Free Jenna's Cowboy Hero by Brenda Minton

ran off. She laughed and watched them go.
    No more distractions. Nothing else to keep her from joining the men.
    Adam was standing next to the horse, tall, making the sixteen-hand horse look small, and talking to her brother with a hint of a smile on his face. She likened him to Goliath. And she really felt as if he had come to devour her kingdom.
    Of course he hadn’t, though. That was just her imagination. He couldn’t hurt her. He couldn’t hurt the people she loved. She didn’t know why she had put him in that category to begin with.
    He smiled at her and pushed his hat back. “Nice horse, isn’t he? Clint brought ten, and this one.”
    â€œI thought he might like something for himself,” Clint explained.
    â€œYou’re just looking for someone to take that grain-eating beast off your hands.” Jenna rubbed the massive head of the bay gelding. “He’s a pain.”
    â€œHe’s not. I just don’t have the time to ride him the way he needs to be ridden,” Clint explained, and she wanted to tell him he could have brought the horse to her. But he wouldn’t do that, she knew. He didn’t want her to get hurt.
    â€œCome into the office and I’ll write you a check.” Adam motioned them all to the trailer that had become his residence. Jenna followed the men, their longer strideseating up the ground. She wasn’t in a hurry. A summer breeze swirled through the overgrown lawn, rustling last year’s leaves, and the smell of a freshly cut hayfield carried on the wind. Days like this were for enjoying, not rushing through.
    Inside would be stuffy. And crowded.
    The boys were playing at the corner of the trailer. They were looking for the turtle, searching the grassy area as if they’d lost a treasure. Of course it was a treasure; it was a turtle. And what boy didn’t consider those a treasure?
    Girls liked them, too. Jenna had had her share of box turtles as a kid. She stopped to watch the boys for a second. They talked in whispers about the turtle and Adam falling off Ready. And then they looked up and smiled, a little guilty, too cute.
    Adam cleared his throat. “Are you coming inside with us?”
    â€œOh, sorry, I was watching the boys. They’re still looking for that turtle.”
    â€œI saw him the other day. He’s still around.”
    â€œI hope they find him, not another snake.”
    Clint laughed. “It wouldn’t be the first snake they found.”
    She nodded and reached for the rail to climb the stairs. “Did they eat bugs when they stayed with you?”
    â€œNo, but I did feed them hot dogs. Come on, Jen, you know I wouldn’t feed your kids bugs.”
    â€œI didn’t mean that you fed them bugs. I wondered if you caught them eating bugs.”
    â€œNever. Why?”
    â€œOh, something they said.” She smiled, letting it go. “Never mind.”
    â€œI ate part of a worm once,” Adam said as he opened the front door for them. “I turned out okay.”
    â€œThanks, that makes me feel so much better. I want them to grow up to be…” She wouldn’t say driven and detached.
    â€œStrong?” He supplied a word that she hadn’t planned to say, and she nodded.
    â€œSure, strong.”
    The trailer was dark and the furniture was dark. Jenna closed her eyes to give them a second to adjust from bright afternoon sunshine to the shadowy interior of the trailer. When she opened her eyes she could see clearly that it was a mess. Paper plates littered the coffee table and cans of soda sat on the end tables.
    â€œWhat in the world have you done to this place?” She started gathering trash.
    â€œIt’s my mess. I can clean it up.” He took the paper plates from her hands. “I’m sure not asking you to be my maid.”
    â€œYou need one.”
    â€œCheck, please.” Clint tapped the paper in his hand and held it out to Adam, who