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There’s not a lot of good paying jobs in Paradise.”
    Even more pressure. A trickle of sweat inched its way down her back. She shook her head. “No, I can’t do it.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because...”
    Her voice trailed off. He was offering her the perfect opportunity to help her daughter. Without the incentive to ride, Rebecca might never accept counseling, and unless she got help she could be expelled. Where would they go then?
    For Rebecca’s sake she had to get past her fears. She just hoped she didn’t throw up on any of the guests.
    She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. “Okay. When is this luncheon?”
    “In three weeks.”
    She took another deep breath. “Okay,” she said quickly before she could change her mind. “You’ve got a deal.”

Chapter Four
    The following Saturday Bridget and Rebecca headed toward Jack Davison’s guest ranch using the directions he provided. It was a short drive, only about two miles from town, but it had been years since Bridget had driven on gravel roads. She clutched the steering wheel, her body tense and her heart racing.
    But it wasn’t just the gravel roads that made her nervous. The prospect of catering Jack’s event had her stomach churning wildly. If she could find another way to get Rebecca the help she needed, she’d take it.
    They pulled into the driveway of the Lazy J Ranch, and drove down a tree-lined lane that opened on to an expansive farmyard. A two-story log house fronted by a wide veranda was set on the right side on the yard. The flower beds surrounding the house were freshly turned, the soil waiting in anticipation of spring planting. The trees sported fall colors of gold and orange, while the subdued browns of the lawn reminded her that fall would soon give way to a frigid prairie winter. After spending nearly twenty years in California, the thought was daunting.
    To the left, some distance away from the house, a large red barn, fairly new and recently painted, stood next to a tall silo. Beside the barn, horses grazed inside a corral made of log rails. Off in the distance, nestled among a grove of mature poplars, sat several rustic log cabins, presumably used by guests of the ranch. The ranch immediately gave the impression of a home and a business run efficiently with loving care. She felt her stomach muscles relax slightly.
    After parking the car, she and Rebecca walked up the veranda steps to the front door of the house. Their knock on the screen door was answered almost immediately by an older, heavyset woman who greeted them with a welcoming smile. She took Rebecca’s hand.
    “You must be the young lady coming for horseback riding lessons,” she said. “You’ll have wonderful time.” She turned to Bridget. “And you must be Mrs. Grant. I’m Gladys Clark, chief cook and housekeeper around here. I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you’ll be stepping in to cook for our guests while I’m away at my daughter’s wedding. I hated leaving Jack in the lurch, but it’s my daughter’s wedding. What can I do?”
    She shook Gladys’s outstretched hand. “I’m sure everything will be just fine, Mrs. Clark.” She wished she could believe it herself.
    “Oh, just call me Gladys. Jack is waiting for Rebecca. He’s out on the back porch with Leslie and his mother. I’ll take you out to them and then we can discuss the menu plan for our guests.”
    Bridget smiled, though her stomach did a few backflips at the mention of the task that lay ahead. The only thing that kept her from jumping into her car and heading back to town was the excitement on Rebecca’s face.
    They followed Gladys through the immaculate kitchen to a mudroom and a back door that led to a covered wooden deck. Jack, his mother and a young girl sat at a round patio table sipping lemonade. Jack fed the child pieces of fruit from a bowl. The little girl’s eyes were almond-shaped, her face round. Bridget tried to hide her surprise. Why hadn’t Celia told her Jack’s