Life After Wife (Three Magic Words Trilogy, #3)(40)

Myrle giggled. “You are full of cow chips, darlin’, but even a sixty-year-old woman likes a little flirtin’. You, darlin’, might have gotten that cow at a good price if you’d been sittin’ beside me.”

Kate cleared her throat.

“OK, smarty-pants, so I’m a few years on the other side of sixty. Don’t tell these precious cowboys. Let me have my ego boost for the day,” Myrle said.

Kate nodded. “Just so long as you admit you are sixty-one.”

Myrle winked. “Yes ma’am.”

They both knew that Myrle had passed her eightieth birthday more than a year ago, and that she still liked to chase after any man who could square dance or even two-step her around the dance floor. She had a ranch outside of Albany and ran it with a firm hand and an eye for good cattle.

“I’m lookin’ for a good Angus bull today. Hart, did you bring that big old bruiser that I been buggin’ you about?” Myrle asked.

“No, ma’am. That bull ain’t never goin’ to be for sale. He’s producin’ a calf crop that is sellin’ high every spring,” Hart said.

“Well, dang it! What you got…hey, Theron, come on over. We got room for one more. You got any bulls for sale?”

Theron carried his plate to the end of the table and settled in before he answered. “No, Miz Myrle. I brought a few heifers, couple with calves beside them, but no bulls. I’m savin’ them for the spring sale at my place. I did well this mornin’, Elijah. Thank you for inviting me to add to your sale.”

“And Sophie?” Kate shot Theron a dirty look.

“Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to slight you, Sophie. Y’all have both done up your sale right well. I’ve already talked to Tillman and booked him for ours next spring. You should be out among the buyers. They’re all talkin’ about how this is the best sale they’ve seen in years. The food has been good, and the fact they don’t have to go into town for every meal is great.”

“Next year, I’m thinkin’ of putting in some trailer spaces for the ones who want to park here,” Sophie said.

Elijah jerked his head around to stare at her.

“Don’t be thinkin’ you’re the only one with big plans in the makin’,” Sophie told him.

Kate burst out in a guffaw that had people looking to see what was so funny at the owner’s table. Tanner and Hayden joined in first and then the rest of the table.

“Looks to me like my big brother done met his match,” Hayden said when the laughter died down.

Kate wiped her eyes with the big, square red bandanna that Tillman provided in lieu of napkins. “Looks to me like my friend met hers, too.”





CHAPTER TWELVE


Sophie dressed in a long, denim prairie skirt; an ecru-colored satin camisole covered by a light beige, lace, Western-cut blouse with tiny pearl buttons up the front and from wrist to elbow on the sleeves; and new, tan cowgirl boots. She swept her hair up into a messy French roll, letting the curls fall where they wanted. Then she added a chunky, silver heart-shaped necklace and matching dangling earrings.

“Ready or not, here I come,” she whispered to her reflection in the mirror.

The bull sale that afternoon had been even more spectacular than the morning sale. Aunt Maud was probably kicking up the angel dust on the streets of heaven as she danced around. She was smiling at that idea when she headed for the living room.

She thought of Johnny Cash when she saw Elijah in his matching black Western shirt, slacks, and polished eel boots. His silver belt buckle had even been shined up and his hair slicked back. His brothers both wore starched jeans, white shirts open at the neck, and boots. Their belt buckles were also silver, but they didn’t shine like Elijah’s.

“Whoo-wee,” Hayden whistled through his teeth. “You’ll be the prettiest girl at the party tonight, Miz Sophie. You will save this humble old cowboy one dance, won’t you?”

Sophie couldn’t help but smile. “Hayden, there’s not a humble bone in your body.”

“Joneses had a choice when we was born. We could be humble or good-lookin’. Most of us chose good-lookin’. Elijah, now he’s the exception. He chose neither one and decided he’d be a hero instead,” Tanner said. His voice was deeper than Hayden’s and his drawl more pronounced.

“Is that right? Well, while we are dancin’ tonight, you two will have to tell me all about his heroism,” Sophie said.

“And while we are dancin’, I’ll tell you not to believe anything they say,” Elijah said.

“Wait a minute. Who says she can dance with you?” Hayden teased.

“Who’s big enough to say she can’t?” Elijah asked.

Sophie felt like a queen among a bunch of knights. Maybe not in shining armor, more like in shining Western gear. She enjoyed the easy banter and the camaraderie between the brothers. She’d never had that with her sisters. Maybe it was because Elijah was eight years older than the twins, and she and her two sisters were so close in age.

“We don’t have time to jaw with you two. We have to be at the doors when the party starts. So y’all can stay in here and make a grand entrance or you can come with us. Take your choice.” Elijah offered his arm to Sophie.

She looped hers inside it and wasn’t even shocked at the little sparks that danced around them. She’d admit that she was attracted to Elijah Jones. A woman would have to be stone-cold blind not to be. If she could see him all decked out in black, wearing that wonderful aftershave, or if she could hear his deep southern drawl when he talked, she’d be attracted to him. It did not mean that anything would come of it.