Read Online Cassidy Harte and the Comeback Kid by RaeAnne Thayne - Free Book Online

work and dialed the number to the small grocery store in town. Alvin Jeppson, the owner and produce manager, was a good man. She’d gone to school with one of his five daughters and Al had coached her ponytail softball team several years running. Maybe it was all that cheering he did back then—or maybe just the din created by five daughters—but over the years he had become a little hard-of-hearing.
    In typical stubborn Western male fashion, he refused to turn his hearing aid up loud enough, which resulted in some interesting twists whenever she tried to purchase supplies from him.
    When he picked up the phone, she automatically raised her voice several decibels. “Mr. Jeppson, this is Cassie Harte at the Lost Creek. I need to check on my order.”
    She smiled while Alvin greeted her with warmth and affection. The smile faded to a grimace when he immediately launched into a diatribe against that “no-good cowboy who done her wrong” daring to show his face in town again.
    â€œIf he turns up in my store, he’ll wish he hadn’t. I can tell you that much for darn sure.”
    She had a quick, undeniably gratifying mental picture of old, deaf Mr. Jeppson whacking Slater with a can of cream of mushroom soup. “Like it or not, it looks like he’s going to be the new owner of the Lost Creek,” she said loudly. “You’re going to have to do business with him.”
    â€œWhat’s that? You say I’m going to have to learn to swim? What does that have to do with anything.”
    â€œNo! I said you’ll have to do business with himwhen he takes over the ranch,” she repeated in a near-shout.
    â€œI won’t do it. Not after the way he treated you and your kin. He can buy what he needs over in Idaho Falls and that’s that.”
    Even though she was touched by his loyalty, she knew Jeppson’s couldn’t afford to give up the guest-ranch account. She was about to tell him so when her shoulders began to itch and she sensed someone standing behind her in the doorway. She swiveled slightly and spied a pair of worn jeans covering long, muscled legs.
    They ended in a pair of scuffed boots that had definitely seen better days. She knew before her gaze traveled up the rest of that frame who was standing in her doorway leaning against the jamb.
    How long had he been there? She felt hot color climb up her cheeks, grateful he couldn’t hear Alvin Jeppson’s diatribe against him. “Mr. Jeppson, I’m going to have to go. I just wanted to let you know there was a mistake on our order. I need two hundred pounds of potatoes, not tomatoes. Potatoes,” she enunciated carefully. “Idaho russets. Yeah. That’s right. I’ll send someone to pick them up this afternoon. Okay. Byebye.”
    She hung up while he was still ranting about the injustice done to her by the man standing in front of her. It would probably take Alvin at least five minutes to realize she was no longer on the line.
    She swallowed hard and turned toward Slater, cursing her pulse for jumping at the sight of those hard, masculine features. “If you’re looking for something to eat, there are box lunches in the refrigerator,” she said curtly. “We never fix a formal meal for lunchsince most of our guests are busy with sight-seeing or riding around the ranch.”
    He continued watching her out of those gold-flecked eyes like a cat ready to pounce on a helpless mouse. “Thanks, but I’m not hungry right now.”
    â€œNo. I imagine you had your fill at Murphy’s, didn’t you?” She couldn’t resist the gibe any more than she could keep the bitterness out of her voice.
    He didn’t respond other than to raise an eyebrow. “News travels fast.”
    â€œThis is Salt River, Zack. What else did you expect? I imagine phones started ringing the moment you passed the city limits sign yesterday, and they haven’t stopped