Love Me Tender Read Online Free PDF Page A

to the Wild Rose’s staff. And that’s all she should be. “Sure. But she’s staff.”
    â€œMadisun hangs out with us and the rest of the family sometimes.”
    â€œShe was your mom and Evan’s friend before I hired her.” A couple of years ago, Jessie had worked as the dude wrangler at the Crazy Horse, and Madisun had assisted her. That’s where Evan had met the teen and offered to mentor her, getting her away from an abusive father and helping her attend university in Vancouver, where she studied business and the hospitality industry. When she came back to Caribou Crossing for summer break last year, Dave had hired her. She’d done so well that this summer he’d offered her the job of assistant manager.
    â€œCassidy’s new in town,” Robin said. “We’re supposed to be friendly here, aren’t we?”
    Amused at her blatant attempt at manipulation, he said, “You really want to invite her?” He’d prefer not to share his “Robin time,” but he did like to make his daughter happy. Fortunately, she was good about not taking advantage of his softheartedness, or at least not taking advantage too often.
    When she nodded vigorously, he said, “Okay, let’s do it.”
    â€œCool! Thanks, Dad.” She jumped up and gave him a boisterous hug. “I’ll go ask her.”
    As she ran out of the room, Dave shook his head ruefully. The truth was, he wouldn’t mind one bit if Cassidy accepted the invitation. Yes, she was an employee and that was all she’d ever be. But as Robin had said, what was wrong with making a newcomer feel welcome?
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    When Dave hugged Robin good-bye on Saturday morning, he said, “When you’re at Westward Ho! would you book a gentle horse for Cassidy for this afternoon?” The stable on the outskirts of town organized trail rides for tourists, rented horses to locals who rode occasionally, and stabled horses for several townspeople, like Dave, who owned their own.
    â€œSure. I’ll see both of you later.”
    He settled in for a day’s work, breaking in the early afternoon to eat a ham and Swiss panini at his desk with Merlin dozing on the floor beside him. After, he whipped upstairs to change his shirt, jeans, and boots to well-worn versions of the same and clapped his straw hat on his head. Then he headed back down to collect Merlin, who leaped up in excitement on recognizing the riding clothes.
    Dave had arranged to meet Cassidy in the lobby. Given that she’d arrived in town with only a backpack, he guessed she wouldn’t have proper riding gear. So when he saw the profile, backlit by sunshine, of a woman in Western gear and her own straw hat chatting to Nora at the reception desk, he didn’t recognize her. But his dog ran over, and she turned with a bright smile.
    Cassidy made one fine-looking cowgirl, he thought as he returned her smile.
    â€œHey, Merlin.” She patted the poodle’s back and said to Dave, “I’m so excited. It was kind of you and Robin to invite me.”
    â€œYou’ll have a great time,” Nora said, darting a considering gaze at Dave.
    No doubt she wondered at his atypical behavior. It was on the tip of his tongue to point out that this was Robin’s doing, but that might sound rude. Besides, it’d be a lie. It had been all too easy for his daughter to talk him into it.
    â€œLet’s get going.” He gestured toward the door, and then as Cassidy moved in that direction, he opened it for her.
    As she started through, the eager dog got in her way and threw her off balance so she bumped into Dave.
    He caught her upper arm to steady her—and that simple touch of his bare palm to her shirt-sleeved arm definitely did not have a steadying effect on his pulse.
    They headed down the sidewalk, Merlin on his leash, pacing along with his springy gait. On this summer Saturday afternoon, the main street was