Sourdough Creek by Caroline Fyffe Read Free Book Online Page B

you’re planning to be?” he asked, mainly in an effort to stay awake.
    “Yes.” Her tone was a bit defensive. “Men can cook too, you know.”
    “True enough. My favorite person on a cattle drive is usually the cook. If he’s any good, that is.” He laughed softly.
    A moment passed before she went on. “Just so you know, our grandmother worked in an eatery when she was young. She fell in love with the owner and they married. The restaurant flourished under her management. Our ma grew up there and passed on the recipes that made the business successful. I’d like to follow in their footsteps.”
    “What about your ma? Did she follow her mother’s dream, too?”
    “She always wanted to, but we moved around a lot. She was able to make a little money by baking bread and pies and sold them from our home. But it always seemed that just when she was getting well known, and started doing a good business, we up and moved.”
    Sam glanced over. Cassie’s brow was crinkled and he couldn’t miss the longing in her expression. “That’s an ambitious dream, Cassidy. Takes a lot of capital to start a business from scratch.”
    “I agree. But we’ll get it going, I know, and it’ll be a success. My grandma Cookie was known far and wide for her creations. All I need is a small shop to lease in a town somewhere. Sweat and knowledge don’t cost a thing.”
    “And that’s where the gold comes in?”
    She nodded.
    “Your family moved around often?”
    “Yes. My ma never wanted to be left behind. Love demands a presence, she’d always say. She said we’d stay together and take care of each other. Even when…”
    She paused. “They died,” she said, finishing her sentence.
    Moments slipped by in silence.
    “Love demands a presence,” Sam mumbled to himself. Thoughts of all the years pining for his father, not knowing where he was, if he was dead or alive, flitted through his mind. With a conscious effort, he shoved the hurtful feeling away, not wanting to spoil this newfound closeness with Cassie.
    “It’s true, Sam. Think about it.” She pushed up on her elbow and gazed down at him, her eyes now as emerald as the grass they laid upon. “People always claim they love something, but in reality don’t give it a second thought. If you love something you desire to be around it and spend time there.”
    He grunted, not having a reply, but enjoying her nearness immensely.
    She lay back down. “Look.”
    “What?”
    “Don’t you see it? A steamboat. Just like the boats going up and down the Mississippi. That big fluffy cloud right over there. There’s the waterwheel. And the smokestack. Let your imagination go.”
    Sam looked. He didn’t see anything but a vast sky filled with clouds.
    Cassie scooted closer until her head was almost touching his. She pointed, and then her finger swirled around as if she were drawing something in the air. “That extra puffy spot is the waterwheel.”
    He could feel her disappointment, hear it in her voice. But, dad-blast it, he couldn’t see any boat in the clouds.
    Slowly she dropped her hand. “Sam Ridgeway, don’t look with your eyes. Look with your heart. Relax. It’s turning,” she said, pointing again.
    He laughed out loudly in surprise. “Yes! It’s bigger than I was looking for, is all. Now it’s as clear as the nose on my face.”
    He felt her looking his way and turned to catch her velvety soft gaze.
    “Didn’t your ma ever teach you that your heart has eyes too?” she murmured, her look reaching deep inside him.
    Sam cleared his throat and looked away. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a different kind of lad?” He couldn’t help it. He hoped she’d offer to tell him on her own that she was, in fact, a girl. Couldn’t she feel it herself? This cloud-watching and whatnot was an odd activity for two men.
    Before she could answer, a piercing scream shattered the moment. They both leapt to their feet.

 
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
    C assie ran through the