Page 42 of Christmas with Three Cowboys

All I can do is take a deep breath and put on a pleasant smile as Daisy reaches our table. A bubble gum blonde with bright blue eyes and brownish freckles spattered across her round face, she measures me from head to toe before she puts on a contemptuous smirk and whips out her pen and pad.

“Welcome to the Cavalier, fellas, it’s been a while,” she says.

“It’s good to see you, Daisy,” Colton replies with a soft nod. “Hope you’re well.”

“Oh, I’m much better now that you’re here,” she quips.

I glance around at each of the men and take a cautious deep breath. They don’t seem interested in her, but she sure is interested in them. Her eyes are sparkling, and she keeps pushing her chest out under the guise of keeping a straight back.

“How’ve you boys been?” Daisy asks, her gaze glued to Colton.

“Great, thank you,” he says. “Just work on the ranch keeping us busy. You know how it gets in the winter.”

“There’s ways to keep warm in the winter,” she replies. “I remember giving you my number.”

“Sammy would hang me by my balls,” Colton laughs, a nervous tension hardening his voice as he gives me a brief but wary look.

I don’t like the way she is deliberately acting in front of me. I’ve dealt with her kind before in prison, inmates who thought they could bat their eyelashes at the guards for special favors, employing every trick in the flirty female’s book. It’s disrespectful in my presence since I could be Colton’s woman. I kind of am. I’m also Ethan’s and Mitch’s, but Daisy doesn’t need to know the details.

“I’m ready to order,” I cut in with the same polite smile. “I think I’ll have some of that mulled wine I smelled when we first came in, and—”

“How’s Uncle Sammy?” Daisy chooses to completely ignore me, laser focused on Colton the whole time. “He hasn’t been aroundeither.”

Doesn’t she have his phone number, too?

“Like I said, the ranch is keeping everybody busy,” Colton replies.

“You could always sell a part of it. I hear Mr. Haynes is still looking to get about 500 acres off you if you’ll consider it,” Daisy says.

Ethan gives her a hard look. “Are you a broker for Mr. Haynes now?”

“Nah,” she laughs. “Just sharing some of the gossip. He’s always in here, moaning about how you don’t wanna sell.”

“Some mulled wine would do great,” Ethan says. “The lady is ready for you to take her order.”

Daisy looks a tad surprised, even offended. But she smiles and starts writing things down without ever looking my way. “Alright, then. Mulled wine, you said. For the four of you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mitch says.

“Make that for the three of them. I’ll just take a lemonade. And we’re gonna order a couple of pizzas, too,” Colton adds. “A carnivore and the Cavalier special.”

“You’re the designated driver, huh?” Daisy asks with a giggle.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I like my men sober,” she says.

I could kick her.

Ethan senses my muted hostility and squeezes my thigh under the table. I feel his firm touch through the thick fabric of my jeans. It’s enough to soothe me as I exhale deeply and give the girl one final glance.

“I’ll have dessert, too, after the pizza,” I say.

“Sure thing. A fruit salad? Something light to keep the figure in check?” she asks, eyeing me.

“I’ll have the pecan pie with two scoops of vanilla ice cream,” I reply, my tone sharper.

Daisy rolls her eyes, and the atmosphere around the table changes subtly. She doesn’t immediately notice it, but Mitch and Ethan are completely put off. Colton isn’t her biggest fan either, yet he remains polite. I’m guessing they don’t want any issues with Sammy in the future.

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