back,” his voice was heavy with pain.
Alexandria winced for him; he had obviously loved his wife deeply. “And you kept riding?” she guessed.
“I gathered a few of my things but, yes, I basically kept riding,” he admitted as the ranch came into view.
***
Alexandria, her eyes wide, stared at her image in the mirror. She had not counted on the denim pants fitting so closely. They weren’t tight, exactly, but were rather form fitting. She placed her hands on her hips and wondered when they had filled out as they had. Had she really been so distracted that she missed that?
“How bad is it?” she asked Anna, who was watching her from the bed.
“It’s not so bad really, just unconventional,” Anna had a smile on her face. “You look kind of tough.”
“Great,” Alexandria groaned, “just what I need.” She grabbed her hat, slapped it on over her braid, and yanked on her gloves. She had decided against chaps, though she did own a pair now, and carried her duster. The day had turned out warm and she planned on carrying it along rather than wearing it.
“How did you find boots to fit?” Anna inquired.
“They’re boy’s boots,” she answered as she pulled her door open. “Wish me luck,” she called as she started down the stairs. If Jonathon stared or gawked she knew she would turn right back around and march back into the house.
Chapter Eight
Jonathon stood at the bottom of the porch steps and waited for his boss to join him. Maybe with her properly attired to work they could make some progress, especially since the weather was co-operating. He still thought he was crazy for getting himself into this situation. Why had he promised Eli he’d look after her anyway? Because he hadn’t expected to have to do it, he admitted to himself. It wasn’t that he disliked Alexandria, he had no reason to, but looking after a headstrong woman wasn’t what he would call a picnic, even if her spunk did amuse him.
The door to the house opened and pulled Jonathon’s attention from his thoughts. His gaze swept over his boss and he quickly worked at schooling his features. When he had pictured her in men’s clothing, he had pictured her lost in baggy pants; he hadn’t expected her to buy them to fit. Apparently she hadn’t expected the end result either; she looked highly uncomfortable.
“Much better. Ready to work?” Jonathon tried to put her at ease. Her clothing wasn’t indecent; merely… surprising.
“Are you sure I look all right?” her hands came to her hips.
Jonathon followed the motion and then yanked his attention back to her face.
“You look ready to work.”
“I am ready,” she nodded and started down the steps. She had watched Jonathon’s reaction closely and had seen nothing to indicate that he thought anything of her clothing.
“At least I have one consolation,” Alexandria commented as she swung into the saddle, a task much easier in her new clothing, “anyone who happened along would mistake me as one of the men and think nothing of it.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Jonathon muttered under his breath as he mounted.
Alexandria didn’t hear him. Anna did and frowned at them from her position on the porch.
“Do you think the men will be uncomfortable with my being there?” Alexandria fretted.
Jonathon looked down into her upturned face and wished that he could assure her they wouldn’t.
“They’ll get used to it,” he answered instead. “Could I make one suggestion though?”
“What’s that?”
“Find a name you’re comfortable with them using. Boss might be hard to swallow and Mrs. Morris will only remind them you’re a woman.” Like they’d need reminding, he thought to himself.
“I’ll do that,” she nodded more to herself. “I was planning on giving them the chance to leave, no questions asked. I know some men don’t like working for a woman.”
“That’s a good idea,” he was thinking of a couple of the
Alexandria winced for him; he had obviously loved his wife deeply. “And you kept riding?” she guessed.
“I gathered a few of my things but, yes, I basically kept riding,” he admitted as the ranch came into view.
***
Alexandria, her eyes wide, stared at her image in the mirror. She had not counted on the denim pants fitting so closely. They weren’t tight, exactly, but were rather form fitting. She placed her hands on her hips and wondered when they had filled out as they had. Had she really been so distracted that she missed that?
“How bad is it?” she asked Anna, who was watching her from the bed.
“It’s not so bad really, just unconventional,” Anna had a smile on her face. “You look kind of tough.”
“Great,” Alexandria groaned, “just what I need.” She grabbed her hat, slapped it on over her braid, and yanked on her gloves. She had decided against chaps, though she did own a pair now, and carried her duster. The day had turned out warm and she planned on carrying it along rather than wearing it.
“How did you find boots to fit?” Anna inquired.
“They’re boy’s boots,” she answered as she pulled her door open. “Wish me luck,” she called as she started down the stairs. If Jonathon stared or gawked she knew she would turn right back around and march back into the house.
Chapter Eight
Jonathon stood at the bottom of the porch steps and waited for his boss to join him. Maybe with her properly attired to work they could make some progress, especially since the weather was co-operating. He still thought he was crazy for getting himself into this situation. Why had he promised Eli he’d look after her anyway? Because he hadn’t expected to have to do it, he admitted to himself. It wasn’t that he disliked Alexandria, he had no reason to, but looking after a headstrong woman wasn’t what he would call a picnic, even if her spunk did amuse him.
The door to the house opened and pulled Jonathon’s attention from his thoughts. His gaze swept over his boss and he quickly worked at schooling his features. When he had pictured her in men’s clothing, he had pictured her lost in baggy pants; he hadn’t expected her to buy them to fit. Apparently she hadn’t expected the end result either; she looked highly uncomfortable.
“Much better. Ready to work?” Jonathon tried to put her at ease. Her clothing wasn’t indecent; merely… surprising.
“Are you sure I look all right?” her hands came to her hips.
Jonathon followed the motion and then yanked his attention back to her face.
“You look ready to work.”
“I am ready,” she nodded and started down the steps. She had watched Jonathon’s reaction closely and had seen nothing to indicate that he thought anything of her clothing.
“At least I have one consolation,” Alexandria commented as she swung into the saddle, a task much easier in her new clothing, “anyone who happened along would mistake me as one of the men and think nothing of it.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Jonathon muttered under his breath as he mounted.
Alexandria didn’t hear him. Anna did and frowned at them from her position on the porch.
“Do you think the men will be uncomfortable with my being there?” Alexandria fretted.
Jonathon looked down into her upturned face and wished that he could assure her they wouldn’t.
“They’ll get used to it,” he answered instead. “Could I make one suggestion though?”
“What’s that?”
“Find a name you’re comfortable with them using. Boss might be hard to swallow and Mrs. Morris will only remind them you’re a woman.” Like they’d need reminding, he thought to himself.
“I’ll do that,” she nodded more to herself. “I was planning on giving them the chance to leave, no questions asked. I know some men don’t like working for a woman.”
“That’s a good idea,” he was thinking of a couple of the
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