Love Me Tender Read Online Free

delicious.”
    â€œYou have no home, no savings, and everything you own is in your backpack?” His face bore a glazed expression, like she’d laid too much on him too quickly. The guy probably lived in the same town he’d been born in, next door to his parents. Hard to believe a man like that wouldn’t be married. Why not find out?
    â€œThat’s me. Now how about you? You own the Wild Rose, you were probably born in Caribou Crossing . . .” She paused, collected his nod. “Married to your high school sweetheart?”
    He blinked. “Uh, kind of. We’re divorced.”
    â€œAh.” He didn’t go on to say he was engaged or dating someone seriously. Chances were, a smart guy like Dave had figured out, as she had, that it was crazy to invest your heart in a relationship that would likely crash and burn.
    The server began to clear their empty plates. Cassidy said, “Bring me the bill for both of us, please.”
    The woman whipped it out of the small ruffled apron she wore over her velvet dress. It was a typical hotel bill with space to put your room number. Cassidy added a 25 percent tip and wrote “22” for the room number.
    Dave glanced at the bill. “You’re a generous tipper.”
    â€œGood service deserves it.”
    â€œIt does. Thought you didn’t have any money.” He eyed her quizzically.
    â€œI’ll pay the hotel bill the moment I get my first paycheck.”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    Okay, he wasn’t convinced. But she was telling the truth. She hated being in anyone’s debt. “I need to pick your brain about where I might find work. You think the Crazy Horse might be hiring?”
    â€œI doubt it, but I’ll give you Kathy and Will’s phone number. What kind of job are you looking for?”
    â€œWhatever. Server, bartender, salesclerk, cashier. Receptionist, clerk, admin person. Nanny, companion, housekeeper, chambermaid. Flag girl, shelf stocker, dishwasher. Basically, anything that doesn’t call for a degree, I can do. Oh, and I have up-to-date first aid certification.”
    Again seeing skepticism on his face, she said, “I swear I’m good. And I don’t just up and leave jobs—I give fair notice. Unless the boss harasses me, like at the sports bar.”
    â€œMmm.”
    Clearly, she still hadn’t convinced him. And she needed to, not only so he’d help her find work, but because his opinion mattered. She was fine with him not “getting” the whole gypsy lifestyle thing, but she didn’t want him thinking she was some irresponsible flake. “It’s summer and you said this is a tourist town. Businesses must be taking on extra staff, right?”
    â€œYou have references?”
    â€œSure. On my flash drive. I need to find a place to print the file.”
    He studied her, his brow furrowed. “You really are good at all those things? Waiting tables, bartending, cashier, receptionist, chambermaid?”
    She nodded eagerly. “I’ve worked across Canada, the States, Europe, Asia. I speak fluent Spanish—learned from my dad—and a bit of French, German, and Italian.”
    â€œHuh.” His eyes had an inward look.
    She tilted her head. “Huh?”
    That almost-dimple flickered. God, he was so cute. She’d love to coax that dimple out of hiding. A ripple of sexual desire quivered through her body.
    â€œThe Wild Rose could use a fill-in person. For when the receptionist takes a break, or we need to turn over a bunch of rooms fast, or a server or bartender is on holiday or calls in sick.”
    â€œOh!” She hadn’t expected that. “A jill-of-all-trades?” She leaned forward. “You bet! I’m totally flexible about what hours I work. How about I run upstairs and get my flash drive? I should check out anyhow so I’ll grab my backpack. Then we can print out my resume and references and you can take a