The Touch of Sage Read Online Free PDF Page B

company for fifteen minutes , and already they were asking the most personal, flirtatious questions a body could ask!
    “ Nope, ” came Reb ’ s chuckling answer. “ Ain ’ t nothin ’ wrong with a little sparkin ’ neither. ”
    Sage went to the sink and worked the pump , filling the sink with water. She had no reason for doing so, save she needed something to distract the others from her nervous condition.
    “ You see, Mary, ” Livie said, “h e ’ s game for a little sparkin ’ here and there too. ”
    “ Well, he ain ’t a- plannin ’ on sparkin ’ with you two…so let the man eat his biscuit ’ fore Sage drops dead in the sink, ” Mary grumbled.
    At that moment, Sage wondered if in fact dropping dead in the sink would be better than enduring the teasing of her friends. She knew darn well they were trying to embarrass her, attempting to discover whether Reb Mitchell might be a candidate for saving Sage Willows from spinsterhood. But good intentions often led to disaster, and Sage had never been more thankful to hear a familiar pounding on the boarding house front door.
    “ Well…there he is, ” Eugenia said, pushing her chair away from the table.
    “ And here it comes, ” Livie added, pushing her chair back as well.
    Sage took a deep breath, dried her hands on her apron , and started for the front door.
    “ I ’ ll take care of it, ” she said as Eugenia and Livie started after her. “ He ’ s my dog, after all. ”
    Bullet was a sweet dog, but he had caused Sage a lot o f grief— especially where Forest Simmons and his precious lady dog were concerned. As much as she liked the troublesome pup, she wished Karoline a nd Joel had taken it with them— for he was obviously too much for Sage to handle. As the memory of being wrapped up and lying on the porch with Eugenia ’ s nephew, Sage sighed. Yep! Far too much for me to handle, she thought as she brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and drew in a courageous breath. Forest Simmons had a very distinctive manner of knocking on a door. Two knocks in succession, a pause , and then four knocks. No doubt he had found Bullet consorting with his lady dog and was crazier than a fox in a henhouse.
    “ Hello, Mr. Simmons, ” Sage said, opening the door to see Forest Simmons glaring at her. The scruffy old man held Bullet ’ s rope tightly in one hand, the truant mutt wagging his tail and panting happily.
    “ This dog of yers is on his last leg, Sage! ” the man nearly shouted. “ I don ’ t want me no pups! I done told ya that last time! ”
    “I- I know, Mr. Simmons, ” Sage stammered. “ It was an accident. He just —”
    “ This would be my fault, sir. ” Sage felt the hair on the back of her neck tickle at the sound of Reb ’ s voice behind her. Stepping in front of her , Reb offered his hand to the man and shaking it firmly said, “I own the dog now. Miss Willows gi ve him to me just this mornin ’, and I guess I just didn ’ t tie him up proper while I was in for breakfast. ”
    “ And who are you? ” Mr. Simmons asked.
    “ I ’ m Reb Mitchell…Eugenia Smarthin g’ s nephew, ” Reb explained. “ I ’ ve come up from Santa Fe to get the ranch runnin ’ for her again. I do apologize for the dog, sir. ”
    “ Forest Simmons, ” the older man said , eyeing Reb suspiciously. Sage watched his eyes move to her, traveling the length of her body and back , and she resisted the urge to sneer at him.
    “ Well, ” Mr. Simmons grumbled, “y ou just keep this mutt off my property. I don ’ t like puppies. I drown ’ em. ”
    “ I ’ ll watch him a might closer, sir. I thank ya, ” Reb said, taking Bullet ’ s rope from Mr. Simmons. “ Thank ya again, ” he said closing the door in the man ’ s face.
    Sage smiled , relieved to be rid of Mr. Simmons and delighted in the way Bullet put his front paws on Reb ’ s stomach, lapping at the man ’ s arms affectionately as he scratched the dog ’ s chin and ears.
    “ Did I