Read Online Rancher's Refuge (Whisper Falls) by Linda Goodnight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Linda Goodnight
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She’s in a bad fix, that’s for sure. Bless her heart.”
Austin cut a bite of pie with the side of his fork and listened while Miss Evelyn dispensed soft drinks from the fountain for a local man and his two children. “Here you go, hon. Orange for Paige and grape for Nathan.”
Austin had seen the trio before but couldn’t place them. The man was lean and lanky and probably about Austin’s age. The kids were cute, neat and clean in jeans and Ts. The little girl’s hand-over-mouth giggle made Austin smile.
When the boy wrapped his arms around his daddy’s neck and gushed, “You’re the best dad ever,” Austin got a catch in his throat. Like Cassie, Austin had wanted children and like her, life had knocked his hat in the dirt. There was still hope for Cassie to find someone and start fresh. As for himself, he wouldn’t go there again. Not after Blair.
Suddenly, Uncle Digger was back, leaning across the counter. “How’s the pie?”
“The best.”
“Does that houseguest of yours know her way around a kitchen?”
They were back to Annalisa again. Austin shoved the last bite of sweet tender apple into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. “Better than Cassie. Why? Could you use her here in the snack shop?”
“Possibly, but she’ll have to talk to the head engineer about that.” Uncle Digger nudged his chin toward his wife. “She makes all the smart decisions. I just drive the train.”
Evelyn swatted a dish towel at him. “Silly goose,” she said with affection, her apple cheeks rosy, “I already told Annalisa to stop in after Cassie does her hair. We’ll put our heads together and see what we can come up with.”
Austin finished his milk and pulled out his wallet. “You don’t even know her. Why put yourself out?”
“You didn’t know her, either, but you stepped right up to the plate.” She took his money and punched keys on the old-fashioned cash register. The drawer popped out with a ca-ching . “She’s a good person. You can tell by the eyes. They’re the windows to the soul, you know. Annalisa has good eyes. Kind of sad but pure-hearted. Real pretty girl, too, don’t you think?”
Austin wasn’t going to answer that.
“Did she tell you how she broke her arm?” He considered warning the older couple about the abusive boyfriend but figured that was Annalisa’s place.
“Cassie said something about a fall. Bless her heart. These rocks and hills can be treacherous. Good thing we have Creed Carter and his helicopter. Why, only last week he flew Mildred Laird to Hot Springs for hip surgery.”
Austin didn’t bother to mention that other than the pilot’s usefulness, an octogenarian falling in the bathtub was not the least connected to treacherous rocks. As far as he was concerned, Creed Carter and his chopper could fly to Mars and never come back.
“I wish he’d stick to medi-flights,” he mumbled.
“Why, Austin Blackwell, tourists love the helicopter rides. That boy had a brilliant idea to fly folks over Whisper Falls and around the Ozarks.”
Personally, Austin hated the noise, swooping down over his cows and pasture land all hours of the day and night.
“To hear him tell it,” Uncle Digger said, “Creed Carter is living a dream. Just like us here at the depot, his business gets better all the time.”
Figured. Before long, the town would be as crowded as Las Vegas with billboards and lights flashing and traffic backed up to the state line. He shuddered at the thought. “Thanks for the pie, Miss Evelyn.”
“Still the best you ever tasted?”
He jammed his hat down on his head. “Yes, ma’am. Better than my grandma’s.”
She beamed. “I can’t for the life of me see how you stay single. A handsome cowboy like you with such a silver tongue. Lands a-mercy. Have you met Fawna Jefferson?”
“Evelyn, quit your matchmaking,” Uncle Digger said from his spot next to the two children. “Fawna ain’t Austin’s type. She’s scared silly of animals. The gal
Austin cut a bite of pie with the side of his fork and listened while Miss Evelyn dispensed soft drinks from the fountain for a local man and his two children. “Here you go, hon. Orange for Paige and grape for Nathan.”
Austin had seen the trio before but couldn’t place them. The man was lean and lanky and probably about Austin’s age. The kids were cute, neat and clean in jeans and Ts. The little girl’s hand-over-mouth giggle made Austin smile.
When the boy wrapped his arms around his daddy’s neck and gushed, “You’re the best dad ever,” Austin got a catch in his throat. Like Cassie, Austin had wanted children and like her, life had knocked his hat in the dirt. There was still hope for Cassie to find someone and start fresh. As for himself, he wouldn’t go there again. Not after Blair.
Suddenly, Uncle Digger was back, leaning across the counter. “How’s the pie?”
“The best.”
“Does that houseguest of yours know her way around a kitchen?”
They were back to Annalisa again. Austin shoved the last bite of sweet tender apple into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. “Better than Cassie. Why? Could you use her here in the snack shop?”
“Possibly, but she’ll have to talk to the head engineer about that.” Uncle Digger nudged his chin toward his wife. “She makes all the smart decisions. I just drive the train.”
Evelyn swatted a dish towel at him. “Silly goose,” she said with affection, her apple cheeks rosy, “I already told Annalisa to stop in after Cassie does her hair. We’ll put our heads together and see what we can come up with.”
Austin finished his milk and pulled out his wallet. “You don’t even know her. Why put yourself out?”
“You didn’t know her, either, but you stepped right up to the plate.” She took his money and punched keys on the old-fashioned cash register. The drawer popped out with a ca-ching . “She’s a good person. You can tell by the eyes. They’re the windows to the soul, you know. Annalisa has good eyes. Kind of sad but pure-hearted. Real pretty girl, too, don’t you think?”
Austin wasn’t going to answer that.
“Did she tell you how she broke her arm?” He considered warning the older couple about the abusive boyfriend but figured that was Annalisa’s place.
“Cassie said something about a fall. Bless her heart. These rocks and hills can be treacherous. Good thing we have Creed Carter and his helicopter. Why, only last week he flew Mildred Laird to Hot Springs for hip surgery.”
Austin didn’t bother to mention that other than the pilot’s usefulness, an octogenarian falling in the bathtub was not the least connected to treacherous rocks. As far as he was concerned, Creed Carter and his chopper could fly to Mars and never come back.
“I wish he’d stick to medi-flights,” he mumbled.
“Why, Austin Blackwell, tourists love the helicopter rides. That boy had a brilliant idea to fly folks over Whisper Falls and around the Ozarks.”
Personally, Austin hated the noise, swooping down over his cows and pasture land all hours of the day and night.
“To hear him tell it,” Uncle Digger said, “Creed Carter is living a dream. Just like us here at the depot, his business gets better all the time.”
Figured. Before long, the town would be as crowded as Las Vegas with billboards and lights flashing and traffic backed up to the state line. He shuddered at the thought. “Thanks for the pie, Miss Evelyn.”
“Still the best you ever tasted?”
He jammed his hat down on his head. “Yes, ma’am. Better than my grandma’s.”
She beamed. “I can’t for the life of me see how you stay single. A handsome cowboy like you with such a silver tongue. Lands a-mercy. Have you met Fawna Jefferson?”
“Evelyn, quit your matchmaking,” Uncle Digger said from his spot next to the two children. “Fawna ain’t Austin’s type. She’s scared silly of animals. The gal
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