Wild Fire by Linda I. Shands Read Free Book Online Page B

talking to?” If she didn’t get some sleep she’d be useless tomorrow.
    Ryan looked surprised. “God, silly.” He smiled and closed his eyes.

K ARA YAWNED AS SHE HUNG fresh towels in cabin four and checked the pile of kindling next to the cast-iron stove .
    She blinked as she stepped out the door into the bright morning sun. Finally. She was done with the cabins. Crossing the wide expanse of weedy grass, she made her way toward the main lodge.
    Dad and Greg were down at the barn cleaning up scraps of wood and trying to replace the door. In the distance, she could just make out Colin leading a group of horses into the repaired corral. The horses had to be exhausted.
    To her right, beyond a lodgepole fence, the land sloped gently for half a mile then plunged over the banks into the Minam River. The valley stretched on for miles, separating the swift-flowing water from the Blue Mountains to the north .
    Snow still clung to the highest peaks, and Kara’s breath puffed white in the cool morning air. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and stood very still. A moment later three yearling deer stepped cautiously from the thick stand of trees on her left. They crept into the meadow and began to feed on the tall grass.
    The screen door slammed and Ryan charged onto the deck. “Wow! Kara, look at the deer!” He pointed excitedly as the three whitetails disappeared into the woods.
    Kara shook her head. “Way to go, Peanut Brain. You scared them away.”
    â€œThey’ll be back. They always come back.” He flashed a sheepish grin, then grabbed her hand. “Come on, Anne’s making pancakes for breakfast.”
    She let him lead her into the lodge. He could be a total pain, but she couldn’t stay mad at him for long.
    Ryan bolted into the kitchen, but Kara stopped to recheck the guest register her father had left sitting open on one of the tables.
    A couple from Arizona, a family of four, and three single men.
    Kara shut the book. Maybe none of them would be interested in line dancing and she could just practice some new two-step turns with Colin.
    â€œYou are not dreaming of clean towels, I think.”
    She jumped, then returned Anne’s teasing smile. “No,” she admitted, “but the cabins are done. There’s plenty of kindling, and I replaced the wicks in all the lanterns.”
    The cook nodded. “You worked hard. The guests will be comfortable.”
    The men banged into the room, stomping their boots on the entry mat, and tossed their hats and jackets onto the rack next to the door.
    â€œDid ya catch the bear?” Ryan hollered over the din.
    â€œNot this time, Tiger.” Dad ruffled his hair, then turned to Anne. “Let’s eat. I’m starved.”
    Kara followed them to the table and grabbed a chair on the other side of Ryan. Colin sat across the table next to Dad .
    After grace, Dad poured syrup over a stack of pancakes and turned to Colin. “I know you want to track that bear,but we’ve got guests coming this afternoon, and we need to be sure everything here is under control first.”
    He sipped his coffee, then continued, “The Wilson kids are eight and ten. Neither one of them have ridden before.”
    Colin nodded and helped himself to six slices of bacon. “I figured that. I thought we’d put the boy on Star and the girl on that older mare. If we line her up in the middle of the string, she’ll pretty much go along with the rest. And Star couldn’t run off if you lit a fire under him.”
    Everyone laughed but Ryan. “Hey. Star’s my horse.”
    Kara grabbed his juice glass before he could knock it over. “We talked about that, Ry, remember? Star is yours to ride this summer, but you have to share him with the guests.”
    Ryan frowned. “Then why don’t you have to share Lily?”
    She wanted to yank his ear. “Lily’s too spirited; you know that. None of