Samantha and the Cowboy Read Free Page B

snapped that she wasn’t his son, wasn’t anyone’s son. Instead, she gathered her dignity together, thrust up her chin, and trudged away from the line of men and boys who would probably be hired.
    She hadn’t told her mother about her grand scheme because she hadn’t wanted her mother to attempt tochange her mind. She sought what comfort she could find in the fact that her family wouldn’t be disappointed, wouldn’t learn of her failure.
    Her failure. Tears stung her eyes as she stormed down the alley between the buildings. She needed to be alone. Just for a few minutes. Before she headed home in disgrace.
    Once behind the general store, she tore her hat from her head. “Dang it!” She kicked an empty crate. “Dang it!”
    She’d shorn her hair and for what? For a foolish dream that would never happen. She kicked the crate again, taking no comfort in the echoing crack of splintering wood.
    â€œFeeling better?” someone drawled.
    She spun around, her heart hammering against her ribs. It was the young man who’d been staring at her while she’d been waiting in line. He was again leaning against a wall, his arms folded across his chest. Unlike her, he wasn’t scrawny at all. Taller than she was, he had broad shoulders and a wide chest that tapered down to narrow hips. He was the type of person the trail boss wanted to hire, and that knowledge irritated her. “Don’t you know it’s rude to impose on a fella’s misery?” she asked.
    â€œDidn’t mean to impose. Just thought maybe I could help you out.”
    â€œNot unless you got a herd to get to market and are lookin’ to hire me,” she said tartly as she crammed her hat back onto her head. Inwardly she scolded herself. It wasn’t his fault that her dreams had been dashed and her hair was gone.
    Sweeping his hat from his head, he squinted at the early morning sun. Her heart very nearly stopped. His eyes were a stunning blue. But it wasn’t the color that snagged her attention as much as it was that he seemed to be a young man with an older man’s eyes. A young man who had seen much that he might have wished he hadn’t. A thin white scar creased his left eyebrow, parted the tiny black hairs there.
    The scar made him seem mysterious, dangerous.
    He leveled his gaze on her. Her stomach quivered.
    â€œYou shouldn’t have lied to Jake,” he said quietly.
    Her breath caught. Somehow he’d managed to figure out she was a girl. Jake probably had as well. That was probably the real reason he hadn’t hired her. Because he’d thought she was a scrawny girl.
    â€œTelling him you knew how to herd cattle when you don’t didn’t sit too well with him,” he added.
    Relief swamped her with the realization that her secret was still safe, that he hadn’t figured out anything of worth. She also realized that since he knew so much about Jake Vaughn, he must have worked with him fora while. He hadn’t just been hired, as she’d thought. Envy speared her. To have the opportunity to earn a decent dollar…it just wasn’t fair. “I do know how to herd cattle.”
    She grew uncomfortable under his harsh scrutiny as he captured her with his intimidating gaze.
    â€œAll right.” She relented. “I know how to herd one cow. Our milk cow. To pasture and back.”
    His lips twitched, and for a heartbeat, she thought he was going to smile.
    â€œIt’s not exactly the same,” he said.
    She jerked up her chin. “But I could learn.”
    â€œWhy did you lie?”
    â€œI need the hundred dollars. Bad. I’d do just about anything to be part of this outfit.” And that was the honest-to-gosh-truth. “Besides, I’m a fast learner.”
    Nodding, he settled his black hat back into place. “The herd’s camped about ten miles north of town. Just follow the road and you can’t miss us.