BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

Dirk frowned. “You changed your mind so quickly. I don’t understand why, but it’s your choice.” Somewhat forlorn, he shook his head, folded his hands, then looked down at the ground.

“Okay. Let me know if you need anything,” Cleo said as she made a beeline for the door.

“Ohhhhhh! Miss Connie! I know why you’re leaving!”

No you don’t, Cleo thought as she quickly reached for the door handle.

“This isn’t a real rifle! I swear it isn’t.”

Cleo froze.

“I’m throwing it over to the other couch. Look at it, Connie, please. The last thing I want is for you to be worried that …”

Cleo turned her head as the rifle landed on the other couch, its barrel pointed in her direction. Dirk’s eyes were twinkling. “I worked at a ranch out West for a while. When I was moving back home, my friends had that made for me for a joke. Look, it’s a fake. It’s got my name on it and the word “Ponderosa” because they knew I loved Bonanza. You ever see that show?”

Cleo nodded. “In reruns.”

Dirk howled. “Of course in reruns! I saw it in reruns, too. We’re both too young to have seen the original shows.” Cleo laughed in spite of herself.

“I keep the rifle under the couch because people come in here and get scared when they first see it. Like you did.”

“No I didn’t.”

Dirk’s cell phone rang again. He looked at the caller ID. “It’s my mother,” he said, then answered. “Hello, Mom … Mrs. Briggs got the news to you already huh?” Dirk winked at Cleo. “I’m fine … Yes, really … As a matter of fact, I’ve got a real cute girl taking care of me … Oh, you know that, too? … She almost left, ‘cause she saw that rifle the boys from the ranch gave me sticking out from under the couch … I know I should put it away … Sure, here, talk to her.” Grinning, Dirk held out the phone to Cleo. “My mother would like to say hello.”

“Oh,” Cleo said, clearly taken aback. She took the phone. “Hello, this is Connie.”

“Connie, don’t let my boy scare you. I told him to get rid of that stupid toy of his … How does his ankle look?”

“It’s definitely swollen.”

“Oh dear. Well, thank you for taking care of him.”

“You’re welcome,” Cleo said. “Hopefully the ice pack will help the swelling … I’m sure he’ll call you if it doesn’t … Okay, then, it’s nice talking to you … Bye now.” Cleo handed the phone back to Dirk, shaking her head with amusement.