Only You by Kate Kelly Read Free Book Online

me like I’m a kid, for heaven’s sake. I’m thirty-six. Practically old enough to be a grandmother, and he’s all Be careful you don’t hurt yourself or That’s too heavy for you. ”
    Maggie took advantage of Sammie’s closed eyes to grin at Claire. “Sounds like he’s trying to protect you.”
    “Yeah, that’s it. Not. He thinks I’m a stupid female. I don’t even know why I bother to help at the barn.”
    “You sound about six years old right now. You look flushed. Are you feeling okay?” Claire put her hand on Sammie’s forehead. “You’re burning up. You’ve probably got that stomach flu that’s been going around. Remember Ellie was just getting over it when we went to Arnie’s last week?”
    “Now that you mention it, I do feel kind of queasy. Think I’ll go have a nap.”
    “Can I get you anything, Sammie?” Maggie asked. “Water? Juice? A painkiller?”
    Sammie waved her hand behind her as she left the room. “The thought of trying to swallow anything makes me feel lousy. I’m going to crash for a while.” She looked over her shoulder at Maggie. “Dave wants to know if you’re taking Lulu out today. Otherwise he or Russ will have to. You should let him know.” She continued out of the room.
    “What’s that about?” Claire asked.
    Maggie stuck her hands in her jeans pockets. “JD introduced me to Lulu last night. Asked if I’d mind riding her. She’s too big for Sammie to ride and, apparently, none of them have time to give her the attention she needs. It’s been so long since I’ve ridden, I hope I don’t make a fool of myself.”
    “You were always good with horses.”
    “Remember Buttercup?”
    “Yeah. I’ve never forgiven your parents for selling her. I think it’s great you’re going to start riding again. You’ll have to be careful, though. Gwen was just talking about how pregnant women should only walk their horse, and only in the first twelve weeks. You used to love riding.”
    “So did you.”
    “Wasn’t the same. I was just afraid of missing out on something, so I kept taking riding lessons with you. You lived to go riding.”
    “Who’s Gwen?”
    “My doctor. She moved here a few months ago. Cooper Creek’s lucky to have her. She’s started a monthly get-together for local women and gives a short talk on women’s health.”
    Claire picked up her papers and moved to the door. “You should let Dave know that you’re taking Lulu so he can strike that off his to-do list.”
    “Things seem to run smoothly around here.”
    “I guess.”
    “So, who’s the boss?”
    Claire tilted her head, as if giving serious thought to the question. “JD, I suppose. Dave and JD have weekly meetings to discuss what needs to be done and what has priority. They tried to include me at first, but it didn’t take long for me to realize I had nothing to offer. Ethan’s idea, I believe,” she added on a note of derision.
    “Do you work well with JD?”
    “Yes. He’s a smart man, and he listens closely to what people say.”
    “Where does Ethan fit in?”
    “He doesn’t,” Claire snapped. “Except for coming up with stupid ideas that upset everyone. He says the ranch is the most important part of the business to him, but it doesn’t look that way. He can’t give up being the big man in the city.”
    “But you said once your contract is finished you’ll head back to the city, too.”
    “There’s no reason for me to stay. All I do is shuffle stupid papers around, pretending to increase the efficiency of an already well-run ranch. I’ll never forgive Ethan for shipping me off here to avoid firing me. That’s what it amounts to.”
    “Don’t you ever wonder why he did?”
    “Only a million times a day.” She ran a hand over her forehead. “Because I signed that stupid contract, and then he decided he hates me and had to find something for me to do for the next year, because he can’t fire me without paying the twenty-thousand-dollar bonus.”
    Maggie put