Devils on Horseback: Zeke, Book 3 Read Online Free PDF

saloon. They’d never even been intimate, at least not that he remembered anyway.
    “You ain’t got a reason to get your back up. You and I are friends and that’s all it’ll ever be.” Zeke used the last of his meatloaf to clean up the mashed potatoes. Lucy stayed silent, moving her food around her plate. He screwed up his courage to tell her what needed telling. “I don’t know if you heard or not, but I’m the new sheriff in Tanger.” Her eyebrows flew toward her hairline, but he held up his hand to stop her from speaking. “I got thirty days to prove I can do the job before it’s permanent. And part of the town council’s requirements include no drinking, no whoring, no saloon at all.”
    It took a moment for it to sink in, then she swallowed hard. “You can’t come by to see me, and we can’t have meals together either, can we?”
    He shook his head, uncomfortable with her distress. It’s not like he was leaving town or wouldn’t ever speak to her again.
    “I had hopes, Zeke, you must know that.” She looked at him from beneath her lashes, a sheen of tears in her eyes.
    Zeke couldn’t have been more shocked. Lucy had hopes about him? She’d never said anything or even hinted about it. Granted, she’d held a bucket under him while he’d puked, but that wasn’t exactly a marriage proposal. Jesus, he didn’t know what to say.
    Fortunately Lee saved him the indignity of looking like an ass.
    “She made pie, Zeke.” He sounded like a kid at Christmas. “Lookee here.” He set a plate with a beautiful slice of peach pie on the table. “I already had three pieces. Zeke, you ain’t never had something so sweet before.”
    His appetite for dessert had fled with Lucy’s distress and her admission. He didn’t want to disappoint Lee, so he took the plate.
    “Looks mighty tasty.” He shoveled a forkful into his mouth and the explosion of sweetness almost made him want dessert. “It’s wonderful.”
    He pushed back his chair and nodded to Lucy. “I’m gonna go say howdy to Margaret and let her know how good dinner was. Be right back.”
    Before Lucy could say anything, Zeke walked into the kitchen, relieved to be away from her for at least a few minutes. Lucy was a good friend, but she could be too much at times. Margaret Summers stood at the huge stove—they’d had to order it special for the restaurant—with four pots and pans cooking at once. Her light brown hair was in a bun at the nape of her neck and her dark eyes watched him warily. He took off his hat and held it before him.
    “Afternoon, Mrs. Summers. I had to come in and let you know that dinner was right wonderful. Best I’ve had in five years. Gideon and Lee did right by hiring you.” Fortunately, Zeke didn’t have to eat Gideon’s cooking anymore either.
    Margaret brushed a stray hair off her cheek. “Thank you, Mr. Blackwood.”
    “Zeke, please. You’re part of the family now. I think it’d be all right if you called me Zeke.” He smiled, trying to make her feel more comfortable.
    She wiped her hands down the white apron that emphasized the curves she’d been blessed with. If Margaret stopped hiding in dark corners, she’d likely catch herself a new husband.
    “Then please call me Margaret.” She offered a tremulous smile.
    “I will do that, Margaret. Thank you for a great meal.” He slid his hat back on his head. “We really do appreciate you taking this job on. The three of us, well, we’re as stupid as a bag of doorknobs about cooking and such. And now that I’m going to be the sheriff, well, we needed you more than ever. So thank you.”
    “No thanks are necessary, Mr. Bla—I mean Zeke. I was needing a change and a steady income anyway. It’s been some time since I lost Ben.” Her eyes clouded with grief, which was Zeke’s queue to skedaddle. He didn’t think he could handle anyone else’s grief besides his own.
    “You let me know if you need anything.” With that, Zeke quit the kitchen and went