Free Elly: Cowgirl Bride by Trish Milburn Page A

have a horse.”
    “Hello, you’re in Wyoming. I think we can find you one.”
    Will smiled at Delia’s eye rolling. “Ya think?”
    “My cousin Jay has a stable between here and Markton. I’ll hook you up.”
    Will thought about refusing, about staying away from the trail ride and Elly. But he wasn’t that type of person anymore—the type who avoided things that could end up causing him pain. The plain truth was he wanted to see her, and this was the perfect opportunity. He wasn’t going to let this situation with her father throw up roadblocks. If she didn’t like him the way he did her, that was one thing. He’d deal. But something that was out of either of their control? That was a stupid reason to steer clear of each other. “Sounds good.”
    “I’ll give him a call and see what he’s got available.” Delia took her onion rings and headed back out to her desk.
    Will imagined what Elly’s face would look like when she saw him astride a horse. No more allergic, nerdy Billy the Kid. He was a man who wanted a woman, and damn if he wasn’t going to figure out how to let her know it.
    Delia paused in her exit and spun back toward him. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Someone named Kate Sturgeon called first thing this morning. She didn’t want to leave a message, but she said she’d call back.”
    “Okay.” Will deliberately didn’t meet Delia’s eyes, didn’t want her seeing more than he cared to reveal.
    Kate was beautiful, smart, fun, and she was going to be a talented attorney. She’d make someone a great girlfriend. She just couldn’t be his anymore.
     

    S CATTERED SNOW FLURRIES drifted through the cold air as Elly maneuvered Jasmine among the dozens of people and horses congregated along the edge of the Greybull River. She’d had a good morning workout with Pepper, who was enjoying a well-earned rest. Plus, this close to Denver and hopefully the Finals, she didn’t want to risk her getting injured out on the uneven, frosty ground.
    “Looks like a good turnout,” said Maryanne, Dusty’s fiancée, as she eased up alongside Elly on Snowball. Even after a few months on the ranch, Maryanne still wasn’t comfortable on horses. The old mare was even a stretch.
    Elly laughed when she looked at Maryanne.
    “What?”
    “You should see your nose. You look like Rudolph.”
    “Hey, I’m outside and haven’t frozen stiff yet. I’d say that’s an accomplishment.”
    “True.” Maryanne hadn’t fled back to L.A. as the temperature had started to dip, earning her respect from the entire Cody clan. “There’s Dusty. Maybe he’ll keep you warm.”
    Maryanne waggled her eyebrows before gently nudging her horse forward. “I like how you think.”
    Elly chuckled. But the chuckle faded when she scanned the crowd and saw all the happy couples. Walker and Paula chatting with friends. Dex and Josie sitting on the tailgate of Dex’s truck since he still couldn’t ride after blowing out his knee. Dusty and Maryanne looking all googly-eyed at each other. Even Elly’s parents sat side by side astride their mounts. She tried not to think about how it might just be for show, to keep the gossip at a minimum. Because Elly suspected people were talking. At the very least, the rest of her brothers and their better halves had found out. Things had been really strained the past couple of days with no one coming right out and talking about it but doing a lot of avoiding of the subject and their father.
    But the situation with her father and Mark wasn’t what was weighing down her heart right now. It was an unfamiliar loneliness born of watching the glances and loving touches between the couples. She felt alone in a sea of people. For the first time in her memory, she didn’t even have Janie to talk to during the trail ride.
    They still hadn’t talked, and Elly wasn’t sure how she felt about Janie keeping secrets from her. On one hand, had she done any better when she’d found out about the affair and