His Cowgirl Bride Read Free

brewing. Maybe Pace hadn’t seen that look in the cowgirl’s eyes…the one that said she wasn’t going to let some cowboy tell her what to do.
    He rubbed the spot where she’d jabbed her finger in his chest. The woman obviously thought she wasgoing to get to train those colts, not just “look after the place.” Only thing was, while he was around, there was no way that was happening. Absolutely no way.

Chapter Two
    â€œW hat can I get you boys?” Tacy asked the booth full of cowboys who were looking up at her like expectant puppies. They acted like they’d never seen a woman taking their lunch order before. It had been this way for the two weeks since she’d taken this job at Sam’s diner.
    â€œHow about a date?” Jess Tomlin drawled, giving her a wink. The same wink he’d been giving her ever since he’d first seen her behind the counter.
    She pulled her order pad from her pocket. “You got somethin’ in your eye?” she asked, giving him a pointed stare and holding her pencil at the ready—not that she was going to need it. It was Tuesday and Sam cooked enchiladas on Tuesday.
    â€œC’mon, Tacy, forget him and come out with me,” his buddy Chad said, sitting up straight and giving her a cocky grin.
    â€œFellas —Order?” she tapped her pad with her pencil.
    â€œAw, c’mon, Tacy, give a guy some hope.”
    â€œJess, you don’t need hope from me and you know it. Now either you dudes order or I’ll do it for you.”
    The foursome grinned just as she’d expected they would and also ordered exactly what she knew they would order.
    â€œFour specials,” she called a few seconds later, hustling into the kitchen. Sam was in the midst of flipping a row of burgers. As soon as he heard the order, he reached for plates on the side shelf with his free hand and continued flipping patties with his right hand. He never skipped a beat. Tacy watched him in amazement as he used the spatula to send the meat patty into the air in a quick, tight arc. Immediately, he moved to the next patty and had it in the air before the other patty had finished its flip. Once they were all turned and dusted with salt and pepper, he reached for the ladle in the large pot on the stove. In his sixties and built like a jockey, Sam was king of his domain—a short-order cook in more ways than one.
    During the lunch rush, he worked with the energy of three men. Though he had a cook who came in some evenings and a college student who also helped out evenings and Saturdays, he took very little time off.
    â€œHow in the world did you run this place before hiring help?”
    Sam gave her a quick grin, dipping beans into theplates. “Didn’t used ta be this busy. Used ta be a dead little town and I had it all under control. Weren’t much more work than if I had folks comin’ by the house fer a meal and a visit. I ain’t complainin’, though,” he said, starting to dish up the enchiladas. “Needin’ help is a good thang. I’m glad you came along when ya did.”
    â€œI’m glad you had an opening,” she said, and meant it. They worked well together. She picked up the four plates, inhaling the spicy scent. “Back for the burgers in a jiffy.” She gave him an affectionate smile as she headed for the dining room. She hadn’t been here long, but she felt right at home. For a gal who’d been a little homesick at times, this was a very nice feeling.
    As she walked back into the dining area, Tacy’s spirits were high—despite her run-in with that insufferable cowboy the day before. “Here we go, boys. Chow’s up!” She got a real kick out of the way the cowboys jerked to attention as she set their meal in front of them. Guys—you had to love ’em.
    She really was glad to be here—true, she’d have been happier if things had worked out the way