Free Texas Tender by Leigh Greenwood

from forcing his attentions on Mara. He might be interested in helping you find your bull.”
    â€œIs he a gunslinger?”
    Lloyd laughed. “Not at all. He appears to be an easygoing man with a way of handling guys other men can’t.”
    Idalou left the bank and headed toward the sheriff’s office without much hope of finding a quick solution to her difficulties. She didn’t like the way Lloyd had grinned at her when he’d said the sheriff might be interested in helping her find the bull. Lloyd was usually pretty serious, but occasionally he found humor in things that other people didn’t think funny.
    Still, it was good to have a sheriff. After Newt killed the last one in a fair fight, she had given up on anyone ever taking the job as long as Newt stayed in the area. And as long as Frank Sonnenberg gave him work, Newt would stay.
    Idalou looked up at the sound of her name to see Mara waving at her and preparing to cross the street. Idalou didn’t want to speak to anyone whose name was McGloughlin, but she couldn’t very well ignoreMara. Dunmore was a small town. It would be uncomfortable not to be on speaking terms with people she met nearly every day.
    â€œHave you heard about the new sheriff?” Mara asked. She had dashed across the street oblivious to the two horses, a buckboard, and a wagon that could have run her down if the various men in charge hadn’t scrambled to avoid her.
    â€œI’m headed to meet him now.” Idalou didn’t slow her pace.
    â€œHe saved my life,” Mara announced breathlessly. “Papa says I can marry him if I want.”
    Idalou had often thought Mara was too immature to be a wife. But occasionally batting her eyes at Van Sonnenberg was a far cry from wanting to marry a man she’d just met. “I thought you were in love with Carl.”
    Mara compressed her mouth and looked very much like a little girl about to throw a tantrum. “We had a fight. Besides, Papa says he’ll never allow me to marry a poor man.”
    â€œCarl wouldn’t be so poor if your father wasn’t trying to destroy us.”
    â€œThat’s another thing,” Mara said, firing up. “I’m sick of you always blaming Papa for everything that happens. Even Carl doesn’t think that.”
    â€œThat’s because Carl is so much in love with you he can’t see what’s in front of him.”
    Mara tossed her head. “Well, I don’t think he’s all that in love with me now. But it doesn’t matter. I’m in love with the sheriff. Did I tell you he saved my life?”
    â€œThis makes the second time.”
    â€œYou should have seen him,” Mara continued, undaunted. “He knocked Newt down just like it was nothing. And he can draw faster than Newt.”
    â€œNobody can draw faster than Newt.”
    â€œWill can. I saw him do it.”
    â€œWill! Do you mean the sheriff’s name is Will?”
    â€œIt’s Will Haskins.” Mara sighed. “He’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.”
    â€œLloyd Severns made Will Haskins sheriff?” Idalou was aghast. She couldn’t imagine what had possessed him to do such a thing.
    â€œDaddy and Mr. Davis did it, too. Daddy thinks he’s the perfect man for me to marry.”
    â€œHe’s just here to buy our bull.” Idalou was convinced somebody was playing a joke on her. No one would hire a man who just rode into town to be their sheriff, especially since Will wasn’t going to be here more than a few days.
    â€œI don’t know anything about that,” Mara announced. “I just know he’s coming to dinner tonight. After what I’ve told her, Mama can hardly wait to meet him.”
    Idalou had no doubt Will would make a complete slave of Alma McGloughlin. Idalou had been so stunned by his looks, she could hardly talk. Why should Alma be any different?
    â€œI’d love to stay and