Page 15 of A Jilted Bride for the Cowboy

The dining room was a happening place. Families and groups crowded around over half of the tables, while many more stood in a cafeteria line, chatting and laughing with each other. A middle-aged woman and two younger ones stood on the other side of the counter helping people with their food selections.

“What’s for lunch?” Cadence asked Graham. “Smells good.”

He directed her attention to the chalkboard with the day’s meals listed. “Taco salad, looks like. I hope they have refried beans. It’s not a real taco salad without.”

When he leaned close to her like that, he emitted evergreen and musk, like an outdoorsy guy should smell. Cadence doubted he thought of himself as outdoorsy, though. He’d shuddered at the thought of horseback riding, but there were plenty of other ways to enjoy nature, and this ranch seemed full of options.

Oooh! She could take out a kayak or go for a hike or ride a horse anytime at all, upload images — selfies or not — hashtag them with #SweetRiverRanch, and she’d be doing actual work. This might be the best summer ever.

Graham leaned in close again. “That woman over there talking to those kids, wearing a plaid shirt and jean shorts? That’s Paisley.”

Cadence studied her roommate-to-be, who had a broad smile as she chatted with a couple of tweens. The kids lapped up her attention. “She looks friendly.”

Graham sighed. “So very friendly.”

She smirked back at him. “Does she have designs on you?” The thought of having a front-row seat to her roommate’s romance with the guy who’d rescued her was amusing. Unsettling, but amusing.

“I hope not. I don’t think she’s noticed me. She’s super outgoing and chatty with everyone. It’s… exhausting. I hope you’ll be okay with her.”

“I’m sure I will.” It wasn’t like she’d been offered any choices. “Friendly people are much nicer to be around than grumpy ones. Like that cowboy over there.” She poked her chin toward a guy glowering around the room.

Graham snorted quietly. “My newfound cousin Weston, the horse wrangler. I don’t get him. He seems to judge everything around him as sardonically amusing, if worthy of any attention at all.”

“He must have been hurt in his past life.”

“What?” Graham drew back a little. “What do you mean? I think he’s naturally a jerk.”

They shifted forward in the food line. “Not usually. People who hold back and don’t connect with others easily have usually suffered some sort of relationship trauma.”

His eyebrows rose a little. “Now you’re scaring me.”

“How so?”

“You analyze everyone, and I’m starting to worry how you see me.”

Something flickered inside her, but she squelched it. “I see you as a genuinely nice guy who can’t stand by when someone is hurting. You jump in to help, even when there’s nothing in it for you.”

Graham’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he searched her eyes for a few seconds then looked away.

Wait. Was that a flush on his cheeks? Did he have hopes that something might come out of rescuing her? She was in no position to give him any hope. She needed time to heal.

Tomorrow should have been her wedding.

But all she could feel was an overwhelming sense of relief that she would not become Cadence Bradley. She’d been offered a new direction in life, and she was going to embrace it to the fullest.

Bring on Sweet River Ranch. Bring on a bubbly, smiley, chatty roommate.

Bring on Graham Sullivan.

She had this.

Chapter Five

“Paisley?”

Aw, the guy sounded so nervous that it was nearly endearing. Cadence stood beside Graham, waiting for the other woman to wrap her conversation and turn their way.

Finally, she turned and looked between them with her sparkling green eyes. “Hi! It’s Graham, isn’t it?”

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