Page 8 of When a Cowboy Falls Hard
“I love being able to say it. Now let’s shoe us some horses before we start blubbering.”
Chapter Three
Monty doubted that Adam and his mom needed his input on whatever they’d planned to discuss. More likely she’d asked him to come up to the house so she could talk to him about Zinnia.
Did she know about Tex? Probably. She’d been about to say something, but they’d arrived and she hadn’t finished the sentence.
When he walked through the front door she called to him from the kitchen, his favorite room in the house. He left his hat and jacket on the coat tree in the entry and breathed in the scent of fresh coffee. Yep, she planned to have a chat.
He’d been in middle school when his parents had the brainstorm to wrap the front porch around the side of the house and add more windows to the kitchen. Now they had a view of Mt. Powell from the large trestle table.
His mom sat in her typical spot at the near end of a long bench that offered a great view of the snow-capped peak. She put down her mug and a copy of the Mustang Valley Messenger. “Help yourself to coffee if you’d like some.”
“I would.” He crossed to the counter and took a mug from the cupboard. “Where’s Adam?”
“On his way to town. He and Tracy had a meeting with the state highway department guy.”
“Is the crew still on schedule for finishing the road?” Adam had worked with the state for months to improve a treacherous road though a mountain pass that linked Mustang Valley and Highway 93 to the west. A safer road would increase tourism and give Adam his first major achievement as mayor.
“So far, so good. Greta’s so excited. Business at Books and Buns should really pick up once it’s done. Which reminds me, she brought home some sticky buns last night. They’re in that container by the stove.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Popping off the lid, he lifted out a sweet-smelling confection that made his stomach growl. “I keep thinking I’ll get into town so I can buy stuff from my sis instead of getting it free, but something always comes up.”
“Have you decided what kind of cake you want for your birthday? She said you hadn’t told her yet.”
“I will.” He carried his mug and plate to the table and took the chair at the end. When his dad was alive, that was his spot, but now it went to whoever got there first. “What was the thing you wanted my input on?”
“Perdon, mijo. I made that up.”
“Figured.” He took a bite of the sticky bun and hummed with delight. His little sis made the best he’d ever tasted.
“Zinnia has a little boy. He’s five.”
“Mm-hm.” He finished chewing and swallowed.
“She told you?”
“Only after I invited her to my birthday party.”
Her eyes widened. “Just her? Not?—”
“I invited Graham, too. That’s when she mentioned Tex. I said she was welcome to bring him.”
“She also has a sister, Marigold.”
“Well, damn. My bad. You did say those girls when you talked about the family and I plain forgot.”
“You can invite her when they come up for lunch.”
“I definitely will. Any more people living out at Graham’s place I need to know about?” He took another big bite of the sticky bun.
“That’s all.” She continued to watch him with those wise brown eyes that had a way of pulling confessions out of him.
He finished chewing, swallowed and took a sip of coffee. Then he let out a sigh. “I guess you could tell she made an impression on me.”
“Uh-huh.”
“But now….”
