The Rancher's Wedding - Diana Palmer Page 0,15
was Todd who put Cary in jail for assault. Cary’s girlfriend slapped him. He called the law on her.” He smothered a grin at Cassie’s expression.
“He called the police because his girlfriend slapped him?” Cassie asked, wide-eyed. “But you said he went to jail for assault,” she added, confused.
He pursed his chiseled lips. “Well, see, when Todd got there, Cary swung on him. Our chief’s a martial artist, too. Cary had lots of bruises. But assault on a police officer is a felony and Cary couldn’t talk Todd out of the charge. So he spent a couple of weeks behind bars before his attorney pulled a few strings and got him out.” He shook his head. “Whatever he is, Cary’s still part of one of the founding families of Benton. That reputation goes a long way around here. And Cary had been drinking, which he almost never used to do.”
“I heard about him going to jail,” she said. “I thought it was because he was dangerous.”
“No, he’s not dangerous and he doesn’t want to go back,” he assured her. “So he’ll be more careful. But don’t trust him. I don’t mean that he’s dangerous. He’s mostly mischievous. He’s like old Two Toes; he’s a sneak.”
“Two Toes?”
“Our resident bad boy. He’s an old wolf. He preys on our calves because he can’t get a pack to take him on, apparently, and he sneaks around my ranch looking for helpless little strays.”
“Oh, how awful,” she said softly.
He smiled. He liked her nurturing attitude. She reminded him of his mother, long ago, when he was small. She’d been like this, all heart.
“We’re hoping we can talk the local wildlife rehabilitator to take him on. I don’t want to kill him, but we have to stop him.”
“Do they let people keep wolves as pets?” she asked.
He laughed. “Not so much. You have to have training for that sort of work. Most of the rehabilitators are overworked. All of them around here specialize. We have one for raptors, one for small mammals, one for large mammals, that sort of thing.”
“What a wonderful job,” she sighed.
“You wouldn’t think so if your phone rang off the hook all hours with people needing help.”
“I don’t know,” she replied. “It sounds like a worthwhile occupation.” She glanced toward the kitchen. Her boss was just coming out of it. Cassie’s worried expression told him a lot.
“Two eggs, scrambled, with bacon and toast and grape jelly,” he said at once. “Strong black coffee to go with it.”
She smiled and her eyes mirrored her gratitude as she jotted down the order. “I haven’t spilled anybody’s coffee so far today,” she said.
“I spill mine half the time,” he said easily. “I trip over my own feet. I catch pot holders on fire.” He shrugged. “I won’t mind if you spill the coffee.”
She laughed. “Okay. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
She went at once to get his order. Mary gave her a secretive smile and a hidden thumbs-up. Cassie flushed. Mary laughed as her newest employee dashed to the counter and gave the order to the cook.
* * *
Cassie managed to get the coffee to JL in one piece, without dropping the cup. She let out a sigh of relief when she had it on the table before him, along with a napkin and silverware.
“Not bad,” he remarked. “You know, your clothes are still at the house.”
“Oh, gosh, I keep forgetting about them!” she exclaimed apologetically.
“It wasn’t a complaint,” he replied. “But I thought you might like to come over and get them Saturday. You can see the calves.”
Her eyes lit up. “You have calves?”
“Lots of them. Even a pair of twins,” he added. “We have our cows drop calves in the early spring, when the young grass is just coming up and most of the snow and sleet is done with.” He sighed heavily. “Not that it’s quite spring just yet,” he added, shaking his head. “We’ve got our hands full with this latest snowfall.”
“I love snow,” she said softly. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Not when you’re trying to shovel it out of cattle pens and feeders.”
She laughed. “Yes, but I don’t have to do those things.”
“Don’t they have snow where you come from?”
She made a face. “One or two days a year.”
“Heaven,” he retorted.
“It’s a matter of perspective,” she pointed out. “What we don’t have often becomes a joy.”
“I can think of several inappropriate replies to that,” he said with a wicked smile. “The main one being raging indigestion.”
“Oh, boy, can I sympathize with that!” she said. “I