Free Crazy For the Cowboy by Vicki Lewis Thompson Page B

anyone’s ever given me.”
    Georgie could have kissed him. When she glanced over at Anastasia, her little sister sparkled brighter than the chandelier hanging in the hotel lobby. In that moment, Georgie decided that dealing with these cowboys might be worth the trouble, after all.

CHAPTER 6
    V ince found Georgie’s obvious pride in her stepsister touching. No doubt Georgie hadn’t wanted to come down to Sadie’s tonight knowing she’d likely run into him, but she’d done it for Anastasia’s sake. That took selflessness and strength of character, two things he admired.
    But Georgie wasn’t just proud of Anastasia. She was fiercely protective, too. She’d tried to disguise it, but Vince was paying attention and he’d caught her intense expression prior to Mac’s first comment. Woe to that cowboy if he hadn’t made a big deal out of the drawing. Vince wouldn’t have wanted to be in his boots.
    Having Georgie on your side would be . . . amazing. Her loyalties ran deep. Bickford might be crumbling around her, but she wouldn’t give up until she was the last person left. She was like a captain who had pledged to go down with the ship. She might not be impressed with him, but he sure as hell was impressed with her.
    Once Mac recovered from the shock of discovering that Anastasia had drawn his picture, he paid for her draft beer and insisted that he’d buy her dinner, too. Vince couldn’t get a bead on how Mac felt about Anastasia, but she seemed to have a gigantic crush on him. That might not be such a great thing. Mac was several years older and had a history of failed relationships.
    Meanwhile Travis, poor guy, couldn’t take his eyes off Anastasia. All they needed to make this a true fustercluck was for Georgie to become interested in Travis. That would guarantee nobody would end up happy. Fortunately Georgie wasn’t casting longing glances in Travis’s direction.
    So far the Bickford sisters and Vince’s group were the only ones in the saloon. Anastasia’s drawing had created a bond, so when Mac suggested they push a couple of tables together before ordering dinner, everyone agreed. Mac held a chair at the head of the table for the new celebrity and sat down on her right. Travis grabbed the place to her left.
    Three chairs remained—one at the far end, one next to Mac, and one next to Travis. Georgie took the end chair and Vince sat next to Mac. That put him closer to Georgie than she might have liked, but he couldn’t help that. He did his best to ignore her nearness and the inevitable brush of their knees under the table.
    Ike took their orders and relayed them to Henry in the kitchen. Then he made sure they all had drinks and brought out chips and salsa.
    Studiously avoiding looking at Georgie, Vince kept his attention on his other dinner companions. He tried to block out the rhythm of her breathing, but that was fruitless. Nothing new there. He could admit it to himself now—she’d always turned him on.
    Mac continued to hold on to his portrait. “I need a safe place for this. Maybe I should take it up to my room so it doesn’t get food on it.”
    â€œOr I can put it back in my messenger bag for the time being.” Anastasia unhooked her bag from the back of her chair and set it on her lap.
    â€œThat works.”
    â€œI’ll tuck it inside my sketch book so it won’t get creased.” She pulled out the tablet.
    â€œYou have more paper?” Travis gazed at the sketchbook.
    â€œYes.” Anastasia slipped Mac’s portrait inside the back cover of the sketchbook. “Why?”
    â€œWell, I . . . you probably wouldn’t want to do this, but I was wondering if you’d—”
    â€œSketch you?”
    â€œYes, ma’am. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”
    Anastasia looked pleased as punch. “Of course not. I’d love to.”
    â€œI