Page 18 of The Cowboy's Surprise Return

Karen flushed. “It’s not.”

Daisy-Mae said with authority, “Miss Prim would never break the law.”

“And then thenextday,” Karen said with special emphasis, “on the fourteenth—”

“That’s Valentine’s Day.” Daisy-Mae leaned toward Cole, nearly sloshing her coffee on the sleeve of his jacket in the process.

“—everyone meets up for their odd-job day.”

“What if you don’t need help with anything?”

“I’m sure you could think of something, Cole,” Mrs. Fisher said. “You live on a ranch. Y’all could detail one of the trucks or brush down some horses for Betty in the riding stable.”

Cole couldn’t imagine paying to do that with a participant he hadn’t chosen. What if he got matched with someone who just wanted to paw him all day?

“This is supposed to be fun,” Karen said. “No romantic expectations. No obligation to make it a date. We’re raising money for the library and creating a new social event.”

“Can married people join? I have an odd-job list as long as an elephant’s trunk,” Mrs. Fisher stated. She caught Karen’s look and hurriedly added, “Relax. My yard is a fright, is all.”

“I can help you, Mrs. Fisher,” Cole said, finishing his coffee.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Myles will take care of it. I’ll drop a hint.” She winked and went to retrieve two meals from the cook as the order-up bell rang.

“So let me get this straight,” Cole turned to Karen once again. “Some poor woman blindly spends money on the opportunity to have some guy fix some stuff for her. Then she’s gotta fix something for him. And they have to go on a date?”

Karen was gnawing on her bottom lip, doubt shading her formerly bright expression.

“Yes!” Daisy-Mae said. She slapped her palms on the counter, making her coffee cup jump. “And both parties pay a fee to participate. Fifty bucks.”

“Fifty?” Cole scowled, feeling like his uncle.

“Yes, fifty. That’s only $13.50 an hour for the help. That’s a good deal.”

“But that’s not an auction.”

“Yes it is.” Her expression turned sly. “The guy issues a challenge and whatever woman can complete it wins.”

“A challenge?”

“Silly stuff. Like who can carry the most library books across the room without dropping any.”

That could be interesting.

“Can we put you down as a bachelor?” Karen asked.

Normally he would say no…

“A bunch of people are going,” Daisy-Mae said. “Me, Jenny Oliver. And I heard Jackie saying she needs her bumper fixed from when she swerved to miss Bill on Christmas Day.”

“Darn near killed her passenger,” Henry grumbled. When the trio looked over, he jerked a thumb at his chest. “Me. I told her to be careful, but she didn’t listen. Could have given me a heart attack.”

Jackie.

Cole turned to Karen. “Do you want my fifty bucks now or later?”

* * *

Jackie accepted the glass of wine from Karen Hartley in the renovated barn just outside Sweetheart Creek. Tomorrow was Valentine’s Day, and she’d signed up for the auction to support the library, and to help where she could. And maybe to be busy tomorrow.

---