Page 62 of The Texas Ranger: Saddled Up
“The storm is passing. I noticed that the latch on the gate out front is sticking. How about I go fix it?” Bear was already off the stool and placing his hat on his head.
“You don’t have to do that,” Aasia said.
“Let the boy do his thing,” Pedora interrupted. “That’ll give us some time to chat.”
Bear offered Aasia a smile. “Take your time.”
“He certainly is much nicer than Bartley,” Pedora said with a grunt.
“Bentley. And Bear and I are only friends.”
Pedora’s spoon clicked rapidly in the pan as she whipped eggs, joining the symphony of the hymn on the radio. Her eyes, magnified by the thick glasses, flicked up to Aasia. “If you say so. I’m only saying that it’s good to see you with someone who’s not some snooty politician who is stuck to his mama’s tit.”
“Pedora!” Aasia nearly blew her hot cocoa out of her mouth.
“Like you haven’t thought it too.”
“Are you saying you don’t like Bentley?”
A smirk played on Pedora’s lips. “I’ve been saying that for months.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry. Bentley and I broke up. For good.”
The spoon stoppeddingingagainst the metal pan. “Then I was right. There is more between you and the cowboy.” Pedora jutted her chin toward the door.
“You’re imagining things.” Aasia feigned innocence.
“Don’t play coy. I saw the way you two looked at each other. What’s there not to like? Tall, kind eyes, smelled like the outdoors after a fresh rain. And a proper gentleman.”
“You don’t know him.”
Making a sweeping gesture with the utensil, Pedora said, “The man has been here less than an hour and is being helpful. That gate could have knocked Bentley in his ass on the way out and he wouldn’t have given it a second thought. That look, young lady. I saw it. Bear has it bad for you. Mark my words.”
“I don’t know what look you’re talking about.”
“Nonsense. And you offered him that smile.”
“And what smile is that?”
“You know, that ‘I know what you look like under all that flannel and denim’.”
“You are in a sassy mood today, aren’t you?” Aasia felt warmth crawl up her neck. “You should worry about your own romantic life and not mine,” she said gently.
“I’m seventy, honey. If I could flirt with a man that looks as good as Bear I would in a heartbeat.” Pedora leaned in conspiratorially. “He has excellent bone structure. Very nice jawline. And did you see the tattoos on his biceps.” She gave a dramatic shimmy.
Aasia giggled. “Since when are you into tattooed men?”
“Since I watched that show…oh hell, what’s the name? Sons of Disaster? Sons of Ancestors?.”
“You watchedSons of Anarchy?”
“I did and I loved it.” She dipped a brush into the egg mixture and used it over the apple pie.
“I’ll admit, Bear is a nice guy, if you can wade through all that mystery.” She thoughtfully looked over her shoulder toward the door.
“Nice is for dogs, sweetheart. He’s engaging. You can tell a lot about how a man wears his cowboy hat.” There was a nostalgic look in her aged eyes. “He sort of reminds me of Dalton Cox, back in my youth. He had a jawline that could cut glass and eyes that could take my clothes off with one glance.”
“Dalton? Why am I just now hearing about this?” Aasia asked.
