Maverick (Star Valley Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

needed a break from the ranch and Austin was glad to see his twin almost enjoying himself. Austin set the polished glass trophy down on the table cloth next to his brother and grinned.
    Walker snorted. “Are you going to carry that thing around with you now, where ever you go?”
    “I might.”
    “I’ll get you a holster for it. Seems safer than that pistol.”
    Austin’s grin slipped a little as he was reminded of the troubles at home. Here, with all these people talking about him, it was easy to get caught up in all the things going right at Snake River. As he took one final look around the room, he realized he was here now, and he might as well have a good time. Opportunities like this didn’t come around that often and Austin intended to make the most of it.
    He pushed back his chair, picked up his prize, and gave Walker a nod.
    “Where are you going?” Walker asked as Austin was turning away.
    “To find me a drink and a woman. What are you going to do?”
    “Go upstairs and go to sleep.”
    Austin shook his head. “There are women here. In case you failed to notice.”
    “I noticed.”
    “And?” asked Austin with raised eyebrows.
    “Mind your own business.”
    Austin shrugged. “Suit yourself. You know you could—oh, hey look. It’s Dakota!”
    Walker spun so fast in his chair that it nearly tipped over. The whole table rattled as his knees crashed into it. The beast of a man scanned the crowd like a predator, large hand grasping the back of the chair, gripping it so hard his knuckles turned white. “ Where ?” he growled when he couldn’t find her. Finally he gave up and glanced back at Austin.
    Austin rolled his eyes at him.
    “God damn it,” the eldest Barlow snarled.
    “You’d better work on getting your priorities in order,” Austin warned his brother.
    “She is my priority,” Walker muttered.
    “Doesn’t look like it from here.”
    “I’m not interested in what it looks like from your side,” Walker grunted. “Go on. Find your own damn woman. And we’re pulling out of here early in the morning. So get a move on. You’re wasting time.”
    Austin could have stayed there all night and argued with his twin about who was wasting time, but he knew it wouldn’t matter, not with his stubborn jackass of a brother. He turned and left for greener pastures.

Chapter Four
    ‡
    L eah splurged on dinner, because as Candace had put it, how many times did they ever go to Jackson Hole? She’d be paying off her credit card for at least a year probably after this trip, but it seemed worth it to have a mini-vacation.
    Becca looked great as the bride-to-be. It was hard to believe someone their age was getting married. Leah had missed quite a bit of high school and didn’t know the other girls as well as Candace, but she was glad to be included in the celebration. Kyle, Becca’s fiancé, was as good looking as they came, except for the cowboy in the elevator earlier. Leah wouldn’t say she was jealous, but there was a pang in her chest just the same when she looked at Becca’s ring and the smile on her face.
    Candace made a show of looking around the restaurant, reminding Leah of her promise to find a cowboy with a nice pair of boots. Leah was relieved when no one caught her friend’s eye. Too much excitement was probably not a good thing. A nice meal, a wedding, and a pleasant drive home were all she needed really. A cowboy, boots or no, was a ride she couldn’t handle.
    The dinner was nice and the two families looked as though they’d mesh quite well. Cody wasn’t a moneyed town like Jackson Hole, but Becca’s family had been fairly well off, Leah remembered, at least compared to her own. Kyle’s family didn’t seem to hold it against them at all. Leah had seen enough people act awkward and uncomfortable around her that she could recognize it in others. Either Kyle’s parents were the World’s Greatest Actors, or they really didn’t mind the difference in incomes.
    The taxi back to