Read Love Inspired August 2014 – Bundle 1 of 2 for Free Online Page A

festivities. “I heard
     he was good.”
    Jack set the phone down, frowned and shook his head. “No.”
    “You’ve got a solid player right here in town and you’re dissing him? Why?”
    “Several reasons.”
    Liv’s quiet posture invited him to continue.
    “Pete’s a hothead. He sets players off. He annoys the umpires. He’s got a chip on
     his shoulder and he’s rude. He’s got great playing skills but is that the kind of
     attitude we want representing the town at the big game?”
    “No,” Liv agreed. “I knew he’d played for a bunch of years. Dad sent me the town paper
     from time to time, and I saw Pete’s stats now and again. But you’re right, there’s
     no reason to intentionally bring in someone whose attitude can mess up a fun game
     like this. You’ve got the rest of the guys contacted, though?”
    “I do.”
    He’d done it in less than an hour and from the wealth of notes Liv had on her laptop,
     it looked as if they had wrapped up a good deal of the planning in one short evening.
    Which meant they could pretty much be all done, but that was the last thing he wanted
     to be, so he plunged in, wanting at least one more day of working side by side with
     Livvie Franklin. “Liv, we’ve done well tonight, but shouldn’t we get together again
     to firm things up? I’ve got a rancher from Wyoming coming in to look at calves tomorrow
     night, but I’m free the night after.”
    She scanned her notes, then him, with no discernible change of expression. “Aren’t
     we just about done? I’ll get hold of the ladies’ auxiliary and the Jasper Gulch Hose
     Company about doing the food. The firefighters do the best chicken barbecue, and that
     way they can make money for their organizations, while the take at the gate goes to
     the museum. I’m sure the Sports Boosters will man their hot dog and hamburger stand
     like they do for the Legion games. If the high school band can do the national anthem
     and we get someone to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at the seventh-inning stretch,
     we’re set, right?”
    Jack thought hard and quick. “But what about the flyers? Posting them and getting
     them done? And by the way, I’m heading to Three Forks on Saturday for the horse auction,
     and I was wondering if you’d like to tag along.”
    She sat back. Stared at him. In fact, she stared at him so long that he half wondered
     if she’d gone into some kind of shock, but before he could dial 911, her mother’s
     voice chimed in from the garden around the corner. “Liv, that would be fun, don’t
     you think? Dad and I are leaving on Saturday and you were just saying how you wanted
     a chance to reacquaint yourself with riding while you were here.”
    “You said that?” Jack leaned forward. Her mother’s reminder had chased the deer-in-the-headlights
     look from Liv’s eyes, but her current expression said her mother would most likely
     get an earful when Jack was gone. “So, come, then. We’ll grab food up there. We’d
     have to take off around eight in the morning. That all right with you?”
    * * *
    She longed to refuse his offer.
    She wanted to hurl his stupid invite back at him and remind him of how many nights
     she’d spent crying in her pillow. Did he have any clue the amount of money she’d wasted
     on lotion-treated tissues?
    But the other part of her, the part that had gotten downright excited when she passed
     the Jasper Gulch, Montana, Welcomes You! sign, knowing she’d see Jack again— the more traitorous side— said, “Yes. I’ll be ready at eight. Should I bring anything along?”
    Jack stood and shook his head. “Naw, if you email me a copy of your notes and plans,
     we’ll be good. I’ll print them up at home. And Livvie?” He turned as he got to the
     stairs, looking for all the world as if he wanted to stay, but the cool expression
     she aimed his way said there was no reason to linger. “Thanks so much for this.” He
     held up the paper that now held