LITMIR.BIZ

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you like an idea that’s different? I can promise no one else in your class will have thought of it.”

      “What’s that?”

      “Skis and boots.”

      “Huh?”

      “They’ve changed a lot since the days when someone tied his shoes to wooden slats with a couple of pieces of rope and used sticks for poles. I bet when Clint won his gold medal in the Olympics, his skis and boots were a lot different because of technology.”

      Bobby’s head jerked toward the other end of the table. “You won a gold medal at the Olympics?” By now everyone else was staring at Pam’s husband in surprise. It was about time the family opened their eyes and ears to the kind of man she’d married.

      Clint flashed Audra a private smile. “It was a long time ago, but Audra’s right. Since then, skis and boots have undergone tremendous changes to make them faster, lighter and safer.”

      “What did you win the medal in?” Michael wanted to know. He was Jim’s eleven-year-old.

      “The giant slalom.”

      “Whoa.”

      Delighted over the kids’ reactions, Audra said, “He and his now-deceased wife owned and ran a ski business in Copper Mountain, Colorado.

      “Fabulous skiers from all over the States and Europe flock there for the World Cup races. There probably isn’t anything he doesn’t know about the changes in ski technology.

      “His wife won a silver medal at the same Olympics for the women’s downhill, Bobby,” Audra continued. “If I were you, I’d pump Clint for all he’s worth. You’re bound to get top marks with such an original report.”

      She flicked her glance to Sherry. “Would you mind passing me the corn on the cob? It’s so good, I’ve got to have another one.”

      “Sure.” Sherry picked up the bowl and handed it to Bobby, who gave it to Audra.

      “Do you ski, too?” Sherry directed her question to Rick. Jim’s wife, like Annette and Diane, couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Clint’s son. And the boys didn’t seem to like it.

      Audra smiled to herself. The racetrack lover had blown into town. Watch out, guys. He’s not only easy on the eyes, he’s a breed apart from the rest of you.

      “Every chance I get,” came Rick’s quiet reply.

      “Rick won the Junior World Slalom Championship when he was a teenager,” Pam volunteered.

      “Cool!” This from several of the children.

      Audra didn’t know that. “Rick Hawkins is a man of many talents.” All of them had to do with speed and danger.

      At that comment, his gaze met hers head-on. She refused to look away. Pete had lost his life in a freak car accident. According to Pam, Clint figured it was only a matter of time until his son was seriously injured or killed on the track in a fiery crash. Audra didn’t want to think about that happening.

      Clint adored his boys. If anything ever happened to them he would never get over it. The pain would put a blight on Pam’s marriage. And there’d been too much pain in the Jarrett family. Her cousin Pam didn’t deserve any more.

      Not only would it be a pointless tragedy, it would destroy Pam and Clint’s newfound happiness. Audra wanted their joy to last forever.

      She could always lock Rick up in a barn and keep the key. There was a tantalizing thought. But aside from hog-tying him, she was powerless to prevent something ghastly from happening.

      Fastening her attention on Bobby once more, she said, “If you traced the Hawkins family’s experiences testing out ski equipment, I have no doubts you’d tap into exactly what your teacher had in mind when she gave you the assignment.”

      Formula One race-car driving would have provided another fascinating topic for a technology report. It was a business so far removed from their insular world of horses and ranching, the boys would fall out of their chairs if they knew what Rick did for a living.

      But now was not the time to enlighten them. This was Clint Hawkins’s moment.

      “Would you be willing to help me, Clint?” Bobby asked.

      Pam’s husband nodded. “There’s nothing I’d like more. We can go in the living room after dinner and I’ll give you some ideas to work on.”

      “There won’t be time,” Tom muttered.

      But their uncle said, “Make the time!”

      To Audra’s delight, Clint went right on talking as if Tom hadn’t said anything. “Do you have access to the Internet, Bobby?”

      “Yeah.”

      “Then I’ll supply you with some names of several ski manufacturers that explain their engineering innovations with graphics you can print out.”

      “Thanks!”

      “I want to read that report when you’re finished, young man.”

      “Sure, Uncle David.”

      “Don’t clear the dishes yet,” he warned Pam, who’d started to push herself away from the table. “I have something to say and want everyone to hear it.”

      Stillness spread throughout the room.

      Those ominous words had the effect of a giant hand squeezing Audra’s heart. If her instincts were right, the moment she’d been dreading for months had come. For her uncle to bring up private matters in front of Clint and his son proved how completely he’d accepted Pam’s husband into the family.

      No longer interested in her meal, Audra put down her fork.

      “I’m not going to sugarcoat this. Our ranch has been losing money steadily ever since the tornado destroyed lives and livelihoods twenty-three years ago. It’s left me with no option but to sell the property and the plane.”

      The muscles in Audra’s stomach clenched.

      “You all knew it was coming. That’s why years ago I insisted all of you get college educations and make livings for yourselves while you helped me on the side with the ranching.”

      “You’ve already signed papers?” Tom asked.

      “Let me finish.” He glanced at each of them. “You don’t have to wait for me to die to know what’s coming to you. Everything’s been sold except the hundred and twenty acres of fenced land with the bungalow I’ve left to Audra and you boys.”

      “A hundred and twenty acres,” Tom blurted in anger.

      Audra swallowed hard. She’d thought her uncle had already given Pam the bungalow.

      Had he left her out of the will because she’d married Clint? Her cousin had entertained so many plans how she’d use her property. Audra couldn’t bear it. That didn’t sound like her fair-minded uncle. It had to mean he had less money than she’d thought.

      Jim’s face had gone as dark red as his hair. “You can’t do anything with that small amount of land!”

      Greg looked equally outraged.

      “How much land did you want, Tom?” their uncle asked in his unflappable manner. “Did you have the money to buy it in order to help pay off our debts? Did any of you have the funds to save us?”

      Tom ground his teeth. “You know damn well we didn’t!”

      Audra flinched.

      “Then be thankful you’re being given anything at all, and I won’t have you swearing in front of me or this family or our guest.”

      Things were falling apart fast.

      “My advice to you boys and Audra is to use the land and the bungalow

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