Catch Me a Cowboy Read Online Free PDF Page B

backseat, “butt.” Still grinning, he climbed into the SUV.
    “It was nice meeting you, Billy,” Faith said. “We’d love to have you over for dinner sometime.”
    Slate leaned across her. “She’s only saying that because she’s never seen you eat.”
    “It can’t be any worse than you with a plate of ribs, Calhoun,” Billy shot back before he returned his gaze to Faith. “I’d love to come for supper, Ms. Calhoun. You just say the word.”
    “Friday?”
    The quick reply took Billy by surprise. And before he could think up a good excuse, Slate jumped in. “We’ll see you on Friday then.”
    “Damn,” Billy muttered under his breath as he watched Faith carefully back out. When she reached the road, she waited for the non-existent traffic for what seemed like a good five minutes before pulling out. But instead of telling her to get a move on like Billy would’ve done, Slate just sat there grinning like a fool. Obviously, the man had fallen hard. Billy was happy for him. Slate was good people.
    When the Yukon was finally gone, Billy turned back to the trailer. The truck caught his attention, and he couldn’thelp but smile. From the floodlights to the American and Texan flags that hung from poles on either side of the back window, the monster truck screamed redneck like a flashing neon sign. The weathered stickers plastered on the huge back bumper didn’t hurt: DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS; REBEL BORN AND REBEL BRED AND WHEN I DIE I’LL BE REBEL DEAD; I LIVE BY THE THREE B’S: BEER, BRAWLS, AND BROADS; CRUDE RUNS THROUGH MY VEINS.
    And Billy’s favorite: IF YOU THINK MY TRUCK IS BIG …
    It was male Texan philosophy at its finest. And Billy ate it up like a slice of apple pie à la mode.
    “Hey.”
    Billy glanced away from the truck and over to the redheaded kid who had just slipped through the hedge. And Jesse wasn’t alone. He held the hand of his little brother. Although Billy figured he’d misunderstood Jesse when he noticed the naked doll clutched in the child’s fist.
    “Sorry, kid.” Billy headed for the door. “I don’t have time to chat.”
    But Jesse was a quick little pain in the butt, and before Billy could reach the steps, he had dropped his sibling’s hand and raced over.
    “So you ain’t gonna call the sheriff on me about the chainsaw?” he asked, his face wary. “Not even for chasin’ Ms. Dalton?”
    Billy looked down at the kid with his mussed hair and dirty, freckled face and didn’t hesitate a second before answering.
    “Nope.” He reached in his pocket, pulled out a ten dollar bill, and handed it to Jesse. “In fact, keep up the good work.”

Chapter Four
     
    T HERE WAS SOMETHING NICE about growing up in a small town. Something nice about driving down the one main street and being greeted and waved at by the people you’d known since you were in droopy diapers. But the flipside of that coin was that sometimes people knew you too well.
    “Either I’m gettin’ senile, or I need to go get my eyes checked,” Moses Tate said as Shirlene hopped down from the Navigator. “Because I sure ain’t never seen Shirlene Dalton in town before noon.”
    Since Moses had to be close to a hundred and never remembered to wear his hearing aids, Shirlene yelled back as loudly as she could. “No need to waste your time at the doc’s, Mr. Tate. It’s me in the flesh.” She shot him a wink as she walked around to the passenger door to let Sherman out. “Pig-sittin’ is keepin’ me from gettin’ my beauty rest,” she fibbed. “But I guess a pig’s got to eat when a pig’s got to eat.” As if to confirm her words, as soon as Sherman hopped to the ground, he trotted over to the gutter and started sniffing around a candy wrapper.
    Moses slowly pushed himself up from the bench infront of Sutter’s Pharmacy and shuffled out to the curb. “I guess Colt and Hope got off okay.”
    “Dropped them and little Daffodil off at the airport in Lubbock yesterday,” Shirlene yelled. She