Free Loving Linsey by Rachelle Morgan Page B

continued to hurl insults at each other, but Daniel paid them little notice. Normally he would have found the exchange between his pals amusing, but today . . . well, Daniel just didn’t find himself in an easily amused mood.
    He lifted the crate out of the stanhope and set it on the back stoop.
    â€œHeckfire, Dan’l what’s got you so down in the mouth?” Jarvis prodded.
    Daniel raised up and brushed his hands together. “Linsey Gordon.”
    The lanky lamplighter grinned. “What did she do, try drowning you again?”
    â€œYou heard about that?”
    â€œIt’s all over Horseshoe.”
    Wonderful . “Don’t these people have anything better to talk about?”
    â€œYou oughtta know better than that, Daniel,” Oren said. “A body can’t go to the outhouse without everyone knowing about it.”
    Daniel didn’t argue that. He raised his forearm against the wall and leaned into it. “Tell me something, fellas. You ever get the feeling someone is plotting your downfall?”
    â€œSomeone like . . .” Oren made a rolling motion with his hand.
    â€œA woman,” Daniel finished.
    â€œYou’re askin’ us?” Jarvis exclaimed.
    â€œWell, yes.” Who else would he ask? His father? Any time he brought up the subject ofwomen to his dad, he wound up listening to an hour’s worth of “They’re a trap, boy, and you don’t got time for traps. . . .” Maybe Jarvis and Potter weren’t experts on the gentler sex, but he had to get this off his chest, and they were better than no one.
    â€œSee, it’s like this. I’ve run into her more times today than I have all year.” Daniel recounted each incident, ending with, “. . . then she shows up at Jenny Kimmel’s when I’m examining that new batch of kids she got.”
    Jarvis shuddered. “Jesus, Dan’l. Linsey Gordon, kids . . . you’ve just planted the seeds for a year’s worth of nightmares.”
    Daniel knew the feeling. Hearing the two in the same sentence was enough to give any sane man a case of hives. “The question is, why?”
    â€œMaybe she’s taken a shine to you.” Jarvis grinned and winked.
    â€œDon’t even joke about that.” The thought of Linsey setting her sights on him made a tremor of apprehension surge through his veins. “But I am beginning to wonder if this is just coincidence and I’m overreacting, or if she’s got something up her sleeve and I’ve got a right to worry.”
    â€œIf ya ask me, you got a right to worry. The safest thing you can do is stay as far away from that gal as you can.”
    â€œIsn’t that the truth,” Daniel muttered.
    â€œHere pal, I’ve got just the cure for what ails ya.” Jarvis slyly afforded Daniel a peek at the flask tucked into his inside coat pocket. “Cooter Hobart’s special blend.”
    The cure? More like the kill. “No, thanks. That stuff’ll peel the hide off a steer.”
    â€œDidn’t hear no complaints the last time.”
    Hell, that’s because it had about blistered Daniel’s gullet. He’d hardly been able to swallow, much less complain, the day Jarvis had decided to help him drown his sorrows over losing his fellowship. “Some other time, Robert. I’ve got a shipment to unpack before my dad has an apoplectic fit.”
    â€œSuit yourself.” The lean man shrugged. “We still on for Saturday night? You can help me take Potter for everything he’s got.”
    â€œShee-oot, Jarvis here is the one with pockets deeper than his pants.”
    â€œWhy not?” Daniel said without much enthusiasm. “If you fellas are so eager to throw away your money, you might as well throw it in my direction.”
    â€œThrow it away, hell. I’m the poker king.”
    Oren snorted. “You’re the poker something, but it