Cowboys for Christmas Read Free Page A

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    “We’ve hit a bit of a snag on that special organic feed we wanted for the calves. The specialty stores are sold out. One says they'll have more tomorrow. So we can’t get back until we have it.”
    Her hand clenched tighter around the phone. She wanted them home, now. Please come home .
    JJ brushed away an unexpected rush of tears and stared at the nearby kitchen windows. Rain gushed down the panes. Dan was out there in this weather. Concern for his safety made her bite her bottom lip.
    “JJ? Are you still there?” Brady asked. The line crackled and instincts told her it was just a matter of time before the phone died due to the storm.
    “I’m here.” Emotions, thick and raw, welled inside her chest.
    “Are you sure you’re okay? Maybe we should come home and forget the feed.”
    Oh goodness, JJ didn't want to put the health of the calves in jeopardy. So many had been born through the late winter that they were running out of the nutritional supplements fast. And the last thing she wanted was to screw the guys' plans. She didn’t want them to come back on her account. They would think she was a baby and not cut out for this kind of life. That’s the last thing she wanted for them to think.
    “No, you deal with business. Stay there. Dan will be back tonight. I’m fine.” Liar !
    She heard Rafe telling Brady he wanted to talk to her, but then the line went dead. The lights flickered also and died. The room was thrust into a gloomy semi-darkness that only added to JJ’s anxiety.
    Shit !
    JJ slammed the receiver down onto the cradle.
    Okay, everything is fine. Just get the generator up and running and start cooking .
    JJ always felt better when she kept herself busy. Besides, Dan was used to this kind of weather.
    He’d know what to do. He was probably holed up in one of those numerous utility sheds they had scattered over the thousands of acres of property.
    JJ nodded. Yeah, he’d be fine. She’d be fine too.
    But she wasn’t. Something wasn’t quite right, and JJ wasn’t sure why she had the feeling she wasn’t alone. Maybe she’d feel better once she got the lights back on.

Chapter Two
    Man! This is one hell of a storm ! Dan thought as amidst the downpour, he sawed into the third tree that had fallen over the trail that would lead him back to the ranch and to JJ.
    Sure, it wasn’t unusual to come across fallen trees on this particular trail. That’s why he carried the chainsaw, but this was getting damned ridiculous. They made it a point to keep this trail well-groomed because it was the main artery from the north pastures back to the ranch. It appeared they hadn’t done a good enough job. Trail grooming was another thing to add to the long list of things to do before the snow fell again.
    But first they needed to get through spring, summer and the autumn. Plenty of time for the work to get done. Another crack of thunder snapped overhead and Dan shook his head. He hoped JJ was doing okay. She wasn’t used to these kinds of storms. Because of the greenhouse effect, the weather up here was getting extreme. Winds were fierce and the storms more intense.
    Dan continued to chainsaw and tried like hell to see through the waterfall that flowed off the brim of his cowboy hat. Hell, maybe he should just hunker down and wait this one out before he got hit by lightning. JJ would be okay. She was a strong woman, despite her anxiety attacks.
    Turning off the chainsaw, he then tucked it into the atv trailer and grabbed the small emergency tent. In moments, the tent was pitched. Tossing in his duffel bag where he kept an emergency pair of dry clothes, a small propane stove and some food, he removed his rain gear, scrambled inside the tiny one-man tent, zipped up the tent fly and waited.

    “Am I losing my mind?” JJ said aloud as she searched the fridge for the bear steaks she’d put in yesterday to thaw for tonight’s dinner. She just couldn’t find them. What in the world was going on? Had Dan taken