Read Online Gambling on a Secret by Sara Walter Ellwood - Free Book Online

sneered. Then it exploded.
    Nothing in his life would ever be bright and beautiful again.
    * * * *
    Later that evening, Charli set two mugs of coffee on the table and took the chair across from Dylan at the kitchen table. He tapped a pen on the wood top as he mulled over something. On a sheet of paper before him were listed several things he’d need from the home center.
    She sipped from her mug. “So, where do we start? The horses I bought will be delivered the Monday after Easter. Sheriff Cartwright bred one of the sorrels to one of his prized stallions.”
    He stopped tapping and looked at her. “You’re not fooling around.”
    She shrugged and looked into her cup. “Once I get the idea to do something, I jump right in and do it.”
    “I can see that.” He leaned over his arms on the table. “The stables look pretty damned good, surprisingly. They’re not as old as the other buildings. Jock added them about twenty years ago when he decided to raise cutting horses to irk my granddad. The stalls need fixed and it needs cleaned out. I’ll take care of those first. I’d also like to call the men I told you about while we were on the grand tour.”
    “The carpenters?”
    “Yeah, Tom Miller and his uncle, Jesse Riley.” He picked up his mug. “Tom got out of the Navy not too long ago and worked for his father-in-law’s construction company, but he recently went out of business. Tom’s wife just had a baby, and I know he’d appreciate the job. He and Jesse have been doing handy work in the area, and both men have some ranching experience.”
    “Okay. Call them. They can work on the fences and then the barn.”
    He took a sip of his coffee. “I’ll get the storage barn in shape for holding feed and hay. It’ll be a mess to clean.” He lowered the mug and arched a brow. “But thanks to Uncle Sam, I’m no stranger to bullshit.”
    She groaned and shook her head. “That’s just bad.”
    His lips twitched into the rusty crooked grin, and as it had the other times she’d seen it, a quiver tickled her belly.
    “I know. My jokes used to be funnier.”
    Somewhere the real Dylan still lurked inside the shell. Would working for her bring him out?
    “Tracy told me about what you’re planning to do with this place once you graduate.” He leaned back in his chair. “I think opening up your place to troubled teens is a great idea. Noble.”
    Heat warmed her cheeks, and she looked down at the mug between her hands. “I hope I can get the support of the community. Without them, it won’t work.”
    “Get the Cartwrights on your side and everything will be fine. If you haven’t figured it out yet, they pretty much run this county.”
    She smirked at him. “They do seem to be pretty high up the food chain. The mayor’s nephew is the sheriff.”
    “Not to mention Winnie Cartwright is the queen of gossip.” He picked up the pen and started tapping again. “Where should we start in the house?”
    “We?”
    “Of course, we. Tom and Jesse will be set to work on rebuilding the barn and stringing fencing. But I’ll need some help in here. I can teach you whatever you need to know. Mostly, I’ll need a gofer.”
    “A gofer?” She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. “Sounds boring as hell.”
    He stopped tapping the pen. “Probably is. I can hire someone else if you’d like. I figured you’d be interested in helping, otherwise you’d have hired a contractor and been done with it.”
    How did he read her so well? “Yes, I’d like to help. It’ll be fun.”
    “Fun, huh?”
    She shrugged and picked up her cup. “Sure. But let’s take it slow. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Besides, the gofer has classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
    He grinned and set off the fluttering in her belly again. How did he do that?
    “I suppose on those days I’ll kick back and relax.”
    “Not if you want a paycheck.” She drained her mug. “Where did you learn to be a carpenter? Was it something you learned in