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Under A Calico Moon: Calico Brides, #2
Under A Calico Moon: Calico Brides, #2
Under A Calico Moon: Calico Brides, #2
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Under A Calico Moon: Calico Brides, #2

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Recovering from the death of his brother, Chet Bowman is finally finding a sense of normalcy. He's through hiding from the world on his ranch, and he's tired of being alone. He's ready to act on his long-time attraction to Lil Kersey, the sultry saloon owner who runs his favorite watering hole.

While his relationship with Lil blossoms, their courtship comes under fire from the former marshal of Calico, now gone rogue. As Austen Riley ramps up his revenge on the cowboy who thwarted his plans to control Calico, Lil struggles to survive Austen's unwanted attentions.

When the dust settles after one final gun fight, will Lil and Chet find their happily ever after? Or will Austen's maniacal revenge tear them apart forever?

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 10, 2018
ISBN9781775349129
Under A Calico Moon: Calico Brides, #2
Author

Ellie Lynn

They always say 'write what you know', so Ellie Lynn started out writing romantic comedy. She's since discovered a love of historical western romances as she channels Gunsmoke and Bonanza, but still writes the occasional contemporary. These days she calls rural Saskatchewan home with her husband, two incredibly spoiled dogs and Horatio the salamander.

Read more from Ellie Lynn

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    Book preview

    Under A Calico Moon - Ellie Lynn

    Chapter One

    Chet knelt, examining the boot print that shouldn’t have been behind his barn. From heel to toe, he figured the impression was about a size ten. A man’s boot.

    He stood, wiping the sweat from his brow. Dammit. He was getting bolder, whoever’d left that print. Chet slammed his Stetson back onto his head and frowned. He didn’t like the idea of someone lurking around his ranch.

    What are you doing? he said, thrusting his chin toward the boot print. What are you looking for?

    Taking a swallow from his coffee mug, Chet paused and surveyed the horizon. While there wasn’t a lot of places to hide between his ranch and Calico, the dunes could easily mask an errant rider or two. The trick was to watch for the dust clouds. Few animals could stir up the desert like a man on horseback.

    He walked the perimeter of his house, barns and outer buildings, gaze darting right and left for any other signs of trouble. Didn’t feel right. Something was off. He could feel it as surely as if someone had sent notice. In a way they had though, hadn’t they?

    Chet stepped up the stairs to the back porch and took another look at his spread. It was eerily quiet. Like the day after Chas was hung. Chet shuddered and leaned forward on the railing as the memories washed over him. His brother, accused of a crime he didn’t commit, was hauled off to jail and then pulled out of that cell by an angry mob and lynched before the judge could arrive to pass sentence.

    In times like these, when the quiet was almost thick enough to slice, Chet couldn’t stop himself from remembering the sight of Chas swinging from the gallows. It was his boots that Chet remembered the most, probably because it was too hard to remember the moment he cut his brother down and removed the noose from around his neck. But the boots. The boots swinging in the air. Those were hard to forget.

    After he buried his brother, Chet dismissed the ranch hands and cook. His grief was too strong, too personal to share with anyone. He needed the solitude of the ranch. But now, it was simply too quiet.

    He shrugged off the painful memory and strode into the house, dropping his coffee cup onto the kitchen counter. His gaze took in the dish-filled sink. Sighing, he grabbed a pot and pumped water into it, and placed it on the stove to heat. The pump was a nice addition. Saved him from making trips back and forth to the well.

    He sighed again and paused to look out his kitchen window. The garden was dry. He’d have to see to watering the sparse vegetable patch before there was nothing left.

    Dammit, he said. Maybe the marshal was right. Maybe it was time to stop hiding from life and get back to the business of living.

    Tomorrow Chet would go into Calico and hire a cook. Would be nice to have someone help with the garden and better food than what he could make would be a welcome change, too. Maybe a couple of cowhands as well. Yes, he’d hire some people tomorrow, so things wouldn’t be so quiet anymore.

    He smiled. Lil. He’d stop in and see Lil. And get back to the business of living.

    LIL SAT ON THE BENCH outside her saloon with her feet up on the railing and her gown tucked between her legs. Not very ladylike, but hell, no one called her a lady, anyway. A breeze to cool her toes would be nice right about now. It was so damn hot.

    Hot enough to keep her girls from working. No man wanted to rustle up a sweat in this kind of heat. Instead, the girls cleaned their rooms and now were wilting on the upstairs balcony, trying to catch any breeze that might come their way, too.

    Lil’s head lolled to the side. With little activity in town, it was easy to watch the few people with the energy to mill about. A lone rider coming in from the west caught her eye. A chocolate brown stallion and tall cowboy on its back made her smile. She’d have to thank whatever had brought Chet Bowman into town today.

    She dragged her feet off the railing, stood and shook her dress loose. Pushing a limp brunette ringlet away from her face, she eyed Chet as he entered the General Store. If she went inside and ran a cool cloth across her skin and refreshed her hair, she might not look so pathetic after he finished his errands and came in for a drink.

    She smiled. He was a nice man, but ever since his brother passed, he’d pretty much shut himself off from everyone, including her. Of course, they hadn’t started a relationship back then, just an occasional flirtation at the bar in her saloon, so avoiding her wasn’t out of the ordinary. Maybe she could do something about that. With a nod, she hurried inside as much as one could hurry in the heat to freshen up.

    Just behind the curtain that hid the stairs to the girls’ rooms, she’d set up a small mirror with a table and a basin for water. It was one of Lil’s best ideas when she took over the saloon from the previous owner. She used the basin frequently to run a cool cloth over her face when it got too warm, or too dusty. Which was often.

    Stepping through the curtain back to the bar area, Lil made it behind the bar in time to intercept a grizzled old cowboy who was about to help himself to a mug of beer.

    Now, Stillwell, you know better than that, she said with a grin and took the mug from his hand and finished pouring from the keg under the counter.

    I was thirsty, he said and lowered his head while she shooed him to the other side of the bar. I’m dryer than a popcorn fart.

    She tossed her head back and gave a throaty chuckle as she handed him his beer. Can’t rightly say I know what that’s like, but it sounds bad. You’d better drink up.

    He winked and lowered himself to a bar stool. I’d better.

    The swinging saloon doors pushed open with two miners entering to sit at a nearby table. One held up two fingers. Lil nodded. Whiskey and two glasses.

    She deposited their drinks with a seductive smile and stood, smoothing the front of her dress. Her gaze strayed back to the door while she spoke to the men. Is there anything else I can get for you gentlemen? The girls are upstairs freshening up and will be down in a few minutes.

    One waved her away. Too hot for women today.

    She fanned herself. I agree. Oh, Lord, do I agree.

    Another shadow darkened the boardwalk outside the swinging doors. Lil glanced over, pausing on the rancher stepping through the portal. Her gaze traveled up from the dust covered boots, upward over the long length of denim trouser, past the belt buckle and across the blue plaid shirt to his face. Sun tanned, a hint of stubble on his jaw and a sparkle in his green eyes was enough to send butterflies spinning within the pit of her belly.

    Smiling broadly, she fluttered her eyelashes before giving him a bold stare. Why, Mr. Bowman, whatever brought you to my fine establishment this day?

    Well, Miss Lil, he said with a grin and dragged the dusty brown Stetson from his head. I came in to post a note in the General Store. Then I thought about you.

    More likely, you thought about how thirsty you are. She giggled and felt like a schoolgirl again. But I’ll take the compliment, just the same.

    I am a mite parched, he said and smiled again.

    Holding his hat with one hand, he steered Lil toward the mahogany counter with the other, resting his warm palm on the small of her back. It sent tingles down her spine. She hadn’t felt tingles in such a long while, but tried to squash those feelings. Perhaps he merely wanted some ale and by guiding her toward the bar, he got it quicker.

    She stepped behind the bar, turned around and pasted on a smile. A mug or a shot glass?

    How about a shot, a mug and a pretty lady to keep me company?

    The velvety tone in his voice caused Lil to raise her eyes from the mug she poured. Her heart sank. Had she been wrong? Was he looking for one of her girls? Maybe she’d been reading too much into Chet’s flirting these last few weeks and had her hopes raised for nothing. Of course he flirted with her, she owned the damn saloon! Let me finish pouring this, and I’ll get one of the girls for you.

    His fingers brushed over hers as he took the offered mug. She swallowed and cursed herself for the blush that burned in her cheeks. Pulling her hand away, she turned to pour the shot of whiskey, and then placed it in front of him.

    Pour another, please, he asked, halting her movement to leave the bar.

    A two-hander kind of day, huh? Lil laughed and set a second shot glass beside the first.

    Not at all, he said and pushed one of the shot glasses to a spot on his right. He indicated the seat beside him. His green eyes seemed to bore straight into her soul. It’s for the pretty lady. Pleasure coursed through her. Me?

    He took her hand. I don’t see any other pretty lady standing in front of me.

    Warmth flushed into her cheeks again, and she hoped he’d think it was the heat. Was he really teasing her or just being kind? Lil had to know before she made a bigger fool of herself. It’s just that generally, when a gent is wanting a lady’s company in this establishment, it’s one of my girls he wants to see. They’re a bit more... generous... with their attentions than I am.

    Chet drew her closer with his warm, callused hand. Lil, he murmured. "I have no interest in your girls. I came here to see you. If you don’t mind, that is."

    Me? she said again. She gave him a small smile. I don’t get many gentlemen callers. Not too many men want to take up with a saloon girl, except in the biblical way, of course.

    He nodded and stroked his stubbled chin. True, but Lil, this here is Calico. Saloon gals is about all there is around here, except for the married ladies.

    That is certainly true, she agreed and smoothed the front of her gown. With one elbow on the bar, she leaned into him and batted her eyes. Still doesn’t change the fact that I don’t get gentlemen callers. Oh, men come in here, of course, but not for me.

    First time for everything, he said and picked up his shot glass. He tilted his head and gave her a wink. To a new friendship?

    She clinked her shot against his, and they tossed the fiery liquid back in unison. Truth be told, Mr. Bowman, I haven’t had a gentleman friend since before I came west. I’m a little rusty.

    He gave her a lopsided grin. That makes two of us, ma’am. I ain’t had a lady friend since... He paused as a look of pain entered his eyes. Well, it’s been about a year. Maybe a little more.

    Well, Mr. Bowman—

    Chet, he corrected.

    Chet, she repeated. "I have enjoyed your company thus far, so I don’t see why we can’t continue to be friends."

    Now his grin was wide enough to nearly split his face in two. Draining his mug, he reached for his hat and placed his Stetson on his head. I need to get over and see the marshal about a matter, but I was hopin’ you would like to come out to the ranch for supper with me tonight?

    That wasn’t what she expected to hear. She glanced around the saloon at the tables slowly filling with patrons. I wish I could, she said, but I need to be here this evening. It’s been a long, quiet day. I expect it to get a little noisier tonight, and the girls will probably need me.

    At the crestfallen look on his face, she continued, But if you would care to join me for supper at Dory’s at six thirty, I would very much enjoy the company.

    Chet nodded and unfolded his six-foot frame from the bar stool. That sounds like a mighty fine invitation, Miss Lil. I’ll meet you at Dory’s.

    Don’t be late, she called after him. You know how Dory is about suppertime.

    He paused in mid stride and glanced over his shoulder. Lil, he said. His eyes smoldered as he gave her a bold appraisal. "So we’re clear. I don’t want to be just friends. I want way more than that."

    HE STEPPED UP ONTO the boardwalk in front of Dory’s and met the feisty brunette’s eyes through the pane glass window. Lil’s broad smile warmed the pit of his belly. Entering the foyer of Dory’s Boarding House, he turned right, into the dining room and almost collided with the older woman.

    Land sakes, Mr. Bowman! I didn’t see ye, Dory said, wiping her face with her apron. We’re full up tonight, but I can try and get ye a seat seeings how you came all this way.

    He grinned. Don’t worry, Dory. My supper companion is already here. But a cup of Arbuckles would be swell, if you don’t mind.

    Coming right up, she said and hurried away to fetch his coffee.

    He nodded toward a few of the patrons as he made his way through the crowded dining room. Lil sat at her usual table, which was covered with a blue and white checked tablecloth, in front of the big window overlooking Main Street. Keeping an eye on the saloon? he asked as he sat.

    She tossed her auburn ringlets and chuckled. Old habits. And of course, it does get a little rowdy when the place fills up. I’m simply watching for anyone who may get tossed out on their backside. And then? he asked, glancing toward the boardwalk.

    Her brow raised as Lil took a sip of her tea. Depending on who is upended, and where they land, I may feel the need to intervene.

    I see, he said, and gave Dory’s son a nod as his coffee was placed in front of him. What’s your mother cooking tonight, Charlie?

    Chicken and dumplings, the boy replied. And it’s real good. I had some a while ago.

    Sounds good to me. Lil? He stretched across the table to cover her hand with his.

    She met Chet’s gaze. "It smells heavenly, so yes, I’ll have some

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