to get married. They all find out he’s more interested in work and building up that ranch than in building a relationship, and they move on. Who knows, maybe Erica’s little hissy fit might have been just what he needed to make him think about taking a woman seriously. About taking his life seriously.”
“That’s right,” Esther Mae interrupted. “Life’s too short to only think about building things here on earth. He needs a family to leave that ranch to.”
Montana started getting uncomfortable with the conversation.
“It’s going to take the right woman to help him see that God has more out there for him than work,” she chimed in.
“And how about you?” Norma Sue suddenly turned her attention to Montana. “Don’t you think he’s one handsome cowboy?”
“I’ve already had this conversation with Lacy.” She met her cousin’s mischievous eyes in the mirror. “Yes, he’s handsome. But I’m not interested.”
“What about living in Mule Hollow?” Norma Sue probed. “Are you interested in maybe making this your home?”
“It’s a great place,” Lacy said, pausing her cutting the wispy hair around Adela’s face. “I’m trying to convince her of that, too. Y’all help me.”
Adela smiled understandingly. “That would be lovely, dear. If you moved here, you would have all the time you need to sort out whatever it is that’s bothering you.”
“And then you could appreciate Luke for the man that he is.” Norma Sue looked as if she’d just come up with the best idea of the century.
“Aren’t y’all supposed to be having a meeting about the fair on the opening day of the rodeo?” Montana reminded them of the reason she’d come to town. She wanted the conversation to move away from her. And Luke.
Lacy took the cape off of Adela, shaking the loose hair from it. “You’re a free woman, Adela,” she said, smiling. “We’re heading over to the diner now. I just needed to finish Adela’s cut first.”
“By the way, how’s Sheri doing?” Esther Mae called from the dryer chair. “Is she and Pace having fun in Australia, training horses?”
“Yes, they are.” Sheri was the nail tech and Lacy’s partner in the salon. She’d come to Mule Hollow with Lacy when she’d loaded up her 1958 pink Caddy and drove from Dallas to open her new business. “She said that she was thinking of moving there full-time.”
“What?” All the matchmakers gasped.
“Whoa!” Lacy waved her hands to hold off any more outbursts. “I was only teasing. She said she’s enjoying Australia but will be back home in Mule Hollow in time for the rodeos. Pace is going to ride broncs.”
“Whew, that’s a relief,” Esther Mae said. “Plus, I need a manicure something terrible.”
Adela agreed. “It certainly is. We’d miss her and her frank honesty and dry sense of humor.”
“Boy, are you right about that.” Norma Sue wagged her kinky gray head. “Talk about a hard one to match up. We didn’t think the right cowboy was ever going to come along for that little gal.”
“But God always sends the right cowboy for the right woman. In the right time.” Adela hugged Lacy. “Thanks for making my hair look so wonderful! We are so glad God also sends hairdressers to the right towns, too.”
Lacy looked pleased. “Oh, He did that.” She held her hands out for little Tate. He immediately lifted his arms for his momma. Taking him into her arms, Lacy snuggled his neck with her nose and held him close. “God knew this hairdresser needed to be right here in Mule Hollow, so I could meet Clint. So this sweet baby boy could be born.”
Montana’s heart tugged with emotion watching them.
“Okay, let’s go, gals,” Norma Sue said, moving to the door and holding it open. “Let’s get over to Sam’s. I’m sure we have a big group waiting for us over there.”
Montana followed the chattering, excited group, but she couldn’t stop thinking about them matching her up with Luke. Montana knew they all meant well. After all, it was easy to see that all their hard work was producing lots of happy couples. And families to fill up the town.
Still, she wasn’t buying in.
That’s right. It was going to take more than the goodwill of the matchmaking posse to make her see things differently. She knew she would feel that way for a long time.
If they thought Sheri Gentry had been a tough cookie to match up, they were in for a surprise because they hadn’t seen nothin’ yet.
Luke almost turned around and went back to his truck when he walked into Sam’s and saw the crowd. The place was packed! Spotting Montana—and no Erica—he decided to stay. He’d dropped by Erica’s apartment that morning to see if he could talk to her, but she hadn’t been home. He still couldn’t get over the fact that she was so angry with him.
He hadn’t made it to the counter to grab a seat on a cowhide stool before Esther Mae called out his name.
“Don’t sit over there,” she called. “We’re discussing the rodeo and festival. We need your input.”
Sam grinned from behind the counter. “You came in at the wrong time. Even App and Stanley hightailed it outta here the minute they all came marching in.”
Luke looked around the room and realized it was all ladies sitting in the booths on one side of the diner, and the other side was empty. “Looks like I missed the memo.”
“Yup. You did that. But yor here now, so you might as well dig in and bear it. I’ll brang you a nice, tall glass of sweet tea. You want a burger ta go with that?”
“Funny, Sam. Real funny. A burger’s fine.” He crossed to the table next to the one Montana was sitting at. She didn’t look too thrilled to see him.
“Hey, Montana, how are you?” he asked. She might not have a high opinion of him, but that wasn’t stopping him. After all, he wasn’t a bad guy, and maybe if she’d go out with him she’d see that. At least, maybe she’d see that he hadn’t deserved a glass of tea in the face.
“Hi, how’s it going,” she said, looking uncomfortable.
“Good.” He tipped his hat. “Hello, ladies.” He pulled a chair from a table, and was very aware of all their eyes on him. As they acknowledged him with hellos, he spoke to most of them individually. Many of them were around his age, and moved here in the last two years and married his friends.
Montana took all the interaction in, and he wondered what she was thinking. These ladies knew he wasn’t a horrible person. Maybe this was a good thing.
“How’s your morning going?” he asked her, leaning across the space toward her. “Did you get your riding done this morning?”
“I did. Tate watched me from the play area while I took a few runs. He likes watching me and Murdock round the barrels.”
Lacy held the little fella, who was standing up in his mother’s
