Page 60 of Nashville Cowboy
He might not sit a horse like Eve did, but he could hold his own in the saddle.
Just like that his thoughts were back to Eve. He couldn’t have possibly expected to feel so connected to her after all this time. But he’d already fallen in love with her all over again. As he had the first time he’d seen her riding bareback at the Truehart ranch, he admired her courage even more than her obvious physical beauty. She’d endured more than any woman should in a lifetime, but she still didn’t want anyone’s pity. She was still putting herself out there every day working, struggling. He’d known some women to make more of a fuss over a hangnail.
No, Eve was not getting away from him a second time.
Chapter 21
“Daisy, I’m going to be needin’ your help today,” Lillian said from the breakfast table.
“Why? Where’s Eve?” Daisy spun around the kitchen searching for her.
“She’s taking the day off. Jackson insisted. She’s over at Brenda’s having breakfast. Jackson went with her.”
“Wait. What? Jackson did?” Daisy squeaked. “You mean those two are—”
“Friends again.”
“How did I miss this?” Daisy slid her coffee mug on the table and sat. “Have I really been away that much?”
“Keep up, child. Things happen fast when your Mima Carver has a plan. Those two will be headed for the altar again or my name isn’t Lillian Pearl Carver.”
“I don’t know about that. Jackson lives in Nashville now. He really likes it there.”
Lillian waved that thought away. “That isn’thome. He’ll move back. All he needs is a little motivation. You’ll see.”
“I mean, I like Eve and all but…”
“Butwhat?”
“SheleftJackson.”
“Well, in a lopsided town like ours, a woman sometimes wonders if she’s picked the right man. We hold the record for most runaway brides in history.”
Lillian realized this was generous of her. Eve couldn’t do any better than a Carver man if she lived a thousand years.
Bless her heart.
“But sometimes youknow. You don’t need to date anyone else no matter how many other choices there are.”
Lillian had a bad feeling Daisy referred to that Wade, the no-good rodeo circuit bareback rider. Because of him, for years Lincoln had also risked his life on the circuit. Thank the good Lord he’d come to his senses because of Sadie. “Rodeo Wade” and Daisy would wind up together over Lillian’s cold dead body.
“What do you need my help with today? Breakfast? I can get that done and then I’ll be out of your hair.”
“What I have in mind could take a while unless we get lucky.”
Daisy winced. “It’s my day off and I’d planned to go up to Daddy’s and help more.”
“If by ‘help’ you mean flirt with that no-good Wade, then you can forget your plans.”
“But Daddy needs help.”
“Come on now. Cattle know what to do seeing as they’ve been doin’ it for millennia without help from any cowboy. They don’t need any supervision. It’s mother nature.”
“Um, well...”
“Admit it, Daisy. You’ve done run out of excuses to help your poor old grandmother. Now, here’s what I need you to do for me. We’re on the hunt for a very special quilt.”
Lillian’s cast was to come off tomorrow, the day before the wedding, and she’d like to shake a leg on this project. More importantly, Eve would return to work and Lillian was certain she’d make plans to move before long.
