new owner of the ranch.” She curled her slender legs up beneath her. “Adam told me Cass was something of a legend around here. I have a feeling that even if I decided to stay on, I’d never be able to live up to her in the eyes of everyone here.”
“You don’t have to live up to anyone, Cassie, and you’re stronger than you think you are. But thank goodness you don’t have to make any decisions at the moment. There’s still plenty of work to do around here before you make a final decision about selling or staying.”
Cassie nodded. “Adam told me that tomorrow most of the men are going to work on cutting up the trees the tornado blew down. He said the wood would be stacked both here at the house and at the bunkhouse for the fireplaces in the winter.”
She yawned and then continued. “You know that missing woman I mentioned that was in the paper? I guess one of the ranch hands here, Nick Coleman, was seeing her before she disappeared.”
“What have the police said about it?” Nicolette asked.
“They think it’s possible she just left town. Apparently she’d only been in town a couple of months. Adam said there’s no way he believes that Nick had anything to do with her disappearance.”
“Sounds like you and Adam are getting quite cozy,” Nicolette said.
“Strictly business,” Cassie replied. “Tomorrow he’s going to take me on a tour of the entire ranch so I can make notes on what I think needs to be done, and to explain more about the everyday operations.” She yawned again. “And on that note, I think it’s time for me to head to bed. I’m exhausted.”
“It’s all this fresh air and sunshine.” Nicolette grinned. Cassie got up from the sofa, and with good-nights exchanged, she went upstairs.
Nicolette thought about going out on the porch and sitting for a little while, but when she realized that part of her reason for doing so was in hopes that Lucas might show up and share part of the night with her, she dismissed the idea.
They’d been here for only two days and one evening and already she was spending far too much of her time thinking about Lucas Taylor. She should be focusing on what her future would look like when they returned to New York.
Although she hadn’t mentioned it to Cassie, Nicolette was considering having Cassie buy out her half of the business, and that would give Nicolette enough money for her and Sammy to get their own place. Nicolette could finish her schooling and get a teaching job.
Of course, it all depended on what Cassie decided to do, and while she knew Cassie’s initial decision had been to sell the ranch, who knew how her friend would feel in two or three months from now? By then the cowboys wouldn’t be just names on paper, they’d be real people, and that might make it more difficult for Cassie to just walk away.
Realizing she was more tired than she’d thought, she decided to head upstairs. She turned off all the lights and climbed the staircase, trying not to worry about the future or think about Lucas.
As always as she passed Sammy’s bedroom, she paused to peek in at her sleeping son...and saw a person with a ski mask on at his window.
For the space of a heartbeat she froze, her brain not understanding how a man could be at the second-floor window. His glittering gaze caught hers, and it was at that moment she screamed.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
