The Western Dare (Harlequin Heartwarming) by Roz Denny Fox Read Free Book Online Page B

do around here. Let Mark help me.” Camp snatched at the boy’s shirtsleeve with his free hand. “Okay with you, kid?” He hoped Mark hadn’t heard how desperate he was to avoid going into the woods with Brittany. But Mark was definitely astute.
    “What’s it worth to you, man? Five bucks?”
    Little blackmailer. Luckily, Emily returned then. Before she gave her kids their assignments, Camp hit her with a smile. “Would you give Brittany Mark’s job and let him go with me?” At Emily’s arched brow, he explained Brittany’s lack of gloves.
    Emily saw how Camp took a step and Brittany moved with him, as if they were joined at the hip. Her husband had had younger women swarming over him, too. Dave had loved the attention. “I’m sure you’d rather Mark lent Brittany some gloves, right?”
    Mark seemed surprised by his mother’s caustic tone.
    Camp was plain angry. For crying out loud, she seemed downright eager to toss him to the wolves.
    “What’ll I have to do if I don’t help him haul wood?” Mark bargained with Emily.
    “Locate rocks and build a fire ring for each wagon.”
    The boy jerked a thumb toward Camp. “I’ll go with the dude. Her witchy fingernails’ll poke holes in my gloves.” He pointed at Brittany. “Ain’t never seen nails like hers ’cept at Halloween.”
    “Twit. If I were a witch I’d turn you into a toad.” Brittany gave him an evil eye. She clung to Camp’s sleeve a moment longer, then reluctantly let him go. “I don’t want to break my nails on rocks, either. Maybe I’ll go see what Sherry’s doing. We’ll meet later, won’t we, Nolan? I mean...you’re collecting our data sheets, aren’t you?”
    Her affected whisper was back, Camp noticed with a wince. Avoiding her question, he said, “I suspect all the chores will be hard on hands, Brittany. I’d hate to see you tear a nail badly and, uh, risk infection.”
    Brittany’s hands fluttered. “You are so thoughtful, Nolan. Nobody else cares if I rip a nail clear off. Or an arm or a leg, for that matter.”
    “I’m sure your parents expect me to judge these situations in their place.”
    “My folks don’t care what I do as long as I’m out of their hair. I’m a burden they’d like to be shut of for good, not just this summer.”
    Taken aback, Camp didn’t know how to respond.
    “You guys run along,” Emily said softly, coming to Camp’s rescue after all. “I’ll carry the rocks. Megan and Brittany can push them into circles with their feet if they don’t want to mess up their nails.”
    “Hey, thanks.” Relieved beyond words, Camp wasted no time grabbing his gloves and striking off ahead of Mark into the copse of trees. He’d certainly misjudged Brittany Powers. Since the day she’d walked into his classroom, he’d figured her for a spoiled kid who had everything. Expensive clothes. Car. Enough spending money to feed a developing country. Everything but parental love, it seemed.
    “Yo’ dude,” panted Mark as he caught up to Camp. “That Brittany chick has the hots for you.”
    Camp peered down his nose at the boy. “Don’t be silly. And don’t call women ‘chicks.’ I’m Brittany’s college professor. I’m old enough to be her father.”
    Mark stopped and tipped his head back to gaze at his taller companion. “Uh-huh,” he grunted. “Guess she digs old dudes, then.”
    Camp snatched up a long stick and parted the shrubs. The kid sounded so much like Maizie it was scary. “Look, here are three pieces of dry pine. Take them to one of the wagons while I look for more. And don’t call me ‘dude.’ Understand?”
    “It’s cool if you don’t want to talk about your love life. My mom sends me off to do stuff when I make her uncomfortable, too.”
    “I don’t have a lov—we’re not—oh, brother.” If he wasn’t half-starved he’d leave the kid on his own and go log today’s experiences. He had some beauts. But undoubtedly there’d be time while the women cooked dinner.