Catch Me a Cowboy by Katie Lane Read Free Book Online

as the silver hair that reflected the sun coming in through the windows like a shiny new dime. Premature was putting it mildly, considering the man looked much younger than herself. Still, the hair color fit him and made those pretty blue eyes stand out like Shirlene’s sapphire earrings. All in all, he was one sizzling stick of Texas testosterone.
    Too bad her sex drive had died with Lyle.
    “Good mornin’.” He flashed a smile that rivaled Slate Calhoun’s. “And I thought we grew ’em pretty in Houston.”
    “Why, thank you, honey. Nothing like a little sweet talk to get the day started out right.” Shirlene rose from the chair, taking great pleasure in the way his eyes widened when she reached her full height—and with the Manolos a smidge more.
    “Lord have mercy,” he breathed.
    Her libido might be on the fritz, but her ego wasn’t. Shirlene couldn’t help but enjoy the appreciative gleam that sparked in his eyes. She held out the hand that wasn’t attached to a pig.
    “Shirlene Dalton.”
    Surprised flashed, but he recovered quickly. Taking her hand, he bent over it and placed a chaste kiss on the back.
    “A pleasure, Ms. Dalton.” He lifted his head andgrinned back at her. “I was christened Beauregard, but I’d sure be obliged if you called me Beau.”
    Shirlene laughed. “Beau it is. So what brings you to Bramble, Beau?”
    “Vacation.”
    She arched an eyebrow. “You always spend your vacations in graveyards of podunk towns?”
    A hint of a blush stained his cheeks. “My family’s into genealogy.”
    “My husband, Lyle Dalton, was into oil,” she said, pronouncing the word like any true Texan—“awl.”
    His gaze dropped, and he smoothed out the brim of his hat. “I was sure sorry to hear about his death, ma’am.” A strained silence followed before he finally spoke. “I hate to cast aspersions on your pet, but is that a pig?”
    She glanced down at the pig, which had given up on finding anything to eat and was now scratching his ears against the leg of a chair. “Sherman.”
    Beau didn’t hesitate to kneel down and help the pig out by giving him a good scratch behind his floppy ears, which earned him Sherman’s immediate devotion and Shirlene’s immediate like. Too bad old Reggie came out and rained on her happy parade.
    “Ms. Dalton, I’m afraid your account in Austin had insufficient funds—” His beady eyes shot down to Beau. “Oh, good morning, sir, I didn’t realize you were here.” He straightened the lapels of his ill-fitting gray suit. “Let me just show Ms. Dalton out, and I’ll be right with you.”
    Beau stood back up. “No hurry.” He nodded at the row of chairs. “I’ll just make myself comfortable while you help this pretty lady.”
    “Of course, sir.” But when Mr. Peabody turned backto her, he didn’t look all that pleased to be helping her. And if the truth was known, Shirlene wasn’t that pleased to have her dirty laundry aired in front of a handsome stranger. Even if that stranger had sat down and appeared to be preoccupied with his cell phone.
    “Insufficient funds? I’m sure there’s been some kind of mistake.” Shirlene accepted the check with as much dignity as she could muster. “Just how much do I owe in back payments?” When he told her the amount, she thought she might pass out. “You’ve got to be kiddin’.”
    Mr. Peabody shook his head. “With penalties and interest, that’s exactly the amount.”
    “Then I guess I’ll need to speak to your boss, Reggie.” She tried to flash another smile, but it fizzled when Mr. Peabody spoke.
    “I’m afraid that won’t be possible, Ms. Dalton. Mr. Cates is on vacation.”
    “Mr. Cates? As in one of the owners of C-Corp?”
    “That would be the one.” The man smiled smugly.
    Shirlene knew the Cates brothers had bought Dalton Oil. She just hadn’t realized they had bought the bank as well. “I’m sure Mr. Cates wouldn’t mind speaking with the wife of Lyle Dalton—vacation