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“Think You Can Handle All Three of Us?” the Three Sisters Asked the Cowboy in His Barn — What Happened Before Dawn Changed the Whole County

Chapter 3

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Mae quietly tucked half a slice of bread into the side pocket of her leather satchel. Ethan pretended not to see that either.Ruth chewed slowly, her dark eyes tracking Ethan’s every move as he tended the fire. "You always feed strangers who break into your property?""No," Ethan said."What makes us special?""You look hungry.""That’s it?""That’s enough."Ruth leaned her head back against the pine post, studying the line of his jaw, his worn boots, and the calm, steady manner in which he handled himself. Her sharp expression softened by a small fraction, though her guard remained high. A tiny, dangerous smile touched her lips—a smile that was far more challenge than humor."Think you can handle all three of us?" she asked.Clara groaned, rubbing her temples. "Ruth, please. Don't start."Ethan took the boiling kettle off the iron stove and carefully poured black coffee into four tin cups. He handed one to each of them before taking his own."I’ve handled three half-broke mustangs in a hailstorm," Ethan replied, taking a slow sip of the scalding liquid.Mae looked up from her satchel, her eyes curious. "Were they armed with pry bars?""No," Ethan admitted."Then this may be worse," Mae said softly.Ethan finally allowed a small smile to touch his face.For ten minutes, the interior of the barn felt almost peaceful. The heat from the small iron stove warmed the cold air, the coffee cleared the chill from their bones, and the steady sound of rain created a cocoon against the vast, empty desert outside.Then, one of Ethan’s horses near the east wall dropped its head, its ears pinning back sharply as it snorted a low, warning note.Ethan’s smile vanished instantly.He set his tin cup down on a flat beam and walked silently to the edge of the open barn door.

The storm had softened into a steady, gray drizzle, but rain still fell across the valley in thin, silver sheets.
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“Think You Can Handle All Three of Us?” the Three Sisters Asked the Cowboy in His Barn — What Happened Before Dawn Changed the Whole County

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