Read Online THE COWBOY SHE COULDN'T FORGET by Patricia Thayer - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Thayer
Tags: Romance
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cold and distant as he’d always been. So she left wondering why she even bothered with a man who didn’t care.
Glad to be out of the hospital, she checked her watch as she pulled off the highway and onto the river road. It took about ten minutes to get to her destination, where she saw Hank Clarkson walking along the riverbank under the grove of trees. He wasn’t alone. The younger, blond man with Hank was Mike Sawhill. She hesitated to get out of her SUV when she recognized him, a man she’d been foolish enough to go out with a few times. When Mike had wanted to push things faster than she wanted to go, things didn’t end well.
She climbed out and walked through the high grass to the riverbank, glad she wore her jeans and her cowboy boots. “Hi, Hank.” She nodded at the other man. “Mike.”
“Hello, Ana. It’s been a long time.”
She ignored his comment. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Not a problem,” Hank assured her. “Mike and I were just trying to find the best spot to launch a boat.” The older man took off his hat and wiped his brow. “We might need to clear out some brush.”
They walked toward the wide river that ran through the Lazy S. She felt the cool breeze off the water, remembering how as kids, she and her sisters would go horseback riding here. They’d strip down to their underwear and get in the cold water.
She brushed aside the fond memory. “Will that be a lot of work?” she asked, trying not to notice that Mike was staring at her.
Suddenly she spotted a horse and rider coming across the pasture. She smiled when she recognized Vance. “Good, he made it.”
They all turned as the rider came closer. The man sat in the saddle as if he were born to it. There was an easy familiarity in the way Vance handled the large animal.
He slowed Rusty as he approached them, then walked his mount to the area behind the vehicles and climbed down. After tying the reins to a tree, he strolled over to the group, decked out in working cowboy gear: leather chaps, dusty jeans and boots. Oh my, Vance Rivers looked good.
He pushed his hat back off his forehead. “Sorry I’m late. I had to move a herd.” He shook hands with Hank.
“It is roundup time,” Hank said, then introduced Mike. “We just got here ourselves.”
Ana watched something flash between the two men, and stepped in. “Did everything go okay?”
“Yeah, just had to chase down a lot of strays.” He smiled at her. “What did I miss?”
“Hank’s a little worried about the steep bank and brush, for launching a boat from here.”
Vance caught Mike Sawhill’s close attention on Ana. He didn’t like it. “There might be a better spot about a quarter mile downstream. I’ve caught my share of browns and rainbows there.”
They took off and walked the distance. After being in the saddle all morning, Vance didn’t mind stretching his legs. In between answering questions from Hank, he also watched Ana’s uneasiness around Mike.
Vance didn’t know the angler guide personally, but he’d seen him around town, especially in Montana Mick’s Bar, usually with a lady.
He suddenly felt protective, and called to Ana. She turned around, and he asked about her visit with Colt. It distracted her from whatever Sawhill was saying to her.
They finally reached their destination. “Here it is,” Vance announced as they turned toward the bank. The area was shaded by leafy trees, and the bank wasn’t as steep and had a small clearing.
“I’ve fished here a few times, but never launched a boat. So you’ll have to tell me if it will work.”
The two men went to examine the bank closer, giving Vance a chance to talk to Ana. “Is Sawhill someone to you?”
She glared at him. “No!” she muttered, keeping her voice down.
Vance could see there had been some history between them. He didn’t like that, not at all.
When the two men walked back, Hank was smiling. “It’s a great spot. There’s plenty of shade and the water is
Glad to be out of the hospital, she checked her watch as she pulled off the highway and onto the river road. It took about ten minutes to get to her destination, where she saw Hank Clarkson walking along the riverbank under the grove of trees. He wasn’t alone. The younger, blond man with Hank was Mike Sawhill. She hesitated to get out of her SUV when she recognized him, a man she’d been foolish enough to go out with a few times. When Mike had wanted to push things faster than she wanted to go, things didn’t end well.
She climbed out and walked through the high grass to the riverbank, glad she wore her jeans and her cowboy boots. “Hi, Hank.” She nodded at the other man. “Mike.”
“Hello, Ana. It’s been a long time.”
She ignored his comment. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Not a problem,” Hank assured her. “Mike and I were just trying to find the best spot to launch a boat.” The older man took off his hat and wiped his brow. “We might need to clear out some brush.”
They walked toward the wide river that ran through the Lazy S. She felt the cool breeze off the water, remembering how as kids, she and her sisters would go horseback riding here. They’d strip down to their underwear and get in the cold water.
She brushed aside the fond memory. “Will that be a lot of work?” she asked, trying not to notice that Mike was staring at her.
Suddenly she spotted a horse and rider coming across the pasture. She smiled when she recognized Vance. “Good, he made it.”
They all turned as the rider came closer. The man sat in the saddle as if he were born to it. There was an easy familiarity in the way Vance handled the large animal.
He slowed Rusty as he approached them, then walked his mount to the area behind the vehicles and climbed down. After tying the reins to a tree, he strolled over to the group, decked out in working cowboy gear: leather chaps, dusty jeans and boots. Oh my, Vance Rivers looked good.
He pushed his hat back off his forehead. “Sorry I’m late. I had to move a herd.” He shook hands with Hank.
“It is roundup time,” Hank said, then introduced Mike. “We just got here ourselves.”
Ana watched something flash between the two men, and stepped in. “Did everything go okay?”
“Yeah, just had to chase down a lot of strays.” He smiled at her. “What did I miss?”
“Hank’s a little worried about the steep bank and brush, for launching a boat from here.”
Vance caught Mike Sawhill’s close attention on Ana. He didn’t like it. “There might be a better spot about a quarter mile downstream. I’ve caught my share of browns and rainbows there.”
They took off and walked the distance. After being in the saddle all morning, Vance didn’t mind stretching his legs. In between answering questions from Hank, he also watched Ana’s uneasiness around Mike.
Vance didn’t know the angler guide personally, but he’d seen him around town, especially in Montana Mick’s Bar, usually with a lady.
He suddenly felt protective, and called to Ana. She turned around, and he asked about her visit with Colt. It distracted her from whatever Sawhill was saying to her.
They finally reached their destination. “Here it is,” Vance announced as they turned toward the bank. The area was shaded by leafy trees, and the bank wasn’t as steep and had a small clearing.
“I’ve fished here a few times, but never launched a boat. So you’ll have to tell me if it will work.”
The two men went to examine the bank closer, giving Vance a chance to talk to Ana. “Is Sawhill someone to you?”
She glared at him. “No!” she muttered, keeping her voice down.
Vance could see there had been some history between them. He didn’t like that, not at all.
When the two men walked back, Hank was smiling. “It’s a great spot. There’s plenty of shade and the water is
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