At the Cowboy's Mercy by Emma Jay Page B

she'd been the first night she'd come to him. Her eyes shone as she smiled at the waitress and some of the confidence she'd always carried had returned. He wasn't sure what to make of that.  
    His gaze fell to her wrists as she rested her arms on the counter. The chafing on her wrists seemed more pronounced in the florescent lights, and he winced, wanting to cover them.
    "Are y'all new around here, or passing through?" the waitress, Jolene, asked as she stood before them, poised with an order pad.
    "Luke has land near here, so we're spending a couple of days."
    The farmer next to Kennedy perked up. "Land near here? Where are you?"
    "Out Highway 90 a bit, closer to here than Seguin, off Farm Road 2091," Luke said.
    "The old Evans place?"
    Luke nodded, surprised the man reasoned it out so quickly.  
    "What are you going to do there?"
    "Some cattle, some horses. Needs work first."
    The older man nodded. "Empty a long time. Sad thing. Old man Evans had real pride there. He had a garden that could grow any damned thing, kept a couple of dairy cows in addition to his beef cattle. And could build anything you'd ever want."
    Luke got the feeling he was being measured and found lacking in comparison. "I'm looking to build a corral and train rodeo stock."
    "Luke rides for the rodeo now," Kennedy piped up. "A bulldogger."
    The farmer's gaze slid over Luke's shoulders and chest, and Luke got the feeling he was thinking what Luke himself had just figured out--he was no better than a gambler, hoping his skill was enough but taking a chance every time he rode. When the waitress returned with their coffee, he saw something different in her eyes, the opposite of the farmer.  
    "I guess it's too much to hope she's your sister," Jolene said with a wink, motioning to Kennedy.
    Luke smiled in return as he lifted the steaming cup to his lips. "Not my sister."
    "Too bad," Jolene said, and sashayed off.
    Luke glanced at Kennedy, who was grinning.  
    "Does that happen a lot?"
    He lifted a shoulder. How was he supposed to answer that?
    "How often do you take them up on it?" she pursued.
    "Not as often as Liam."
    "Well, Liam's a man-whore. So. You. How often?"
    He turned his head to look at her. "You want a number?"
    She hesitated. "I'll settle for an estimate."
    He shook his head. "Nope."
    "Come on."
    "Why do you want to know?"
    Again, she paused. "I don't know. I guess I never thought of your life like that before."
    "You didn't think I got laid?"
    "Maybe I didn't want to think about it," she said quietly, turning her attention to her own coffee.  
    Well, hell, what did that mean? Women. He didn't get it.
    Jolene didn't come back to get their order for awhile, the place was so busy, and his stomach growled, protesting the coffee on an empty stomach. When Jolene returned, she was harried and apologetic.
    "Running me off my feet today," she said. "You decided?"
    "Why are you by yourself when it's this busy?" Kennedy asked after she'd placed her order.
    "I finally got Mark, the owner, to agree to hire another waitress. We just put the help-wanted sign in the window." She nodded toward the front door.  
    Kennedy straightened. "A breakfast waitress?"
    "Mostly. Some evenings, too." Jolene angled her head. "You looking for a job?"
    "I need a job," Kennedy replied, like she was testing the words.
    "You ever waitress?"
    "In college."
    Jolene's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't look like it was too long ago."
    "Almost ten years ago."
    Jolene shrugged. "Not much has changed. Would he be coming in if you worked here?" She nodded her head toward Luke.
    "He'll be heading out on the circuit soon."
    Jolene pursed her lips. "I'll get you an application."
    When she walked away, Luke leaned close. "What are you thinking?"
    She squared her shoulders. "Okay, you might think I'm crazy, but what if I stay here? At your house? I could look after it, maybe do some stuff like paint or something, keep it mowed and cared for while you're on the road, and I could work here and