Mail Order Misfortune by Kirsten Osbourne Read Free Book Online

that she was able to get the words out.
    "Well, I have one, but it's just for people looking for cowboys and such.  You lookin' for work?"  He eyed her skeptically, obviously wondering why the teacher would be looking for work in the middle of the school year.
    She blushed, nodding.  She didn't want to admit she'd been fired, but she knew it would be all over town any minute.  "I am.  Do you know of anyone?"
    He nodded.  "Actually, I do.  There was someone in town lookin' for a housekeeper just the other day."
    "Do you know where it was?"   She didn't want to get too excited about the prospect, because someone could have been hired, but the idea of working there was more than she'd had an hour ago.
    "Sure.  They live out at the old Kyle Ranch.  Just take the road headin' west, and walk for about a mile.  It'll be the first house you come to once you're out of town on the left side of the road."
    Anna nodded, happy that there was at least a possibility of her getting a job.  She needed to have something lined up before the end of the day.  She knew she could always go begging to Julia again, but she didn't want to do that.  She'd rather find something without her friend's help.
    "Thank you, Mr. Stemmons."
    "Anytime."  He watched her leave his store and walk toward the west with a bemused look on his face.  If he were twenty years younger, and unmarried, he'd be chasing after her himself.  Why didn't she just pick a man and marry him?
    Anna looked around her at the now green grass as she walked toward the old Kyle Ranch.  When she'd first arrived, everything had been brown from drought.  It was amazing what a transformation a few weeks could make.
    She enjoyed her walk, even though she was fretting about a new job, because she had time to think.  She was glad she wouldn't have to deal with Mr. Hoover any longer.  Her experiences with him had been more than she could handle anyway.
    When she got to the ranch, she saw a cowboy, getting off of his horse and putting it into the stable.  She walked up to him, barely able to raise her face to mumble, "Is the owner of the ranch around?"  
    The cowboy nodded.  "Out behind the house fixin' fences.  You want me to take you to him?"
    "Yes, please," she whispered.  She hated being around men she didn't know.  Mr. Stemmons was easy, because she'd talked to him frequently at church, and he'd always been kind to her, but this man made her feel almost paralyzed with fear. 
    The man nodded, studying her closely.  "You got business with him?"
    She nodded.  "I'm inquiring about the housekeeper position."
    "Oh!  Yeah, he needs a housekeeper bad."  He started walking in the direction of the house, and she followed along behind him.
    "How long you been in Wiggieville?" he asked, obviously trying to put her at ease.
    "Just a month."
    "A month?  How come I ain't metcha yet?"
    "I've been teaching here.  Do you go to church?  I've been there every Sunday."
    "You're the teacher?  I've heard some...stories about you."  The man sounded like he was trying to withhold a laugh.
    She wasn't about to ask.  He stopped walking, and she looked up, noticing immediately a man with dark hair and broad shoulders bent over a fence with a tool in his hand.  She did notice his bottom as well, but she didn't mean to.  He was a very sexy looking man.
    "Hey, boss?  There's a lady here, wantin' to talk about bein' a housekeeper for ya."
    Jesse smiled.  He had given up on the idea of hiring a woman to cook and clean for him, and he knew that he was desperate.  Why, he'd even thought of sending off for a mail order bride, just so he'd have someone to cook and clean for him.  He turned, the smile fading from his lips when he saw Miss Simmons standing in front of him.  "What are you doing here?"  He didn't want to even talk to her, especially if there was a woman there willing to be his housekeeper.
    Anna frowned.  "I could ask you the same thing!"  She folded her arms over her