Read Austin (New Horizon Ranch Book 8) for Free Online Page B

wasn’t too bad.”
    Jolene bit back a chuckle. “So you cooked for the ranch?” she asked, taking the heat off Ty.
    “I did. Not for too long. I’ll admit when I took the job I didn’t know how to cook. Never done it a day in my life.”
    Rafe chuckled. “And boy did it show. But you tried, honey. I’ll give you that.”
     
     
    Two days later, Austin strode into Sam’s Diner for breakfast after having worked the night shift. The place was buzzing with business. He scooted into a booth and cupped his hands on the table as he waited for Sam or the new waitress to get a moment to take his order.
    He recognized a few of the cowboys from New Horizon Ranch.
    “Deputy Austin, you’re looking a little tired this morning.”
    Austin nodded at the older man at the table beside the window. Applegate Thornton and his buddy, Stanley Orr, were fixtures in the diner every morning at breakfast. They liked to play checkers all morning while keeping up with everything going on in town.
    “It was a slow night, App,” he said. “Kind of wears a man out when he’s just sitting around. But then, I wouldn’t trade the quiet of the country life for the hustle and bustle of the city.”
    Applegate hitched a brow. “Boy, ain’t that the truth,” he boomed.
    The man was very hard of hearing and obviously had his hearing aids turn down. Stanley was just as bad off and Austin wondered whether he’d even heard their conversation because he was being so quiet. Then he realized his balding head was bent over the checkerboard as he studied it intently. He was either conflicted about his next move or he was about to make a big jump. When he picked up his red checker and slammed it decisively over two of App’s black checkers, Austin had his answer.
    Applegate glared. “What did you go and do that for?”
    His buddy chuckled. “I’m supposed to beat you.”
    Applegate scowled. “No, I’m supposed to beat you.”
    That brought chuckles from everyone in the diner.
    Austin laughed, too. The men were always entertaining.
    “Hey, Austin.” BJ slid into the booth across from him.
    “Hey, yourself, kid,” Austin said. He was practically a kid, not much more than twenty. Austin was twenty-nine and he figured nine years was enough years for him to be able to call BJ “kid.” Surely he hadn’t been as wet behind the ears as this kid was when he was twenty. If he had been, it was a miracle he was still alive.
    “What’s so funny?” he asked as the kid grinned at him.
    “Man, you should have seen Jolene yesterday. She was working a wild horse all day long and looking about as pretty as a butterfly roping colts.”
    Austin thought about that for a minute. It didn’t quite make sense, but he had a feeling that BJ was trying to be poetic. Austin didn’t have the heart to tell him poetry wasn’t his thing. Besides, it was the “working a wild horse” part that had his attention. “What was she doing with the wild horse?”
    “Working with it. You know, breaking it.”
    The kid cocked his head. “Breaking horses is what she was hired for. She’s supposed to be one of the best. That’s why she was hired on. You didn’t think it was just so she could help us herd cows, did you? And besides, if you and her hadn’t been so ornery with each other, you might have already known this bit of info.”
    Austin shot the kid an annoyed look that had him hiking a shoulder and grinning.
    “It’s none of my business why she got hired on at the ranch,” he grumbled, wishing Sam would bring him some coffee. He thought of Sydney and Julie and wondered whether Jolene knew exactly how dangerous breaking broncs could be.
    “Well, you should have seen her moves. She didn’t ride the mustang today, though. She worked it, and worked it and she worked it. She was all nice to it and all that good stuff, though. That wild pony just eyed her and snorted and pawed but did what she asked eventually. I mean, he’s as wild as it gets and doesn’t take