Free The Reluctant Cowgirl by Christine Lynxwiler

gate, and Jeremy jumped out before they came to a stop.
    Crystal watched the cowboy effortlessly yank the big gate open then felt Aaron’s gaze on her.
    “No fair flirting just to annoy him, Crys.”
    She laughed. “That wasn’t flirting, big brother. That was teasing.”
    “Just remember, he’s not your brother. And in spite of what I told you in the barn, he might think more of it than you mean.”
    How ironic that she was receiving this lecture. She’d heard Cami get it so many times but never dreamed it would ever be directed toward her. “I’m just trying to be a good sport.”
    Aaron nodded. “Fine. But be careful. Jeremy’s been through enough. And for that matter, so have you. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”
    She watched the cowboy walking back to the truck. “I’d say it’s too late for that.”
    “Let me rephrase then. I don’t want either of you to hurt the other.”
    Jeremy climbed into the truck, effectively ending their private conversation.
    Crystal quietly took notes the rest of the time.
    When they parked in front of the barn and climbed out of the truck, Jeremy turned to face her. “Since you’ll be pulling airport shuttle duty, want me to meet the hands in the morning and give them their schedule?”
    She nodded. “If you can take care of tomorrow, I’ll be ready to work bright and early on Wednesday.”
    “You can count on it.” He flipped his phone open. “Do you mind giving me your phone number and taking mine? Just in case you need me, or vice versa?”
    As she retrieved her phone from her back pocket and they exchanged numbers, she was struck by how quickly she’d accepted the thought that she might need to call him. He had a way of fostering confidence. Sort of like Brad had. Only she had a feeling that if Tina could meet the cowboy, she’d find there was nothing Ken-like, nothing plastic, about Jeremy Buchanan.
    ***
    “Now that we’ve exhausted all the boring details of my life and we’re almost back home, let’s move on to something more interesting.” Elyse kept a tight grip on the steering wheel, but she glanced over at Crystal. “What’s been happening with you?”
    Crystal sighed. “Well, I told you the play closed. And my agent had a meltdown when I told her I was taking some time off.”
    “Aw, Crys. I’m sorry.”
    “That’s life. I’m actually looking forward to a little break from the city.” She stared out the window at the budding trees, growing thicker by the mile, as they left the Memphis airport far behind and got closer to home. “As long as I’m sure I’m going back.”
    Elyse glanced at her. “Daddy and Mama didn’t look like they were harboring any secret plans to run away forever when we left them at the airport, did they?”
    Crystal grinned. “Not that I could tell.”
    “So you’ll be going back in six weeks.”
    “Right.” Why wasn’t Crystal that sure? She couldn’t wait to get back to the theater life, but she felt tired every time she thought of facing the auditions and callbacks.
    “Am I right in assuming you and Brad are history?”
    “Definitely history,” Crystal said, almost feeling bad by the lack of any residual feeling for Brad. Even when she’d gone back to New York last week to get her stuff, she’d had no desire to see him, but at the same time no flutter of anxiety that she might run into him when she’d gone to their old haunts.
    She turned to stare out the window again. Was her heart defective? Maybe she would never love a man enough to really care that he was gone.
    Elyse put her turn signal on and leaned forward to check for oncoming traffic. “Wanna talk about it?”
    Crystal shook her head. “Not really. He wasn’t what I thought he was. The end.”
    “Good riddance to bad rubbish,” Elyse said. “Isn’t that what we always said when some guy in junior high or high school turned out to be a jerk?”
    “Yep. And that about sums it up still. Some things never change.” She sighed.