The Reluctant Cowgirl by Christine Lynxwiler Page B

“We’ve heard so much about you.”
    “I hope it wasn’t all bad.”
    “Bad? Are you kidding me?” Allie shook her head. “We’re all hoping you’ll decide to put on a workshop while you’re here.”
    Crystal tilted her head. “A workshop?”
    “A woman used to come down from Chicago and do a drama day camp for the local kids when I was growing up. Before your time.” Allie laughed. “We loved it.”
    “I didn’t know that. We—” Crystal cleared her throat. “I took classes at the Imperial Studio of the Arts in Pocahontas when I was young. I don’t think we ever had anything like that here in Shady Grove then.”
    Allie shook her head. “No, she quit after us. Hmm ... maybe we drove her out of town.”
    “The truth comes out,” Daniel said dryly.
    She slapped at him. “Not me, of course, but maybe Lark or Victoria.” She glanced back at Crystal. “Two more of my and Rachel’s friends. You’ll love them. Although, Daniel’s right. Together, we could usually find some kind of trouble to get into.”
    “Some things never change, do they, man?” Jack said teasingly.
    Daniel laughed, but he put his arm around Allie’s waist.
    “Are you guys ganging up on Allie?” Rachel asked as she and Elyse came back in the room, followed by a friendly-looking chocolate lab.
    Jack snorted. “Who? Us?” He held out his hand to the dog. “Hey, buddy. You feeling better?”
    Cocoa cast a nervous glance around the room but trotted over to his master. Shadow stood and padded across the room to Elyse.
    Rachel beamed. “Elyse figured out what was wrong.”
    Jack glanced up from where he was rubbing the dog behind the ears. “What?”
    “March Madness—it’s our basketball kick, combined with the new surround sound system.”
    “Huh?”
    “The whistles. He hates the refs’ whistles.” She turned to Elyse. “So if we turn off surround sound while we watch the ball games, do you think it’ll be okay?”
    Elyse nodded, her own attention focused on Shadow. Crystal noticed her olive skin took on a hint of red with all eyes on her. “That should be fine,” she said softly. “If not, you can just get Cocoa settled in the bedroom with some toys and food and water before you start the game.”
    “Not that we’ll have to worry about that anymore until next season unless the Hogs do better this second half,” Daniel said.
    Jack winced. “Ouch. True. But it’s a big relief to know what was causing her to bolt for the bedroom.”
    Allie nodded. “She was giving us a complex. Every time we come over lately, she starts acting funny.”
    Daniel scooted his wife over against him. “Good to know he’s just allergic to basketball and not us.”
    “We’d better go,” Elyse said softly.
    As if she understood Elyse’s words, Cocoa trotted over to her. She bent down and told both dogs good-bye then straightened.
    Admiration flitted across Rachel’s face. “Thank you again, Elyse.”
    “It was my pleasure.”
    “Nice meeting you,” Crystal said.
    Everyone echoed her words.
    “Let me know if you decide to put on a workshop, Crystal,” Allie called.
    “What kind of workshop?” Elyse asked as they pulled out onto the road.
    Crystal told her about their conversation.
    “That sounds like something you’d love,” Elyse said.
    “It would be fun, I think. But I can’t do it while I’m supposed to be watching the ranch.”
    “No, but you could do it when Mama and Daddy get home.”
    “Bite your tongue. I have to go back to New York the second they get back. I’m really close to the possibility of a Broadway role, Elyse.”
    Elyse nodded. “You can’t take a chance on missing that opportunity. Not after you’ve worked this long for it.”
    After a quick pass through Dairy Queen to get ice cream, they headed home. As they pulled into the driveway in front of the McCord house, Elyse looked over at Crystal. “Want me to come in with you?”
    “I don’t know,” Crystal joked. “Are you going to tell me