got fifteen people to feed, near five hundred cows to bring in, and more than six thousand thirsty acres to keep well oiled. We got a pool rider to pay and grazing permits to renew. We got alfalfa to harvest and winter feed supplements to stock up on. And we got a dragon breathing fire at our back door, thanks to my little sister. Who the heck is going to pay for one more expense?”
“Well, your little sister just took two jobs. That’s worth something.”
“That’s worth squat.”
“In a few months, maybe you’ll be right. But today, we have what we need to help a girl out. Why wouldn’t I do that?” Abel stuffed the papers back into the envelope and handed them back to Lorena.
“This is a do-or-die kind of bad season we’re in, Dad. We can’t take in everyone who knocks on the door.”
“We don’t.”
“I swear we could be operating in the black if we just used a better model than this.”
At Levi’s raised voice, several of the other men turned to look. Rose arrived with a truck full of brimming water containers that would be sent out with each team. Abel waved her over as Jacob left them to distribute the water.
“Rose, honey, I think our Beth has brought you someone who will be of great help around the house.”
“That would be something, wouldn’t it?” She wiped her brow with her long cotton sleeve and introduced herself to Lorena.
“Would that work for you?” Abel asked his wife.
“We could give it a go. I’d be grateful. Can you cook?”
At this, Lorena brightened. “Love to.”
“You’re not even going to run a background on her?” Levi protested.
“There’s plenty of time for all that,” Abel said.
“We’ve all gone nuts.”
Beth saw Jacob smirk at a distance. He slid two five-gallon jugs off the tailgate and carried one in each hand to the other vehicles.
“How long’ll this be for?” Rose asked.
“Long as it’s working, I guess,” her husband answered. “Until you can land a real job,” he said to Lorena. “But we got rules, and you have to follow them.”
“I’ll do anything. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Rule number one: you may not apply for a real job until after you have secured your GED. Ergo, you have any free time—and trust me, Rose is a good woman, but she’s stingy with stuff like that—you’ll be working on getting that diploma. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Rule number two: no drinking, no drugs. You can dance all you want, but that’s as loose as it gets around here.”
“That’s just fine.”
Levi stalked off at this point.
“Rule number three: church on Sundays, ten sharp. If we miss church, church comes to us.” Abel pointed at Pastor Eric, who took his hand off a post-hole digger to wave.
Wally was passing by the group with a bale of razor wire in his gloved hands. He saw Lorena and nodded. “Howdy. I’m sure we’ve met before, so I hope you’ll forgive me for not remembering the name that goes with your lovely face.”
“It’s Lorena,” Beth provided.
Wally hesitated. “And you’re the one who rides Hastings?”
“Yes! That was great. Name’s Beth.”
He beamed at her. “Beth, that’s right. The good girl. You’re going to help me find my lockbox,” he said.
“It’s still missing?”
“Sad to say. That wolf, he’s crafty like a fox.”
The mention of the wolf was like cold fingers on Beth’s neck. She collected herself by whispering to the teenager as he moved on past them: “Wally’s harmless, just forgetful. He loves fence-repair days. He gets to dig.”
“Which leads me to rule number four,” Rose said. She shielded her eyes from the mounting sun. “Don’t go anywhere away from the house by yourself. We are a ranch for men, after all, and your being here will be something new for all of us. C’mon now, and I’ll show you the house.” She glanced at the backpack. “Is that all you’ve got? Good, then. I’ll have to think up a place for you to sleep.”
“She can
“Well, your little sister just took two jobs. That’s worth something.”
“That’s worth squat.”
“In a few months, maybe you’ll be right. But today, we have what we need to help a girl out. Why wouldn’t I do that?” Abel stuffed the papers back into the envelope and handed them back to Lorena.
“This is a do-or-die kind of bad season we’re in, Dad. We can’t take in everyone who knocks on the door.”
“We don’t.”
“I swear we could be operating in the black if we just used a better model than this.”
At Levi’s raised voice, several of the other men turned to look. Rose arrived with a truck full of brimming water containers that would be sent out with each team. Abel waved her over as Jacob left them to distribute the water.
“Rose, honey, I think our Beth has brought you someone who will be of great help around the house.”
“That would be something, wouldn’t it?” She wiped her brow with her long cotton sleeve and introduced herself to Lorena.
“Would that work for you?” Abel asked his wife.
“We could give it a go. I’d be grateful. Can you cook?”
At this, Lorena brightened. “Love to.”
“You’re not even going to run a background on her?” Levi protested.
“There’s plenty of time for all that,” Abel said.
“We’ve all gone nuts.”
Beth saw Jacob smirk at a distance. He slid two five-gallon jugs off the tailgate and carried one in each hand to the other vehicles.
“How long’ll this be for?” Rose asked.
“Long as it’s working, I guess,” her husband answered. “Until you can land a real job,” he said to Lorena. “But we got rules, and you have to follow them.”
“I’ll do anything. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Rule number one: you may not apply for a real job until after you have secured your GED. Ergo, you have any free time—and trust me, Rose is a good woman, but she’s stingy with stuff like that—you’ll be working on getting that diploma. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Rule number two: no drinking, no drugs. You can dance all you want, but that’s as loose as it gets around here.”
“That’s just fine.”
Levi stalked off at this point.
“Rule number three: church on Sundays, ten sharp. If we miss church, church comes to us.” Abel pointed at Pastor Eric, who took his hand off a post-hole digger to wave.
Wally was passing by the group with a bale of razor wire in his gloved hands. He saw Lorena and nodded. “Howdy. I’m sure we’ve met before, so I hope you’ll forgive me for not remembering the name that goes with your lovely face.”
“It’s Lorena,” Beth provided.
Wally hesitated. “And you’re the one who rides Hastings?”
“Yes! That was great. Name’s Beth.”
He beamed at her. “Beth, that’s right. The good girl. You’re going to help me find my lockbox,” he said.
“It’s still missing?”
“Sad to say. That wolf, he’s crafty like a fox.”
The mention of the wolf was like cold fingers on Beth’s neck. She collected herself by whispering to the teenager as he moved on past them: “Wally’s harmless, just forgetful. He loves fence-repair days. He gets to dig.”
“Which leads me to rule number four,” Rose said. She shielded her eyes from the mounting sun. “Don’t go anywhere away from the house by yourself. We are a ranch for men, after all, and your being here will be something new for all of us. C’mon now, and I’ll show you the house.” She glanced at the backpack. “Is that all you’ve got? Good, then. I’ll have to think up a place for you to sleep.”
“She can
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