Bet You'll Marry Me by Darlene Panzera Read Free Book Online

wet. It better be dry before tonight or I’ll make you switch rooms with me.”
    â€œGet dressed,” Nick told her. “The cattle are trampling all over N.L.C. Industries’ precious property and Jenny needs to round them up before the company owner finds out.”
    Billie laughed. “A little late for that.”
    Nick made his way down to the corral. The gate was wide open, and not one steer could be seen inside. Harry barked instructions to Frank Delaney. Wayne Freeman mounted a horse Jenny brought out to him and took off toward the river.
    â€œWho closed the gate last night?” Harry demanded.
    â€œI did,” Nick said, joining them.
    Harry frowned. “Was it shut tight?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œNot tight enough,” Frank drawled.
    Not only had he closed the gate, but after he and Jenny returned from their ride, he’d chained it as well. The chain was now missing, which meant someone was trying to pin the blame on him.
    He narrowed his gaze on Frank. Now wasn’t the time or place for a face-off, and pointing fingers wasn’t going to win him any friends. If anything, it would only alienate him further from the ranch hands. Deciding to keep quiet about the chain, he moved off to saddle Satan so he could round up the herd.
    â€œB E GENTLE ,” J ENNY WARNED. She handed the reins of a small pinto over to Billie. “My horses respond to voice commands and don’t need extra kicks or excessive tugs on the bit.”
    â€œI promise I won’t hurt him,” Billie said, hoisting herself into the saddle.
    â€œAre you sure you can ride?”
    For a moment Billie looked like she was about to lash into her with an assortment of colorful language, but then the young woman took a deep breath and replied, “Yes, I can ride.”
    Billie told the truth. The young woman kept up with an easy gait, and handled the pinto quite well when they circled a small group of steer at the far end of the field.
    Even more of a surprise was the way Billie’s brother systematically drove the scattered herd into one large group. Jenny paused for a moment to watch.
    If Nick Chandler was still saddle-sore from the previous day, he didn’t let it show. Racing first in one direction, and then another, he completely dominated the field.
    Where did he learn to negotiate hairpin turns like that? On his grandfather’s Upstate New York ranch? Or the rodeo circuit? She’d thought the dark-haired cowboy had lied when he’d recited his resume, but there was no doubt the man had past ranching and riding experience. Did he just change the direction of the entire herd? Jenny straightened in her saddle. Rarely had she seen such expert precision, even in skilled professionals.
    â€œGot to admit, he’s good,” Wayne said, riding beside her.
    â€œHarry only hires the best.” She tore her gaze away from the dark-haired cowboy in the nice-fitting doeskin chaps and tried to change the subject. “Have you contacted Michelle?”
    â€œShe won’t take my calls,” Wayne said, his voice tight. “Geez, it’s been almost two years since I’ve seen my little girls. I doubt they even remember me. If I had the money, I’d get a lawyer to enforce my visitation rights.”
    â€œI wish I could help you,” she told him, “but I have creditors calling me day and night.”
    Billie rode toward them with a stray calf.
    â€œYou’re too tiny for ranch work,” Wayne called out to her.
    Billie scrunched her nose and made a face at him. “And you’re too sweet. I thought you had to have a better vocabulary than that to be a real hard-nose cowboy.”
    Jenny laughed. “Wayne Freeman, meet Billie Chandler.”
    B EADS OF SWEAT ran down the side of his face as Nick brought in the last of the herd.
    â€œIf you hadn’t left the gate open, this never would have happened,” Frank said, loud enough for everyone