bandaged finger was throbbing again because she had it elevated at her shoulder, and he worried that her back was hurting also because she flinched when she pointed up at the tall racks above her.
57
Leah and Evelyn nodded, and the others went to their tasks.
Evelyn looked up and saw him standing at the door and smiled.
Looping her wrist through Juliana’s elbow, she escorted her over to Ash.
“Juliana was just giving us final instructions for the evening, Ash.
She’s ready to go.”
Juliana rolled her eyes at Ash and said, “They’re giving me the
‘bum’s rush.’”
Evelyn patted Ash’s forearm and said, “She’s had a busy day and needs to unwind now. Don’t worry about the store, Juliana. We’ll make sure everyone stays on task. This will be excellent experience for Leah. You don’t have a thing to worry about. Now you two have a wonderful evening, and Juliana, go to bed early and get caught up on your sleep.”
“Thank you, Miss Evelyn,” Ash said, tipping his hat to her. He carefully took Juliana’s hand, mindful of her stitches. He liked the way her delicate hand felt in his.
“I’ll get my purse and a couple of other things,” she said as she stepped toward the rear of the store.
“No work. You won’t have time for it,” he said, grinning when she frowned. Busted. “You’re under orders to not bring any work home, either.”
“Was that ‘ Mizz Evelyn’s’ idea, too?”
“Yup,” he said with a chuckle. Miss Evelyn had already ratted her out. “Whatever it takes.”
She sighed and then grimaced, gingerly reaching back to her shoulder.
“Does it hurt?” he asked sympathetically.
“Yeah, I’m ready for another pain reliever. It twinges sharply every so often. I’ll go take one and be right out.”
* * * *
58
Juliana retrieved her purse and her lightweight jacket from the hook behind her office door. She stopped at the fountain and took a pain pill then went in search of him.
The sound of giggling was her first indicator of his approximate location. Left unattended, he was like a magnet to steel. She didn’t see him until she turned the corner as the giggling got louder. Sure enough, five designer-denim-clad, silver-belt-buckle-wearing, low-cut top, cowboy hat and boot-wearing blonde-haired bimbos were all over him like a duck on a June bug.
59
Chapter Six
Slowly advancing, Juliana eyed how the girls were dressed. Only one of them had an indecently low-cut top. The others were attired nicely, just all-out Western. That was something Ash wouldn’t see her in. She owned two pairs of jeans but no other Western wear, besides an old pair of cowboy boots. Most of what she owned was clothes for work, and Western wear didn’t fit into the mix. Not that she was opposed to owning any, it just wasn’t her style.
She looked at him then, the quintessential cowboy, from his hat to his boots. It was a small wonder that the young women had zeroed in on him. But what did he see in her? A city girl through and through.
Okay, so maybe not big city like Dallas or San Antonio, but she certainly was no cowgirl. When he turned those piercing, turquoise-blue eyes on her, what did he see?
She noticed he was talking to the group of girls, his eyes twinkling, a big grin on his face. They giggled and laughed, having eyes only for him as he scanned the store. He made eye contact with her, and she saw a new light come into his eyes, and it made her insides quiver a little. He grinned down at the girls and pointed at her, said something that made them sigh and giggle, then he nodded at them and walked away.
She ignored the gaggle of giggling buckle bunnies, none of whom could have been over eighteen as they openly watched him walk away, ogling his assets. Shoot, if the young ones were like this in town, she wondered what it would be like if he was to participate in one of the area rodeos.
60
“I leave you alone for one minute, and the women are swarming over you like
57
Leah and Evelyn nodded, and the others went to their tasks.
Evelyn looked up and saw him standing at the door and smiled.
Looping her wrist through Juliana’s elbow, she escorted her over to Ash.
“Juliana was just giving us final instructions for the evening, Ash.
She’s ready to go.”
Juliana rolled her eyes at Ash and said, “They’re giving me the
‘bum’s rush.’”
Evelyn patted Ash’s forearm and said, “She’s had a busy day and needs to unwind now. Don’t worry about the store, Juliana. We’ll make sure everyone stays on task. This will be excellent experience for Leah. You don’t have a thing to worry about. Now you two have a wonderful evening, and Juliana, go to bed early and get caught up on your sleep.”
“Thank you, Miss Evelyn,” Ash said, tipping his hat to her. He carefully took Juliana’s hand, mindful of her stitches. He liked the way her delicate hand felt in his.
“I’ll get my purse and a couple of other things,” she said as she stepped toward the rear of the store.
“No work. You won’t have time for it,” he said, grinning when she frowned. Busted. “You’re under orders to not bring any work home, either.”
“Was that ‘ Mizz Evelyn’s’ idea, too?”
“Yup,” he said with a chuckle. Miss Evelyn had already ratted her out. “Whatever it takes.”
She sighed and then grimaced, gingerly reaching back to her shoulder.
“Does it hurt?” he asked sympathetically.
“Yeah, I’m ready for another pain reliever. It twinges sharply every so often. I’ll go take one and be right out.”
* * * *
58
Juliana retrieved her purse and her lightweight jacket from the hook behind her office door. She stopped at the fountain and took a pain pill then went in search of him.
The sound of giggling was her first indicator of his approximate location. Left unattended, he was like a magnet to steel. She didn’t see him until she turned the corner as the giggling got louder. Sure enough, five designer-denim-clad, silver-belt-buckle-wearing, low-cut top, cowboy hat and boot-wearing blonde-haired bimbos were all over him like a duck on a June bug.
59
Chapter Six
Slowly advancing, Juliana eyed how the girls were dressed. Only one of them had an indecently low-cut top. The others were attired nicely, just all-out Western. That was something Ash wouldn’t see her in. She owned two pairs of jeans but no other Western wear, besides an old pair of cowboy boots. Most of what she owned was clothes for work, and Western wear didn’t fit into the mix. Not that she was opposed to owning any, it just wasn’t her style.
She looked at him then, the quintessential cowboy, from his hat to his boots. It was a small wonder that the young women had zeroed in on him. But what did he see in her? A city girl through and through.
Okay, so maybe not big city like Dallas or San Antonio, but she certainly was no cowgirl. When he turned those piercing, turquoise-blue eyes on her, what did he see?
She noticed he was talking to the group of girls, his eyes twinkling, a big grin on his face. They giggled and laughed, having eyes only for him as he scanned the store. He made eye contact with her, and she saw a new light come into his eyes, and it made her insides quiver a little. He grinned down at the girls and pointed at her, said something that made them sigh and giggle, then he nodded at them and walked away.
She ignored the gaggle of giggling buckle bunnies, none of whom could have been over eighteen as they openly watched him walk away, ogling his assets. Shoot, if the young ones were like this in town, she wondered what it would be like if he was to participate in one of the area rodeos.
60
“I leave you alone for one minute, and the women are swarming over you like
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