Cowboy Up by Vicki Lewis Thompson Page A

Emily didn’t want it to be important.
    “And he’s certainly mentioned you to me! He’s very proud of you.”
    “That’s nice to hear.” It was the polite response, but Emily couldn’t imagine what her father had to be proud of. She hadn’t done much of anything.
    She was so focused on Pam that she didn’t notice Sarah had left to get another glass from the liquor cabinet until Sarah held it out to her already filled with wine. “Oh! Thank you, Sarah.”
    “I took a chance that you like red, but please, watch out for that skirt.”
    “I do like red. Thanks.” Obviously she was meant to join them for a little chat. She’d rather not, but she’d taken the wine and now she was caught. She chose a seat next to Sarah. “Is…uh…my dad home yet?”
    “Any minute, now,” Sarah said. “We’re waiting dinner for him, since we sent him off on all those errands to make sure he was gone for the afternoon, we can’t very well start dinner without him.”
    “I should have gone with him,” Pam said. “I could have made sure he didn’t get sidetracked, but I had so much to do. I’m training the girl who’ll take over for me tomorrow night when I come to the party, and she has lots to learn.”
    “A bed-and-breakfast must be a big responsibility.” Emily studied Pam and noted some similarities to her mother—both Pam and Jeri had fair complexions and a nice smile. But Emily’s mother had an edge to her, a sharpness that was missing from this woman. Pam definitely seemed softer. She also dressed like a westerner in a yoked shirt and jeans.
    “It doesn’t seem like a big responsibility to me,” Pam said. “But I’ve been doing it for a while. I suppose it’s overwhelming to someone who’s just being introduced to the job.”
    Sarah beamed at her friend. “I’m excited because you’re finally getting a whole night off. I don’t think you’ve taken the night off since you bought the place.”
    “No, I haven’t, but Emmett’s sixtieth warrants my full attention.”
    “Indeed.” Sarah raised a glass in Pam’s direction. “Which reminds me, Emily. How did you and Clay make out at the picnic site?”
    Emily was grateful that she hadn’t just taken a mouthful of wine, because if she had, it would have spurted all over her white skirt. “Just fine,” she said in a voice that sounded almost calm. “The tables and benches are all set up and the fire pits are ready.”
    “That’s great. So here’s my plan. We have a yearling named Calamity Sam who’s recently developed a phobia about the noise of plastic bags. Gabe keeps meaning to work with him, but he’s gone so much with his cutting horse competitions that he hasn’t had time. I’ve asked Emmett to work with Sam tomorrow morning. Desensitizing a horse with a phobia is a tedious job, and it should keep Emmett occupied so we can sneak our nonperishables out to the picnic site.”
    “And tomorrow afternoon I’m going to develop a plumbing problem at the Bunk and Grub,” Pam said. “While he’s fixing that, you can haul the perishables out there.”
    “Can I help in any way?” Emily didn’t want her dad’s girlfriend to contribute more to the plan than his only daughter.
    “Absolutely,” Sarah said. “You can be part of the Calamity Sam plan. Two people are usually more effective. While Emmett calms the horse, you can rustle a plastic bag. This may take more than tomorrow’s session, but we need to cure that colt of his phobia. I think Emmett will be happy to show off his horse-training skills for you.”
    “I can do that. After all, I came here to spend time with my dad.” She gave that last sentence extra emphasis.
    “And he’s absolutely thrilled to have you here,” Pam said. “So am I, for that matter. I’ve been eager to meet you after all the wonderful things Emmett has told me about you.”
    “He has?” Emily had a hard time imagining her dad bragging about her and fought the impulse to ask what those wonderful