A Bride for a Blue-Ribbon Cowboy. Judy Duarte

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СКАЧАТЬ knew about him, other than he was nice and had always treated her with respect—and not just because she could outride or outrope him. “Robby is a business major, with a minor in accounting.”

      “And that’s his only appeal? Are you after him for the money he might make?”

      “No,” she snapped. “I never said I wanted to marry him. I just want to date him. And as far as I’m concerned, the fact that he’s making something out of himself is a good thing.”

      “Yeah. I guess so. But I don’t want you to settle for the first guy who comes along.”

      She blew out a sigh. “I’m not settling.”

      Of course, she wasn’t at all sure she was telling the truth. But she was ready to change the focus of their conversation. “So what about you? Surely there has to be a special lady in your life.”

      He shrugged. “I don’t know about that. Plenty of women chase after me—one in particular—but I’m not ready to get hitched. Not now. And maybe not ever.”

      That didn’t surprise her. He’d always had his pick of women. Why should he settle for just one?

      She wondered about the gals who chased after him now. They had to be gorgeous, no doubt, with breasts that bulged out of tiny lace bras, bare midriffs, short skirts and swivel-hipped walks. Women who’d breeze right past Cindy without even seeing her, she suspected.

      The girls he’d dated in high school had never given Cindy a howdy-do back then and still didn’t give her much more than that whenever she ran into them in town.

      But maybe, if Blake helped her with a makeover, they’d be friendlier and see her as an equal.

      But women weren’t her main concern.

      “I wish men found me more appealing,” she admitted.

      Of course, Blake was the one man she’d most like to have fall for her. But only a fool would bother drooling over the impossible, while the possible sat ready for the taking.

      Blake reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Listen to me, Sprout. You’ve got a heart as big as Texas, and you’re loyal, too. A man would be lucky to have you in his life.”

      Deep in her Lone Star heart, she knew that. But getting a man to take that first look? Now that was the problem.

      He ran his knuckles along her cheek, causing her heart to thump and jump and do all kinds of crazy things. “I mean that, honey.”

      “Thanks.” A lump formed in her throat, and she had to blink back the tears. Darn him for being so sweet.

      “So tell me more about Robby.”

      Huh? How had Robby sidled into the conversation? “What about him?”

      “For starters, what does he look like?”

      She shrugged. He was about the same height as Blake—just under six feet. But he wasn’t nearly as solid. And he was pretty fair-complexioned. Of course, that was to be expected. Robby probably had to study day and night. When would he get a chance to go outdoors in the sunshine or work out?

      “I guess he’s kind of cute,” she said.

      “You guess?”

      She blew out a sigh. “He’s got blond hair and brown eyes. A nice smile.”

      “Is he good to you?”

      “Well darn it, Blake. How the heck am I supposed to know that? He’s so shy we’ve barely even talked.”

      “I’m not trying to give you a hard time.”

      She knew he wasn’t. But it just didn’t feel right talking about Robby in front of Blake. Not when simply sitting next to the good-looking cowboy made her want to compare the two.

      And poor Robby couldn’t hold a candle to Blake.

      Nope. It wasn’t right. If anyone understood how unfair comparisons felt, it was Cindy.

      “I’ll tell you what,” he said. “We’ll go into town tomorrow and stop at the Cut N Curl and the Mercantile. And before the sun sets, you’ll be a new woman.”

      Blake made it sound so easy, and she hoped he was right.

      Cindy wasn’t sure when it began to matter what men thought of her, but she suspected it had started long before she’d spotted Robby fishing at the lake.

      Either way, she was ready for some changes in her life. And tomorrow wasn’t going to be a day too soon.

      Chapter Two

      “You know, I’ve missed those guys.”

      Cindy glanced at the handsome cowboy at her side, then followed his gaze to the front of the courthouse, where Dutch and Buster sat. The two crusty old men spent the daylight hours parked on that green-wood-and-wrought-iron bench and watched the world go by.

      “You never used to like this town,” she said. “Or too many of the residents.”

      “It’s funny what a few years’ perspective will give a man. Dutch and Buster are a hoot. Haven’t you ever taken time to talk to them?”

      Dutch, the tall, lanky one of the two, chose that very moment to spit a stream of tobacco into the rusted coffee can that sat on the sidewalk and served as a joint spittoon.

      His aim wasn’t very good, and Cindy could have sworn he hit Buster’s boot.

      “I’ve never really chatted with them, although Grandpa does. They seem kind of crotchety, if you ask me.”

      “Only if they don’t like you.” Blake chuckled. “Those two don’t miss much. And they’ve got an interesting philosophy of life, especially when it comes to the people who live in Blossom.”

      Cindy had her own opinion about some of the townspeople, too. And she wondered if that came from sitting on the outside looking in, much like the two old men did.

      “Come on,” Blake said. “I want to say hello to them.”

      As she and Blake approached, Dutch remained seated while Buster stood.

      The short, heavyset man wore a stained white shirt, green suspenders, a dusty red baseball cap and a smile. He reached out a gnarly hand to Blake. “Well, now. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

      Blake accepted Buster’s shake, then reached out to Dutch. “It’s good to see you guys. Looks like you’re just as ornery as ever.”

      “And we’re gonna get a whole lot ornerier,” Dutch said as he leaned forward in his seat to spit into the can. “That dad-burn bunch of moral misfits aim to run us off our bench.”

      Buster crossed his arms over a belly that put a real strain on his suspenders. “But they’ll have a fight on their hands. Nobody’s going to tell us where we can СКАЧАТЬ