Free One More Taste by Melissa Cutler Page A

truck. “Right now. Let’s do it. Let’s drive your truck onto the resort.”
    The hasty change of topic had his mind racing to catch up. “It’s not going to work.”
    â€œIf we can push it over the top of the hill, it’ll roll downhill on its own. Even your ghost daddy can’t defy physics.”
    Knox was pretty sure Dad could, but more importantly, “Could you not call him Ghost Daddy—ever?”
    â€œFine.” She extended her open palm. “Where are your keys?”
    My God, she was serious. “Don’t you recall a little story I told about the brakes malfunctioning? The truck rolled into Lake Bandit and was barely salvageable. We can’t take the chance of the brakes failing again and the truck crashing. Or worse, hitting a resort guest.”
    To his great frustration, she crouched again with her mouth near the side mirror. “Tell you what, Clint. I know you don’t want Knox here. I don’t either, but he is here. And he’s right that it’s probably the best for the resort. So instead of being an asshole, why don’t you support your son? Hmm?”
    â€œI’m sure he’s not interested in your opinion.”
    â€œGuess we’ll find out. Unless you’re chicken.”
    Maybe seeing would be believing for her. Knox climbed into the driver’s seat, started the truck, then reached across the bench seat and unlocked the passenger door. “Get in.”
    â€œReady?” he asked once she was settled with her seatbelt on.
    â€œLet’s do it.”
    Imprudent hope took hold of him. Emily was so committed and passionate about everything she did that it was easy to get swept away by her confidence. He disengaged the parking brake, put the truck in gear, and eased the gas pedal down.
    Lo and behold, the truck rolled forward toward the property line.
    â€œCome on, Clint,” Emily whispered.
    At only a few yards away from the edge of the resort, Knox’s imprudent hope turned into full-fledged faith. This was going to work. Emily was the key, somehow. She—
    As the front bumper crossed the cattle guard, the engine died. No warning, no gradual slow down. Just dead. So much for that wild flare of faith.
    A hard bark of laughter escaped his chest. “See? Told you.”
    Emily’s mouth had fallen open. “That’s … I don’t know what to say. I mean, I believed you. I really did, but I still thought maybe this time he’d cut you a break.”
    â€œNope.”
    She puffed her cheeks with a sigh. “He’s really not happy you’re working at the resort, is he?”
    â€œI can see how you’d think that, but it doesn’t make sense. I have to believe he’s proud, and that he knows I’m restoring balance and righting a wrong. He has to know I’m doing all this for him.” There he went again, oversharing with Emily. How did she manage to disarm him so completely? Here she was, pulling from him some intimate truths he’d never shared with anyone, Shayla included, while he knew barely anything about her save for the sparse details from her personnel file, which he’d opened and skimmed today.
    â€œDid you grow up in Texas?” he asked.
    Her face went blank. She stared straight ahead, though he wasn’t sure she registered anything but the darkness. He sat in silence, waiting her out, hoping she’d cave and start talking.
    â€œHouston.” Her clipped tone held a warning not to question her further, but she’d done more than her fair share of probing him, so it was only reasonable.
    â€œAre your parents still there? Any brothers and sisters?”
    â€œI’m an only child.” She sat in silence for a moment more. Then, in a flash of movement, she unclipped her seatbelt and opened her door. “So I’m just gonna go…” She hitched her thumb toward the resort’s main building. “I’ve got