They just wanted to protect her from the harsh realities that all the James girls knew firsthand.
* * *
S PENCE WIPED HIS
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