Free Linda Ford by The Cowboy's Surprise Bride Page B

guess I could tell you whether to boil, bake or fry something.”
    “Good.” She’d hoped for more enthusiasm, but she’d take what she could get.”What can I make for lunch?”
    Cassie walked to the shelf, pulled down a number of items and plunked them on the table. “Corn bread, beans and syrup.” Crossing her arms across her chest, she stepped back and nodded toward the table.
    “Great.” One step at a time. With Cassie’s help—no matter how reluctant—Linette would conquer this challenge. “Now tell me how to make corn bread and cook the beans.”
    * * *
    The men joined Eddie in the barn. He sent two to care for the breeding stock he had in the wintering pens. Slim and Roper hung back.
    “The ladies settled okay, boss?” Slim’s voice was bland as if he was making idle conversation.
    “Seems so.” Eddie acted as if he didn’t know the men were burning up with curiosity. Had they seen the smoking fry pan he’d tossed into the snowbank? Even if they hadn’t, they must have smelled the blackened bacon left behind. He tucked away a smile at Linette’s incompetence. It tickled him to think of her practically setting the place on fire in her determination to prove herself a pioneer woman. Seems she’d be better off trying for the position of manor wife. His smile died a sudden death as he realized where his thoughts had gone. No Edwards’ woman belonged in the big house.
    Roper paused from putting hay in the mangers and scratched his head. “They here to stay?”
    “Only for the winter.”
    “Yeah? Then what?”
    “Back to wherever they came from.” Eddie jabbed his fork after some horse apples.
    “Country could use some fine women.” Slim hovered over a gate, seemingly interested in one of its hinges.
    “Suppose so but not at my expense.”
    “Huh.” Both men grunted out the sound.
    The three of them returned to their chores. Silences were common when they worked, but this one carried a thousand unasked questions. Eddie paused. “I’ll finish up here if you two want to go back to the bunkhouse or up to the cookhouse.”
    “Yeah, boss.”
    They sauntered out, none too anxious to be sent elsewhere. They closed the door against the snow. Silence filled the room for a moment then Eddie chuckled. They’d hoped for more information. His smile flattened. What could he tell them? That Cassie hated life and Grady hated men? On top of it, Linette couldn’t cook. His stomach burned. There was an old trapper’s cabin up along the river. Crude. Probably full of bedbugs. You could throw a cat through the cracks between the logs and last time he’d seen it, a corner of the roof had been ripped back. Likely by curious bears. But it held all the appeal of the finest stopping house. Maybe when the storm let up he’d hole up there for the winter.
    Except he had a duty and responsibility making sure the cattle were safe and the ranch ran efficiently. He couldn’t walk away.
    His stomach growled. He shoveled out the rest of the pens, swept the tack room, tidied the harnesses, noted those that needed mending and generally lingered until the growing demands of his stomach made it impossible to continue hiding in the barn. Even cold potatoes would taste good.
    He tromped back through the deepening snow, paused outside the door to accustom himself to the intruders before he stepped inside.
    The aroma of beans, hot bread of some sort and coffee caused his mouth to flood with saliva. Had Linette suddenly learned how to cook?
    He glanced about. Why did the place seem warm and welcoming? Something was different, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.
    “I’m hungry.” He hadn’t meant to sound so desperate, but it was too late to pull back his hasty words.
    “Dinner is ready.” Linette stood at the end of the table, her hands clasped together at her waist. “There’s hot water in the kettle.”
    He washed up then took his place at the table where the others waited. Linette still stood. He raised an