CHAPTER 1
Bailey
“Saddle Up or Saddle Out?” I tear my eyes away from the cover of Jo-Beth’s newest romance novel she just placed on the table, and glance up at her. She slides into the booth seat opposite me at The Perky Porch Grill and places her cell phone and keys next to her book.
Jo-Beth smiles and pops a shoulder, eyeing her book. “You know how much I love a good romance read.”
I resist an eye roll and go back to studying the menu, hoping my bestie, Sadie, will hurry up and get here so we can order. I’ve been working all day at Lawless Farms, and managed to do a bit of work back at my own ranch as well as feed the horses and clear out the stables. Needless to say, I’m starving.
The Perky Porch Grill is an Alpine Falls iconic local hangout spot. They make the most amazing steaks and burgers, have an array of cold beer on tap, as well as the best atmosphere to relax with friends.
They’ve recently had a revamp and a repaint, while still keeping all the original features; the long, infamous copper barwas never going anywhere, and the high beams according to Jed, who also works at Lawless Farms and knows his way around a plank or two—are a hundred years old.
“Yes, I do know,” I sigh, looking over the top of my menu at her. “Your new romance go-to.” It isn’t even a question. JB has had her head stuck in a good book ever since I’ve known her, which is a long time.
“How did you guess?”
I glance down again at the bright pink paperback with streaks of gold and purple. “The cute cowboy cover, littered with foiled cowboy boots, love hearts and spurs, kinda gave it away.”
She laughs. “There’s nothing like a good romance book to snuggle up to when I want to shut the world out.”
I blow out a breath. “If only I could be so lucky.”
“You should give it a try. Reading is the perfect outlet; it completely removes you from whatever crap you’re going through. Nothing beats getting lost in a good book.”
“Ha!” I scoff. “Are you sure about that?”
JB waves it off with a waft of her well-manicured hand. She’s perky at the best of times, but today she has an even bigger smile on her face.
I hone in on this sudden realization for a moment. “What are you so chipper about so late in the day?” Okay, it isn’tthatunusual. Everyone loves Jo-Beth for her bubbly, all-round chirpiness and her genuine love of talking to everyone she meets at Butterfingers, the bakery she’s in the process of taking over from Mrs. Thorne, who’s retiring.
“I think I have a secret admirer.”
“That doesn’t strike me as something new, Jo-Jo, you get a new admirer every day at Butterfingers.”
She laughs as one hand twirls a long, flaming red strand of her hair around her finger. “This is Alpine Falls you’re talking about, not much happens here in the way of new admirers.”
“You meet a million people every day, well, in season at least with tourists and whatever. Anyway, something must have happened, do tell?”
She glances around, checking if anyone can hear over the country and western music playing from the jukebox. There’s plenty of chatter around the Grill from other patrons, so I think we’re safe. They’re probably as hungry as me, which is escalating my crankiness because it just hit seven o’clock.
JB leans in, elbows on the table, fluttering her long lashes and says, “I had a red rose left for me on the counter today. I don’t know who it came from, but it had a little card attached to the cellophane.”
I stare at her with intrigue as she continues her story. “Really?”
“Yeah. It was kinda bizarre because I was chatting away to Jediah and Zane when they came in for their morning coffee. It was after I was taking their order, and grabbing some of the blueberry muffins from the counter, that I noticed it there next to the cash register. I’m not even sure how long it had been there.”
“Sounds pretty cloak and dagger if you ask me. Who was at the counter after them?”
“Mrs. Thorne.”
I try not to laugh, though I know I make a weird noise while I stifle it, because I can’t exactly see old Mrs.Thorne being the least bit interested in Jo-Beth romantically. JB’s eyes flick up at my sudden, semi-controlled outburst, trying to remain undetected behind my palm.
“What’s so funny, Bails?” JB’s innocent, quizzical face stares right at me.
“Nothing. Just how you said it made me laugh. I was just trying to imagine how Mrs. Thorne could possibly have been the one to leave the rose there.”
JB gives me a withering look and shakes her head. “Bailey! She’s like eighty years old and I work for her!”
