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

on the staff, not to mention Jim Allen. He’s had a tough time working his own clients’ portfolios along with yours.”
    “Thursday, Tom.” Rachel turned away from a speeding car as it whooshed past her. “Tell Jim, I appreciate all he’s doing for me. Tell him he can load me up with his shareholder update presentations, I know he hates giving those. I’ll prepare them for him when I get back.”
    “We all have to do distasteful things from time to time. It’s the nature of life. But I’ll Jim know you’ll go out of your way to help him when you return.”
    “Thanks, Tom. I appreciate your understanding. See you, Thursday.”
    Her words bounced across an empty line. He’d hung up after his last word. Tom Everitt wasn’t known for compassion or tact toward his employees. She was just happy he’d understood.
    She clicked off her phone and slid it into her back pocket. Now, to get back to her ornery ol’ cowboy with the fine looking walk. A few more hours, and much deep thought in prayer, and she might pull out of this trip with her sanity.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
     
    The sun tipped mountain tops to the west cast long shadows across the barren highway as the truck cruised down the road. Nick stared out the windshield, amazed at how little traffic they’d encountered over the last hour. Probably every other self-respecting traveler knew how to punch the pedal and make time. At the rate they were going, he’d be lucky to see Casper by midnight.
    It didn’t matter, he could fake a nap the rest of the way and never have to say boo to Rachel. When they arrived in Casper, she would drop him off at the hotel where Cauldwell Cattle had rented rooms and he’d be through with her. Well, not exactly through. She’d probably stay with her uncle until morning. Mitch, with all his familial tendencies, would invite Nick to join them for breakfast before his beloved niece headed back to Denver. A grim smile tightened his lips at the scenario. Wait ‘til he got a hold of Mitch for saddling him for eight hours with a carbon copy of his wife.
    Nick reached up and rubbed his jaw. Well, not quite a copy of Stephanie, but close. He lowered his arm and gripped his knee. No, Rachel wasn’t like Stephanie at all except both of them craved the excitement of the city. Rachel hadn’t come right out and admitted it, but any stock broker worth their weight in stress had to be rolling pretty high. That kind of thing didn’t appeal to Nick in the least and it had been the death knell of his marriage.
    Stephanie should have married someone like Zac. Zac, Nick’s youngest brother, loved the challenge of the city. He’d supervised the ranch holdings from Denver until last year when he married. Now, he split his time between his ranch and Denver. Nick owned a house in Denver, but couldn’t stand spending more than a few days at a time there. Too many people; way too much traffic. Give him wide open pastures, a horse, and a thousand head of cattle and he’d consider himself in heaven.
    His hand clenched into a fist at the old expression he’d once used so often. Heaven. He used to believe in it just as he used to believe in God’s love. But eight years ago God had forsaken him, and Nick saw no reason not to repay the favor. Nine years ago, he’d married Stephanie and from that point on, nothing in his life had gone right.
    For five years, Nick had spent countless hours on his knees pleading with God to transform Stephanie into His likeness. He’d known the dangers of being unequally yoked, everyone but the cattle on the ranch had warned him. Still, Nick felt his love and faith were strong enough for them both. But it seemed the more he prayed, the harder her heart grew. In time he discovered, not only didn’t she share his faith, she apparently had never shared his love of the land, either. She wanted to live in Denver, return to society; Nick yearned to live on the ranch,