Playing House by Jodi Olson

BLURB:
What would a woman do to get her inheritance, especially if it required she have a husband? Could she rope the nearest cowboy; and if she caught him…what would she do with him? Kathryn gets more than she bargained for when she starts…PLAYING HOUSE.

Excerpt:
Kathryn absently stirred her drink and mulled over her dilemma. She was due to inherit a large sum of money from her father but there were problems, some of her own making, but problems nonetheless. Her father left her a substantial inheritance in his will, but only if she was married by the age of thirty. Her thirtieth birthday was the day after tomorrow, and she was still single. That complicated things because six months earlier Kathryn told her mother she was married, happily married to a hot cowboy. She’d lied to her mother, telling her she hadn’t told her about the marriage before now because she and her new husband had been so busy since the wedding they just hadn’t had time…too much work. Now her mother was expecting them, Kathryn and her non-existent husband, for a short visit. Kathryn had felt the lie was worth the reward. Once her mother saw how happily married she was there would be no problem in getting her inheritance. The problem was Kathryn was due at her mom’s tomorrow…and she had no ‘hot cowboy husband’.The bartender stopped to see if Kathryn wanted another drink. He flirted with her but she wasn’t paying any attention. She wanted a cowboy, not a bartender. Kathryn smiled as she looked at Mark. “I think I’ll change my drink to Get Laid. That sounds like a good one to try, don’t you think?” Mark had a mouthful of beer and spit it all over the bar. They were both laughing.“Hey, you OK over there, mister?” she asked him. “Yea, I’m fine, just never heard of that drink. Guess cowboys only drink whiskey or beer. I’m curious what’s in a Get Laid, if you don’t mind me asking?”“Well, 1 oz of vodka, ¾ oz of raspberry schnapps, fill the glass to about an inch from the top with pineapple juice, add a splash of cranberry juice and you have a Get Laid. They’re really good. You get used to them after you’ve had a couple.” Mark grimaced, the drink didn’t sound good to him, too sweet, too fruity. He nodded to Kathryn. “Think I’ll stay with beer Ma’am. Get Laid doesn’t sound like a drink for a cowboy.”“So you’re a cowboy? I love cowboys! In fact I’m supposed to be married to one right now.” Kathryn took another sip of her drink. She needed to stop drinking or she would say more than she intended to this stranger. “What do you mean by you’re supposed to be married? Where’s your husband?” Several thoughts ran through Mark’s head as he waited for her answer. She didn’t look married, hell she wasn’t even wearing a ring. “Well cowboy it’s a long story,” she said. She took her drink, stood up from the stool, and walked over to Mark.Kathryn got close to him and crinkled up her nose. ”Did anyone ever tell you that you smell like cow shit? You make my eyes water.” “Believe me lady, I know what I smell like; unfortunately; it goes with the job. It’s money and it pays my bills so I can’t complain.” “How much money can there be in cleaning up cow shit? I can’t believe there would be much money in that. Would you like to do a job for me instead? It would keep you from stinking that’s for sure, and you’d make a lot of money in a short period of time, cowboy!”Mark silently wondered what her “job” might be. He didn’t need her money; he had enough money, so why was he even considering her offer? With another look at her he knew why, and it had nothing to do with money.“Doing what? Hell, I don’t even know your name. Mind sharing that with me?” Mark yawned, the long day was catching up, he was getting sleepy but he didn’t want to leave just yet. He bet her story was a good one and he wanted to hear it. “I will pay you to be my husband for a few days while I go see my mother and get my inheritance money.”Laughing, Mark pushed his hat back on his head and placed his beer on the bar. “You have to be kidding, right?”“No, I’m not kidding. My father died leaving me some money, actually a lot of money, but he had in his Will that by the time I was thirty and I had to be married to get that money. Well I’m nearly thirty and single. I told my mother I was married to a cowboy and we were very happy. My name is Kathryn Moore, my father was Kelvin Moore. Have you ever heard of him?” “Well Kathryn, no I haven’t heard of him, but then I don’t get a chance to read the local papers and I don’t live around here either. I’m just passing through on my way home. I’ve been driving all day and now that I’ve had some food and a few beers all I want to do is get in a hot shower and crawl into bed. I still have a long drive in the morning so I’ll call it a night. It was nice chatting with you and good luck on finding that cowboy.”Mark rose and walked past her, tipping his hat as he went out the door.Kathryn ordered another drink, sipped it and considered her options. She couldn’t figure out what to do about her life. She took the unused wedding rings out of her purse and stared hopelessly at them. Shaking her head she got up and resignedly walked out the door, defeat evident on her face.

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