Cattleman's Courtship. Lois Faye Dyer

the Bowdries have reputations for being wild,” Victoria commented dryly. “They are wild.”

      “No question that they certainly were when they were teenagers,” Lonna agreed. “They dated the girls with the worst reputations and were the first boys questioned when anything crazy happened. But after their mid-twenties, they settled down.”

      “That’s true,” Nikki confirmed. “But they’re still considered dangerous. Any woman who goes out with one of them is automatically on the top of everyone’s gossip list.” She shifted her red hair back over her shoulder, tucking it behind her ear with an absentminded gesture. “In spite of the rumors and gossip, though, the Bowdrie brothers are still the most eligible bachelors in the county—and the least likely to wed.”

      “I don’t imagine that’s surprising, given their background.” Victoria frowned at the bottle of beer Lonna handed her. Her own life as a well-loved daughter had been quiet and safe. She’d been an intense, focused child who’d known from the time she was eight years old that she would become an attorney. Boys and dating hadn’t been an important issue, and she’d never known anyone quite like Quinn Bowdrie. She wasn’t sure what she wanted from Quinn, but to have him reject her before she had a chance to decide, and for reasons that had nothing to do with her personally, was frustrating. “So much for cowboys—I should have known better,” she raised the bottle, swallowed with an unladylike gulp and choked. “Yuk! What is this stuff?”

      Lonna laughed, her eyes twinkling at the look of disgust on Victoria’s face. “Beer—would you rather have wine?”

      “No,” Victoria said with grim resolve. “I’m stuck in Montana for the next year—I’ll learn to drink beer. Straight from the bottle.” She closed her eyes, took another sip, and shuddered.

      “I think it may take awhile.” Nikki said dryly.

      Lonna nodded. “I think you’re right.”