A Cowboy's Woman by CATHY GILLEN THACKER Read Free Book Online Page B

a knowing tone of voice. Before Shane could comment, she was gone.
    Relieved, Shane hit the play button on the remote. To his frustration the videotape had barely started to roll when Shane’s older brother, Travis—a successful cattle rancher who should never have been there at that time of a day, either—strode in, dressed as always in the plainest blue chambray shirt a person could find and work-worn jeans.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” Shane grumbled as the TV screen showed Greta on Beauregard Chamberlain’s arm at the Golden Globes two years ago. They were walking up the carpet, photographers and film crews on either side of them. Fans screamed in the background. Greta looked incredibly beautiful in a low-cut, beaded gold dress that showed off her dancer’s figure to stunning advantage. Her long blond hair floated over her shoulders and down her back in long, sexy waves. She looked stunning and completely at ease in a way she never had back in high school when he’d known her.

    Travis frowned and slapped his dusty hat against his thigh. “I’m here to ask Mom’s advice on some flowers for a friend.”
    â€œWhat friend?”
    â€œAnnie Pierce. She and her three boys just moved back to Laramie. She’s taking over the ranch her dad left her. I figured I should do something to welcome her.”
    Maybe. But flowers? That didn’t sound like the Travis he knew. “You sweet on her?” Shane cut right to the chase.
    Travis gave Shane a quelling look. “I’m just being neighborly, that’s all.”
    Unable to resist—it was rare his serious older brother gave him anything to tease him about—Shane drawled, “Funny, I don’t recall you sending any of your other neighbors flowers.”
    Travis frowned and slapped his Stetson back on his head, tugging it down low over his eyes. “That’s cause they’re all men and it’d look a little funny.”
    â€œI’ll say!”
    Travis shot a look at the TV screen, which was now showing Greta with Beauregard Chamberlain at the Academy Awards the previous spring. “So it’s true,” Travis murmured, immediately seeing all, as most older brothers could. He reached over and tapped the cheap dime-store wedding ring on Shane’s left hand. “The two of you did elope last night.”
    â€œHow’d you hear?” Shane demanded, incensed that Travis had all the details so quickly.
    â€œJackson,” Travis replied. Shane’s other brother. “How’d he hear?” Shane demanded, as Greta and Beau appeared onscreen again looking equally as glamorous.
    â€œFrom Dad, at the hospital.” Travis sat on the cushioned
arm of the sturdy, brown leather sofa that had seen all four of the McCabe sons through their adolescence, into adulthood.
    Lilah came in, carrying a tray with a brisket sandwich layered thick with beef and barbecue sauce, an apple, and a glass of icy lemonade. “A sandwich at this hour?” Travis asked, studying the contents of the tray.
    â€œShane needed to get rid of me for a few minutes,” Lilah explained. She inclined her head at the TV screen, where the tape of Greta and Beau was playing. “Pretty, isn’t she?” Lilah said dryly.
    Gorgeous, Shane thought with more than a tad of wistfulness. Unfortunately so was her date. Shane frowned as he bit into the thick, delicious sandwich his mother had prepared for him. For several minutes, they all watched in silence. “How many of these things did Greta go to?” Shane asked finally.
    â€œJealous?” Lilah suggested.
    â€œFine. Don’t tell me.” Shane chugged his lemonade and, ignoring the napkin next to his plate, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
    Unable to stop mothering him, even for a moment, Lilah reached over to pointedly hand him his napkin. “Shane...” Her low tone carried both a warning to behave himself and a