Between Two Sisters (contemporary western romance novella) Read Online Free Page B

extended his hand and Billy shook it.
    “Billy Forester.”
    “I heard. New assistant manager here. Congratulations! Let me tell you a few things about this place: Mr. Haffner’s a fair guy, just don’t screw with him and he’ll treat you straight. Marty gives as good as he gets, so put in an honest day’s work and he’ll treat you right, but slack off and there’ll be hell to pay.” Billy decided that he liked Ramiro immediately. His assessment of Mr. Haffner was spot on, and he respected that the man had offered up no complaints about his workplace. In the past, he had come across too many other ranch hands eager to fill him in on the faults and weaknesses of an employer, and he discovered with time that people like that weren’t ones he cared to develop a friendship with. Best to stick with the straight shooters, and Ramiro struck him as such.
    “I’ll put him away for you, if you like,” he offered. “I heard you just got in today, and I imagine you’ve got a lot to do before you start working tomorrow.”
    “Thanks, that would be great. It’s going to be quite a walk back to the cabins!”
    “Walk to the cabins?” Ramiro scoffed. “No need to waste such time, my good man.” He tossed a set of keys to Billy, who managed to catch them in spite of the unexpected move. “Take one of the Gators out back; just be sure to bring it back in the morning.”
    “Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
    “Most likely,” Ramiro shrugged.
    Billy walked around the barn and found half a dozen Gators lined up there. He hopped into the nearest little utility vehicle and started it up. Ramiro was right; driving a Gator home sure beat walking.
    Back at his little cabin, he decided to take a quick shower and grab something to eat before unpacking. He found a note taped to his refrigerator.
    Billy, Just picked you up a few things to get you started. Hope it’s all things you like. Mrs. H
    He shook his head with disbelief as he opened the fridge and the cupboards to see what she had bought for him. There were crackers, cookies, cereal, peanut butter, coffee, and bread in the cupboard, and the fridge held milk, soda, juice, various lunch meats and cheeses, and some fruits and vegetables, as well as a few condiments. A peek into the freezer revealed some frozen pizzas, chicken, beef and pork chops.
    “That woman thinks of everything,” he chuckled, touched by her thoughtfulness and generosity. Judging by the amount of food she bought for him, he wouldn’t have to shop for at least a week, if not longer.
    Under the hot spray of his shower, Billy tried to put to rest his confusion about the Haffner sisters. Melanie- was she really giving him mixed signals? There were times when he thought he felt something from her, a mutual longing, and he was confident she felt the same spark between them when she held his hand to get up off the ground. But she was Marty’s girl, and that made her strictly off limits. He could only hope that they’d break up sometime soon, but it didn’t seem likely. She claimed they were happy together. But then why had he caught her staring at him in that way when they were out riding?
    Cass. Cass was a pin-up girl brought to li fe, and she was feisty. He loved a challenge. But Ramiro warned that she was trouble, and he believed it. He’d have to be steadfast in listening to his head instead of his libido, in order to stay out of trouble with that one.
    That left him wanting both, but able to have neither. He groaned as he assessed where it all stood and what i t meant for him. It meant that until he could learn to let her go, Melanie’s presence would be a constant torture for him. In terms of Cass, it meant that he’d have an extremely attractive, available sexpot throwing herself at him whenever she could. Unless she was so mad at him that she’d given up already. He knew that was too much to hope for.
    After his shower, he dressed in a pair of clean jeans and a flannel shirt. The days were