Free The Cowboy Takes a Bride by Debra Clopton Page A

help but wonder about Molly’s future. How would she feel in the years to come? Would she look back on her choices with regret?
    Of course, Molly’s life choices were none of Sugar’s business. She was just grateful that the columnist wanted to support her dream.
    The phone was ringing as she entered her apartment. Dropping her purse and sliding out of her heels, she grabbed the portable receiver.
    â€œHey, sis, how are you?” her brother asked.
    â€œCody, it’s good to hear your voice…is something wrong?”
    â€œNo, don’t get in a panic. We were all over at Mom and Dad’s for lunch after church today, and no one had heard from you, so we’re checking in.”
    â€œAre you there now?” With Cody’s words, she felt that familiar longing for family. Though she was hurt that none of them fully supported her decision to become an actress, she still missed them. She got her answer when a loud “hello” was shouted in unison over the phone line. She laughed, and tears threatened suddenly. “Hello, tell everyone hello.”
    â€œI’ll let you do that yourself in a minute. I’m going to pass the phone around, but first I’m going to get on to you. Why haven’t you called and let us know you were settled?”
    â€œI’m sorry.” She knew she should have called. But she also knew they’d have tried once more to talk her into moving home. They always did. Always. “I’m here and it’s a lovely place. I think you would approve of it.” What was there not to approve of? If they wanted her to be in a safe location, this was it. Certainly it was safer than the neighborhood she’d been able to afford in L.A.
    â€œAnyplace has to be better than where you were.”
    â€œCome on, Cody, don’t start. Please.” L.A. was just as safe as any other city, but they’d hated the thought of her being there.
    â€œI’m not. But look, do you need any money?”
    â€œNo. I don’t.” They were constantly trying to give her money, and didn’t like that she drove the same car she’d bought for almost nothing five years earlier. But Sugar was determined to make it on her own. So far, she’d been able to. The money she’d inherited from her grandmother had helped. But four overprotective, successful brothers were hard to hold off. They didn’t seem to get that she had her pride, and that she’d decided that if none of them wanted to support her dream, she certainly wasn’t going to let them support her financially. That wasn’t going to happen even if they suddenly came around and started believing in her.
    â€œLook, Cody, I’m making it on my own.”
    â€œI know, sis. I know,” he grumbled, causing her to smile.
    She spent the next thirty minutes talking with everyone in her family and enduring much of the same conversation over and over again. Still, when she hung up, she was grinning. God bless them, they meant well. But no matter what they thought, she was going to make it. She was, and she just wished in her heart that they’d believe in her.
    Feeling restless and more determined than ever, she went down to the office to research one-woman-show ideas on the Internet. She had to come up with the show, but so far she hadn’t liked anything she’d found. Nothing felt right.
    And besides, she needed something with singing cowboys.

Chapter Seven
    â€œS o what do you think, guys?” Sugar asked the bunch at the diner the next morning. It was only seven o’clock but she had been too restless to stay in her apartment, so had headed over to visit with Applegate, Stanley and Sam. “What should I do about a place to have my show?”
    â€œWe think you need ta git in yor car and go out thar and talk to Ross one more time,” Applegate said loudly.
    â€œThat’s right,” Sam agreed. “Y’all have gotten off on the