Page 42 of Overdue for a Cowboy

But Chevy was never one to be brushed off, and he came around the table and carefully pulled her into his arms to two-step her around the open space between the kitchen and living room.

His voice was gentle and soothing as he spoke against her hair. “It’s going to be okay. We can fix it.” He sang along with the lyrics of the chorus then pulled back and twirled her under his arm and dropped her into a dip. He grinned down at her. “And once you’ve tasted Gramps’ brisket, I guarantee you’ll forget about all your other troubles. It’s like you’ve died and gone to barbeque heaven.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” she said, a little breathless from being twirled around and dipped by the handsome cowboy.

All the Lassiter men were beyond handsome, with their broad shoulders, muscled arms, and rugged good looks, but they each had their own style. Ford had that sullen loner look, and with his blond hair, he reminded Maisie of Chris Hemsworth.

Dodge was darker blond and seemed to always be in deep thought or concentration about something. Which made earning a grin from him even more rewarding. She would compare his looks to those of the young Brad Pitt character in ‘A River Runs Through It’. She could imagine him in that scene where Brad was standing in the river focused on fly-fishing then turns and flashes a drop-dead grin that would make any woman, and probably some men, weak in the knees.

All the Lassiter men had Duke’s crystal blue eyes and thick hair, but Chevy was the only one with dark hair. He had the strong jaw and charismatic magnetism that made her think of Henry Cavillor a young Hugh Jackman. He was a total flirt with his easy-going grin and would be described as thequintessential rakein one of her historical novels. He just had a way of being able to take the most uncomfortable person in the room and put them at ease. Which right now, was her.

She was a terrible dancer and always imagined herself as the quiet wallflower in those same historical books, but Chevy’s disarming nature had her feeling like the belle of the ball as he hauled her back up from the dip and two-stepped her around the room again until they circled back to Dodge.

“All right Fred Astaire, you can let her go now.” Dodge frowned at his brother as Chevy released Maisie and flashed a mischievous grin his brother’s direction.

“You jealous, little brother?” Chevy asked, then laughed as he playfully grabbed Dodge’s head and hooked it under his arm to give his hair a scrub with his knuckles.

Ford and Elizabeth walked into the house as Dodge pulled loose from Chevy’s grip and punched him in the shoulder.

“You two boys quit your rasslin’ and finish setting the table,” Duke hollered from the kitchen. “You’re gonna have Miss Maisie thinking a bunch of hooligans live here.”

“Versus the refined gentleman we really are,” Ford said, chuckling as he hung his cowboy hat on a peg inside the door.

“Exactly,” Duke answered, carrying a large tray of smoked brisket to the table. “Now you all get washed up so we can eat.”

Dodge offered Elizabeth a sheepish shrug as he raked his hair back in place with his fingers. “You’re the one who wanted to come out here.”

Maisie just grinned, too disarmed to speak by the onset of heat watching Dodge scrub his hand through his tousled hair had set off in her stomach.

Elizabeth’s eyes lit at seeing Maisie, and she crossed the room to give her friend a hug. “How fun to see you again,” she said, pulling back to study Maisie’s face. “Your eye looks so much better, and I’ll bet that bruising will have faded a lot more by the time you go back to work tomorrow.”

“Ifshe goes back to work tomorrow,” Dodge called from the kitchen sink where he and his brothers were washing their hands. “She needs to make sure she feels up to it.”

Maisie tilted her head toward Dodge. “Elizabeth’s right,whenI go back to work tomorrow. I’m feeling so much better already.”

“I, for one, am glad to hear that, darlin’,” Duke said as he brought in a large bowl of roasted potatoes and set it next to a tray of corn on the cob. “Now, let’s get to eating before this food gets cold.”

The food was as delicious as Chevy had promised, and Maisie ate too much as she laughed and shared stories with the group. Duke and Chevy had them all cracking up with a story about a pig who had broken out of his stall and taken them on a crazy chase around the yard that weekend.

Even as she participated in the laughter and conversation, Maisie was aware of every time her leg bumped into Dodge’s thigh or his arm brushed hers.

She was stuffed but still had a slice of the homemade apple pie topped with ice cream that Duke brought to the table after supper. Every bite was the perfect mixture of warm cinnamon covered apples, cool vanilla ice cream, and buttery crust.

“This is the flakiest pie crust,” Maisie told Duke as she spooned up the last bite of the gooey apple mixture. “I can never get the crust right. You’ll have to teach me how your secret.”

“I’d be glad to, darlin’,” Duke told her. “You come on out to the ranch any time and we’ll make margaritas and have a pie-baking class.”

Elizabeth raised her hand as she bounced up and down in her chair. “Oh, can I come too?”

“Course you can,” Duke said. “I’d never turn down a chance to spend the day with two pretty girls. Maisie, you could bring your grandma too. We’ll make it a party.”

Both Dodge and Maisie tried to offer to help with the dishes, but after clearing the table, Duke shooed them away.

“I think you need to get that girl home,” Duke told him.” She needs her rest, especially if she’s planning to go back to work tomorrow.”

His grandfather was right. It had been a fun night, but he did need to get Maisie back.

He watched his family hugging her goodbye and marveled at how easily she just fit in with them, teasing his brothers, charming his grandfather, and giggling with Elizabeth. It was like she was already accepted and part of the group.

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