Wyoming Sweethearts

She glanced at the screen, where the text her boss had sent her was overlaid by Cheyenne’s cell number. She considered answering it, but then she would wind up saying where she was and what she was doing, and it would be impossible not to mention the handsome man chatting amicably on his phone a few feet away. No, best to hit the ignore button and get back to her friend later.

“Well, duty calls.” Sean pushed away and offered her a dashing grin, making time stand still. Again. Her neurons forgot how to fire. Again. She sat captivated by the wholesome goodness of the man as he tipped his hat to her. “I’ll see you around, Eloise Tipple.”

“Bbb—” The closest thing she could manage to goodbye, but he didn’t seem to notice her jumbled attempt at speech. He loped away with a relaxed, confident stride and hopped into his truck.

“Do you think he was mad at me?” Chloe spoke up, startling Eloise completely. The phone tumbled out of her grip and hit the floor. The teenager scrunched her face up with worry. “Are you? I couldn’t believe I got your ice-cream cone wrong. My manager is right. One order at a time. I’m no good with two.”

“It’s not a big deal.” As the truck motored away and took Sean with it, her neurons began to fire normally. Her vocabulary returned. “Have a good day, Chloe.”

“I will, now the lunch rush is nearly over. Bye!”

It wasn’t until Eloise had pulled onto the street heading away from town that it struck her. Sean Granger had remembered her name.

Chapter Two

Find homeless horses, Eloise scribbled onto her to-do list. This was her new assignment, added to all the others. Her desk at the inn was tucked a few steps down the hallway from the front desk. Her only window gazed out at the new rose gardens and gave a peek at the new stable. Cady wanted to offer horses for the guests to ride and that meant someone had to find the appropriate animals. That someone was her. Eloise took a sip of bottled water and smiled at the text message shining on her phone’s luminous screen.

Aunt Cady, you promised to get your horses from the shelter. You have to save their lives so they can have a home and be loved.

Eloise sighed. Cady’s little goddaughter’s message was too cute, but how did one go about finding homeless horses? Did the county humane society take them in? There was only one way to find out. She grabbed the yellow pages out of her bottom desk drawer and began leafing through it. If the phone book doesn’t help, then Lord please send a hint or two to guide me.

The bell above the front door chimed and the telltale snap of sandals on the polished hardwood had her rising to her feet. She grabbed her cane and tapped around the corner, expecting to see the Neilsons, who were yet to arrive for their reservation. So when she saw a tall, slender young woman with auburn hair and smiling eyes wearing a Washington State University shirt and denim cutoffs, she let out a surprised squeal. “Cheyenne!”

“It wouldn’t have been a surprise if you checked the message I left you.” She threw out her arms wide for a welcoming hug then stepped back, squinting. “You look good. Really good. How’s the pain level?”

“Better. How does it feel to finally be a vet?” Eloise led the way toward the comfortable sitting area near the front desk.

“I start working for Nate next Monday, and I still can’t believe this is really happening. You would have thought graduation might have made it clear to me.” She shook her head, bouncing along, full of exuberance. “I’m jazzed. I can’t wait to start.”

“When did you get back in town?”

“Last night much later than I’d meant to. What are you doing after work?”

“Nothing exciting.”

“Want to grab dinner at Clem’s?”

The phone rang before she could answer, so Eloise grabbed it at the front desk. The Neilsons had landed at the airport one town away and wanted to verify their directions. Simple enough to make sure they were heading the right way. Eloise got their cell number in case they didn’t show up in an hour, kept the cordless phone with her and leaned on her cane. “Want an iced latte?”

“Do you have to ask?”

They changed directions and headed for the dining room, which was nearly empty. The lunch crowd had gone and the early diners wouldn’t start showing up for a few hours. Pleasant clinks and clanks from the kitchen rang like discordant music.

“So, is that yes for dinner at Clem’s?” Cheyenne chose a table near a sunny window. “Or is the diner too common for you, now that you work in such a fancy place?”

“Are you kidding? I’m a diner gal through and through.”

“Me, too. I’m way underdressed for this dining room.” Cheyenne plucked at the collar of her T-shirt. “It’s a good thing I have an in with the manager.”

“Exactly, or we would toss your kind out.” It was fun to banter. A great perk to being home was seeing old friends. She leaned her cane against the window sill and settled into the cushioned chair.

“You look good. How is the physical therapy coming along?”

“It’s done. My leg has come as far as it can.” She shrugged one shoulder, as if that wasn’t a big deal. As if she didn’t feel torn apart every time she said it. Life dealt you hard blows and you had to deal and keep moving forward. That’s what she decided in the ambulance when she was being rushed to the trauma center. She’d known before the firemen had cut her out of the car that life would never be the same. The paralysis had improved but not disappeared, which was amazing enough. “I can ride my horse. That’s the good news. I can’t complain. Now, down to business. Are you ever going to tell me what really happened with Edward?”

“I told you, he thought I was getting too serious so he broke things off.” Cheyenne rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Sierra, who bounded over in her black-and-white uniform. Cheyenne lit up. “Hey, I heard a rumor you’re marrying my brother. Nice engagement ring.”

“Shocking, but true. When he asked, I accepted.” Sierra radiated happiness. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“I can’t imagine,” Cheyenne agreed. After they ordered and Sierra disappeared into the kitchen, she propped both elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands. “So, what’s new with you?”

“With me? I’m not buying the innocent look. I know exactly what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing? I’m just sitting here.”

Eloise wished she could make her friend’s pain disappear. Anyone looking at Cheyenne wouldn’t guess she was nursing a broken heart. “You and Edward broke up on Valentine’s Day. That’s three months ago. You aren’t over it, I can tell.”

“I’ve decided to stay in denial. It isn’t just a river in Egypt.” Cheyenne waggled her brows.

“That isn’t funny enough to distract me, and you know how I like to laugh.” Eloise stretched out her bad leg and relaxed against the chair cushions. “You forget I have a romantic disaster in my past, so I know how it can feel when some guy who says he loves you up and ends things.”

“Our relationship was convenient for him, that was all.” Cheyenne’s face tightened, although she acted light and breezy as if she hadn’t been devastated. “I’m over it.”

“Wow, your denial is really strong.”

“It’s made out of titanium. Nothing will crack it.”

“Then I guess we’d better change the subject.”

“Fabulous idea.”

And she knew exactly what the subject would be. The handsome cowboy from the drive-in flashed into her mind. In truth, he hadn’t ever really gone away but lurked in the back of her brain like a happy thought. “I ran into your cousin in town today. He has an affinity for ice-cream cones, too.”

“Right. Sean. I’m trying to remember the last time you saw him.”

“Years and years ago. Probably the summer before we graduated from high school, the last summer I was home.” She caught sight of Sierra returning and debated changing the subject. But why? It wasn’t as if she were interested in Sean Granger. Besides, she wanted to know more about him. “He’s changed. I hardly recognized him.”

“He’s gotten tall, hasn’t he? I think he’s taller than Dad.”

Sierra set the glasses of icy drinks on the table. “Are you talking about Sean? He’s such a nice guy. It’s too bad what happened to him.”

“Why? What happened?” Inquiring minds wanted to know. She leaned forward, her heart rate tapping inexplicably faster.

“Bad breakup.” Sierra added two rolls of cloth napkins to the table. “She shattered his heart, or so I hear. She up and started dating someone else.”

Images of the handsome cowboy hopped into Eloise’s mind. Of the black Stetson shading his rugged face, the dimples bracketing his grin and the strong dependability the man exuded. “He didn’t look too heartbroken to me.”

“Are you kidding? It’s a Granger family trait not to deal with emotions.” Cheyenne took a sip of her iced coffee. “I notice you are doing the same thing, Eloise.”