Wyoming Sweethearts Read Online Free Page A

Cheyenne frowned, sad for her friend. “It’s amazing she walks, but she’ll never skate professionally again.”
    Emotion punched him in the gut, reminding him life could be a tough road. He handed over the molasses treat and gave Buttercup a pat as she chewed happily. Sunshine gleamed off the cow’s sleek black coat. Her pure white face and white tipped ears made her look as cute as a button. He thought of Eloise and couldn’t guess what it would be like to lose a goal like that, although he knew what tragedy felt like. His older brother Tim, an Army Ranger, had been killed in action. The family had gone on but the loss had marked them all.
    “Oops! I’m late.” Cheyenne darted around the corner and out of sight, her words carrying to him on the breeze. “If you change your mind, you have my cellnumber. Keep a close eye on Sunny and if you think she’s not doing all right, call.”
    “I know the drill,” he told Buttercup as he rubbed her nose.
    She gazed up at him with puppy-dog eyes, sank her teeth into his hat and lifted it off his head.
    “Funny girl.” He rescued it from her and dug another treat out of his pocket. Life was good on the Wyoming range, and he was glad to be a carefree bachelor in command of his life. So what if it got a little lonely? He could handle that. If the thought of Eloise Tipple’s lovely face made him reconsider, he had to admit he was lonelier than he’d thought. It wasn’t easy being a lone wolf.
    “Don’t look at me like that,” he admonished Buttercup. “I really am a lone wolf.”
    The cow shook her head as if she didn’t believe him for a second.
    “Is that you, honey?”
    “Yes, Mom.” Eloise tapped through the shadowy kitchen and pushed open the back screen. The music of the nearby river serenaded her as she stepped onto the patio.
    Helene Tipple looked up from her cross-stitch piece. “Did you have a good time catching up with Cheyenne?”
    “I did.” She leaned her cane against the patio table and eased into a cushioned seat. Another positive about being back—there was no place like home. Their conversation had covered everything essential while neatly skipping the painful. “Cheye and I are going riding this week. I get to go over to the ranch and see all the new foals.”
    “That’s nice, dear.” Mom poked her needle through the embroidery hoop and fussed with the stitch. “I was talking with your grandma today.”
    “You talk with her every day.” Eloise rolled her eyes, already bracing herself. She knew exactly what her mom was going to say because they’d had this conversation many times before. “She told you about my upcoming blind date, didn’t she?”
    “She is pretty excited about this young man. She wants you to call her. Take a few moments to gather your strength first.” Mom’s eyes twinkled as if she were enjoying herself.
    “Yes, because this is so amusing.” Eloise shook her head, laughing, too. “This is my life. My grandmother is finding dates for me.”
    “And don’t you disappoint her.” Dad spoke up with a rattle of his magazine page and a grin.
    “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She loved her grandmother with all her heart. No one on earth wanted to disappoint Gran. “Even if she is torturing me.”
    Her parents chuckled as if she’d made a joke. Sure, her personal life was a laugh a minute. Shaking her head and laughing at herself—what else was a girl to do?—she hoisted up out of the extremely comfortable chair and made her way to the kitchen. As she dialed the phone, her gaze drifted to the large picture window overlooking the patio. Her parents made an iconic picture, sitting side by side beneath the striped table umbrella. Their silence was a contented one, broken by quiet murmurings and gentle smiles, a sign of their long and happy marriage.
    Not everyone got the fairy tale. That was simply a plain fact. Eloise leaned against the counter and listened to the phone ring.
    “Hello?” Gran warbled cheerfully.