Free Elly: Cowgirl Bride by Trish Milburn Page B

hadn’t talked to Janie about it? On the other, Janie had known for months—months in which they’d spent a lot of time together. Whether or not she was being fair to Janie, she was still hurt by her best friend keeping such a secret. There were too many secrets coming to light. She hated them all.
    Elly stared out at the Greybull as it rolled over its rocky bed. In warmer weather, people fished it for its genetically pure Yellowstone cutthroat trout, but now it looked cold and uninviting—as if it was hurrying to reach a warmer climate. If she wasn’t in the midst of make-or-break time in the rodeo season, she might be tempted to do the same.
    The sound of hooves clomping up the trail from the pasture where everyone had parked their trucks and trailers drew her attention. When the man coming into view raised his head, she couldn’t believe whose face she saw below a chocolate brown cowboy hat.
    Will’s gaze met hers and he headed straight for her. She didn’t move, struck by how incredibly good he looked in faded jeans, scuffed boots and a tan ranch coat. To think he used to be a spindly boy too allergic to horses to even go near them, let alone ride. Now he looked made to ride a horse. Heaven help her, but he caused her heart to beat double time.
    “Howdy, ma’am,” he drawled as he tapped the front rim of his hat.
    She laughed. “I’ve heard of cowboy poets, cowboy cooks, but never cowboy lawyers.”
    “I’m a man of many talents.”
    A flush of warmth made her resettle herself, causing Jasmine to take a side step. Elly experienced an instant conviction that Will was, indeed, good at many things. She tried not to think where some of those things might take place.
    “I didn’t know you were riding today,” she said.
    “I always wanted to do this when I was a kid. Better late than never, right?” he asked with a wink.
    What was the man trying to do, make her melt? How would she explain that to everyone when it was thirty-three degrees?
    As if to remind her that she wasn’t in a balmy, tropical locale oozing with longing, a gust of wind laden with snowflakes chilled her cheeks and caused her to lift her collar to protect her neck.
    Jesse emerged from the crowd and headed down the trail that wound along the river. Other riders fell in behind him, typically in pairs. Her heart ached for Jesse. He took so much responsibility on himself when he too was trying to concentrate on doing well in the upcoming Finals. As she watched him riding away, it struck her that she wasn’t the only lonely one following the Greybull today.
    “You okay?” Will asked.
    But she wasn’t lonely anymore, was she?
    “Yeah.” She guided Jasmine into the middle of the line, several people back from her mom and Anne’s best friend, Edith Lancaster, and well away from her father. That left the rest of her brothers to fall in farther back. Most everyone had been on this ride before, but her family still took their responsibility for keeping everyone safe seriously since they were on Cody land.
    Will guided his mount into line next to hers.
    “Where’d you get the horse?” she asked.
    “Framingham Stables. Delia got me a good deal.”
    Elly couldn’t help laughing a little. “Yeah, because lawyers have to watch their pennies.”
    “Maybe we have other things we’d rather spend them on.”
    Elly looked at him and felt his words had some sort of deeper meaning, something tied to her. Either something was in the air today or she was slipping off her rocker. She didn’t shake her head even though she wanted to, instead directing her gaze to the west.
    “Think we’ll get real snow?” Will asked.
    “Nah. Mother Nature is just teasing us today.”
    “Just like a woman.”
    She eyed him. “Careful. You might find yourself taking a really cold bath in the river.”
    He responded with a dramatic shiver. “Then you’d have to save me.”
    Elly half expected him to suggest she’d have to warm him up, too, but he didn’t.