Page 7 of A Cowboy Takes A Chance

“How the hell do you even remember that? It was two years ago, and I’m sure you’ve had a lot of patients who come through there.”

“Some just stick out more than others.” She shrugged.

“I’m sure they do,” he murmured as he wondered if she remembered that his wife had died that night too.

“I’m glad to see you’re doing better, and you have a job you seem to love.”

“A job?”

“Yes. Here at Bur Oak. I’m sure you’re a real asset here.”

Jaxon reached over and grabbed the reins of her horse. She looked at him with a frown on her beautiful face.

“Miss Reynolds, this isn’t just a job. Devin and I own it.”

“What? Why didn’t you say so?”

“Didn’t you read the brochures? It’s in there about Dev and me owning it.”

“Apparently not that one. I’m so embarrassed. You brought me the towels.”

“Ah, I see. No owner would do that?”

“That isn’t what I meant. You had to be busy in the middle of the day, and you just dropped what you were doing to bring me towels.”

“Josie caught me walking from the lodge and asked me to handle it.” He shrugged. “We all pitch in for whatever reason. I didn’t mind doing it.”

“You sure acted like it.”

“I was shocked to see you. I knew you looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember from where or if you’d been here before,” he said, frowning at her.

“Well, now you know,” she muttered before nudging her horse into a gallop.

Five minutes later, Chip stopped the group, and told them they had reached the campsite, and to dismount. Jaxon listened as he told them he’d take care of the horses.

“We’ll get the tents set up then we’ll start lunch. The creek is through there.” Jaxon pointed toward some brush. “Be careful because there are snakes here. As hot as it is, they will be looking for water to drink. If you see one, do not anger it. Just move away fromit slowly. It’s more afraid of you than you are of it.”

“I find that hard to believe,” one of the women said drawing laughter from the group.

“Get your bedrolls off the saddles and pick your sites. You all have two-man dome tents. Put them in a circle around here.” He pointed around the area. “I’ll be building a fire here.”

“So, where are you pitching your tent, Jaxon?” Bett asked him.

“I don’t sleep in a tent. I’ll be sleeping by the fire, the same as Chip.”

“Oh,” she said and stuck out her bottom lip.

It never appealed to him when a woman did that. He wasn’t sure what a woman thought it did to a man but for him, it did nothing. Pulling his bedroll down, he set it beside a log.

“I’ll get us some wood, Jax,” Chip said as he walked away toward the woods.

“Can I go with you?” a young woman shouted after him. Chip turned to her.

“Unpack your stuff. Maybe later when we need more,” Chip said then entered the woods.

Jaxon dug out old ashes from inside the circle of large rocks then carried the ashes to a metal barrel and dumped them.

“Jaxon? Could you help me for a minute?” Bett called to him.

---