A Bridge Unbroken (A Miller's Creek Novel) (41 page)

“Sure thing.”

A few minutes later they all made their way through the grassy field which served as parking lot to the fairgrounds and rodeo arena in search of Mona Beth Adams. The brown mare was tethered to a homemade job of a horse trailer and munched happily on the grass as her young rider, now dressed in blue jean cutoffs and a red and white gingham shirt, combed her down.

Both horse and girl glanced up as they approached. The girl did a double take when she saw Cecille’s new look. “Good gravy, Cecille. Mama and Daddy are gonna have a conniption fit if they see you lookin’ that-a-way. You have on enough make-up for all the women in China.”

Cecille sniffed. “You’re one to talk, Mona Beth. You look like a little hillbilly in those shorts. All you need ’s a corn-cob pipe.”

Mona Beth glared back momentarily, but returned to brushing down the horse.

Bo sauntered closer and held out his left hand to the horse, while his friends and Cecille and her friends hung back. The mare nuzzled his fingers with her velvety nose. Unfamiliar jitters raced through his abdomen. What was wrong with him? “Y-you and your horse—uh—did a good job with those barrels.” He fumbled through the words and then offered Mona Beth his right hand to be polite.

She eyed his proffered hand, but didn’t take it. Instead she turned back to her horse to continue the job. “Thanks.”

“You know who I am, right?” He wasn’t totally sure, but he could have sworn she rolled her big blue eyes.

“Yeah. You’re Bo Miller from the Miller ranch. Your daddy’s a big-time rancher and your great-grandfather is who the town’s named after.” An indecipherable tone and expression accompanied the words as she continued to work.

Bo frowned. Usually girls liked that about him, but she didn’t seem one bit impressed. “We’re ‘bout to head to the carnival. Wanna come with us?”

Mona Beth looked up, her clear blue eyes wide with surprise.

Cecille released a short laugh, stepped forward, and casually draped an arm through his. “Mona Beth’s more at home slopping the pigs than she is hanging out. C’mon. Let’s go.” She tugged on his arm.

Bo stood his ground. “I asked your sister a question. Any girl that can ride like what I just saw back there is big enough to answer for herself.” He sent a wink the others couldn’t see.

The glare Mona Beth had aimed at her sister now morphed into a victorious smirk. She stopped her work, laid the grooming comb on the trailer, and dusted her hands against each other with a clapping sound. “As a matter of fact, I was just finishing up here and ‘bout to head to the carnival myself. I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”