The Convenient Cowboy

Read Online The Convenient Cowboy by Heidi Hormel - Free Book Online Page B

Book: The Convenient Cowboy by Heidi Hormel Read Free Book Online
Authors: Heidi Hormel
Ads: Link
didn’t really understand the relationship between these two women. He knew something about it from what Olympia had told him at the wedding. She obviously loved her siblings and had sacrificed a lot to make sure they were safe and happy. He could empathize. Not that he’d given up anything for Payson, but for Calvin, he would do whatever he needed to keep the boy out of harm’s way.
    “So, Spence, is that what you told your brother and your parents?” Rickie asked.
    He gathered his thoughts, trying to recall what Olympia had said.
    “Time’s up.
Eahh!
” Rickie said, making the universal game-show buzzer noise. “If it takes you that long to come up with an answer, you’re lying.”
    “Rickie, stop,” Olympia said. “I’m an adult woman. Spence is a good man.”
    He wondered how much that hurt her to say. Although last night she’d been pretty happy with him. “My brother and sister-in-law know. I don’t speak with my parents much.”
    “That sounds familiar,” Rickie said.
    “I’ll call Mama soon,” Olympia answered. “We’re happy. It’s not exactly how I planned it, but we’re good. Right, Spence?” She reached out her hand to grab his, like any couple would do.
    He hesitated a moment before clasping hers. It almost felt natural. He gave Olympia a practiced-for-the-jury smile and said, “Better than good. We’re doing so well the firm is sending me to Texas on a huge case.” The gasp and sudden tension in the room told him that he probably should have worked up to his announcement. How could he be so competent in the courtroom and so lacking in conversational skills at home?
    “You’re going to Texas? When?” Olympia asked. At the same time, her sister said, “You’re abandoning her while she’s so sick and way out here with all these animals?”
    “It’s just for a week, maybe less, if everything goes well. I’m just a phone call and a flight away.”
    “Good thing that I’m staying, then, I guess,” Rickie said more calmly, looking back and forth between the two of them. What did she see?
    “I’ll miss you, of course,” Olympia obediently added. “But it sounds like a good move for your career.” Her lips stretched into a smile; it didn’t reach her eyes.
    “I know it’s sudden, but I wasn’t expecting to be the one sent. It must mean that the bosses noticed my work. Plus I’m one of the attorneys licensed to work in Texas, and I can travel on short notice, since I don’t have a kid at home.”
    “Hmm,” Rickie said. “So they don’t know about the pregnancy?”
    “HR does, of course. But I haven’t said anything to my bosses. I recently transferred to this office from Phoenix. I want to show them that I’m an asset before I spring the kid on them. Law firms are about billable hours, which babies tend to limit.” How the hell was he going to work the billable hours he needed with two children at home? That was a bridge he’d cross later.
    “We should celebrate,” Olympia said, bracing herself on the table as she stood.
    He just stopped himself from putting out a hand to steady her. Rickie was right. It was lucky she’d shown up, because he couldn’t have left Olympia here on her own. “I’ll help you,” he said, following her the few steps to the fridge. He whispered close to her ear, inhaling quickly her Granny Smith–apple scent. “Are you okay? Do you need to lie down?”
    “I’m fine,” she said, barely moving her lips. “Do you think Rickie’s buying our story?”
    He looked over his shoulder at his pseudo-sister-in-law. He slid his gaze quickly away from her steady one. “Absolutely,” he lied.
    “Hope you do better than that in the courtroom.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “That was the worst lie I ever heard.” She pulled out a bottle of her prized orange soda. “Here we go. Almost as good as champagne,” she said brightly, turning to her sister.
    He followed her with glasses and watched as the siblings drank a toast and settled

Similar Books

House of Thieves

Charles Belfoure

The Capture

Tom Isbell

Throb

Vi Keeland

The Pledge

Chandra Sparks Taylor