Must Love Cowboys Read Free Page B

my dismay, the men had arranged themselves around that table in an alternating pattern, making it impossible for me to avoid sitting next to at least one of them. I wouldn’t even have the option of sitting beside Calvin. Had they done it deliberately or did they simply like having plenty of elbow room? I felt as if I’d landed in the middle of a game of chess or tic-tac-toe with opponents who were far savvier than I ever claimed to be.
    That’s your imagination, Tina.
    Calvin took a corner seat next to Bull, leaving me to sit between two men, which I did not want to do, or on the opposite corner. I chose the corner, thinking it would give Ophelia room to sit on the floor beside me. The moment I sat down, however, I realized my error.
    I was across from Dean, next to Nick, with Wyatt on my left at the foot of the table.
    Crap .
    The only things I dared look at were my dog and my plate.
    After all I’d been through lately—taking care of my dying grandfather, helping Mom make funeral arrangements, executing his will, and driving halfway across the country and into the Tetons with my dog riding shotgun—I should’ve been more confident, but I wasn’t. I closed my eyes, marshaling my courage.
    When I finally glanced up and raised my head, Bull immediately gasped, crossed himself, and uttered a fervent “Amen!”
    Nick burst out laughing. “Since when are you Catholic?”
    Bull’s face was as flushed as mine had undoubtedly been a few minutes before. “I’m not,” he mumbled. “Just thought Tina might be.”
    I wasn’t, but they didn’t need to know that. Letting them think I’d been silently blessing my food was much easier than admitting the truth. “Thanks for the prayer, Bull.” I certainly needed one.
    Squaring his shoulders, Bull lifted his chin. “You’re welcome. I’m actually an ordained minister of the Church of the Holy Evangelical Society for the Spiritually Deprived.”
    â€œOh, Lord,” Dean said with a roll of his eyes. “Here we go again…”
    â€œThat’s nice,” I said. “Never heard of that one.” Bull seemed sincere enough, although I couldn’t help wondering if his credentials hadn’t been obtained via the Internet.
    Chuckling, Dean picked up his spoon and dug into his chili. “Neither has anyone else.”
    â€œIt’s real!” Bull protested. “You’re just jealous. You damn well better—”
    Since Joe was the foreman, I would’ve expected him—or perhaps even Calvin—to be the one to censure Bull’s outburst, but Bull had just glanced in Wyatt’s direction when he snapped his mouth shut.
    I stole a peek at Wyatt and caught a glimpse of his piercing scowl before he returned his attention to his dinner.
    â€œHow d’you like that chili, Tina?” Calvin asked in a blatant attempt to change the subject.
    â€œIt’s wonderful,” I replied, despite the fact that I hadn’t tasted it yet.
    â€œThat chili was her granddad’s favorite,” Calvin went on, speaking to the group at large. “He always came back for more.”
    The conversation shifted away from me after that, allowing me to relax enough to finally eat something. The chili was pretty tasty, although the cornbread was a little on the dry side.
    â€œHave you been to Jackson Hole yet?” Nick asked me.
    I had no idea how he knew anything about that part of my journey. Clearly, I’d missed something. “Yeah. I went there first. I’m on my way home now.”
    â€œCool place, isn’t it?”
    â€œYeah. Sort of like a Wild West ski resort.” I probably would’ve enjoyed it more if I’d been there for a vacation instead of a funeral.
    â€œI love that town,” Nick went on. “Go there every chance I get.”
    Throughout the meal, Wyatt’s plate had been directly in my line of sight, and