Wife for Hire by Amy J. Fetzer

Author:Amy J. Fetzer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2013-08-29T04:00:00+00:00

Seven

Nash shook Andrew’s hand, smiling, then turned toward Hayley, drawing her forward. “Andrew Pike, I’d like you to meet Dr. Hayley Albright.”

Hayley spared a look at Nash and sellers, but his attention was on Andrew. He’d been introducing her to the buyers all day as Dr. Albright, and each time it made her go warm and fuzzy inside.

Andrew, a big strapping man with a mustache, smiled, pumping her hand. “How do, doc?”

She smiled back. “I do right fine, Mr. Pike.”

“Call me Andy, please. Only my secretary calls me Mister.” He didn’t hide his appreciation and looked his fill of her. “Dang, I can’t believe I’m wishing I’d get sick.” His gaze slid to Nash, then back to Hayley.

“Be careful what you wish for, Andy,” Nash said.

Andrew winked at Hayley, and Nash put his arm around her waist. She couldn’t help sinking into him a little. It felt so good.

Nash noticed and his smile widened. “You going to clean me out again, Andy?”

“You do have some fine-looking horseflesh this year, as usual. How many cutters?”

“A hundred.”

Hayley’s brows shot up.

“I ’spect I better get to looking before they’re all gone. Ma’am.” Andy tipped his hat to her and she nodded, watching him make his way through the crowd.

“A hundred? I didn’t know you had that many to sell.”

He urged her in the opposite direction, toward a booth. “They’ve been delivered to the stockyard all week. The ones we rounded up will go into training. The Thoroughbreds won’t be auctioned till later. Ranchers from all over the country come to Aiken to buy and sell horses at this livestock fair.” He stopped before a booth, plucking a cowboy hat from the racks surrounding the stand. After a quick inspection, he dropped it on her head.

“I don’t need this.” Nor could she afford it.

“Your nose is already getting red.”

She looked in the mirror set near a stack of hats. The cowboy hat was straw with a brown band and not so big that she looked ridiculous. When she looked back at Nash, he was waving off the change from the vendor. The vendor thanked him by name and they moved away.

Hayley said, “Thank you, but I don’t need your gifts.”

He knew she’d balk. “I know. But if you’ve noticed, you’re the only one here not wearing one.”

She glanced around. He was right; even the children wore hats.

“Besides, you look cute in it.”

She blushed and he gave her hand a quick squeeze. Then he cocked his head, listening to an announcement. “Come on. The trick riders are going to start.” He pulled her along, forgetting that her legs were a lot shorter than his, and when she tugged him back, out of breath, he apologized and met her pace.

She stopped before the bleachers. “There doesn’t look to be any seats left.”

He didn’t hear her apparently and made his way around the bleachers. They walked beyond the security guard into the grandstand building. The ushers and guards merely nodded to him and stepped back, holding the door open.

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