Firelight at Mustang Ridge by Jesse Hayworth Read Free Book Online Page B

or the cooler, less neurotic person she wanted to be.
    Deciding to go with what fit the now-her, she clicked on “being alone” and reminded herself she wasn’t being graded. The test was just a tool.
    Which was lucky for her, because after that the questions got harder, the answers weirder.
    â€œWhat lifetime supply do you want?” She negged “Cheez Whiz,” “reality TV,” and “bagpipe music,” and went with “books.”
    â€œWhat’s your favorite condiment?” She skipped “hair gel,” “motor oil,” and “shampoo” on the theory that whoever wrote the quiz was messing with her, and picked “Cool Whip.”
    â€œPick your transportation” offered up “mine cart,” “magic carpet,” “submarine,” and “giant bat” as the choices. Magic carpet, definitely.
    Doing her best, she filled out the computerized form, pretty sure she was headed for something bland and forgettable in the sandwich department, like bread and butter. When she reached the end, answering “dandelion” for her favorite flower, because she loved the tart greens, she hit the EN TER AND CALCULATE button, and steeled herself for bread and butter.
    A picture of a fat, tightly wrapped burrito popped onto the screen.
    Danny blinked at it. “Since when is a burrito considered a sandwich?” Since never, as far as she wasconcerned. But she paged down to the accompanying description:
    â€œYou are spicy chicken and jalapeno hot sauce hidden inside a layer of lettuce and tightly wound within a constricting tortilla. Your outer wrapping has been strengthened by your experiences, making it difficult for you to break free. But break free you must, because you have so much more to offer than you realize. So step outside your comfort zone, do something unexpected, and let yourself take a bite out of life today!”
    Which resonated, darn it.
    â€œSo . . .” She leaned back in her chair, looking up to find a pair of beady eyes watching her from the branches overhead. “You got any suggestions?”
    The eyes disappeared and leaves bobbed back into place.
    â€œYou’re no help.” But she pushed to her feet, snagged the picnic basket Gran had given her, and strapped it to the back of the ATV.
    She didn’t need a computer to tell her that it was past time for her to head for Mustang Ridge.
    *   *   *
    â€œDanny! You’re here!” Beaming, Gran whisked down the kitchen steps and along the gravel path to where Danny had parked the four-wheeler. “We were starting to worry!” She was wearing a ruffled blue-and-white-polka-dot apron over jeans and a yellow shirt, and enfolded Danny in a no-nonsense hug that carried the scents of cinnamon and vanilla.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Danny said automatically.
    â€œOh, poosh, not your fault. We’re programmed to fuss over our guests here. You’ve got every right tocome and go as you please.” Gran eased back and twinkled up at her. “And besides, Sam mentioned running into you.”
    She mostly smothered the wince. “I’m afraid to ask what he said.”
    â€œThat he rode up on you and your fire, thinking you were a trespasser, and you set him straight.” Her smile widened. “With a revolver.”
    â€œAbout the fire—”
    â€œDon’t fret. You had everything under control. Including him, from the sound of it!” She patted Danny’s cheek, then stepped away and started untying the picnic basket from the back of the ATV. As her fingers worked, she said conversationally, “Good for you. Man like him needs to stay on his toes. Otherwise, he’ll hide out in that big old house of his and play with his rocks.”
    Danny did a double take. “Is that a euphemism?”
    Gran threw her head back and hooted. “No, dear. Although I guess we
are
talking about the