The Prince's Cowgirl Bride. Brenda Harlen

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ was what inspired me to do my own thing, regardless of what Jack wanted.”

      “I would have done anything he wanted,” Jewel admitted. Even now, she wasn’t sure why she’d always tried so hard to please him, she only knew that she’d never succeeded. Nothing she’d ever done was good enough for Jack Callahan.

      “And did,” her sister reminded her. “Including giving up your own life to come home when he asked you to.”

      He hadn’t really asked but demanded, as both sisters knew was his way. But the truth was, six years on the rodeo circuit had disillusioned Jewel about a lot of things, and she’d been more than ready to return to Alliston, West Virginia. Her father’s heart attack had been both her incentive and her excuse to finally do so and, her difficulties with him aside, she hadn’t ever regretted that decision.

      She had become his willing assistant, as eager to learn as she was to demonstrate what she already knew, confident that he would learn to trust in her abilities and eventually grant her more authority. But Jack Callahan had continued to hold the reins of the business in his tightly clenched fist until—many years later—they’d finally been pried from his cold, dead fingers.

      Jewel and Crystal had stood side by side at his funeral, his daughters from two separate marriages, both sisters painfully aware that they’d been neither wanted nor loved by their father. And more than they’d mourned his death, they’d mourned the distance between them that he’d never tried to breach.

      “My life was always here,” Jewel finally responded to her sister’s comment. “Even when I thought it wasn’t.”

      Crystal touched a hand to her arm. “Maybe the problem isn’t that Russ is leaving, but that he found someone and you haven’t.”

      Jewel pushed the half-eaten cake away. “Not this again.”

      “Honey, you’re too young to have resigned yourself to being alone.”

      “Resigned suggests that I’m settling for less than I want, and I’m not. I’m happy with my life.”

      “You’re happy being alone?”

      “I’m hardly alone.”

      “The horses don’t count,” her sister said dryly.

      “At least they don’t hog the bed—or the remote.”

      “Well, I can’t dispute that Simon does both of those things,” Crystal said, then a slow smile curved her lips. “But he does other things that more than even the scales—and I’m not talking about taking out the garbage.”

      Jewel got up and went around the counter to grab the coffeepot for a refill. “You lucked out with Simon,” she admitted.

      “Then you’re not really mad that I didn’t wait around for Russ to propose?”

      She sighed. “How can I be mad when you’re so happy?”

      “I am happy,” Crystal said. “Happier than I ever could have imagined.”

      Jewel knew the feeling. She’d experienced that same euphoria of love—and the complete devastation of losing the man she’d thought she would love forever. She only hoped her sister would never have to know that kind of pain, that her life would always be wonderful, that Simon would always love her as much as he did now.

      As if following the path of her thoughts, Crystal reached out and squeezed her hand. “Someday your prince will come.”

      Before Jewel could respond, the jingle of the bell over the door announced the arrival of another customer.

      Crystal glanced over, then let out a low whistle.

      “Don’t look now,” she told her sister. “But I think he just walked in the door.”

      Jewel picked up her cup, sipped.

      Crystal frowned at the lack of response.

      “You told me not to look,” Jewel reminded her.

      “Since when do you listen to me?”

      She shrugged. “Since the last prince turned into a frog.”

      Crystal picked up a menu and fanned herself with it. “Six-two, I’d guess. Dark hair, darker eyes. Sinfully sexy. And—” she glanced pointedly at her sister and smiled “—flying solo.”

      Her curiosity undeniably piqued by the description, Jewel twisted in her stool—and nearly slid right off of it and onto the floor.

      For once, Crystal hadn’t exaggerated. The man hovering just inside the door had short, neatly cropped hair, dark slashing brows over espresso-covered eyes, a strong jaw, straight nose, slashing cheekbones and a beautifully sculpted mouth that brought to mind all kinds of wicked fantasies. His olive-toned skin and exotic looks suggested some kind of Mediterranean heritage that made her think of sultry nights and hotter passions, and the punch of lust that hit low in her belly left Jewel almost breathless.

      No, her sister definitely hadn’t exaggerated. But what she’d neglected to include in her description was “young.” Way too young. Probably younger than Crystal even. Definitely too young to make a thirty-four-year-old woman weak in the knees and hot everywhere else.

      His gaze moved around the room and collided with hers. Then those beautiful lips slowly curved, and her heart pounded hard against her chest as if it was trying to break free in order to fall at his feet.

      “Well, well, well,” Crystal said softly.

      Jewel felt heat infuse her cheeks as she tore her gaze away from his hypnotic stare. Crystal smirked at her before turning her attention back to the new customer.

      “Grab a seat anywhere you like,” she called out cheerily. “I’ll be with you in just a sec.”

      “Thank you.” His voice was low and deep and as sexy as the rest of him.

      “Mmm-mmm,” Crystal murmured her appreciation.

      Jewel picked up her cup again and sipped before asking, “Weren’t we just talking about how happily married you are?”

      “I am,” Crystal assured her. “But the ring on my finger hasn’t affected my eyesight and that is one exceptional specimen of masculinity.”

      She could hardly deny the fact, nor would she make the mistake of agreeing with her sister aloud, so she only said, “A specimen probably waiting for a cup of coffee.”

      “Oh. Right.” Crystal grinned and grabbed the pot.

      Jewel concentrated on finishing her own cup while her sister chatted with her new customer. She couldn’t hear what was said, but the low timbre of his voice was enough to create shivers that danced up and down her spine. Crystal’s responding laughter bubbled over like a newly opened bottle of champagne, then his deeper chuckle joined in.

      Jewel had always envied her sister’s ease with other people—her outgoing personality and easy charm, her natural warmth and friendliness. She’d always been more cautious and reserved than Crystal, and though she didn’t СКАЧАТЬ