Read Love on the Range: A Looking Glass Lake Prequel for Free Online Page A

each other since they were old enough to compete against each other in the mutton-busting competition. They built this ranch up and raised a family. Six of the finest young men around and two amazing girls. And now, Thelma had to bury her husband last week and her youngest girl is in the hospital and won’t wake up.”
    Marlee stared outside, where bright sunshine splintered the mountain ridges with dancing fall colors. It was hard to imagine grief so terrible in a world this beautiful. “What happened?”
    Fern shrugged. “Plane crash,” she said. “Austin was flying the plane. He’s Silas and Thelma’s middle boy. He runs the only airport around here. Normally takes up hunters or charters folks from the Boise airport.”
    “That’s why my charter flight from Boise was canceled,” Marlee gasped.
    Fern nodded.
    “Was he okay?”
    “Yeah. Broke his leg and a few places in his back. Doctors say he might not walk again. But he and Cassie were lucky to survive.”
    So far.
    Marlee shivered. The words shadowed the air, unspoken.
    “Austin said his equipment malfunctioned. Had to make an emergency landing. Thelma refuses to leave Cassie’s side. Matt, West and Logan are doing their best to keep the ranch going, but they spend most of their time at the hospital, too. And Jaxson has a newborn at home and a sick wife.”
    “Jett’s stepped up to run this place,” Crazy Hoss said. “That’s a fine cowboy right there. The kind of man I’d be proud to ride the river with any day.”
    Marlee bit her cheek to keep from snorting. “He sure doesn’t talk much,” she said.
    “When Jett picked you up from the train station, I’ll bet he didn’t tell you this was going to be a cattle drive.” Fern’s eyebrows rose.
    “No,” Marlee said, her voice clipped. “He didn’t.”
    Crazy Hoss cackled. “Don’t expect he would.”
    “He didn’t tell me I was going to have to cook in a chuck wagon, either,” Marlee retorted.
    “He’s a man of few words,” Crazy Hoss said.
    “But he’s a good man,” Fern put in.
    “I’m sure he is.” How many more times were they going to tell her how wonderful Jett was?
    “Actions speak louder than words.” Crazy Hoss flicked the reins as they neared a steep grade. The horses picked up speed. “He’s a man of action if there ever was one.”
    “He knew he’d scare you off if he told you about the chuck wagon,” Fern said.
    Yeah, it was an authentic wagon, all right. Complete with the hard wooden seats that bruised her tail bone.
    Both Fern and Crazy Hoss seemed awfully proud of it. But couldn’t they have at least upgraded the seats?
    Marlee pulled out her phone, and started a text to Tanya. Her friend would get a kick out of Marlee’s chuck wagon distress. Besides, maybe a little laugh and some sympathy would help ease the pain in her tail bone.
    “You won’t get a signal out here,” Fern said, gesturing to Marlee’s cell phone. “This area is too remote and rugged for anything but satellite phones.”
    Marlee sighed and stuffed her phone back into her pocket. So much for distraction from the pain.
    An hour later, Fern complained of her back hurting, so she climbed back to lounge on the bedrolls with Marlee.
    Lounging wasn’t all Fern did. She also grilled Marlee about her love life.
    “What about men?” Fern’s eyes twinkled. “A beauty like you has got to have a beau.”
    Marlee shook her head. In her first round of college when she’d gotten her accounting degree, she’d been far too busy studying for tests she could barely pass. And in culinary school, even though the tests were easier, she’d worked to pay her way. Both she and Tanya had been strict about enforcing their own no-dating policies.
    Fern reached forward and patted Marlee’s knee. “Don’t you worry about that, darlin’,” she said. “This is the perfect place to meet a good man.”
    Marlee swallowed a smile. If she had to guess about the perfect place to meet a good man, a cattle