Accidental Cowgirl Read Online Free Page A

jacks, it ached beyond belief, just like it had for almost twelve months now.
    If the pain had been just physical, she could have learned to live with it by now.Unfortunately, every twinge reminded her of the night she’d driven back from Gramps and Gramma’s Vermont farmhouse, panicking because Wes hadn’t shown up as promised and wasn’t answering his cell.
    Every ache reminded her of the moment she’d hit a swamped section of Interstate 89 and hydroplaned just shy of a guardrail. She’d landed snug against a tree that had triggered her airbags, trapped her inside, and hidden her whereabouts until the next morning. The same state trooper who’d found her and called the heavy rescue crew to extract her had played good-cop three weeks later at her first interrogation, after she’d finally awakened from her coma.
    “Ooh!” Hayley’s voice lowered dramatically as she looked over Kyla’s shoulder. “Don’t look now, but I think the cowboys have arrived.”
    Jess unfolded her legs from the couch and snuck a peek. “Hmm. Rugged, strong, handsome. But they’re definitely not the sunset guys on the brochure. I can’t even believe these two are brothers. They look nothing alike.”
    “I bet they’re not as hot as Decker.” Kyla clapped her hand over her mouth as soon as the words were out.
    “Decker?” Jess lifted her eyebrows. “Would that be Mr. Cowboy from earlier?”
    Kyla shrugged her shoulders as she tried not to smile too widely. “Maybe.”
    Hayley elbowed Jess. “Well, if Cowboy Decker is hotter than these two, then I think we need to help Kyla find him again while we’re here. These two must be the ranch hands.” Kyla watched Hayley’s eyes travel down and up the men. “I’m thinking I could easily be convinced to like cowboys.”
    Kyla fought the urge to turn around. She wasn’t yet sure whether she was a fan of the cowboy breed. On one hand, they were unfairly gorgeous. On the other, they scared innocent women with their big guns. On the other other hand, they saved incompetent tourists who didn’t recognize a poisonous snake warning until it was far too late.
    Hayley’s eyes gleamed as she tore them away from the cowboys. “Ladies, should we make a bet?”
    “Sounds dangerous.” Jess swirled her tea.
    Kyla shook her head. “No bets, Hayls. My only goal is to survive this vacation without breaking any more bones. Men are not in the equation.”
    “Even cowboys?”
    “ Definitely not cowboys.”
* * *
    “One hundred and fifty thousand dollars?” Cole coughed on the chicken wing he’d just bitten into. “How the hell did Dad get into that big of a mess?” He set his plate on the kitchen counter while he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
    Decker scooped a wing out of the pot on the stove, glancing at the swinging doors into the great room to make sure Ma wasn’t coming back through. Over the top of the doors he could see the ranch hands already holding court by the buffet table. “Same way he got in the first ten-thousand-dollar mess. Only bigger.”
    “Jesus, Decker. How in the world are we ever going to be able to repay that?”
    “Well, I’m pretty sure his bookie’s hoping we can’t.”
    “Because if we can’t, he gets the ranch.” Cole set his plate down. “Shit, Decker. What are we going to do?”
    “Marry rich?” Decker forced his voice to stay light as he scooped another wing and cocked his head toward the swinging doors where the new guests were gathering in the great room. “Any prospects out there?”
    “Very funny. And no. We’ve got a middle-aged couple on an anniversary vacation, two divorcées, and three late registrations in from Boston.”
    “Not very promising.”
    “How’d your meeting with the bank go?” Cole peered at the door again. Ma was going to bust them any second and force them to go mingle.
    “Same as the last one went.” Decker scrubbed his hand through his hair. “We are—quote—encouraged to seek a second mortgage