Ever After at Sweetheart Ranch Read Online Free

hair, his face was still red from the game. He was new in town, a web designer and, as he himself put it, “a geek in the great outdoors.”
    She thought he might be pretty amusing when he relaxed a bit. “Hi, Sean. You’re playing for True Grits, huh?”
    He looked down at his chest and gave a chagrined smile. “The restaurant is a client. I thought, what the heck. It’s a good reason to be outside.” Then he glanced past her, and his expression fell. “Have a good night, Lyndsay.”
    As Sean walked away, she turned around and saw Will striding toward Kate and her, loose-­limbed and broad-­shouldered. Giving Lyndsay a nod, he moved past her to kiss his grandma’s cheek and stand between her and the looming banner with Mrs. Thalberg’s cheerful face. Lyndsay noticed he used his killer smile even on his grandma.
    â€œThanks for coming to the game, Grandma,” Will said.
    â€œOf course, dear.” Mrs. Sweet eyed him with fondness. “It’s a lovely evening.”
    Will put an arm around his sister Steph’s shoulders. “Hey, kid, maybe you should join the team one of these days.”
    â€œSome of us often work evenings,” Steph said.
    Will spread his arms wide. “And I don’t? Those dams have to be moved for the hay irrigation morning and night. I don’t see you out in the fields.”
    â€œI’m going to be a pastry chef and bakery owner, thank you very much,” Steph said.
    â€œI don’t see the current pastry chef and bakery owner. Did she work so you didn’t have to?”
    â€œShe might have,” Steph admitted sheepishly.
    The owner of Sugar and Spice was Emily Thalberg, Steph and Will’s long-­lost half sister, with whom they’d been reunited a few years back. Emily was now married to Nate Thalberg.
    Lyndsay winced in sympathy as she realized that the coming war for president of the historical society put Emily directly in the middle, with Mrs. Sweet as her grandma and Mrs. Thalberg as her grandma-­in-­law. But who was Lyndsay kidding—­the whole town was going to be in the crosshairs. Lyndsay watched Mrs. Sweet’s pleasant expression fade as she studied the banner again.
    â€œNow, Grandma,” Will said in a cajoling voice, “all’s fair in an election.”
    Mrs. Sweet sniffed. “I’ve never had to resort to such . . . tactics to earn the vote of each citizen.”
    â€œThere’s a first time for everything,” Will answered. “Do you want to respond somehow, or just run on your record?”
    Lyndsay bit her lip to keep from laughing, knowing what Will must wish would happen.
    â€œI will give it thought, William, thank you.”
    Will looked over his grandma’s head, and Lyndsay saw that the widows were approaching. To her surprise, Will caught Lyndsay’s eye and mouthed, “Help me!”
    She pressed her lips together though they twitched with laughter, then raised her hands helplessly.
    â€œYou heading home?” Kate called.
    â€œNot yet,” Lyndsay said, gesturing at the approaching conflagration.
    â€œOh dear,” Kate murmured.
    The three widows were like a force of nature, each very different from the other. Where Mrs. Thalberg was a practical rancher’s widow, Mrs. Palmer was the flighty wild child of the group, with her outrageous makeup, tarot-­reading skills, and patterned homemade dresses—­tonight’s was a child’s print with baseballs, bats, and mitts—­and a big blond wig upon which perched a ball cap. She had pom-­poms in one hand and a massive purse in the other. Mrs. Ludlow, with her pressed slacks and simple white blouse, could be anyone’s grandma, and she moved with slow and steady speed behind her walker. When Mrs. Ludlow offered a genuinely warm smile to Mrs. Sweet, Lyndsay remembered that Mrs. Ludlow had ever been the peacemaker.
    â€œEileen, how good