fingers,
which had nothing to do with the chilly morning air, she tried
to make them function enough to spoon coffee grounds into
the water and then set the pot atop the small grate.
"I swear I'd just fallen asleep when his blasted pounding
started," Bug said, still gazing at the work site.
"You know your brother has had his tail tied in a knot to
get this restaurant up and running. Quit belly-aching and get
over there to help him," Stephanie Quinter said as she
rounded the tent. "We'll have breakfast ready in half an
hour." She waved a hand to Snake. "You get, too!"
The boys grumbled under their breaths but sauntered off
toward the building, and Stephanie turned to Randi.
"You know how to make sausage gravy?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Well, get to it. I'll gather the leftover biscuits from last
night," Stephanie instructed, pulling the thick shawl around
her shoulders tighter. "Ain't none to warm yet in the
mornings. I told that boy to wait until April, but, oh no, he
wants it up and running by May. No patience, I tell ya, none
of my boys ain't got no patience."
It appeared as if the woman was waiting for her to agree,
so Randi nodded, but didn't comment as she moved to the
supply tent. Her eyes once again wandered to the half-built
structure. More men began to arrive, some on foot, some on
103
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
horseback, and she recognized several as ones who'd helped
the day before.
By the time she walked out of the tent, hands full of
breakfast supplies, the site looked like an ant hill, workers
scurrying every direction and with precise movements
completing their specific tasks. She sliced potatoes to fry in
one pan, while the sausage began to sizzle in another. The
cooking soon consumed her, and thoughts of Howard's short
night were sent to the rear crevices of her mind.
When the meal was cooked to perfection, Stephanie lifted
the large iron triangle out of the back of the supply wagon
and split the air by banging against it with a short rod. The
loud ringing echoed in Randi's ears long after the woman
tossed the object back into the wagon.
The Quinter brothers walked around the wall
simultaneously, and the breath stalled in Randi's throat.
Walking side by side, the three men created quite a scene.
Tall and muscular, with just enough swaggers in their strides
to make anyone, man or woman, take a second look, each
one was uncommonly handsome. Bug was the shortest, but
only by less than an inch or so. His dark eyes and hair made
him look like a cousin instead of a brother.
Not that she knew much about cousins, never having any
herself, but the way Howard and Snake resembled each
other, there was no doubt they were brothers. Snake was a
touch shorter than Howard, who walked in the middle, talking
to a brother on each side. Howard and Snake both had blond
hair that wasn't curly but a touch more than wavy. Their eyes
were a unique gray-green. Silently, she decided it was the
104
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
way Howard's eyes danced that made his face more
handsome. He was also broader than his brothers. Snake and
Bug weren't skinny, but they weren't as bulky as Howard.
There was no doubt to the amount of strength in his arms,
she'd felt the hard muscles yesterday and the protection they
offered last night.
Something tingled in the root of her stomach. She lifted
her eyes. Howard's gaze captured her like a rabbit in a snare.
Her face sizzled as if she'd been standing over a hot stove. A
wide smile formed on his lips, displaying a straight line of
white teeth. Her heart jolted, and her knees wobbled.
Thankfully, the pan of potatoes in her hand didn't land on the
ground.
Randi squared her shoulders and sucked in a deep breath.
She turned back to the food. Life certainly had thrust her into
an unknown plane. Focused on feeding the brothers, the
cooking managed to keep her feet on the ground and head
out of the sky, until Howard
which had nothing to do with the chilly morning air, she tried
to make them function enough to spoon coffee grounds into
the water and then set the pot atop the small grate.
"I swear I'd just fallen asleep when his blasted pounding
started," Bug said, still gazing at the work site.
"You know your brother has had his tail tied in a knot to
get this restaurant up and running. Quit belly-aching and get
over there to help him," Stephanie Quinter said as she
rounded the tent. "We'll have breakfast ready in half an
hour." She waved a hand to Snake. "You get, too!"
The boys grumbled under their breaths but sauntered off
toward the building, and Stephanie turned to Randi.
"You know how to make sausage gravy?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Well, get to it. I'll gather the leftover biscuits from last
night," Stephanie instructed, pulling the thick shawl around
her shoulders tighter. "Ain't none to warm yet in the
mornings. I told that boy to wait until April, but, oh no, he
wants it up and running by May. No patience, I tell ya, none
of my boys ain't got no patience."
It appeared as if the woman was waiting for her to agree,
so Randi nodded, but didn't comment as she moved to the
supply tent. Her eyes once again wandered to the half-built
structure. More men began to arrive, some on foot, some on
103
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
horseback, and she recognized several as ones who'd helped
the day before.
By the time she walked out of the tent, hands full of
breakfast supplies, the site looked like an ant hill, workers
scurrying every direction and with precise movements
completing their specific tasks. She sliced potatoes to fry in
one pan, while the sausage began to sizzle in another. The
cooking soon consumed her, and thoughts of Howard's short
night were sent to the rear crevices of her mind.
When the meal was cooked to perfection, Stephanie lifted
the large iron triangle out of the back of the supply wagon
and split the air by banging against it with a short rod. The
loud ringing echoed in Randi's ears long after the woman
tossed the object back into the wagon.
The Quinter brothers walked around the wall
simultaneously, and the breath stalled in Randi's throat.
Walking side by side, the three men created quite a scene.
Tall and muscular, with just enough swaggers in their strides
to make anyone, man or woman, take a second look, each
one was uncommonly handsome. Bug was the shortest, but
only by less than an inch or so. His dark eyes and hair made
him look like a cousin instead of a brother.
Not that she knew much about cousins, never having any
herself, but the way Howard and Snake resembled each
other, there was no doubt they were brothers. Snake was a
touch shorter than Howard, who walked in the middle, talking
to a brother on each side. Howard and Snake both had blond
hair that wasn't curly but a touch more than wavy. Their eyes
were a unique gray-green. Silently, she decided it was the
104
Boot Hill Bride
by Lauri Robinson
way Howard's eyes danced that made his face more
handsome. He was also broader than his brothers. Snake and
Bug weren't skinny, but they weren't as bulky as Howard.
There was no doubt to the amount of strength in his arms,
she'd felt the hard muscles yesterday and the protection they
offered last night.
Something tingled in the root of her stomach. She lifted
her eyes. Howard's gaze captured her like a rabbit in a snare.
Her face sizzled as if she'd been standing over a hot stove. A
wide smile formed on his lips, displaying a straight line of
white teeth. Her heart jolted, and her knees wobbled.
Thankfully, the pan of potatoes in her hand didn't land on the
ground.
Randi squared her shoulders and sucked in a deep breath.
She turned back to the food. Life certainly had thrust her into
an unknown plane. Focused on feeding the brothers, the
cooking managed to keep her feet on the ground and head
out of the sky, until Howard
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