Bucking the Tiger Read Online Free Page B

there already?”
    â€œAlready?” Doc asked. “Feels like I’ve been asleep for a week.” Seeing the sour look on Jenny’s face, he quickly added, “That doesn’t look like Denver.”
    Jenny scowled and looked at Doc as if he’d suddenly sprouted horns. “That’s because it isn’t Denver. It’s Weatherford.”
    â€œWeatherford? But that’s…that’s…a hell of a ways from Denver.”
    â€œYes,” Jenny said calmly. “It is.”
    Since he was getting as much help from Jenny as he was from trying to talk to the back of his hand, Doc used the back of that hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. “Looks like we’re coming to a stop. I do hope there’s some decent food in Weatherford.”

    Not only was Doc able to get a hearty dinner in Weatherford, but he acquired a neighbor as well. Walter Barry was a tall man in his early fifties with a full head of black hair that was evenly spattered with gray. The same pattern covered a good portion of his face with a thick, well-maintained beard.
    Walter was a good enough sort, who took to Jenny almost immediately. The two of them laughed and joked about mundane things while Doc rolled his eyes at just the right moments to make Colleen laugh.
    After a while, Walter glanced over at Doc and said, “You don’t have any luggage.”
    Doc blinked and seemed genuinely confused. “Pardon?”
    â€œWhen I boarded at Weatherford, I gave my own bags to the driver. I saw the ladies check on theirs, but that means you have none. How can that be?”
    â€œI’m certain you and the driver had a long, involved conversation about that very thing. He also seemed quite fascinated with the matter.”
    Although Walter laughed, he would not relent. “Seriously, though. You look like a man who is well traveled.”
    â€œDo I also look like a man who wants to talk about luggage?”
    â€œI don’t suppose so.”
    â€œHow about we discuss something more interesting? I know. What about gardening?”
    Walter shrugged and crossed his arms like a child who’d been unceremoniously put in his place. “Just making conversation. It’s a long ride and I wondered how anyone could travel without proper preparations.”
    â€œWhatever I need, I can get in Denver,” Doc declared. Softening his tone a bit, he winked at Colleen and added, “Besides, you can’t deny there’s a certain thrill that comes from throwing caution to the wind and jumping before you pack a bag.”
    â€œYou mentioned that you wanted to go to Denver for the clean mountain air,” Walter pointed out.
    â€œThere’s that, too.”
    â€œI think that sounds very exciting,” Colleen said.
    Jenny gave a choppy laugh. “You would.”
    â€œYou see?” Doc said as he leaned back to close his eyes. “The lady thinks it’s a marvelous idea.”

    As they traveled through Jacksboro and Fort Belknap, Doc and Colleen talked more and more about where they’d been and where they were headed. Actually, Colleen did the lion’s share of the talking after switching places with her sister so she could sit directly in front of Doc.
    Her voice was like a smooth ride down a steep hill. The longer the conversation went on, the faster she talked. Doc wound up nodding and adding the occasional word here and there, but little else. Once they learned they would be stopping in Fort Griffin, Doc asserted himself once more.
    â€œSince we won’t be leaving there right away, we might as well continue this conversation,” Doc offered. “I could meet you after you’ve had a chance to settle into your room.”
    â€œThat would be great,” she said. “Perhaps we could have some dinner as well.”
    â€œI believe we could work that into the equation,” Doc said in his most charming Southern drawl.
    Although Jenny didn’t