Her Secret Cowboy by Marin Thomas Read Free Book Online Page B

half months?”
    “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Marsha glanced across the room where the new owner of the salon, Rosie Davis, was styling Fiona Wilson’s gray hair. Fiona had been Marsha’s English teacher in high school but had since retired. Marsha glanced in the mirror and caught Hillary watching her.
    “Rosie’s making a bank run as soon as she finishes Fiona’s hair. We’ll have the place to ourselves for a few minutes.”
    Good . Marsha didn’t want Hillary learning Will was Ryan’s father through the Stagecoach grapevine.
    “Are we doing highlights today and trimming the ends?”
    “Highlights,” Marsha said.
    “I’ll mix up your color.”
    After Hillary disappeared, Rosie twirled Fiona’s chair and Marsha smiled at the schoolteacher. “Any summer plans, Fiona?”
    “Nothing too exciting,” Fiona said. “Now how old is that son of yours?”
    “Ryan turned fourteen this past February.”
    “It’s not too early to discuss colleges.”
    “No worries there.” Marsha laughed. “Ryan has his top four already picked out.”
    Fiona closed her eyes when Rosie reached for the can of hair spray.
    “Ryan would love to study abroad in England, but that’s not in the budget,” Marsha said.
    “Make sure he applies for scholarships,” Fiona said.
    “I will. I learned from the best.”
    Fiona beamed at the compliment. Without the English teacher’s help in high school, Marsha wouldn’t have landed a full-ride scholarship to the University of California in Los Angeles.
    “Fiona, tell Marsha about your new boyfriend,” Rosie grinned.
    “It’s nothing serious.” Blushing, Fiona got out of her chair. “You probably don’t know him. Clive Douglas. He owns the Triple D Ranch.”
    Of course Marsha knew the Douglas family. Her father had made trips to the ranch over the years, trying to convince the single father to bring his three children to church, which he’d done—but only on Christmas and Easter.
    “That’s exciting, Fiona,” Marsha said. “I’m happy for you.”
    “Clive’s daughter Shannon is expecting a baby in a couple of weeks.”
    “Really?” Why hadn’t Marsha’s mother mentioned the news?
    “Shannon married Johnny Cash. You remember the Cash boys, don’t you?” Fiona shook her head. “Those youngin’s were nothing but trouble in school. I had them all in my literature class but the one who exasperated me the most was Willie Nelson. He never did his homework.”
    Marsha swallowed a giggle. What would Will think if he knew his former teacher referred to him as Willie Nelson?
    “I never could understand why the boys’ mother named them all after country-and-western singers. The rascals got into more fights over their names than all the other kids combined.”
    Marsha considered the Cash brothers’ names unique but kept her opinion to herself. Of the six brothers, Willie and Merle were the only ones who chose to use a nickname.
    “That Johnny Cash is a nice young man.” Fiona pulled out her credit card and handed it to Rosie. “Johnny’s brother Conway married a single mother of five-year-old twins this past spring. Won’t be long before the rest of the brothers find wives and settle down.”
    Marsha sympathized with Will and his siblings. Because of their mother’s numerous affairs, the Cash brothers had been the subject of gossip for years, and now Marsha was adding fire to the fuel by making it public that Will had fathered her son.
    “Conway took over the family pecan farm and he’s settled right into fatherhood.” Fiona signed her credit slip. “That man loves those twins as if they were his own flesh and blood. After growing up without one, who’d have believed any of the Cash boys would make good fathers?”
    “Rosie outdid herself on your curls today, Fiona,” Hillary said when she returned with Marsha’s hair tint.
    “Thank you, dear.” Fiona nodded to Rosie. “See you in two weeks.”
    Once the door closed behind Fiona, Rosie put