Crazy For the Cowboy by Vicki Lewis Thompson

okay, but don’t either of you talk me into tequila shots.”
    Vince nodded. “Mac and I discussed that earlier. Just beer. We’ll play a little poker with the old guys and hit the hay.”
    Travis pushed back his chair. “In the meantime, I think I’ll take a walk around town, check things out.”
    â€œI’ll go with you.” Mac tucked his napkin beside his plate and reached for his wallet. “Just in case you were considering a visit to the general store to renew your acquaintance with Anastasia Bickford.”
    â€œWho says I was planning to do that?”
    â€œMe. I saw that look in your eye. You’re remembering the cute teenager and imagining how hot she might be now. I intend to save you from yourself. Vince, want to come along?”
    â€œNah. I was just there. I’ll take a nap and rest up for the poker game.”
    â€œGood idea.” Mac smiled. “I suppose it wouldn’t be cool for you to wander into Georgie’s store twice in the space of a couple of hours. She might get the wrong idea.”
    â€œOr the right idea.” Travis dropped some money on the table. “See you later, lover boy.”
    â€œCut it out. It’s a dead issue because she has no interest in me. All I want is to leave town with my pride intact.”
    â€œWe’ll help you find that horse,” Travis said, “but keeping your pride is a one-man job. You’re in charge of that.”
    â€œJust help me come within spitting distance of him. I’ll handle the rest.”
    Mac eyed him. “You really are planning to rope him, aren’t you?”
    â€œI haven’t decided yet.”
    â€œIt’s a bad idea, Vince.”
    â€œWe’ll see.”
    Mac adjusted the fit of his Stetson. “You think on it while I go babysit Travis and Anastasia.”
    â€œI will.” Vince sipped the last of his coffee as he watched them leave the saloon. If Georgie really had been his main focus, he could have driven to Bickford anytime in the past four years.
    But Travis was right that he wouldn’t have risked coming by himself with no excuse for the visit other than to see how she was doing. Bickford wasn’t on a main road. People didn’t pass through town on their way to either Amarillo or Lubbock, which was another reason the town was in financial trouble. If you arrived in Bickford, then that had been your destination from the get-go.
    Apparently it had taken him this long to come up with a logical reason to travel here. His reason might be flimsy as hell, but the reunion and the Ghost had been better than nothing. And he’d needed his wingmen.
    So far he’d confirmed that Georgie was as indifferent to him as she’d ever been. He could have accepted that more easily if he’d found her in high cotton, living her dream in beautiful downtown Bickford. Instead she was facing the potential end of the town she loved.
    He assumed her ancestors had settled the place, but he’d never asked. If so, then her loyalty to the town probably ran deep. He’d never felt that way about any place he’d lived. His folks had relocated a fair bit because his dad had worked in the oil fields and he’d traveled to where the jobs were. Moving around was what Vince did best.
    Gathering up the plates and silverware, he carried them over to the bar, where Ike was taking inventory in preparation for tonight.
    Ike glanced up from his list. “Thanks. You didn’t have to bus the table.”
    â€œDon’t worry. I swiped the tips, too.”
    Ike chuckled. “You’re entitled.”
    â€œKidding. Be right back with the rest of the stuff and your cash.” He returned to the table and picked up the money Travis and Mac had left. Then he added his share. He admired many things about his friends, including their generosity. Despite limited resources, they always paid their way and then some.
    He deposited the money and