Page 24 of The Cowboy's Surprise Return

“What kind of brute are we bidding for?” Daisy-Mae asked, her lip curled in disgust.

Jackie sized up the women who had bid on the bachelor. She wasn’t the strongest, but two contenders had already tossed their cards facedown on the table, bowing out. At the very least she could help Karen keep things fun, even if she didn’t win this particular man.

“You can’t change your mind!” Laura was scolding the man behind the curtain. “It’s been announced.” She lowered her voice, but the microphone still picked up what she said next. “And no, I’m not asking them to guess your middle name.”

“Bronson! William! Mack!” Jackie hollered. “Joseph. George?”

Laura gave her a dark look.

“He doesn’t have one!” Jackie dissolved into giggles.

“Oh my.” Daisy-Mae reached over and removed Jackie’s glass of wine. “Let’s cut you off now so you don’t wind up making the front page of the paper, ‘kay?”

“Ladies, come on up here,” Karen said. “We’ll have three separate arm wrestling competitions. The winners will advance to a second challenge.”

Jackie edged away from Matty, a woman who ran her own ranch and had forearms as beefy as Jackie’s calves. If she was going to be paired up, she wanted it to be with someone like Violet Granger, whose version of arm exercises was answering the phone for the mayor, part of her job as his administrative assistant.

The first two contenders went head-to-head, with Matty winning. She jumped up and let out a triumphant holler, and the loser snagged a second glass of wine on her way back to her table.

“Jackie and Daisy-Mae,” Karen said, moving them to one side. “You’ll go third. Violet and Anna, you’re next.”

While the second contest began, Laura and Karen bent their heads together, murmuring. The chants, hoots and hollers of the audience became deafening as Violet and Anna battled, their elbows on the table.

Karen and Laura were now whispering with Daisy-Mae, who kept glancing at Jackie and nodding. Something was definitely going on.

She sighed, knowing they meant well. They didn’t realize there was no man other than Cole who could capture her interest right now. She needed time to allow her crush—which had been reignited after being squelched only a few weeks ago—to wane. Unfortunately, it seemed to be worse than ever. And even though she’d barely seen the man since April and Brant’s reception, she thought about him much too frequently.

“Come on, girls, we need a winner!” Karen coaxed, as the wrestling continued, Violet and Anna turning red from exertion. Violet finally pinned Anna’s hand to the table.

Karen beckoned Jackie and Daisy-Mae forward.

“Can we change the challenge?” Daisy-Mae asked. She fluttered her fingers, showing off her newly done nails.

“Are you stepping down?” Karen asked meaningfully.

Daisy-Mae nodded and returned to her seat. Jackie lifted her eyebrows in question. Daisy-Mae wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. Not even over a fresh manicure.

Jackie was definitely being set up. But with who? She watched the bottom of the curtain, seeking hints. Maverick? The cute new hired hand on the Wylders’ ranch? Or was Cole back there, her friends determined she make something of her very public crush?

Why should she win Cole, anyway? They weren’t a good match. He’d been into rodeo, and she’d never owned a horse. She could ride, of course, but there really wasn’t that much that she and Cole had in common.

And anyway, he was way too attractive. She could resist the man for only so long. If she won him, the whole thing would be nothing short of trouble. For both of them.

Jackie turned, waving Daisy-Mae back up front. Daisy-Mae shook her head, mouthing the words,“Not worth it.”

“What if it’s Maverick?”Jackie mouthed back.

Daisy-Mae frowned as though that was a ridiculous suggestion.

“Our second challenge is a handstand,” Karen announced.

Jackie spread her arms again, looking at Daisy-Mae. As a former cheerleader, the woman could’ve had this.

“I can’t do one,” said Matty, returning to her chair.

“I’ll hold your legs up for you,” Jackie offered.

Because what if itwasCole behind the curtain? There was no way she was winning. No way.

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