Taking Chances: A Donnelley Brother's Novel Read Online Free

appraising me. “Alright little lady, I get it. You can handle yourself out here.” The man pointed to the little shop I’d deemed as the place to sign in and said, “You sign in there. My fiancée Reese is working the desk right now. She’ll give you a key and directions to your cabin. I’m sure a strong woman like you can find your way without help, unless that mouth of yours is all talk?”
    “Do you try to keep all your customers so happy?” I asked sweetly with only a bite of sarcasm in the undercurrents, but I knew he heard it, because he grinned.
    “Nope.” He tipped his chin as he walked past me calling. “Only a select few like you, do I take any interest in.”
    “Uh huh.” I muttered.
    He added over his shoulder, winking. “I don’t know how you came to be here, but I know it wasn’t happenstance. You’re going to change things - and by way of your attitude, I think you’re the perfect woman for the job.”
    I didn’t know what he meant by that, but he was walking away, so I decided that our spitting of nails was over - until next time. Shaking my head, I grinned as I took the steps of the now confirmed check-in shop. My heeled boots clapped against the wooden stairs, and for the first time in my life, I wished I hadn’t worn heels. They really had no place here, but I didn’t torture myself with things I couldn’t change as I pulled open the door and stepped through. The scent of apple and cinnamon hit me hard and my eyes zeroed in on a mug of steaming water - that had four, nope, five bags of tea sitting in the cup.
    Holy, in the name of excess - my thought was cut off by a woman’s voice.
    “I know it smells in here - but he won’t let me drink coffee and I just needed something strong and this tea is great!”
    My eyes flickered from the overly excessive mug of tea to a little brunette woman who was sitting behind the desk in a comfortable chair. I could see she was sitting with her legs crossed, and her socked feet were shoeless. It wasn’t only the lack of shoes that struck me as odd, but it was the fact that the socks she wore were a bright blue and fluffy! I felt as though I were looking at the cookie monsters feet, rather than a woman’s - and even more importantly, a woman working the desk of the Wild Land Ranch I was supposed to be staying at for the next six months !
    I mean, the people here were weird! The man outside had been less than accommodating and even less welcoming. I was willing to bet that this blue socked, apple cinnamon tea drinker - or hoarder - was his fiancée. Did I say weird? Seriously, was it something in the water?
    “I’m Reese, it’s nice to meet you?” Her words dropped off in a question for my identity.
    Yep! She was the interrogators fiancée. Great, the people here really were nutty.
    “I’m here to check in.” I said before giving her my name and smiling forcedly. I really did not want to be here. “Hadley Grades.”
    “Oh great!” She beamed excitedly. “You’re the one here for six months! Oh, that is soooo awesome!”
    Whoa, so her fiancé was a total ass and she was friendly as a kindergarten teacher. Again, weird!
    “Yeah.” I flashed another smile, although I was sure this one let her know how uncomfortable I was. “That’s me.”
    “Oh.” Her smile fell a little. “I suppose I’ll get you your key. Logan, my fiancé is just outside - he never wanders very far from me while I’m here - he will get you settled into your cabin.”
    “Yeah, I met him.” I said dryly. “He’s a real gem that one!”
    She cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips. Then her eyes dragged over me in much the same way her fiancés had. I shifted uncertainly and wondered fleetingly if this crazy Wild Land Tour place housed a bunch of psychotic people. And my Dad was afraid I’d try drugs in the city. Ha!
    “Was he an ass?” She didn’t let me answer as she huffed. “It’s obvious you’re from the city. Pay Logan no mind he’ll warm