Montana Wrangler by Charlotte Carter Read Free Book Online Page B

what had to be an I-told-you-so grin. “He wasn’t too pleased to have his buddies see you playing mama?”
    â€œSomething like that.” She cringed, realizing he’d seen her trailing after Bryan like a stray dog.
    â€œKids can be sort of touchy about adults hanging around them,” he said.
    Paige should have known that. But with her parents, she’d always done exactly what they had asked of her. If they came to a performance of the sixth grade class, she was thrilled. And that only happened if the hardware store could close early. She’d longed for her parents’ attention almost as much as Krissy had. The only way Paige could gain their praise was to excel at the hardware store.
    A black-and-white dog with floppy ears trotted over to greet Paige. Noticing the dog was a bit plump, she knelt to pet him.
    â€œOh, aren’t you a good boy.” His tail wagged enthusiastically. “What’s his name?”
    â€œThat’s Archie,” Jay said. “He’s actually a she. Bryan sort of misnamed her, but it stuck anyway. She keeps the horses company, the coyotes away and lets us know if there’s a bear around.”
    She popped to her feet. “There are bears here?”
    â€œNot right now. If there were, Archie would be barking her head off.”
    Taking a quick look up the hillside, Paige felt only marginally reassured by Jay’s comment.
    â€œArchie’s also pregnant,” Jay said.
    â€œReally? I did think he... she was getting plenty to eat.” She’d never owned a dog. Too much trouble, her mother had insisted. She imagined seeing newborn puppies would be quite a treat.
    She edged closer to the corral, Jay and his horse, feeling safe with the sturdy fence between her and the animal. The way the horse watched her with those big brown eyes unsettled her. When he raised his head and nodded twice, she wondered what he was thinking and how far away she should stand from those big teeth of his.
    â€œWhat kind of a horse is that?” She had to admit his chestnut coat was the reddish-brown shade of hair color many women spent big bucks to achieve.
    â€œA quarter horse.” Jay flipped the stirrup up onto the saddle and reached for the cinch. “Best all-around riding horse there is.” Pride lifted his words.
    â€œDoes he have a name?”
    â€œThunder Boy.”
    â€œThat sounds ominous.”
    Resting his arm across the saddle, Jay chuckled. “He’s harmless. The way he’s nodding at you means he wants you to say hello and pat his nose.”
    She took a step back. “That’s okay. No need for introductions.”
    His smile recast itself into a scowl. “Paige, if you want to get to know Bryan better, you’re going to have to make friends with horses. They aren’t going to hurt you.”
    She folded her arms across her chest. “One of them killed my sister.”
    â€œKrissy did that to herself.”
    If Jay’s comment was meant to make her feel more comfortable around Thunder Boy, or any other horse, it wasn’t working.
    He patted the horse’s neck, pulled something from his shirt pocket and stepped up to the fence. “Here.” He held out his hand. “Thunder really likes apples. Why don’t you feed him a piece?”
    Paige gaped at the quartered apple. “I don’t think so.”
    As agilely as a gymnast, Jay boosted himself over the corral and landed beside Paige. “We’ll feed him together. Come on.” Taking her hand, he opened her fingers and placed the apple on her palm. “Thunder will be your friend forever. I promise.”
    Ripples of panic swam through her midsection. “No, really.”
    Despite her refusal, he put her open hand on his palm. His warmth, the feel of his wide callused hand beneath hers, seemed to transmit a dose of the courage she’d always lacked. The sensation spread up her arm, blocking out her fears and