The Cowboy Tutor & the Cowboy Comes Home by Linda Ford

Author:Linda Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-08-25T19:22:57+00:00

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Linc considered this job an answer to prayer—an opportunity to earn money to buy more medicine for Pa, but even more, the chance to prove a McCoy could be trusted. Grandmama seemed troubled by the job offer and warned Linc that Sally’s association with him, even indirectly, could harm her reputation. He understood her warning and was prepared to stay as far away from Sally as the large yard allowed. But Abe had told him to go to the house for instructions on where to find tools.

He first toured the yard, noting all the things needing attention. Abe wanted the barn converted to a garage for his car. Linc went inside to study what it needed.

“What are you doing here?” Robbie asked from the dark interior.

“Looking.”

“At what?”

“The barn.”

“You never seen a barn before?”

“Oh, yeah. Lots of them. I could tell you all sorts of stories about barns.”

“Nothing special about barns.”

“Nope. Guess not. Seems a shame to take the stalls out though.”

Robbie emerged from the shadows. “Why you going to do that?”

“So your father can park his car in here.”

Robbie made a rumbling noise with his lips. “I’d sooner have a horse.”

“Me, too, little guy.”

They stood side by side in shared sorrow at the way horses were being replaced with automobiles and tractors.

Linc moved first. “I need to ask Miss Sally to show me the tools. Want to come along?”

“Yep.”

Linc wasn’t sure who needed the other the most. He, to keep his thoughts in order when he spoke to Sally, or Robbie, who seemed to crave attention, but together they marched to the back door. Robbie stood by his side as Linc knocked.

Sally opened the door. “Mr. Finley said to expect you. He said I should show you what needs doing.”

Linc backed up two steps. Robbie followed suit, though not likely for the same reason. Linc did it to gain a safety zone. Even so, he felt her in every muscle. She smelled like home cooking and fresh laundry, the most appealing scent he’d ever experienced.

She slipped through the doorway. “I’ll show you around.”

I’ve already looked about. The words were in his brain but refused to budge. Instead he nodded, and he and Robbie fell in at her side.

She led him to the back corner of the yard. “Mr. Finley said the crab apple trees should be pruned.”

Robbie climbed one of the trees and sat in a fork, pretending he had a spyglass as he looked out across the yard.

Linc and Sally stood under the scraggly trees that were shedding the last of their blossoms and trying to bud, finding it difficult because of the lack of moisture. He examined the three trees. “Lots of dead branches that need to come out.”

She nodded. “I figure they must be tough as an old cowhide to survive the drought and wind and grasshoppers. Especially the grasshoppers. The little pests have gnawed most of the trees to death around here.”

“Then I guess they deserve lots of care.”

He turned from examining the branches. She stood under a flowering bough.

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