Gentling the Cowboy by Ruth Cardello Read Free Book Online Page B

back into the cup. Whatever that is, it’s not coffee. If Melanie heard, she didn’t seem to care. “Thank you for making dinner last night.”
    “It’s my job,” Melanie said without turning around.
    “Well, it was nice,” Sarah said warmly, deciding to ride out the arctic chill she was receiving from the other woman. “And it may be the only home-cooked meal I have in Texas before driving home today.”
    Just the thought of that long drive was enough to dampen Sarah’s mood. She might as well start calling the bed and breakfasts she’d stayed at on the way down and hope they had rooms open.
    Melanie looked at her over her shoulder. “You really leaving?”
    Sarah put the coffee cup down on the counter beside her and sighed. “That’s the way it looks.”
    After wiping her hands on a towel beside the sink, Melanie turned around and faced Sarah. “I figured you’d be staying longer.”
    A flush of embarrassment warmed Sarah’s neck and cheeks . Not when I’m taken in like a dog in a storm. She smiled with self-deprecating humor. Tony’s probably in town stapling my picture on telephone poles with the caption: Found—stray woman. Please call with description.
    “He doesn’t usually bring women here,” Melanie said.
    Sarah let out a short rueful laugh. “I sort of brought myself. He was just too nice to throw me out.”
    The housekeeper raised both eyebrows as she said, “Really? ‘Nice’ isn’t how most people describe Tony.” Then she frowned. “I guess it’s not a surprise he’d make an exception for someone like you.”
    Oh, boy. I’m not awake enough for this. Rubbing a tired hand over her forehead, Sarah joked, “If you’re looking for a fight, you should make better coffee. I don’t function until after my second cup.”
    Melanie folded her arms across her chest and studied her for a long moment before saying, “My coffee is fine. That’s yesterday’s pot.”
    And round one goes to the angry housekeeper.
    If this is Southern charm, give me a Northern cold shoulder any day.
    “I’m leaving today, so there’s no need to try to poison me.”
    “We’ll see.”
    Sarah wasn’t sure if Melanie was referring to her leaving or the need to poison her, but she wasn’t going to ask. “Okay, well, I probably won’t see you before I leave, so thanks again for dinner.”
    Melanie turned away without saying another word and returned to washing the dishes.
    Sarah inched her way out of the kitchen.
    My novel won’t have a housekeeper.
    Sarah stepped onto the porch, and the heat of the day met her with a slap.
    And it won’t be ten thousand degrees by nine in the morning.
    But it will have him. Freshly shaven, dressed in a light-blue plaid shirt and jeans that fit him snugly in all the right places, Tony walked to the bottom of the porch steps. For a split second he looked like he might smile, but then he frowned instead as he looked her over.
    Well, a happier version of him, anyway.
    What? Was he hoping I had my luggage with me?
    “Good morning,” she said awkwardly, hooking her thumbs in the pockets of her jeans, attempting some Southern sophistication.
    “Morning,” he said with a neutral nod of his head.
    If I threw myself at him, would he catch me or let me face-plant in the dirt? Tough call. “I’m sorry I slept in. I must have been exhausted from the trip.”
    “Melanie make you breakfast?”
    “I wasn’t very hungry,” Sarah hedged. She didn’t need to stir up trouble for a housekeeper who looked like life had already been harsh enough for her. “I thought I’d come out and check on Scooter, then make some calls. Do you mind if I use your phone again?”
    He looked back at her wordlessly, and Sarah amused herself with fanciful thoughts. At which point can I ask him to pose for a photo? You know, for research purposes only. Not to pin next to my bed like some lovelorn teenager.
    “You still planning on staying in Texas?”
    His question brought back the sting of reality