Heat Wave (Riders Up) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Seattle.”
    “You’re lucky
Carolyn and Johnny are so excited about your horse ideas.”
    “Neither of them wants
to leave Beaverhill.” Maggie picked up a broom and started sweeping the wood
floor. “Carolyn doesn’t want to have to make new friends, and Johnny can hardly
wait until we have horses.”
    “I just hope this
Harrington fellow will work out okay,” Flo said, taping a box. “Aren’t you
afraid of having a man living under your roof? He could be a molester or
something.”
    “I’ve checked him
out. He has good references.” No need to say anything about the scandal
Harrington was still embroiled in. “He’s had some bad luck. He’ll only be in
the house a short time. I’d prefer to have the loft finished, but it’s not. We’ll
get by. We have to.”
    Maggie worked the
broom rapidly across the stained floorboards. Having him in the spare bedroom
did make her nervous. She wasn’t afraid of him—it wasn’t that. She didn’t like
the fluttering in her tummy when he’d called her Maggie. She was the boss and
he was the hired hand. That was the way it would stay.
     
    The next day Maggie
stopped by the Beaverhill Bank to withdraw some cash. After completing her
transaction, she turned to leave the lobby only to be summoned by the banker,
Josh Prater.
    “Step into my
office for a minute, would you Maggie? I’ve got some exciting news for you.” Without
waiting for a response, the bank president guided her toward his door.
    Maggie cringed as
she allowed herself to be escorted into the man’s office. His oversized
rosewood desk formed the centerpiece of an ornate office. Prater’s desk was
excruciatingly neat. How could any normal human be so organized?
    “Sit down. Sit
down.” He gestured towards a chair. “Would you like some coffee?”
    His mouth was
smiling, but his eyes weren’t. Maggie shook her head and remained standing. “No,
I really need to be going, Mr. Prater. I have a lot of errands to run before
getting back. Please be quick.”
    She pulled her
jacket tighter around her torso. She had never trusted Prater—his dark, narrow
features and fixed smile always reminded her of a mortician. Her dad hadn’t liked
him either. The two of them had grown up together. Apparently they were never
great buddies.
    Prater folded his
arms and leaned back against the corner of his desk. “You know Con-Ex Farms
continues to be interested in your dad’s farm.”
    “It’s my farm, Mr. Prater. Has been for the past five years, since Dad and Mom died.” She
scowled. “And it’s still not for sale. How many times do I have to tell you
that?”
    “Everything is for
sale one way or another. Your brother would sing a different tune if he were
here.”
    “He’s not here, and
he doesn’t own enough of the land to make any difference. How we manage things
is our business.”
    The banker moved
away from the desk and towered over her with a smile stilled glued to his face.
“Maggie, I just meant that there comes a point when wisdom should prevail over
loyalty. I know all about your love for your heritage and that particular piece
of ground of yours. Times change. In addition to Con-Ex Farms, there’s another
party interested in your farm.”
    Maggie took a step
back.
    “You, young lady,
can be very rich, very quick. There will be a bidding war between two giants if
you but give the word.”
    “And how much
commission do you stand to make from this bidding war?” Maggie’s mouth turned
up a little as the banker paled, reached for his glasses and began polishing
them. “My answer is simple, Mr. Prater. Let me spell it out for you. N, O! What
part of that two letter word don’t you understand?”
    Maggie hurried
toward the door and grabbed the doorknob before turning to face Prater. “Please
don’t bother me with any more offers. I’m not in the least bit interested.”
    Prater’s voice
rose. “You must be out of your mind, young woman. You just turned down over a
million dollars.