Unbreakable by Alison Kent Read Free Book Online

hat from his head. “What do you hear from Shane?”
    Teri reached for the three tens Casper handed her, rang up his order, and made change. “He’s doing well. Hoping to get home for a week when Shannon starts school. It’s hard on her, going back without her mom or dad when the rest of the kids have a parent with them.”
    “Shane’s a good brother, a good man. Can’t be easy coming home to take on a little sister he didn’t even know.” Royce waited for Casper to pocket his wallet before continuing where they’d left off. “Walk out with me, Jayne. Teri, say hello to your folks.”
    “I will. Thanks, Royce. And see you around, Casper.”
    Casper gave her a wave without looking back, his mind on Summerlin’s offer. He set the bag of his and Clay’s lunch on the hood of his truck, then turned. “About the horses.”
    “Why don’t you come out to the ranch and see them for yourself? Might help you decide—”
    “I don’t need to see them. I’ll do the job.”
    Summerlin settled his hat back on his head, narrowed his eyes. “I can’t pay you a lot.”
    That was a lie. “I’ll take what you can give me.” And that was the truth.
    Royce glanced toward the diner as if taking the time to run a tally of a possible profit and loss. “It’s not my business how you manage your time, but I know the ranch is keeping you busy. I don’t want to take you away from that, cause you any problems with Coach Mitchell’s kid and the Campbell boy.”
    Doubtful Dax and Boone would appreciate being referred to as a kid and a boy, but at least he and Summerlin were on the same page. “I can spare a couple of hours a day, if that works for you.”
    “I’d rather have someone who can spare more, but since it seems we’re both in a bind, that’ll do. At least until I can find someone to hire full time.” He quoted Casper a figure. “It’s not much, but it’s something.”
    Casper and all of Crow Hill knew Royce could pony up more, but he wasn’t in a position to ask for it. He needed anything he could get, and it wouldn’t hurt to prove he’d moved beyond his hell-raising ways. “It’s fine. I’ve got a couple stops to make before heading back to the ranch. I could swing by once I’m done and you can show me what I’m looking at. We can see what sort of schedule works best.”
    “That’ll do. I’ll look forward to seein’ ya,” Royce said, slamming his palm against the hood of Casper’s truck before making his bowlegged way to his own.
    Snagging an arm around the grocery bag, Casper watched him go, his stomach growling, his head torn between getting back to Clay and getting started with Summerlin, some part of what he supposed was his conscience pressing him to get back to the ranch and the chores waiting there.
    But most insistent was his lower body, reminding him of his date later tonight with Faith. A date to talk. Not exactly his firstchoice of activities but he could be patient. Though the idea of getting his hands on Faith would most likely test the truth of that.
    “Y OU’RE GOING TO be on your own until morning,” Casper said, gathering the trash from the lunch he and Clay had inhaled. Kevin lay on the parlor floor nearby, having chowed on his kibbles and now begging with his big black eyes for their scraps. He could just keep begging. There weren’t any. “I’ve a million chores waiting at the ranch, two partners breathing down my neck, and I need to see a man about a horse.”
    His buying dog food along with cleaning supplies at Nathan’s Food and Drug had raised eyebrows in the aisles and at checkout. Folks knew Casper, knew the ranch ordered for Bing and Bob in bulk from Lasko Ranch Supply. He supposed word of his purchases would reach Boone and Dax before he did—meaning he might as well come up with an explanation now instead of stumbling over one later.
    The cleaning supplies would be easy enough. They knew about the house. And he could pass off the six-pack of soda as his,