Adrienne deWolfe - [Wild Texas Nights 03] by Texas Wildcat Read Free Book Online Page A

blue norther rolled across her stare. "And when were you planning on telling me, Zack?"
    Zack shot a quelling glance at Hank. The old rancher looked mighty pleased with himself.
    "Vent your spleen on Will Eldridge, Bailey. Or Rob Cole. I wasn't the one who decided which names to include on the Woolgrowers' roster—"
    "Tarnation, Zack," Hank interrupted, "if the McShane ranch was left off the invitation list, it seems to me you should have paid closer attention to the details. Why, Bailey went and built herself the biggest spread in this here county when she outbid you on old widow Sherridan's property. Shoot. You didn't go and forget her out of spite, did you?"
    "No, Hank." Zack's fingers were itching to form a fist. "I didn't forget her, although it seems to me you must have some agenda of your own for making her think so."
    Hank arched his eyebrows. "The little lady thinks I cut her fences. I'm just trying to show her who her real friends are."
    "Oh, for God's sake, stop it," Bailey muttered. "I will not become another campaign bone for you two to fight over."
    "I'm just watching out for your best interests, honey," Hank said. "It's true your daddy and I weren't on good terms when he died, but I don't hold our differences against you. We Rotterdams think of you like family, and we don't like to see you struggling all alone to fend for yourself.
    "Tell you what, sugar. Why don't you let me send my boys on over to your spread to help you take care of business, patch up your fences, and see your wells stay safe?"
    "Safe for whom, Hank?" Zack demanded irritably. He didn't know why it should bother him so much to hear Hank speak of Bailey and family in the same breath. After all, Bailey and Nick's affair was common knowledge.
    Bailey smiled mirthlessly at Hank. "Much obliged for all your neighborly concern. I know how much my eight thousand acres mean to you, Hank. Rest assured that drought or no drought, I'll manage them—and all their water—efficiently. Because, you see, that's what a good boss does. And I am a good boss. No one's going to bully me off my land."
    She nodded curtly, then turned on her heel, whistled for her dog, and mounted up.
    Hank grinned, admiration in his gaze as he watched the gentle rolling of her hips when she rode away. "It'd be hard to measure the spunk in that little bitty filly," he said almost wistfully. "She's gonna make me a heap of fine grandbabies someday, eh, Zack?"
    Their eyes locked, and Zack stiffened. There was an unmistakable warning in that cagey blue gaze.
    Hank smiled, tipping his hat. "Be sure to give my regards to Miss Amaryllis for me, would you, son?"

 
     
     
    Chapter 3

     
    Thanks to her search for a lost lamb, Bailey arrived later than she had intended at the rodeo meeting the next night. She was still smarting over the way the Woolgrowers had tried to exclude her from the proceedings, and she wasn't particularly pleased that she'd had to compromise with her foreman about her plan. When she'd confided her battle strategy to get on the team, Mac had insisted he accompany her to help keep her temper in check.
    "Lass," he'd said in his quiet way, "I dinna like what they've done to ye any more than ye do. But there might be a reasonable explanation. And like it or not, ye're going to need a friendly face in that meeting if this plan of yers backfires."
    Well, her plan wasn't going to backfire. She'd tear the hotel down timber by timber before she left the building without her rightful berth on the sheepherders' team.
    She supposed she shouldn't resent Mac for coming along. It wasn't his fault she was a woman and that men took her seriously only if she had a man at her side. She should probably be grateful for his offer of support, since she knew she could trust him never to contradict her in public or try to take matters out of her hands. Mac, bless his heart, understood how much his interference would cost her in the eyes of other men.
    She just wished he would hurry up and