Free Boots and The Rogue: Ugly Stick Saloon, Book 10 by Myla Jackson Page B

it,” Mrs. M suggested as Jessie slid the casserole dish full of noodles, sauce and cheesy deliciousness into the preheated oven.
    Jessie studied the oven controls and set the timer.
    “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
    With a smile, Jessie turned to Mrs. M. “No, it wasn’t.”
    “And my mama always told me a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
    “I don’t want to win their hearts,” Jessie said. “I just want to prove that I can cook. I really need this job.”
    “As long as you don’t burn that lasagna, you’ll be on the road to proving yourself. Now, while supper’s cooking, why don’t you try on that dress I washed and ironed for you? It doesn’t hurt for the chef to look as good as the food.”
    “I don’t know.” Jessie shrugged. “I’ve never felt comfortable in a dress. I barely know how to wear one.” An image of Brody’s ex-fiancée flashed through Jessie’s mind. Fancy Wilson had not only looked good in a dress, she’d worn it like a fashion statement.
    Mrs. M’s brows dipped. “It’s amazing what clothes do for your confidence, and how others perceive you. Take Fancy Wilson…”
    Jessie would rather not talk about the auburn-haired beauty. “What about her?”
    “Put her in a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt and she wouldn’t look any different from any other cowgirl in the county.”
    “I doubt that. I bet she’d look good in anything she wore.”
    Mrs. M’s lips curled. “She got to you, didn’t she?”
    Jessie turned toward the stovetop, afraid the older woman would see right through her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    “Don’t let a pretty piece of fluff like Fancy make you feel any less than beautiful.” Mrs. M stood and crossed to Jessie. “I see a beautiful woman in those blue-gray eyes of yours. Wear the dress for me tonight. I think you’ll be surprised at how good you look in it. You’ll give that Fancy a run for her money.”
    Her competitive spirit spiked, until she reminded herself out loud, “I’m not in competition with Fancy.”
    “No?” Mrs. M’s smile widened. “Well, we’ll just see about that. Oh, and don’t set a plate at the table for me. Remember? I’m going out.”
    Not sure what the woman was up to, Jessie couldn’t say no to her. Not after Mrs. M spent her entire afternoon teaching Jessie how to make lasagna. Dinner that night would be edible and might help save her job.
    Thirty minutes later, Jessie wore the blue dress. Mrs. McFarlan had helped her do her hair, using a flat iron to smooth out the tangles and kinks from the elastic band. It hung long and straight around her shoulders and halfway down her back. The older woman even insisted on applying a little blush to Jessie’s cheeks and adding a smoky shadow to her eyes. By the time Mrs. M finished, Jessie didn’t recognize the pretty blonde in the mirror.
    She might not be gorgeous enough to compete with the beautiful Fancy, but she looked better than she ever had.
    Back in the kitchen as the timer beeped, Jessie couldn’t help smiling as she peered through the glass oven door. The guys would be pleased. The lasagna turned out perfect.
    Angus and Colin came in through the back door, hung their hats on pegs on the wall and sniffed the air.
    “Something smells good enough to eat,” Colin said. “What’s for dinner?”
    “Lasagna.” Jessie pulled the lightly browned dish from the oven and set it on a hot pad. “Go wash up and I’ll have it on the table when you’re ready.”
    Both men stopped short as Jessie straightened.
    Colin made a show of looking around. “I hear Jessie talking, but I don’t see anyone here but one gorgeous blonde in a pretty blue dress.”
    Angus grinned. “Wow. You look amazing.”
    Colin stepped up to Jessie, took her hand and twirled her about. “That dress needs to go dancing.”
    Jessie’s cheeks heated and she glanced past the two brothers to the empty doorway. “Is Brody coming?”
    Angus’s eyes narrowed