Read Online The Reluctant Wrangler by Roxann Delaney - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Roxann Delaney
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boys.
A few seconds later Ray spoke. “Are we going to get to ride today?”
“We’ll have to see,” Mac answered. He knew the boys were eager, but he couldn’t give the go-ahead without talking with Nikki first.
“But—”
“We’ll see,” he repeated more firmly.
Ray’s mulish expression would have been comical if Mac hadn’t been aware of how much the boys were looking forward to riding. With a glance at his watch, Mac took the last bite of his breakfast, finished his glass of juice and got to his feet. “Class time, boys,” he announced. “Better hustle.”
A collective groan went up from the group, but he ignored it. School hadn’t been his favorite thing when he was their age, so he couldn’t blame them, but he also knew the importance of an education. He hoped that when they got to be his age, they would appreciate what they’d learned and put it to good use.
When one of the teachers arrived to call the boys to class, Mac left the dining area and headed for the barn, hoping to find Nikki there. Maybe she’d heard something from Tanner about whether the boys would be allowed to ride later. But Nikki wasn’t in the barn, either, or anywhere near it.
With a shrug of his shoulders, he filled the feed bins. The six new horses Tanner and Dusty had brought to the ranch were doing well. He didn’t mind admitting that the two men knew their livestock, especially horses. But then, from what he knew about Tanner O’Brien, the man had been around ranching his entire life. Ranching and rodeo, according to Jules, had been Tanner’s life, all while raising his nephew, Shawn.
Mac hoped to do a more thorough evaluation of thenew stock when Nikki was with him. She, too, had a way with the animals and seemed to know as much as Tanner did. His own experience was lifelong, from helping on his godfather’s ranch in Idaho during summers to his and his sister’s personal stock. He’d always enjoyed riding and was happy to be working where he could enjoy it, even though they’d not yet had the time to do that.
He was leaving the corral when he caught a glimpse of Nikki, heading for the main building from the direction of the boys’ cabins. Even from a distance she looked tantalizing. Her long dark hair was loose, and her jeans molded her trim hips and long legs. As she drew closer, he noticed the top she was wearing. He frowned. What was she doing wearing a top like that around a bunch of teenage boys?
He was surprised to find her waiting just inside the building when he opened the door to walk inside. “Where were you this morning? You weren’t at breakfast with the boys and—”
“I know I should have been, but… It’s hard to explain.” She stopped and shook her head. “I— Oh, never mind. I suppose I should tell you.”
Exasperated, he simply waited for an explanation.
She drew in a deep breath. “It’s… It’s about Kirby.”
“What about him?”
“I…” Another shake of her head before she tried again. “He—”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Nikki, get on with it.”
Her eyes widened, and then she nodded. “Last night after the boys were in bed, as I was coming from the office, I saw him.”
She didn’t seem inclined to continue, so he offered a verbal nudge. “And?”
“Well, it was dark in the hallway, and I wasn’t sureat first what I was seeing.” She hesitated, but continued when he nodded, as if he understood, which he didn’t. “He was coming out of the kitchen.”
“Out of the kitchen?”
She nodded. “And he was dragging something behind him. Some kind of sack or a bag of some kind. I couldn’t tell what it was.”
“Did you ask him?”
She shook her head. “No, I didn’t say a word. I was too surprised. He’d just gone out the main door when you came in and flipped on the lights.”
“You haven’t spoken to him about it?”
She shook her head again.
“What in the world would he be carting out of the kitchen?”
“Food.”
“Food? But
A few seconds later Ray spoke. “Are we going to get to ride today?”
“We’ll have to see,” Mac answered. He knew the boys were eager, but he couldn’t give the go-ahead without talking with Nikki first.
“But—”
“We’ll see,” he repeated more firmly.
Ray’s mulish expression would have been comical if Mac hadn’t been aware of how much the boys were looking forward to riding. With a glance at his watch, Mac took the last bite of his breakfast, finished his glass of juice and got to his feet. “Class time, boys,” he announced. “Better hustle.”
A collective groan went up from the group, but he ignored it. School hadn’t been his favorite thing when he was their age, so he couldn’t blame them, but he also knew the importance of an education. He hoped that when they got to be his age, they would appreciate what they’d learned and put it to good use.
When one of the teachers arrived to call the boys to class, Mac left the dining area and headed for the barn, hoping to find Nikki there. Maybe she’d heard something from Tanner about whether the boys would be allowed to ride later. But Nikki wasn’t in the barn, either, or anywhere near it.
With a shrug of his shoulders, he filled the feed bins. The six new horses Tanner and Dusty had brought to the ranch were doing well. He didn’t mind admitting that the two men knew their livestock, especially horses. But then, from what he knew about Tanner O’Brien, the man had been around ranching his entire life. Ranching and rodeo, according to Jules, had been Tanner’s life, all while raising his nephew, Shawn.
Mac hoped to do a more thorough evaluation of thenew stock when Nikki was with him. She, too, had a way with the animals and seemed to know as much as Tanner did. His own experience was lifelong, from helping on his godfather’s ranch in Idaho during summers to his and his sister’s personal stock. He’d always enjoyed riding and was happy to be working where he could enjoy it, even though they’d not yet had the time to do that.
He was leaving the corral when he caught a glimpse of Nikki, heading for the main building from the direction of the boys’ cabins. Even from a distance she looked tantalizing. Her long dark hair was loose, and her jeans molded her trim hips and long legs. As she drew closer, he noticed the top she was wearing. He frowned. What was she doing wearing a top like that around a bunch of teenage boys?
He was surprised to find her waiting just inside the building when he opened the door to walk inside. “Where were you this morning? You weren’t at breakfast with the boys and—”
“I know I should have been, but… It’s hard to explain.” She stopped and shook her head. “I— Oh, never mind. I suppose I should tell you.”
Exasperated, he simply waited for an explanation.
She drew in a deep breath. “It’s… It’s about Kirby.”
“What about him?”
“I…” Another shake of her head before she tried again. “He—”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Nikki, get on with it.”
Her eyes widened, and then she nodded. “Last night after the boys were in bed, as I was coming from the office, I saw him.”
She didn’t seem inclined to continue, so he offered a verbal nudge. “And?”
“Well, it was dark in the hallway, and I wasn’t sureat first what I was seeing.” She hesitated, but continued when he nodded, as if he understood, which he didn’t. “He was coming out of the kitchen.”
“Out of the kitchen?”
She nodded. “And he was dragging something behind him. Some kind of sack or a bag of some kind. I couldn’t tell what it was.”
“Did you ask him?”
She shook her head. “No, I didn’t say a word. I was too surprised. He’d just gone out the main door when you came in and flipped on the lights.”
“You haven’t spoken to him about it?”
She shook her head again.
“What in the world would he be carting out of the kitchen?”
“Food.”
“Food? But
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