The You I Never Knew by Susan Wiggs

Author:Susan Wiggs [Wiggs, Susan]
Language: fra
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Contemporary
ISBN: 9780759522022
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2000-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Sam’s snow tires crackled on the drive as he turned into his farm. He was surprised to see Gavin Slade’s Ford 350 parked outside the barn. Damn, what was Gavin doing here?

Sam pulled up to the house and spotted a light on in the kitchen. He stopped on the back porch, amazed to see his mother offering a steaming mug to Gavin Slade.

Sam paused to collect himself. His first meeting with Gavin Slade had set in motion events no one could have predicted. When Sam was seventeen, his mom’s car had died in the parking lot of the Truxtop Café in Crystal City. The owner, above average in the decency department, had arranged a tow to McEvoy’s Garage and had given Tammi Lee a job. A few inquiries steered Sam to Blue Rock. Good reputation, rodeo stock contractor. The kind of operation a cowboy dreamed of.

Gavin’s foreman had taken one look at Sam in the saddle and summoned the boss. Sam’s physique had always worked in his favor. He was tall and rangy with long hands and a relaxed way that gave people—and horses—confidence.

“Well, you look like a cowboy. Can you ride like one?” Gavin had wanted to know.

Digging in his heels, Sam had demonstrated on the borrowed quarter horse.

“How’d you get here?” Gavin had asked.

“Walked.”

“From town? That’s six miles.”

Sam made no comment. Gavin hired him on the spot.

Sam had been quietly fascinated by the parade of glitterati that came to call on the famous actor. He recognized faces from old movies, late-night talk shows, celebrity game shows. Beautiful women and well-dressed men came seeking favor, for after retiring from movies, Gavin Slade became a respected producer, picking and choosing his projects with care.

Gavin had entered Sam in a few local roping events. The purses at the small shows didn’t amount to much, but Sam had a taste of something he hadn’t sampled before—possibility.

Fate had worn a yellow ponytail, expensive riding clothes, and a soft-eyed, dreamy look that made him forget his place in the world.

Damn. The boss’s daughter.

Could he have been more stupid?

Sam yanked open the kitchen door. Gavin was a charmer, a ladies’ man. What the hell did he want with Tammi Lee?

“Hey, Mama.” Sam took off his hat, holding out his hand. “Gavin.”

“Good to see you.” Gavin flashed a smile, but his eyes stayed cool, wary.

“I had car trouble,” Tammi Lee explained. “Gavin gave me a lift out here.”

Sam relaxed a little. That seemed innocent enough. But he didn’t kid himself about Gavin Slade. The old man had considered him ranch-hand scum, not good enough for his daughter. That in itself might have been forgivable, but Gavin had played hardball. Even the ruse with the missing money had been understandable, if not forgivable. What Sam couldn’t ever forget, though, was that Gavin’s schemes had knocked Tammi Lee in the dirt when she was already down.

“I wanted to meet Cody,” Tammi Lee continued.

“He was feeling well enough to come to work.” Pride touched Gavin’s voice. “Frankly, I was glad to see it.

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