Red-Hot Texas Nights Read Online Free PDF Page A

home.”
    Hopefully.
    Her heart kicked up a beat and her hands trembled.
    At the prospect of finding Kenny Roy.
    She certainly wasn’t getting anxious because Tyler McCall was back in town.
    Her gaze went to the rearview mirror and the headlights that sliced through the darkness and settled behind her.
    Ellie glanced behind and a smile tugged at her lips. “So what’s the scoop on you and Mr. FB?” she asked as she settled back into her seat. “How did you meet?”
    â€œAnd here I thought the biggest gossips were over at the VFW Hall.”
    Ellie shrugged. “So I like to get the scoop.”
    â€œAnd spread it around.”
    â€œThat, too, but I’m due. I’ve been the object of my fair share of gossip and now it’s my turn.” She glanced at Brandy. “Tit for tat, you know.”
    Boy, did she ever. That’s why she and Ellie had become friends as well as co-workers. While Ellie wasn’t from Rebel, she hailed from a nearby small town and with her good looks and casual attitude when it came to men, she’d learned early on what it was like to have folks talk about her. Yep, Ellie was a kindred soul. The only difference is Ellie had earned her reputation. She wore tank tops and short-shorts and flirted shamelessly.
    Brandy, on the other hand, had always done just the opposite. She’d kept her ample curves covered up and played the good girl.
    In public, a voice reminded her, stirring a wave of memories that sucked her under and reminded her that behind closed doors, she was every bit the bad girl the town painted her to be.
    â€œSo?” Ellie nudged. “Give me the details.”
    â€œTyler and I went to high school together.” Brandy tore her gaze from the pair of lights and focused on the blacktop in front of her.
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œAnd nothing.” She shrugged, ignoring the memories that pushed and pulled at her as she followed the road that led back to town. “We went to school together. We graduated. I stayed here to bake and he left to ride bulls.”
    â€œDid you actually date?”
    â€œNo. We just fooled around.”
    â€œI wouldn’t mind fooling around with his buddy. Talk about a hottie.”
    She slid a sideways glance at her assistant. “Don’t you have a boyfriend?” She was reminding Ellie of Bart Wilburn, the hunky ranch hand who’d been picking her up after work for the past few months.
    â€œSure do.”
    â€œAnd he doesn’t mind if you see other people?”
    â€œAs long as I don’t get caught seeing other people. See, while we like each other, we don’t like each other. I know it and he knows it, but instead of ending things, we stay together because it’s better than being alone. Meanwhile, we’re both still looking for something better. At the same time, we don’t want to make the other look bad so we keep it discreet.”
    â€œThat’s the most dysfunctional thing I’ve ever heard.”
    â€œSo sayeth the woman who’s married to her oven. Then again, if I had a hunky FB like the one back there, I might be able to work out my frustrations and keep my focus on work, too. Speaking of which, I’ve noticed that you’re a little tense. I think it’s a good thing this guy is back in town.”
    â€œI’m not hooking up with Tyler McCall right now.”
    â€œWhy not? That’s what he’s for, right? At least take one night off and do the deed. You never know when he’ll be back. You know what they say—use it or lose it.”
    â€œThat’s ridiculous.” Brandy crossed over the railroad tracks on the outskirts of town and glanced back at her mirror. As expected, the headlights slowed at the small dirt road just on the other side of the tracks. The shiny black truck swung a right and disappeared through the thick trees that shrouded the entrance to Rebel’s one and only trailer park and Brandy