Lily's Cowboys Read Free Page B

find something to eat. The diner was the first place she had seen when she had arrived in town. Walking over to one of the bar stools at the counter she lowered her canvas bag and sat on the stool. Earl walked around the counter to take her order smiling a welcome as he handed Lily a worn menu. Lily looked at the menu for a minute trying to decide. Her mouth watered at all the delicious selections. She had a hard time choosing what to order. It would have to be something very inexpensive. She finally settled for ordering a glass of water, no ice, and a cup of soup. It was all she could afford until she found a job. She would ask the man behind the counter before she left if he knew of anyone who might be hiring locally. She would also have to find a place to stay tonight. She really didn’t have enough money for a room, she sighed. She better get as warm as she could now because she had a feeling she was going to be very cold tonight if she couldn’t find a really, really cheap place to sleep. Pulling out a small battered change purse, she pulled a couple of crumbled dollar bills out of it. She sighed again, she was going to have to find a job soon or she would be going hungry as well as cold.

    Sipping the hot soup she let the warmth slide through her frozen body. She hadn’t realized it was so cold out until she came in out of it. Smiling at the man behind the counter, Lily asked softly, “You wouldn’t know if anyone around could use a good housekeeper or cook do you? I’m a hard worker and dependable.”

    Gladys had risen when Lily had ordered moving towards the kitchen. She smiled at Maggie as she walked by her, “This one is a keeper. I say hire her if she needs a job. She is just what the boys need.” She whispered.

    Maggie had been sitting in the booth watching the young girl as she looked over the menu. She could tell the girl was cold and hungry but probably didn’t have much money if her jacket was any indication. It was hardly appropriate for early October in Wyoming. When Maggie heard her ask Earl about a job she thought she had hit pay dirt. She stood up and walked over to the girl.

    Maggie studied her closely for a minute before speaking. “I might know someone who’s looking for a housekeeper. My name’s Maggie Cunnings. Why don’t you sit down with me at the booth over there and we’ll talk for a bit?”

    Lily studied the older woman for a moment before nodding. The woman looked to be in her late sixties or early seventies. It was hard to tell really as she had one of those ageless faces. Lily couldn’t believe her luck. She watched wide-eyed as the woman turned and went back to the booth she had been sitting at when Lily had first come into the diner. Lily quickly collected her canvas bag and picked up her water. When she turned to grab her cup of soup Carl had already picked it up and placed it on the table across from Maggie along with a cup of hot tea. Lily started to say she hadn’t ordered hot tea but her protest died when she saw Carl wink at her. Smiling her thanks, Lily turned to study the woman sitting across from her as she slid into the booth. Maggie continued to stare at her for a moment longer. Feeling a little self-conscious, Lily tucked a stray strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear.

    “ So, you want to be a housekeeper?” Maggie began.

    “ Yes, ma’am. My name is Lily. I have plenty of experience with maintaining a house and I’m an excellent cook. I am also very good with children.” Lily said earnestly. “I’m honest and dependable, too.”

    “ Call me Maggie and I’m sure you are, dear. I can tell a lot from the way a person holds themselves if they are telling me the truth. The house you would be working at has three males in it. They are brothers. Ethan is the oldest, followed by Caleb and Allen. They aren’t easy to work for but they are good men. They’ve been through six housekeepers in the last eight months.”

    Lily leaned back and stared