Texas Lonestar (Texas Heroes Book 4) Read Free Page B

fucking with me?”
    Elton basked in the attention they were receiving. “Yea, buddy, we arranged all of this just for you. Of course, little Lennon thought it was you she was talking to on the internet. We laid it on thick for you. Look at that dress–isn’t it a blast from the past? Isn’t she stunning? Wouldn’t any guy just…puke if he had to kiss her?”
    By that time, the laughter coming from the crowd was an uproar. Colin took it in the spirit it was intended–to have fun at Lennon’s expense. “Lennon, you didn’t actually think I’d want to go out with you? Why would I? You don’t even have any boobs!”
    The premonition she’d had of being like the character Carrie came true as white hot shame cascaded down over her. How stupid was she? Lennon tried desperately to think of something to say back to her tormentors. Why was it that she could always think of snappy comebacks about fifteen minutes after she needed one? But she was spared when two adult chaperones showed up to calm the kids down and get the music turned back on. Mrs. Lark started toward her, a concerned look on her face–but Lennon didn’t wait to hear what she had to say. Whirling around, she made a run for it–crying all the way to her truck.
    Once she was on the road, she drove out of town, then pulled over at a small roadside park to give herself time to calm down. Christ! She was such a joke. Wiping tears from her face, she laid her head back on the seat and tried to imagine the humiliation waiting for her at school on Monday. As she stared at the night sky, she wondered why people had to be so mean. Would she ever find love? Lennon didn’t think so. Not in this town, anyway.
    Oh, well. She’d find someone who needed her, there were more kinds of love in this world than romantic love. And who knows? Fate might send her someone–he could just show up at her ranch one day and offer to protect her from the big bad world.
    Too bad fairy tales didn’t come true.

CHAPTER TWO
     
     
    Eight Years Later…
     
    “Be careful! Those hay bales are as big as you are. You’re going to hurt yourself.” George lamented as Lennon climbed from the cab of the truck to jump in the back.
    “Don’t worry. I’ll manage. I always do,” she called with a happy voice. “I have a system. Cut. Tug. Push. Scatter.”
    “Her can do it, George. Lenny is strong.” Sally held up her little arm like she was making a muscle. “Her can do anything.”
    Lennon could hear Sally speaking in that sweet baby voice she loved so much. The little girl’s faith gave her the energy to keep going even when her strength was almost gone. “If things would just quit breaking around here, I could hire some help. Preferably someone who has mus…cles,” she grunted as she tumped a square hay bale onto the ground.
    “Here, they come!” George yelled. “Spot’s leading the way!” Lennon didn’t look up. She didn’t have time. The cattle were coming and they were hungry. She giggled at the thought of naming a cow Spot. That had been Sally’s idea. Methodically, she went through the steps to get the hay on the ground. This was an everyday job for her. The big round bales would’ve been cheaper and easier to manage. In fact, she could’ve brought one out on the tractor and let the cows munch at will. An opportunity to buy this Bahia at a cheaper price was more important than the difficulty she had in delivering it to the herd. Every evening she put out twenty bales to supplement the sparse vegetation that was available. If this drought didn’t break, she’d go broke–poetic.
    “Help me count, George,” Lennon requested as she moved out in front of the mass of cattle which were a mix of Beefmaster and Angus, they were large beasts. None of them were aggressive, but by the time they pushed one another to get to the food, if she got in the way–well, it was better not to. At least she was used to dodging horns and hooves. Being a bullfighter for the rodeo to