One Texas Cowboy Too Many (Burnt Boot, Texas #3)(8)

Sawyer took three heads of lettuce from the small refrigerator in the corner. He plopped them down hard on a cutting board and pulled their cores out, filled them with water at the bar sink, and then turned them over to drain.

“What’s that all about?” Rhett asked.

“I’ll put them in plastic bags and back into the fridge. That keeps the lettuce crispy. This place has a reputation for the best bacon cheeseburgers in the whole state,” Sawyer explained.

The sound of truck engines out in the parking lot and doors slamming preceded a dozen Brennan cowboys into the bar. One stopped at the bar and the rest went back to push two tables together to claim the far corner as Brennan territory.

“We need twenty cups and four pitchers of Coors,” the cowboy said.

“Little thirsty, are you?” Rhett smiled.

“Whole lot thirsty and got a lot of talkin’ to do. I’m Declan, and we’re all from River Bend.”

Rhett set two full pitchers on the bar and went back to fill two more. “Pleased to meet y’all. I’m Rhett from Fiddle Creek.”

“We’ve heard about you. Leah says the Gallaghers don’t like you too much,” Declan said.

“Wouldn’t know about that and could care less about it,” Rhett said.

“Just so we’re straight. The Brennans don’t like you either. And this is your only warning to stay away from the Brennan women.”

“Same answer. Don’t care much if you do or don’t like me,” Rhett said.

“Why are you being so rude? And why does he have to stay away from the Brennan women?” Jill asked.

“He’s not Burnt Boot material, much less River Bend material,” Declan said.

“What kind of material is that? He’s my cousin and no one ever told me I wasn’t Burnt Boot material,” Sawyer asked.

Hot air pushed Gallaghers into the bar before Declan could answer. He picked up two pitchers and headed to the back. When he returned for the rest of his order, he brought a couple of Brennans with him. Rhett wondered if it was for protection from the Gallaghers or to show him a force that said he should listen to their warnings about staying away from their womenfolk.

“Four pitchers of Coors.” Tanner hiked a hip on a bar stool and ignored the Brennans. “And a dozen bacon cheeseburger baskets. Double meat and cheese. And two pitchers of margaritas and one of pi?a coladas.”

“Yep.” Rhett repeated back the order.

Jill made change for the bills Tanner handed her. “Remember to keep it civil, Tanner. Watch your mouth and don’t start anything, or I’ll take out the shotgun that’s right here at my knees.”

Tanner laughed out loud. “I do like a woman with spunk. See y’all later. And holler right loud when the burgers are done.”

“What happened that they are all up in arms about you, Rhett?” Jill asked.

“Tanner Gallagher has a thing for Leah. It’s in his eyes every time he looks at her. I expect that would really set off the feud, so he’s not doing anything about the attraction. I’m damn sure not interested in being mixed up in their battles, so they don’t have to worry about me.”

“If you’re talking to Leah, you’re already mixed up in it.” Sawyer set six red plastic baskets with burgers and fries in each on the bar and yelled, “Tanner Gallagher.”

Leah slipped inside and Rhett’s heart threw in an extra beat. She looked beautiful in those tight jeans, boots, and an orange tank top tucked down behind a belt with a big rhinestone buckle. Tanner gave her the once-over as he crossed the floor and stacked baskets of burgers up his arm like a seasoned waiter. Rhett almost felt sorry for the guy. There sat the woman he loved, and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it because of the family feud.

“I’ll be back for the rest,” Tanner said.

“Bring someone with you. The others are almost finished,” Sawyer said.

“What can I get you, Miz Leah?” Rhett’s eyes were drawn to hers. His hands itched to run the back of his knuckles down her cheekbones before he kissed those full lips.

“I’d like a burger basket. No onions and double fries. A plain Coke this time around, but afterwards I’ll want a double shot of Jack.” Leah smiled.

“You got it,” Rhett said as he filled a red plastic cup with ice and drew up a Coke. “Been busy today?”

She took a sip. “Yes, I have. I went to the school and took down all my old bulletin board stuff, put up new, arranged the seats, and got ready for the new school year.”

“What grade do you teach?”

“Fourth,” Leah said.

He shook his head. “Who’d have thought about a town this small having three schools?”

“Crazy, isn’t it? But our private school has more kids than the Burnt Boot public school,” Leah said.

“Tanner Gallagher, last three,” Sawyer yelled above the jukebox.

Tanner came to the bar to claim them, and this time, he looked at Leah in the mirror above the grill and said, “Hot today, ain’t it?”

“Sure is.” Leah nodded at him, but neither of them ever looked directly at each other.

Was the man crazy or just plain stupid? Leah had been right there in front of him his whole life and the only thing holding them apart was a crazy feud? If that had been Rhett, he would have told the feud to go straight to hell and he’d have gone after the woman he loved.