Playing For Keeps (Emerald Lake Billionaires 2) Read Free Page A

lists of lists. I don’t do spontaneous very much, either. What were you going to do once you got here?”
    Sophie knew what she wanted to do, but she didn’t think Tess would appreciate being told that she wanted to hide. All she knew was that she needed to stay alive to share the formula for the supplement she’d developed.
    “The first thing I need to do is find a job,” Sophie said. “Do you know if anyone is hiring new staff?”
    Tess looked at her closely. “Tell me about your work experience.”
    Sophie had to think carefully about her answer. She’d waitressed part time in a small café in Chicago, but that had been eight years ago when she’d been a student. She couldn’t tell Tess where she’d worked or give any references. It could lead to questions that could be dangerous.
    “I worked in a small café in San Francisco for about two years. I left when the business closed down.”
    “What did you do after the café closed?” Tess asked.
    She thought about the story she’d told Ryan. “I worked in different retail stores. My last job involved selling ladies’ shoes.”
    “Were you good at it?”
    Sophie knew next to nothing about ladies’ shoes, but it couldn’t be that hard to sell them. “Everyone was happy when they left the store, and I had plenty of repeat customers. I enjoyed my job, but I needed a change.”
    Tess nodded as if she could understand someone wanting a change. “I don’t need more staff in the café, but if anything changes I’ll keep you in mind. Have you got a phone number I could call if I need to contact you?”
    She nodded and pulled out the phone she’d bought as she was leaving Chicago. She told Tess the phone number and put it back into her pocket.
    “Where else have you asked about vacancies?”
    “I’ve walked along Main Street and no one has any jobs available. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
    “Have you got somewhere to stay tonight?”
    Sophie shook her head. “I thought I’d see if there were any campgrounds around Bozeman. Can you recommend any good places to stay?”
    Tess glanced up as someone walked through the café’s front door. She smiled at her customer and patted Sophie on the hand. “Stay here. I’ll be back in a minute.”
    Tess spent the next five minutes serving the lady at the counter. She put the home baking the lady chose into brown paper bags and handed them to her.
    While Tess was busy making a cup of coffee for her customer, Sophie checked her cell phone. Her sister was going to text her tonight to let her know how their mom was.
    It had been a long, hard two weeks for Sophie. She hadn’t been away from Chicago for more than two days since her mom had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and she was worried about her.
    Tess came back to the table and sat down. “There’s a campground not far off the interstate. It’s called the Bozeman KOA. But are you sure you want to stay in a campground?”
    Sophie knew she didn’t have a choice. Her money was running out fast. She didn’t have a job, and the only person she knew was a cowboy called Ryan. She took a deep breath. “Until I find a job I can’t afford to stay anywhere else.”
    “You could stay with me? My fiancé has gone to visit his mom. It will be nice to have some company.”
    Sophie bit her lip.
    Tess smiled. “I’m a pretty good judge of character,” she said, “and I’d say you need a friend about now. It’s just me rambling around inside our big home. You could stay with me for a couple of nights?”
    Sophie was tempted. She’d been living out of two suitcases and sleeping in her car since she’d left Chicago. Her eyes filled with tears at Tess’ kindness. “I don’t know what to say.”
    “Say yes. You’d be doing me a favor,” Tess said. “I’m used to having someone around. When Logan isn’t home the house seems too quiet.”
    She thought about Tess’ offer. If she stayed with Tess, it would give her more time to look for a job. She