Texas Two-Step: Cowboy Shuffle Read Free Page A

“You working tomorrow?”
    “No. It’s my day off.” One good thing about working nights, she had days off. But besides that, tomorrow she had the entire day and night off.
    He nodded. “Good, I’ll come over and take a look at it for you.”
    “Really? You’d do that?” If Shooter could fix it, that could save her a fortune in mechanic’s bills.
    “Yes.” Shaking his head, Shooter expelled a burst of air. “Why do you sound so shocked? I can be a nice guy, you know.”
    “Yeah, I’m sure you can. It’s just that usually you aren’t.”
    “Real nice. Thanks.” There was no joking in his voice. Shaking his head, he pivoted toward his truck.
    Guilt stole all the fun out of teasing him. He usually was up for a good verbal sparring match. Apparently not tonight.
    She took one step forward. “Hey.”
    Pausing, he glanced over his shoulder. “What?”
    “Thank you. You really helped me tonight and I appreciate it.” No joking, no sarcasm. She hoped her tone told him she was sincere.
    He turned back to face her and nodded. “You’re welcome. See you in the morning.”
    Ellen cringed. Morning was only a few hours away and she usually liked to sleep in after working the late shift. “Can we make it more like noon-ish?”
    Shooter let out a short laugh. “Leave your keys out before you go to bed tonight. Wes and I can work on it while you’re sleeping.”
    “All right. Thank you. I mean that.”
    “It’s not a problem. Anytime. Besides, I want to be there for Wes’s lecture about how you shouldn’t have bought this car. I always enjoy those.” He smiled and it reached all the way to his eyes, crinkling them in the corners. Walking to the back of his big truck, he stashed the cables he’d disconnected.
    Ellen was starting to believe he’d actually meant it when he’d said he didn’t mind helping her out. As a friend, he was proving he wasn’t such a bad guy after all, but she still wouldn’t date him if her life depended on it. Not with his insanely good looks that drew women like flies to manure, and his reputation as a ladies’ man who liked to rack up the conquests while going for quantity over quality.
    Though given Shooter’s help tonight, Ellen would have to be a little less hard on Wes for his choice in best friends. Or maybe not. Teasing her brother provided far too much amusement to give it up.
     

Chapter Two
    “That should do it.” Shooter wiped his hands on the rag and then slammed the hood of Ellen’s car.
    “I hope so. I told her not to buy this damn thing.” Wes shook his head while bending to open the lid of the cooler on the ground next to the car. He pulled out two longneck bottles and handed one to Shooter. “Thanks for helping me with this.”
    “No problem. Anything for free beer.” Shooter grabbed the icy bottle and popped the top. He took a long swallow of the cold foam. It had taken them all day to check and then change the alternator in Ellen’s car, but when she’d finally woken up, she’d taken Wes’s truck and gone out to buy them a twelve-pack of beer as a thank you.
    “Yeah, well, I’d rather pay for beer and not have to stand out here in the heat all day fixing a vehicle I warned her not to buy in the first place.” Wes sported an uncharacteristic bad-natured frown.
    “What’s up with you?” Shooter eyed his friend suspiciously. Hanging out with a buddy tinkering on a car while sharing some cold brew sounded like the perfect way to spend a weekend day to Shooter. Why was Wes so cranky about it?
    Wes shrugged. “I just thought I could spend the afternoon with Maryann, but this took all day.”
    Ah, and there it was. The truth. Wes would rather be with his girl than his best buddy. Having no response to that, at least not a nice one his saintly mother would approve of, Shooter drew another long swallow of beer and kept his opinion and comments to himself.
    Ellen chose that moment to come strolling outside in the tiniest top he’d ever seen her