Only His (Fool's Gold #6)(34)

Jo walked over to the table. “You drinking today?” she asked Nevada.

“No. I’ll have a Diet Coke.” She glanced at her friends. “Want to split nachos? These chips have put me in the mood.”

Annabelle groaned. “I love nachos. And they love my thighs. Sure, I’ll share.”

Heidi and Charlie both nodded.

Jo looked at Heidi. “Want me to use some of that cheese you brought me?”

“Sure.” Heidi smiled. “I’m bringing samples to all the businesses in town. To get some interest going. With a big ranch comes a big mortgage.”

“I’m not sure I want to know how the dry cleaner is going to use cheese,” Charlie muttered.

“You never use the dry cleaner,” Nevada reminded her.

Charlie grinned. “A point of pride with me.”

Jo looked at Nevada. “Is it true? Was your mom really going at it with Max Thurman on the kitchen table?”

Nevada winced. “Which of my sisters told you?”

“Both of them.”

So typical. No one kept secrets in this town.

“I have to say,” Jo continued, “I’ve always liked your mom, but now I have complete respect for her. She’s raised six kids, survived the death of her husband and now this. I hope I’m just like her when I’m her age.” She winked. “You have a great gene pool. I hope you’re grateful.”

“Yes, but oddly traumatized by the sight of my mother having sex.”

Jo laughed, then returned to the bar.

“Did you really see Denise like that?” Charlie asked. Her voice was more “you go, girl” than shocked.

“Why is everyone taking her side?”

“Because I don’t have it in me to have sex on a kitchen table,” Heidi admitted. “Wouldn’t it be cold and uncomfortable?”

“It depends on the surface,” Annabelle said. “Glass could be freezing, but wood isn’t….” She cleared her throat. “Theoretically, of course.”

Charlie raised her eyebrows. “Someone has a past.”

Jo returned with the soda, then went back to the bar.

“How are things out at the ranch?” Nevada asked Heidi.

“Good. We’ve nearly finished repairing the barn. The goats are great. The cheese takes time to produce, so what I’m selling now I made before we moved here. Next year we’ll do much better with the cheese. Until that happens, cash is going to be tight. We’re thinking of boarding a few horses. Do you think there’s a market for that?”

“I’m looking for a place to put my horse,” Charlie said.

The three of them stared at her.

“You have a horse?” Nevada asked, trying to imagine Charlie riding.

“Sure. I like horses, I like being outside.”

“I’ve never seen you on a horse.”

“I board him at a place about thirty miles from here. I’d like to get him closer. I’m not the only one. Morgan just bought his granddaughter a pony and they’re keeping it in the same place.”

Heidi grinned. “Thanks for telling me. The barn is ready to go. Seriously, why don’t you come by and look it over?”

“I will.”

They set a time for the following afternoon.

Jo arrived with the nachos. Conversation shifted to the Fall Festival and what was going on in town.

“I got the paperwork on the blasting permits,” Charlie told Nevada.

“Good. Are you going to be our fire department representative?”

Charlie grabbed a chip covered in cheese. “I’ll be there, keeping you in line.”

“I don’t plan to cross the line, believe me. We want everything to go smoothly.”

“Oh, look.” Annabelle shifted in her seat and pointed toward the door.

Nevada turned around and saw Will walking in. He crossed to the bar and waited for Jo to notice him.

“They were fighting in the alley the other night,” the librarian said. “Well, not fighting exactly, but having a heated discussion.” She lowered her voice. “He really wants to go out with her and she keeps telling him no. I’m not sure why. He’s cute and he seems nice.”

“He is,” Nevada said absently, watching as Jo shook her head, ignoring whatever it was Will was saying. “I work with him. He’s a sweetie.”

“I don’t get it,” Charlie said. “There aren’t that many good guys out there. If someone like him is interested, she should go for it.”

Nevada glanced at the tall woman. Charlie sounded almost wistful.

“Jo’s been burned,” Heidi told them. “She has the look. Trust me. Some guy broke her heart and she doesn’t want to go there again.”

“No one knows for sure,” Charlie said. “With Jo, it’s all unsubstantiated rumors.”

A few minutes later, Will left. Jo checked on their table.

“How are you four doing?” she asked.

“What’s up with the guy?” Charlie asked, delicate as always.

Nevada thought Jo would say it was none of their business, but instead she shrugged. “He’s interested, I’m not. End of story.”

“You know he’s a great guy, right?” Nevada said, then held up her hands. “Sorry. I can’t help it. I work with him.”