doing, hiding behind a scrap of material more rag than shirt seemed ridiculous. She dropped it to the tile floor and reached for the plastic bottle and squirted a dollop of shampoo into her hand before applying it to her hair. It lathered up easily, smelling pleasantly of cedar and spice. "About my roping skills..."
"Or lack thereof."
"You, ah, you'd prefer me to keep away from ropes from now on?"
"'Fraid so. It's only for two more days. After that our contract will be satisfied and you can practice all you'd like. On somebody else's property, that is."
Cami bowed her head, suds dripping from her hair. What else had she expected? Had she really believed his kiss meant something? Had she really believed he'd want her to stay? "Is there any way I can change your mind?" Please, say yes. Please.
His response came in a hard unequivocal voice. "Not that I can think of. I'm sorry, Tex."
Her heart sank clear to her toes. "Me, too," she whispered. She spared him a peek. Was he counting again? She could have sworn he mouthed twenty-three.
Then he said, "Tex?"
"Yes?" Hope overflowed that single word.
He simply shook his head and her hope washed down the drain. "I'm going to get you a change of clothes. Don't go anywhere, hear?"
"Yessir. No, sir."
With that, the door closed behind him and Cami was left to her misery. She stood beneath the warm spray, a bar of soap clutched to her chest. So what did she do now? Concede defeat? Give up and go home?
Frowning thoughtfully, she rubbed the soap across all twenty-three of her freckles. She still had two days. She'd have to find a way to prove her worth to Holt. She'd force him to see he was making a huge mistake. But how? She set her mouth in a firm line. Texans were tough. Texans were determined.
She'd find a way.
* * *
Cami's last day on the job dawned clear and bright. Desperation marked her expression. This was it. Today she'd prove herself to Holt. Come hell or high water, today he'd hire her on a permanent basis. She just needed to rope something without hurting anyone. Then he'd realize she could do the job and she'd become his official wrangler for the summer. That decided, she snagged a length of manila off the corral fence, determined to practice. Instantly, every child on the ranch gathered round.
"Whatcha doing, Cami?"
"You gonna rope Git again?"
"Could you tie us up instead?"
Cami grinned at her following. "Practicing roping skills is serious cowboy work. You all stand clear and let me get on with my job."
Obediently they stood to one side, calling the occasional word of encouragement. Just as she tossed the rope for the third time, Tina screamed. Cami glanced from the rope to the child. No way had she done anything this time. Absolutely, positively, no way.
"Cami! Snake!" Tina pointed at the ground. A huge rattler sat coiled inches from the little girl's feet.
"Get back," Cami ordered the other children. "Go for help. Hurry!" She turned to Tina. "Now, sweetheart, don't move. And try not to be afraid. I'm right here with you. But you have to promise me you won't budge so much as an inch."
Tears filled Tina's big brown eyes. "I promise," she whispered. "Please, make it go away."
Urgently, Cami cast around for something— anything —with which to save Tina. Sweat beaded her brow. She had to think fast. She had to act now. Any minute the child would panic and run and the snake would strike. Her gaze fell on a shovel leaning against the barn and she could have wept with relief.
She addressed Tina once more. "I'm going to get something to hit the snake with, but don't worry. I'll be back in a sec. Don't move. "
With that she darted for the barn, snatched up the shovel and raced to within clubbing distance of the snake. "Close your eyes and hold real still," she instructed. Aiming carefully, she brought the shovel down on top of the snake in a single powerful blow. Moving with lightning speed, she swept Tina clear and, for good measure, smacked the snake a
"Or lack thereof."
"You, ah, you'd prefer me to keep away from ropes from now on?"
"'Fraid so. It's only for two more days. After that our contract will be satisfied and you can practice all you'd like. On somebody else's property, that is."
Cami bowed her head, suds dripping from her hair. What else had she expected? Had she really believed his kiss meant something? Had she really believed he'd want her to stay? "Is there any way I can change your mind?" Please, say yes. Please.
His response came in a hard unequivocal voice. "Not that I can think of. I'm sorry, Tex."
Her heart sank clear to her toes. "Me, too," she whispered. She spared him a peek. Was he counting again? She could have sworn he mouthed twenty-three.
Then he said, "Tex?"
"Yes?" Hope overflowed that single word.
He simply shook his head and her hope washed down the drain. "I'm going to get you a change of clothes. Don't go anywhere, hear?"
"Yessir. No, sir."
With that, the door closed behind him and Cami was left to her misery. She stood beneath the warm spray, a bar of soap clutched to her chest. So what did she do now? Concede defeat? Give up and go home?
Frowning thoughtfully, she rubbed the soap across all twenty-three of her freckles. She still had two days. She'd have to find a way to prove her worth to Holt. She'd force him to see he was making a huge mistake. But how? She set her mouth in a firm line. Texans were tough. Texans were determined.
She'd find a way.
* * *
Cami's last day on the job dawned clear and bright. Desperation marked her expression. This was it. Today she'd prove herself to Holt. Come hell or high water, today he'd hire her on a permanent basis. She just needed to rope something without hurting anyone. Then he'd realize she could do the job and she'd become his official wrangler for the summer. That decided, she snagged a length of manila off the corral fence, determined to practice. Instantly, every child on the ranch gathered round.
"Whatcha doing, Cami?"
"You gonna rope Git again?"
"Could you tie us up instead?"
Cami grinned at her following. "Practicing roping skills is serious cowboy work. You all stand clear and let me get on with my job."
Obediently they stood to one side, calling the occasional word of encouragement. Just as she tossed the rope for the third time, Tina screamed. Cami glanced from the rope to the child. No way had she done anything this time. Absolutely, positively, no way.
"Cami! Snake!" Tina pointed at the ground. A huge rattler sat coiled inches from the little girl's feet.
"Get back," Cami ordered the other children. "Go for help. Hurry!" She turned to Tina. "Now, sweetheart, don't move. And try not to be afraid. I'm right here with you. But you have to promise me you won't budge so much as an inch."
Tears filled Tina's big brown eyes. "I promise," she whispered. "Please, make it go away."
Urgently, Cami cast around for something— anything —with which to save Tina. Sweat beaded her brow. She had to think fast. She had to act now. Any minute the child would panic and run and the snake would strike. Her gaze fell on a shovel leaning against the barn and she could have wept with relief.
She addressed Tina once more. "I'm going to get something to hit the snake with, but don't worry. I'll be back in a sec. Don't move. "
With that she darted for the barn, snatched up the shovel and raced to within clubbing distance of the snake. "Close your eyes and hold real still," she instructed. Aiming carefully, she brought the shovel down on top of the snake in a single powerful blow. Moving with lightning speed, she swept Tina clear and, for good measure, smacked the snake a
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