but at least I can
familiarize myself with the program you’re using. See you at dinner.”
He retraced his steps to the office to find Aaron there
ahead of him. “Are you supposed to be in here?”
His guilt was plain to see as he as he clicked the mouse
and twirled the chair to face him. “Uh, no. Just wanted to help you bypass the
locks.”
Jimmy stood beside the desk. “Ah, I see. Well, I
appreciate the help, but I just got that information from your mother. Thanks
anyway.”
“Oh, okay. I better get going then.” He trudged toward the
door, hesitating in the doorway. “Anytime you get stuck, come find me.”
Jimmy swallowed a chuckle before he replied. “Thanks,
Aaron. I’ll be sure to do that.”
The boy’s face brightened and he went on his way, leaving
Jimmy to wonder what he’d been doing on the computer. He pulled up the history. Well, I’ll be damned! For a
nine-year-old, that kid was definitely computer savvy. Does his mother know what he’s up to? That he chats with people on
Facebook? Should he tell her? Nah, he’d keep the boy’s secret for now. What
harm could it do?
He opened the accounting program and groaned. Nothing
entered since the beginning of the year. Jimmy hoped everything was in the
overflowing in-tray on the desk. It would make catching up so much easier. At
least the program was familiar. For the time being, he closed the program, shut
down the computer, and went to wash up for dinner. Tomorrow would be soon
enough to tackle that particular mountain.
*
* * *
“Thanks, Sheila. Dinner was excellent, and I love cherry
pie.” Jimmy grinned at the cook as a blush entered her cheeks.
“Go on with ya . Ain’t nothin’
special.”
“It was for me.” He stood and brought his dishes to the
sink. “I think I’ll saddle Sherry and go for a ride before it gets too dark to
see.”
“Good idea. Mind if I join you?” The thought of an evening
ride filled Melissa with anticipation. At his curious glance, she quickly
verified her request. “I wouldn’t want you to get lost your first venture out
on the range.”
Jimmy laughed, a full belly laugh. His eyes sparkled with
delight. “I haven’t managed to get lost yet, but sure. What about Aaron? Does
he like to ride?”
Melissa nodded. “Yes, he does, if we can tear him away
from his games again. I’ll go check.” She left Jimmy standing by the kitchen
door and sure enough, found Aaron in the game room. “Hi, honey! Want to go
horseback riding with Jimmy and me?”
“Wow!” He switched off the game and was on his feet in
seconds. “Can I ride Midnight ?”
“Not yet, honey. He’s too big for you. How about Glory’s
Dream? She’s a nice horse.”
Aaron wrinkled up his nose. “I want to ride a boy horse.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Brian says real men ride stallions.” He shuffled his
feet, his gaze hopeful as he looked up at her.
“Don’t tell Jimmy that.” She giggled and made a mental
note to speak to Brian…again. The thought of a nine-year-old thinking himself a
“real man” was just too much.
“Why not?”
“Because his horse is a girl.”
“Oh! Okay, Mom. I’ll ride Glory’s Dream.”
His quick acquiescence disturbed her. Jimmy had only been
here a few hours and it seemed as if her son was already developing a case of
hero worship for her new employee. She’d have to monitor their outings more
closely. She didn’t need her son attaching himself to another man who could leave
at any given time. “Fine. Jimmy’s waiting for us. Let’s go.”
The kitchen was empty so they headed to the corral to
saddle their mounts. Jimmy had gotten there ahead of them, and with Brian’s
help, had his horse and two others saddled and ready.
Jimmy’s smile brushed over her and her son as he spotted
them. “I hope you don’t mind. Brian picked out the horses you usually ride and
I helped saddle up.”
Melissa grinned when she noticed that Brian had picked
Midnight Thunder, a brown
familiarize myself with the program you’re using. See you at dinner.”
He retraced his steps to the office to find Aaron there
ahead of him. “Are you supposed to be in here?”
His guilt was plain to see as he as he clicked the mouse
and twirled the chair to face him. “Uh, no. Just wanted to help you bypass the
locks.”
Jimmy stood beside the desk. “Ah, I see. Well, I
appreciate the help, but I just got that information from your mother. Thanks
anyway.”
“Oh, okay. I better get going then.” He trudged toward the
door, hesitating in the doorway. “Anytime you get stuck, come find me.”
Jimmy swallowed a chuckle before he replied. “Thanks,
Aaron. I’ll be sure to do that.”
The boy’s face brightened and he went on his way, leaving
Jimmy to wonder what he’d been doing on the computer. He pulled up the history. Well, I’ll be damned! For a
nine-year-old, that kid was definitely computer savvy. Does his mother know what he’s up to? That he chats with people on
Facebook? Should he tell her? Nah, he’d keep the boy’s secret for now. What
harm could it do?
He opened the accounting program and groaned. Nothing
entered since the beginning of the year. Jimmy hoped everything was in the
overflowing in-tray on the desk. It would make catching up so much easier. At
least the program was familiar. For the time being, he closed the program, shut
down the computer, and went to wash up for dinner. Tomorrow would be soon
enough to tackle that particular mountain.
*
* * *
“Thanks, Sheila. Dinner was excellent, and I love cherry
pie.” Jimmy grinned at the cook as a blush entered her cheeks.
“Go on with ya . Ain’t nothin’
special.”
“It was for me.” He stood and brought his dishes to the
sink. “I think I’ll saddle Sherry and go for a ride before it gets too dark to
see.”
“Good idea. Mind if I join you?” The thought of an evening
ride filled Melissa with anticipation. At his curious glance, she quickly
verified her request. “I wouldn’t want you to get lost your first venture out
on the range.”
Jimmy laughed, a full belly laugh. His eyes sparkled with
delight. “I haven’t managed to get lost yet, but sure. What about Aaron? Does
he like to ride?”
Melissa nodded. “Yes, he does, if we can tear him away
from his games again. I’ll go check.” She left Jimmy standing by the kitchen
door and sure enough, found Aaron in the game room. “Hi, honey! Want to go
horseback riding with Jimmy and me?”
“Wow!” He switched off the game and was on his feet in
seconds. “Can I ride Midnight ?”
“Not yet, honey. He’s too big for you. How about Glory’s
Dream? She’s a nice horse.”
Aaron wrinkled up his nose. “I want to ride a boy horse.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Brian says real men ride stallions.” He shuffled his
feet, his gaze hopeful as he looked up at her.
“Don’t tell Jimmy that.” She giggled and made a mental
note to speak to Brian…again. The thought of a nine-year-old thinking himself a
“real man” was just too much.
“Why not?”
“Because his horse is a girl.”
“Oh! Okay, Mom. I’ll ride Glory’s Dream.”
His quick acquiescence disturbed her. Jimmy had only been
here a few hours and it seemed as if her son was already developing a case of
hero worship for her new employee. She’d have to monitor their outings more
closely. She didn’t need her son attaching himself to another man who could leave
at any given time. “Fine. Jimmy’s waiting for us. Let’s go.”
The kitchen was empty so they headed to the corral to
saddle their mounts. Jimmy had gotten there ahead of them, and with Brian’s
help, had his horse and two others saddled and ready.
Jimmy’s smile brushed over her and her son as he spotted
them. “I hope you don’t mind. Brian picked out the horses you usually ride and
I helped saddle up.”
Melissa grinned when she noticed that Brian had picked
Midnight Thunder, a brown
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