Free The Convenient Cowboy by Heidi Hormel Page A

nose.”
    “It’s healthy and usually stays down.”
    “I can make you cinnamon toast.”
    Olympia shook her head, then stopped, not wanting to invite dizziness. “Food is fuel. I’ve got to get the best fuel into me, like the doctor told me.”
    “Right, guess that explains your animal-cracker-and-salsa diet.”
    “That’s healthy.”
    Rickie laughed, low and husky. The sound was so much a part of the younger woman that Olympia had to smile, too. “I think I’ll drive into Tucson and see if I can’t pick up some work,” Rickie said as she put her bowl in the sink. She held up her hand to stop Olympia’s protests. “I know it’s not long until I start school, but I want to get extra cash coming in. I don’t want to freeload.”
    “I’m happy to have you here. You can help me in the barn. Or better yet, you can clean the house and cook?”
    “With the baby and all, I know extra cash would be helpful.”
    Olympia could see that her sister’s mind was made up. She might be generally easygoing, but once Rickie got an idea into her head, there was no way to blast it loose. “I should come with you. The horse boarding isn’t exactly paying the bills.”
    “No way. I know Spence would kick me out if I let you go get a job.”
    “He’s not my keeper.”
    “Yes, but he’s your husband,” Rickie said firmly.
    Olympia started. Hearing the word
husband
attached to Spence should make her want to scream, not get warm and mushy. “I’m still my own woman.”
    “Talk to him about it when he gets back from Texas.”
    “I don’t need to talk with him about it. I’d planned to find another job after our wedding, if I couldn’t scare up enough boarders.”
    “That’s between the two of you, and he’ll be back in less than a week. Don’t get me in the middle of this.”
    Olympia nodded, letting her sister think it was the threat of Spence’s displeasure, not her own queasiness and lack of energy that made getting a job feel impossible. Rickie surprised her with a quick, hard hug.
    “Go back to bed until you don’t look like death warmed over. I’ll be back this afternoon, maybe sooner. Okay?”
    “I’m fine.”
    Rickie shook her head as she left. Olympia felt herself collapsing inward. She was so tired and so sick of being tired and sick. That should be a country-and-western song. She sucked in a deep breath and told herself she just had to see to the horses and then she’d take a nap.
    * * *
    D AMN IT , HER sleep-addled brain said at the sound of pounding. Muffin was using his large hooves to beat on his stall. He’d break the boards if he kept it up. Wait. She was in the house. That was the door. Why was Rickie knocking? Had she gotten locked out? Olympia moved before her brain caught up, pulling open the door to tell her sister off.
    “You’re not Rickie,” Olympia said to the tall blond woman with striking looks, standing on the stoop.
    “I’m Missy MacCormack. Who the hell are you?”
    “Mommy,” a little boy’s voice piped up. “That lady’s shirt is unbuttoned.”

Chapter Seven
    Olympia looked down to where a button had popped off—across her getting-bigger-by-the-second honkers. Damn. Darn. She wasn’t supposed to swear in front of the kid.
    “Where’s Spence? I’ve got to speak with him,” the blonde said, her perfectly plucked brows drawn together.
    “I’m sorry. He’s not here.” Olympia’s brain slowly perked up. This was the ex. Jeez. The woman was gorgeous, like, on-the-cover-of-
Vogue
beautiful.
    “When will he be back?” she asked, clutching at the buttery leather handle of her handbag.
    “Mommy, you said Daddy would be here. I want to see Daddy,” the little boy said from where he stood plastered against his mother. His pale face, surrounded by wisps of blond hair, reminded her of a tiny bunny peeking out from a nest. His nose even seemed to twitch.
    “Spence is in Texas—”
    “No,” the boy and woman wailed.
    “You can call him if you need to speak