Letters From a Cowboy by Brown Sue

Author:Brown, Sue [Brown, Sue]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2015-05-29T23:00:00+00:00

BACK IN town, Simon parked behind Chip’s truck. “Change your shirt. We’ll worry about the rest later.”

Chip pulled a face. “None of them are very clean.”

“Susan is going to have your hide for getting into this state,” Simon scolded. “Get changed before I get so hungry I eat you.” He saw Chip’s lips twitch. “Get ya mind out of the gutter, Henson.”

“Yessir.”

Chip changed quickly before anyone noticed what he was doing, and then they walked down to Peggy’s diner.

A middle-aged waitress greeted them at the door, introducing herself as Peggy, and steered them to a booth in the corner. To Simon’s surprise she didn’t ask them what they wanted. Instead she poured coffee and called out to the guy behind the counter, “Two breakfast specials.” Peggy turned to the two men. “How do you like your eggs, boys?”

A little bemused, Simon said, “Over easy.”

Chip asked for the same. She smiled and walked away to tell the cook.

The coffee was hot and tasted divine. Even Chip closed his eyes at the first sip.

“Good?” Simon asked.

“More than good. I haven’t eaten much in the last few weeks.”

Simon said nothing. Chip didn’t need another lecture on taking care of himself.

Peggy came back a few minutes later to top off their coffee and hand over the biggest plates of food Simon had seen in a long while.

Chip blinked as she walked away. “I don’t know that I can eat all that.”

“You used to eat well at the ranch.”

“Kinda lost my appetite recently.”

“Time to eat up, Chip,” Simon said firmly. The man needed looking after, and he was just the person to do it.

Chip huffed and started on the bacon. Simon’s hunger could not be contained any longer and he dove into his own breakfast, washing down the food with more coffee.

Peggy came over after a few minutes to check if the food was all right. Chip just murmured his appreciation around a mouthful of egg while Simon smiled at her.

“It really hits the spot, ma’am.”

She beamed at him and offered more coffee.

They finished all the food and were idly chatting over the coffee when Simon remembered something he’d been carrying around with him for days.

“This is probably not the best moment to give this to you but….” He handed over the letter to Chip.

Chip looked at him quizzically, and then he read the letter. He stared at it for a long time without speaking, and then he swallowed convulsively, his fist to his mouth.

“I have… I have letters in the truck,” he said eventually. “Didn’t have anywhere to send them.”

“You’ll give them to me?” Simon needed them like cattle needed water.

Chip swallowed again and tucked the letter into the envelope. “They’re yours.”

“You boys need more coffee?” Peggy came over, disturbing the moment, and Simon was grateful and annoyed in turn, but he made an effort to smile at her.

“Thankee, ma’am.”

She beamed at him for his politeness and left them alone.

“How do you feel now?” Simon asked.

“Like I’ve been drug through a ditch.” Chip sat back.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.