Cowgirl Up by Ali Spooner Page B

clothes in the dryer while you were gone.”
    “Thanks,” she said and then smiled as Mary Leah walked back onto the porch.
    The brightness of her smile did not escape Melissa’s notice. She grinned to herself. Right now, both women needed a close friend. She felt like Coal and Mary Leah would be good for each other.
    “Now, let me have that hand,” Mary Leah said as she took Coal’s hand in hers and pressed an ice pack against bruised knuckles.
    “See they aren’t bad,” she said, but she did enjoy having Mary Leah fuss over her.
    “No, but I bet they will still be sore, even after we get the swelling down.”
    “I’ve had much worse.”
    “I’m sure you have, but not from defending my honor,” Mary Leah said.
    “Yes, ma’am,” Coal said as Mary Leah’s hand rested on her thigh.
    Harley walked up to the porch, and saw Mary Leah tending to Coal’s hand. “What happened?”
    “Coal had another dancing lesson with Billy Ray,” Melissa said.
    “Oh yeah? How did that go?” he asked.
    “You should have seen her, Harley; she kicked his ass real good.”
    “Mary Leah! Don’t encourage her,” Melissa chastised.
    “I wouldn’t want to make her mad at me,” Harley said. “But, damn, that boy sure is hardheaded.”
    “Yes, he is,” she agreed.
    “The boys and I are going to head on down to the lake. Is there anything you want me to take?” he asked Melissa.
    “You can go ahead and load up the cooler and I’ll ride down with you. These two can follow once Mary Leah finishes playing nursemaid.”
    Mary Leah shot her sister a grin. “We’ll be down shortly.”
    “Y’all can drive the gator down,” Harley said. “I’ll have Gene drive it up here for you.”
    “Thanks, Harley,” Coal said.
    Harley carried the cooler out to the flatbed truck followed by Melissa. Gene hopped down and ran to the barn to drive the gator up to the front porch. He smiled at Mary Leah before rushing back to the truck.
    “It’s good to see the boys enjoying a nice outing.”
    “Last week was pretty brutal with the heat and bringing in the hay,” Coal said. “A nice break from the heat is well deserved.”
    “I don’t see how you tolerate the heat at all,” Mary Leah said as she smiled at her.
    She felt her heart flutter at the look of admiration in Mary Leah’s smile. She returned her smile and said, “You get used to it after a while, but you learn to live for the cooler weather.”
    “Are you going to fish?”
    “No, I will probably just kick back under the oaks and relax. Do you fish?” she asked.
    “I do, but I don’t know if I will today.”
    Coal jumped when a rush of cold water soaked through her pant leg. “Damn, that’s cold.”
    “I guess you have been iced enough for now,” Mary Leah said, removing the quickly thawing ice. “Just try not to get into any more fights today and the swelling should stay down.”
    “Yes, ma’am. Thanks for doctoring me,” she said.
    “Not a problem. You were a good patient,” Mary Leah said with a wink.
    “Should we go crash the party?”
    “I’ll be there in just a minute,” Mary Leah said and stepped inside the house.
    She climbed inside the four-wheeler and waited for Mary Leah who returned wearing a ball cap to protect her sensitive scalp. She climbed into the vehicle and Callie jumped up between them.
    When they were halfway to the lake, Coal turned her head at the sound of galloping hooves to see Shadow rapidly approaching them. She chuckled at the young horse. “Guess who doesn’t want to be left out,” she said to Mary Leah.
    “You really do have animal magnetism,” she said with a grin.
    She pulled up next to the truck and turned the ignition off as Shadow trotted up to her. “I guess you could say that,” she said as the horse nuzzled into her, nearly knocking her over. “Easy, you big brute,” she said as she scratched behind his ears.
    Harley and the rest of the crew were spread around the lake’s edge, fishing, when they