Willow Smoke Read Online Free PDF

Cassie Travers, her social worker, foster mother andmentor.
    Yes, she’d grown up hard and had to defend herself from an early age, but she did know something about love. And then there were the horses. T hey knew how to love. And there was Bear, a gift from hermother so many years before. Things could have been much worse.
    She drifted off to sleep. The image of a tall dark-haired man with glasses offered his hand. She reached for it, but sleep overcame her before she could feel his skin touching hers.
     
    - o -
     
    By Saturday night, Daisy was beginning to wonder if she’d imagined Nicholas Underwood.
She sat at her desk, the words on the book she’d been studying starting to blur . Underwood intruded into her thoughts far too often.
    The phone rang; she let the answering machine take it. “Hey kid, you still alive?”
    Daisy laughed at the voice. Should she pick up the phone? She didn’t want to appear too eager, but then she didn’t want to seem irresponsible either.
    She lifted the receiver.
“I’m here.” Her voice felt more husky than normal. “How did you get my number?”
    “Ah, you are there. Hoped you hadn’t gone to bed yet. Figured mornings wouldn’t be a good time to catch you at home. Hell, you’re my employee. I know all your numbers.”
    “Do I get yours?”
    “Didn’t know you could be coy, kid. Of course. I’ll give you a list. There may be occasions when one of us will have to cancel. I don’t have a lot of time to waste with missed appointments, and I don’t imagine you do, either.”
    Daisy listened to his breathing; her own lungs strained.
    “Are you phone shy? You were more talkative the other day.”
    “No, I don’t think so.”
    “Am I interrupting
something? It is Saturday night. You don’t have a passionate date going on there, do you?”
    “No. Not hardly. I
thought you’d call at the barn.”
    “I’ll call you when I can wherever you are. I’ve got Blaze’s papers drawn up waiting for your signature. You’ll have to fill out owner forms for the track before she can race again. I sent mine in yesterday. They already have a security check done on you, so it shouldn’t take but a day or
two.I’ve got to run over to the Twin
Cities for business Monday so will leave tomorrow to say hi to the folks. Should be back Wednesday. I’d like to get with you
sooner, but can’t. God, I feel like I’m rattling on like a teenager.”
    Daisy chuckled. “You are.” She looped the phone cord around her elbow, carried the phone into the living room, plopped down
on the loveseat and draped her long legs over its arm. “Do you still want me to teach you stuff about horses and handicapping?”
    “Sure do, teach. I’m sure you have your hands full in the mornings. Maybe Thursday...”
    She heard him rummaging, probably through his appointment book.
    “How about two o’clock? I’ve got the rest of the day
open. How’s that for you?”
    Daisy didn’t have to check her book. “It looks good for me. Why don’t you come toBarn D? We can start from there.”
    “Great. I’m going to have a messenger bring by Blaze’s papers for you to sign. The sooner we get the paperwork completed, the quicker she can race again.”
    “You know where I live?”
    “It doesn’t take a
private investigator todetermine
that. Most of your personal information has to go on the ownership papers. As well as your Assistant Trainers License. Right?”
    “Right. I didn’t think
about that.”
    “Besides, I make a point of knowing everything I can about my employees and partners.”
    “I’m not your employee,
Mr. Underwood.” She knew she must sound harsh, but she couldn’t help it. Sometimes the man really galled her. Like right now. “We may be partners by some strange
circumstance, but I work for
Sam Gallagher.”
    “Whoa there, kid. The lady has a temper. I like that. Shows fire and will.” He paused. “I’ll have to think on that. You may be right. You may complicate my life