Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
It was a brand. He wasn’t sure which brand since it was marked with a generic label that simply said bacon. And one of them had an obviously hand-done sticker that said a pig died for your breakfast. Yeah, Nell was definitely here.
The blonde had cornered him in the cold section. It wasn’t like there weren’t other people in the store she could have asked, including some incredibly competent-looking women. Laura Kincaid-Briggs was shopping with her daughter following her around with her own tiny cart. He’d noticed Gemma Wells talking to Teeny when he walked in, and Nell Flanders was protesting right outside. Though he suspected she wouldn’t help the young woman find bacon.
Nell might protest him if she knew what he was buying. He should get some fruit, too. To cover up the bacon.
“Uhm, hello,” she said, sounding the slightest bit aggrieved.
He didn’t usually hear that tone in a woman’s voice until he’d done something weird or his brother started talking about the mating habits of obscure sea creatures. She’d asked about the bacon. “It’s the cheapest they have.”
Honesty. It mostly repelled everyone. Especially women looking for a date.
Would it repel Brooke? He was worried he was going to drive back and find Bay walking along the highway because her brothers had kicked him out. Brooke could wake up and realize all the mistakes she’d made the night before.
Her green eyes went wide. “Oh. I suppose that’s good. You’re frugal.” She picked up two pounds and put it in her basket. “I don’t even like my sister, so why would I get her the good stuff? We’re staying in a cabin down by the river. We’re here for a couple of days while my brother-in-law goes rafting. Do you live here?”
“No. I think only Teeny and Marie live here since Logan moved out, but that was years ago. And they technically live in the valley. I think the only thing that lives here is the lowest prices in the valley, but they’re also the only store in the valley, so I wouldn’t make too much of it.”
She snorted. “No, silly. I meant here in this town. It’s called Bliss, right?”
He was such an idiot. He spent too much time with his way-too-literal brother. “Oh, no. I don’t technically live in town. I work on a ranch, and it’s a couple miles outside, though Bliss is the closest town.”
She smiled brightly and moved in closer. “Really? So you’re a cowboy?”
“I’m a ranch hand by profession,” he replied.
“Tell me something, Shane. Have you ever rodeoed? I have a real thing for rodeo cowboys.” Her voice had gone low and husky.
He tried to take a step back but ran into the dairy case. “Uhm, I did some calf roping in my time. Solo and on a couple of teams. I rode bulls until I realized I didn’t want to have arthritis in every bone in my body. You know that’s rough on a man, and there’s no real need to do it. Like calf roping is necessary at times. Personally, I say if that bull doesn’t want to be ridden, we should respect his boundaries.”
She stared at him for a moment like he’d said something dumb, but he’d actually thought about this. There was a reason to ride a bronc. It was part of training and eventually helped both rider and horse, as he was sure Brooke’s brother would explain in better detail. No one rode a damn bull into town or out on the range. So it seemed kind of mean. Huh, he bet Nell would approve.
He still wasn’t giving up his bacon.
“Hmm, I guess I didn’t think of it that way,” she replied. “So you’re living out on this ranch? There must be a bunch around here.”
“Not really. There are a couple of small ranches, but only one big one. It’s called the G. It’s run by some real nice folks. The Glen-Bennetts and the McNamara-O’Malleys. They treat all their hands like family.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard some rumors about why everyone seems to have hyphenated names out here.” Her smile became seductive. At least he thought those were the vibes she was sending off. “Tell me something, cowboy. Do you have a brother?”
Yep. He was feeling cornered. This was not about where the cheese could be found. What did he do? He glanced around but Laura had turned down the aisle with baking mixes and spices. Little Sierra snuck a box of cookies into her cart and did not care that he might be dealing with real-life sexual harassment. The bell jingled at the front of the store, and he wondered who’d walked in and if they might be willing to help a brother out.
Where were all the horny dudes when a girl needed one? Not that he wasn’t horny. It had been a real challenge to slip out of that bed and not wake Brooke up. She’d been curled around him with Bay at her back. She’d been so stunning in the early morning light, with her hair caressing her cheeks and her skin all warm and inviting.