A Buckhorn Bachelor Read Online Free

my recommendations, and I’m giving them.” Her gaze raked over Adam. “And that’s that.”
    Issy laughed. “Well, I don’t suppose it’d hurt for me to take a little look, now would it?”
    Of all the... Adam narrowed his eyes. “You can’t be serious.”
    â€œI’ll be right back,” she promised, and patted his chest—like he was a damned wayward mutt.
    Stunned, Adam stared down at her. He had no idea what to say, so he said nothing.
    Issy waited, but with his extended silence her smile faltered, and finally she looked away. “Noel? Are you ready?”
    Very ill at ease, Noel hitched his chin. “Sure.”
    â€œI’ll join you in a minute,” Amber told them.
    Still disbelieving, Adam watched Issy walk away, her hand in the crook of Noel’s elbow, until he couldn’t see her anymore.
    â€œSo,” Amber started.
    â€œForget it.” Beyond peeved at her, Adam headed back into the booth. She’d already done enough. No way in hell would he listen to some half-baked lecture from her.
    Of course she followed.
    â€œShe’s all wrong for you, Adam.”
    He leveled a sharp look on her. “Contrary to what every wimp in the county tells you, you do not know everything.”
    It was never easy to put a dent in Amber’s confidence. “I realize that. But I do know you . And I also know Isabella.”
    Folding his arms over his chest, his temper on the rise, Adam said, “So what? You think I’d break her heart or something?”
    She gave a surprised laugh that she quickly muffled with a cough. “No, I wasn’t concerned about that.”
    Adam waited her out, his scowl not budging.
    After another cough, Amber got serious. “I hope you won’t think I’m gossiping—”
    â€œShohn already told me what you said.”
    â€œI only told him so he could tell you in case I didn’t get to you in time. Even before I’d reached you two, I knew you were playing with Issy. Everyone was talking about it.”
    â€œDefine everyone.”
    â€œPeople who’d passed the two of you. Ms. Marburl was scandalized. Little Chuck started singing that you had a girlfriend. When I stopped at the corn booth, Shohn didn’t know where you were but he said you were due to replace him at any minute. So I told him.”
    â€œTold him that Issy is a wild child?” He snorted. “That’s nuts and you know it.”
    â€œOh, Adam.” With a pitying look, Amber patted his arm. “You’ve known her all this time and yet...you don’t really know her at all.”

CHAPTER THREE
    I SABELLA HAD A hard time keeping her smile in place as she walked away from Adam. She didn’t want to meet any other men, and she definitely didn’t plan to get intimate with anyone—well, except maybe Adam.
    If he was still willing.
    â€œYou okay?” Noel asked.
    â€œCourse I am.”
    â€œYou know, if you want, I can make your excuses to the guys. Say you got busy or something.”
    She peeked at him. “Is my disinterest that noticeable?”
    â€œAfraid so.” He paused with her under the lights of the roller coaster. They both looked up at the screaming riders as the coaster cars zipped by. “Amber has a tendency to bulldoze her way through life.”
    â€œShe is confident.” Sometimes Isabella envied Amber for her headstrong certainty.
    â€œThat’s an understatement.” Noel turned his speculative gaze down to her. “Don’t let her bully you into doing anything you don’t want to do.”
    Compelled to defend her friend, Isabella said, “She’s actually been very helpful.”
    â€œAnd she always means well,” Noel added. “I’ll even admit that most of the time she knows what she’s doing. But I’ve gotten to know her.”
    â€œDo tell.”
    One corner of his mouth curled. In a husky,