His Tempting Bride (The Brides of Paradise Ranch - Spicy Version Book 5) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Montrose.” She sent Libby a joyful grin. “You remember, I mentioned her before?”
    “I think so, yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Montrose.” Gracious as a European courtier, Miles took Libby’s hand and bowed over it.
    “And this is Cody,” Miriam went on with a casual wave, picking up her teacup. “You met him.”
    Cody rolled his eyes, then smiled at Miles and offered his hand to shake. “Juan told me all about you and your band of players at the Silver Dollar yesterday.”
    “He did?” Miles remained impassive as ever, letting Libby’s hand go to shake Cody’s. “Nice things, I hope.”
    “Sure.” Cody grinned. “I hear you folks need to sing for your supper.”
    Libby coughed—to cover a laugh, Miriam expected. Miles flushed and chuckled. Miriam could have bonked Cody over the head with the teapot and the plate of scones.
    “We are in need of an audience, that much is true,” Miles said.
    “Well, we don’t have a theater—” Cody shot a glance to Miriam. “—but we do have a church and this here hotel. We even have a schoolhouse with a big assembly room. Think you could mount a production in any of those spots?”
    “Oh, yes,” Libby added. “It would be a wonderful thing for Haskell to have a theatrical performance. We don’t see anything of the sort most of the time.”
    Miles turned a generous smile on Libby, darting a curious look at Miriam halfway through. “I’m afraid without a proper theater—or at least a stage with a curtain and certain lighting and staging features, it would be difficult to produce our show.”
    “We could build something,” Cody suggested.
    Miriam didn’t know if she wanted to kick him under the table or take his idea and run with it. Surely the elements of their standard scenic design wouldn’t be that complicated to reproduce, given the right materials.
    “I wish it were possible,” Miles sighed, “but we simply don’t have the ready cash to pay for building supplies.”
    Cody shrugged. “Howard’s got loads of cash. Rex Bonneville too, though he’d be a harder sell.”
    Miles looked lost, and Miriam was just as flummoxed.
    “Howard Haskell,” Libby said, face lighting up. “Why, I’m certain Howard would advance the money to build a proper set. It’s just the sort of scheme he loves, or so I’m told.”
    “There’d be no harm in asking,” Cody said.
    “Even so,” Miles said, a new light of possibility in his eyes. “It would take some time to build what we need before we could raise the curtain.”
    “Which would mean you would be guests in our town for, oh, it could be weeks.” Libby positively glowed as she said it. Worse still, she glanced between Miriam and Cody as if more than one drama was about to be mounted.
    “I don’t know,” Miriam began, tracing her finger around the rim of her teacup.
    “It would be refreshing to be able to stay in one place for a spell.” Miles looked around the hotel restaurant, a wistful spark in his eyes. “If we could afford it.”
    “Don’t you worry about that,” Libby said. “If you manage to get Howard to fund your production, I’m certain you could ask for the price of lodging at the same time.”
    “Heck, yeah,” Cody added. “And I’m certain Howard would go for it too.”
    “Where do I find his Howard Haskell person?” Miles asked.
    “He’ll be at the town meeting tonight,” Cody said. “You could come along.” He asked Miles the question, but his glance drifted to Miriam.
    There was something about Cody Montrose’s eyes that made Miriam feel as though she were being sized up and undressed at the same time. She took a sip of her tea, praying that Miles would give up on the idea, forget the idea…embrace the idea, pursue the idea.
    No. No, the last thing she needed was to be stranded in the same town with the man she’d chickened out of marrying. Especially when he had such broad shoulders and strong legs and such a square jaw and handsome face.
    “I think