Rough Road Home (The Circle D series) by Audra Harders Read Free Book Online Page A

wasn’t helping either. She pressed in the number and held the receiver to her ear.
    “Good afternoon, Bales, Everitt and Joyner, Rachel Hill’s office. May I help you?”
    “Maddie, it’s me. How’s everything going?”
    “Well, considering we were expecting you back Monday afternoon and it’s now Tuesday afternoon, I’d say the tide is rising on you fast.”
    Rachel smiled at the candor of her assistant. Maddie always had life under control and tended to chafe when others didn’t take life quite as seriously as her. “If the tide is rising, that means my boat must be coming in.”
    “Or going out. Rachel, it’s Tuesday afternoon. You said a day or two at the most and it doesn’t sound like you’re calling from the Starbucks on the corner.”
    “Not quite. The cowboy I’m transporting needed his head examined more thoroughly than I first thought. Frankly, I think they all need their heads examined, but that’s another story.” Rachel slid down until she sat on the bumper of the truck. The air had grown colder. She needed to make this talk short. “Look, I’m not going to make Casper tonight since it’s so late in the afternoon now. Give me until noon tomorrow to finish up here.”
    “Tom’s not going to like it.”
    “Let me talk to him.”
    “With pleasure. Let me transfer you.” The familiar click sounded and a soothing orchestra playing classical music replaced Maddie. Rachel grinned. No tinny elevator music for their upscale clients. The line clicked again.
    “Tom Everitt.”
    “Hi, Tom.” She sucked in a breath for fortitude. “It’s Rachel.”
    “Rachel Hill? One of my top brokers?” Curiosity tinged his words. “I don’t see you in your office. Do you mind telling me why that is?”
    Rachel grappled for the best choice of words. “Tom, you know how much I appreciated your understanding over my attacks. I’ve put my weeks away from the firm to good use and know I have my anxiety issues under control now.”
    “Good to hear. So?”
    “So,” she repeated. “You know my uncle has been a big help in my recovery, right?”
    “The rodeo fellow. Yes, I remember.”
    “After all Uncle Mitch has done for me, I couldn’t abandon him.” Calm descended over her as she stared out over the prairie. “Tom, I know I should have spoken to you sooner, but you weren’t in the office yesterday and you didn’t return my phone call. An emergency came up for my uncle and I agreed to help an injured friend of his. I’m on my way to Casper, Wyoming right now. As soon as I drop this cowboy off at the next rodeo, I’ll be headed home.”
    Silence stretched on the other line. Rachel swallowed her reservations over her foolish decision to help Nick. Aside from being a rodeo cowboy, Nick Davidson deserved her help. He was an inconvenience to her just as she had inconvenienced Uncle Mitch.
    Didn’t matter that Uncle Mitch loved her. He loved Nick Davidson, too. She wasn’t about to go all selfish on her favorite uncle. “Tom?”
    “Rachel, you know how highly I think of you. From your first interview fresh out of college until a few weeks ago, you’ve demonstrated your loyalty and dedication to the firm. I’ve always admired that about you.” Papers fluttered in the background and Rachel detected the familiar tapping of a pen against the desk. Tom couldn’t sit still for a minute.
    “I don’t like it, but I commend your loyalty to your uncle and his friend. You’re a good person, Rachel Hill. Now, when can we expect you back in the office?”
    “It’s getting late so I know I won’t make it to Casper tonight. I should get to Casper by noon tomorrow.” Her heart thudded in her chest as muscles released tension bit by bit. “I’ll be in Thursday morning. I won’t even unpack. Okay?”
    Silence hung over the line. She heard garbled words in the background. Life went on at brokerage firms; Rachel needed to get back to that life. “Tom?”
    “These past three weeks have been a strain