Free Destiny Wears Spurs by Kari Lee Harmon Page B

appetizing aroma of bacon and eggs. When the cook reappeared with arms loaded, she clapped her hands.
    A working chuckwagon. She couldn’t believe it.
    His lips turned down as he stared at the cold eggs, undercooked bacon, burnt toast, and strong coffee he carried. “Girly, it sure don’t take much to please ya.”
    She charged past him and peered inside the back of the worn-down wagon. The inside sparkled with modern appliances and burst at the seams with supplies.
    “Do you really cook out of this?” She glanced over her shoulder and watched him hesitate and then nod.
    “Wow. I can’t believe this is real. I thought you only used it for show. Very cool.” Now, this was the kind of stuff she could use for the advertisement. Monica created the layout for new brochures in her mind and then turned a bright smile on Festus when she remembered he stood behind her.
    His complexion glowed as red as Rudolph’s nose, and he squirmed. “If yer done lookin’, you’d better take yer breakfast and get a move on. Them boys’ll be wantin’ to head out pretty soon.” His voice cracked.
    “You’re right about that.” She snatched the toast and coffee and then headed toward the cattle barn, glancing over her shoulder. “Nice to meet you, Festus. Thanks for being so kind.” She gave him a small wave and watched the red spread from his nose to his ears.
    “Bah.” He shooed her off, waddling around and disappearing once again into the back of the old chuckwagon.
    Monica continued walking. She had a feeling his bluster was all for show, but she couldn’t help liking the old scrooge, and suspected he might like her, too. Though he’d probably never admit it. Now, if she could only get her boss to like her, things would be much easier. That was the only reason she wanted him to like her, she told herself.
    When she’d told Wendell they were through, he hadn’t seemed surprised. But when she told him she’d be the one taking over her father’s company, he’d been shocked. He didn’t even try to deny what she’d heard, because he knew she couldn’t prove it. And he didn’t seem worried in the least that she could pull off this proposal. He’d actually had the balls to laugh at her. Laugh at her. It still lit a fuse in her.
    She maneuvered her way around some kind of rusted plow thingy, and took a sip of coffee while she walked, grimacing. The dark brew could peel paint off a barn. She glanced up at the barn in the distance. Scratch that. The faded red paint had already peeled off ninety percent of the building. No wonder Cody needed advertising. His business obviously wasn’t doing that well, and this place could definitely use a face lift. It must kill him to see his pride and joy falling apart.
    She sighed, wishing she could feel the same intense drive for running her father’s company that she felt when she flipped through her sketchbook. But she’d wanted to be a part of her birthright, so she’d focused her attentions on the art department. She couldn’t live with herself if she sat back and did nothing to stop its destruction, even if her stubborn father refused to believe her. Part of her liked the idea of sticking it to Wendell.
    Squaring her shoulders, she marched the last few steps to the barn. “Good morning,” she said as she strolled inside, sipping bitter coffee and polishing off burnt toast.
    “You sure are mighty chipper this morning,” Jake commented with mischief in his voice. “Thought you’d be more tired with all the work you did yesterday, and all.”
    Her neck heated. They must’ve heard about the mess she’d made. “I feel pretty rotten about making Mr. Rafferty do all the hard work, but today I think my body might be able to handle the job. Guess I need to learn the proper technique.”
    Jake sputtered. “Didn’t know there was a proper technique.”
    “There must be because Mr. Rafferty finished a lot quicker than I could, and still managed to do other things.”
    Jake looked