The Wyoming Kid

The Wyoming Kid
Debbie Macomber

Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy' - CandisRancher Lonny Ellison has never known a woman like Joy Fuller. For one thing, she doesn't seem very interested in him, and as a former rodeo cowboy, Lonny's not used to that. Women mobbed the Wyoming Kid during his rodeo days! And another thing. He and Joy — who's a schoolteacher and his sister Letty's best friend — seem to argue constantly. But it doesn't matter, does it? Because he's not interested in Joy, either.Wait a minute. Maybe he is. At least, that's what Letty seems to think their arguments are all about. Yup, she might have a point there. Now he has to convince Joy that marriage to the Wyoming Kid will be as exciting as an eight-second bull ride and as sweet as the cookies she loves to bake.

DEBBIE MACOMBER

The Wyoming Kid

TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND

To the Gutsy Girls in the

PAN Group of RWA’s Peninsula Chapter

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

About the Author

Coming Next Month

Chapter One

His truck shuddering as he hit a rut, Lonny Ellison pulled into the ranch yard and slammed on the brakes. He jumped out of the cab, muttering furiously. In pure frustration, he kicked the side of his Ford Ranger with one scuffed boot. His sister, who was hanging clothes on the line, straightened and watched him approach. No word of greeting, not even a wave, just a little smile. As calm as could be, Letty studied him, which only irritated him more. He blamed her for this. She was the one who had her heart set on Lonny’s dating that…that woman. She was also the one who’d been busy trying to do some matchmaking—not that she’d had any success.

It wasn’t like Lonny to let a woman rattle him, but Joy Fuller certainly had. This wasn’t the first time, either.

He had plenty of cause to dislike her. Two years ago, when she’d moved to Red Springs to take a teaching job, he’d gone out of his way to make her feel welcome in the community. And how had she responded to his overtures of friendship? She’d thumbed her nose at him! He figured he was well rid of her. They’d argued—he couldn’t even remember why—and he hadn’t spoken to her since. Until today. Friend of Letty’s or not, he wasn’t about to let Joy Fuller escape the consequences of what she’d done.

What bothered him most was the complete disrespect Joy had shown him and his vehicle. Why, his truck was in prime condition, his pride and—No, under the circumstances, he couldn’t call it his pride and joy. But he treasured that Ford almost as much as he did his horse.

“What’s gotten into you?” Letty asked, completely unruffled by his actions.

“Of all the crazy women in the world, why did it have to be her?”

“And who would that be?” his sister asked mildly.

“Your…your teacher friend. She—” Lonny struggled to find the words. “I’m telling you right now, I’m not letting her get away with this.”

Letty’s expressive eyes widened and she gave a deep sigh. “For heaven’s sake, Lonny, settle down and tell me what happened.”

“Look!” he shouted, motioning toward the front of his ten-year-old pickup so his sister could see for herself.

Letty scanned the bumper, but apparently didn’t find anything amiss. “What?”

“Here.” He pointed, directing her attention to the most recent dent.

“Where?” Letty asked, bending over to examine it more carefully, squinting hard.

“There.” If she assumed that being obtuse was amusing him, she was wrong. He stabbed his finger at it again, and then for emphasis ran his hand over it. All right, he’d admit that the truck had its share of nicks and dents. No working rancher drove a vehicle for as many years as he had without collecting a few battle scars. The pickup could use a new front fender, and a paint job wouldn’t be a bad idea, but in no way did that minimize what Joy had done.

“This truck is on its last legs, Lonny, or tires, as the case might be.”

“You’re joking, aren’t you? There’s another ten years left in the engine.” He should’ve known better than to discuss this with his sister. Women always stuck together.

“You don’t mean that tiny dent, do you?” she asked, poking it with her finger.

“Tiny dent!” he repeated, shocked that she didn’t see this for what it was. “That tiny dent nearly cost me a whole year off my life!”