Read Online Wild About the Wrangler by Vicki Lewis Thompson - Free Book Online Page B

taking any money, either, that had settled the matter.
    Since Mac was up early, he threw on his denim jacket and headed on over to the stable to help Ed feed. His house was only a quarter of a mile away. While most residents had built west of town, a few maverick types had bought land to the east. Mac had liked the idea of being in a slightly wilder, less developed area.
    That meant he was making the trip to the stable in the pale predawn light, but he’d walked over there so many times in the past few months he didn’t need to see very well. The stars were just starting to fade and the crisp, cool air felt good. The weather had stayed nice, but sooner or later they’d see some snow. His house had a wood-burning fireplace and he wanted to test it out.
    The reality of owning a house hadn’t quite set in yet. He’d told himself it was an investment, not a lifestyle decision, and the way Bickford was recovering he’d make money if he sold tomorrow. But with every improvement he made, he became more attached to the place.
    And why not? He liked the town, his job, and the people. The population was heavily weighted toward senior citizens, but they knew how to have a good time. He could find a friendly poker game most nights at Sadie’s.
    Years ago the saloon had featured live music and dancing, too. Steve and Myra Jenson were determined to get a good country band booked now that they could afford to hire one. The first group had been loud and profane. The second one had played well and hadn’t cussed, but they hadn’t managed to show up on time. Steve and Myra were holding another round of auditions.
    Ed called out a greeting when Mac walked into the barn. “Sorta thought you might show up.”
    â€œGetting up early is in my blood, I guess.”
    â€œGood timing. I was just about to start.”
    â€œI figured.” Mac pulled on his leather gloves and grabbed a flake of hay while Ed did the same. They usually shared this chore before a trail ride, so they had their routine down. Mac took one row of stalls and Ed took the other.
    Jasper was first to get fed, which worked out well. He’d easily be finished eating by the time Anastasia got here. Mac could halter him, too. No sense in waiting until she showed up to do that.
    Delivering flakes of hay to each stall calmed the horses, but it calmed Mac, too. A daily routine was about the only thing he missed about ranch work. In this job, he and Travis were on duty for two days straight every weekend, but their weekday schedules varied.
    Sometimes they repaired sections of the trail that had washed out. Other days they fetched supplies from Amarillo. If Vince and Georgie brought in a new horse, Mac and Travis were usually in charge of working the kinks out.
    Some weeks were crazy and some were quiet. This one should be quiet, so Anastasia had picked a good time to ask for lessons. There would be one more overnight trail ride this weekend, and then everybody would begin focusing on the film crew’s arrival. Georgie hadn’t booked a trail ride for the weekend prior to their coming to town so the path could be groomed and the campsite put in tip-top condition.
    Anastasia wouldn’t be finished with her lessons by next week, but if they kept up with the six a.m. program, they should be able to get an hour in every weekday morning. Maybe by then she’d have adjusted to waking up before dawn. He didn’t know very many night owls. Ranch people had responsibilities first thing in the morning. Most of the seniors in Bickford got up early, too. He thought Anastasia would get used to it.
    But when she arrived precisely at six looking as if someone had pulled her through a knothole backward, he wasn’t so sure. She must have put her hair in a ponytail the night before, because it was half in and half out of it. He’d expected she’d show up without makeup, which she didn’t need to be pretty, but she must have