Finding Home by Lois Greiman Page A

horses . . . or whatever you do. Kind of a paying guest.”
    â€œBreaking—”
    â€œI mean . . . Listen . . .” He slowed his pace. “I’m a great judge of character, Cassandra. And you’re. . . .” He shook his head, still staring at her. “You’d be good for her. And it wouldn’t be forever or anything. Just a couple of weeks.”
    â€œA couple of—” Casie began, but Emily interrupted.
    â€œShe does need a mother figure.”
    Casie blinked and turned slowly toward the girl. “I’m not a mother.”
    â€œAre you kidding me?” Jaegar grinned. “Look at you, you’re like Mother Earth. The organic garden, the horses, the baby animals. You could teach her so much.”
    The man was obviously delusional. She opened her mouth, maybe to tell him as much. Which meant it was entirely possible she hadn’t completely gotten over her outrageous candidness. Head trauma can do strange things.
    â€œI mean, Amber’s great,” he hurried to add. “Don’t get me wrong. But she’s young. Well . . .” He laughed. “It’s not as if I’m robbing the cradle or anything but . . . well . . . maybe it would be more fair to say she’s inexperienced.” He thought about that for a second. “In . . . life. Anyway, I’m not asking for favors . . . exactly.” He looked a little desperate now, making Casie wonder what exactly Sophie had done to the young, inexperienced Amber. “I would compensate you, of course.”
    Casie sat silent, then finally managed, “I really appreciate your faith in me, Mr. Jaegar, but—”
    â€œI don’t know,” Emily said, dragging the last word out a little as if musing aloud. “Our Cowgirl Camp is pretty pricey.”
    â€œWhat?” Philip asked.
    â€œWhat?” Casie echoed.
    â€œThe Cowgirl Camp,” Emily repeated, solemn as a preacher as she ignored Casie and focused all her attention on Jaegar. “I assumed you must have heard of our plans. The Lazy is going to be kind of a guest ranch, kind of an equestrian training center. It’s a program for women . . . something to enrich their lives.” She narrowed her eyes and formed a fist above the table. “To give them the skills necessary to make them valuable members of society. It’s astounding how empowering it is for women to learn to manage a thousand-pound horse.”
    â€œAre you out of your . . .” Casie began, but Emily muscled in again.
    â€œIt’s just in its formative stages, of course. And since your daughter would be our first guest, we’d be willing to give you a discount.”
    â€œI knew it!” he said, shifting his gaze from one to the other. “When you acted so uncertain about selling the place I knew you must have some sort of scheme in mind. And as much as I hate to lose the commission, I have to admit, you’ll be wonderful at this.”
    â€œMr. Jaegar . . .”
    â€œI’m so pleased.”
    â€œMr. Jaegar . . .”
    â€œThis’ll be just what she—”
    â€œIt’ll be two thousand dollars a week,” Emily said.
    â€œTwo . . .” He blinked, maybe paled a little. “That seems a bit steep.”
    â€œMr. Jaegar,” Emily said. The stern expression on her unlined face would have made a schoolmarm squirm. “You cannot put a price on the kind of foundation Miss Carmichael can give a young, impressionable girl.”
    He blinked once, glanced at Casie, then blinked again as he turned back to Emily. “You’re right,” he said and nodded. “You’re absolutely right. You’ve got yourself a deal.”

C HAPTER 10
    â€œT hanks so much for stopping by.” Emily smiled as she closed the door firmly behind Philip Jaegar and turned back toward the kitchen.
    But Casie blocked her way. Anger, confusion, and shock had been blended to a heady mixture in her