Kitabı oku: «Her Cowboy Boss»

Chapter One

So this is my dad.

Avery Southerly shook Louis Harmon’s calloused hand, suppressing a wince at his too-tight grasp. He was in his midforties with a potbelly and a white cowboy hat that shaded his heat-reddened face. His dark eyes were kind, and he gave her a cordial nod. He’d only have been nineteen when she was born, but somehow, she’d always imagined her father looking older than this.

With a quick look around the property, she could tell that he ran a clean ranch. The front yard had been recently mowed, and the drive was clear of vehicles. The fence that separated yard from pasture was well maintained, and she could make out some horses grazing in the distance. Farther off she could hear the growl of a tractor’s engine on the grass-scented June breeze. She’d have found this place relaxing if she weren’t so wound up.

“Avery, you said?” He released her hand, and she waited for some sort of recognition to dawn. It didn’t.

“Avery Southerly.”

He raised his eyebrows—still no recognition. She’d come out to Montana to introduce herself to her father, and she’d known it would be difficult. Since her mother passed away, she had a new desire to meet the father she’d never known. However, she was nervous enough that she’d come with an excuse: an advertisement for a cook at the Harmon Ranch that she’d spotted on a bulletin board in the coffee shop. If she couldn’t suss up the courage to tell him everything right away, then she’d simply apply for the job and wait for the right moment...maybe even get to know her father a little bit before there was all the pressure of surprise paternity.

He nodded toward the flyer in her hand. “I assume you’re here for the cook position.”

She looked down. It was now or never...

“Yes.” She gave a decisive nod. “I’m applying for the job, sir.”

“Glad you are because the competition is very thin right about now.” He laughed.

Well, that took care of that. Louis nodded toward the house and started walking away, so she followed him.

“The team isn’t too fussy,” he said over his shoulder. “They like the basics—griddle cakes, bacon, eggs, baked beans, steak once a week and as much corn bread as you can bake.”

He led the way along a path toward the side door of the low ranch-style house. It was large and sprawling, with one wing dedicated to a three-door garage. He pulled open the screen door and gestured her through.

“You can make corn bread, can’t you?” he asked.

“Uh—yes. I can make corn bread.”

She’d made corn bread once, at least, from a recipe she found online. She wasn’t a great cook, to be honest... She wasn’t completely inept in a kitchen, but she knew her limitations, and this idea was starting to unravel in her mind already. She should just come out with it—tell him the truth—but Actually, I’m here to inform you that I’m your daughter just wouldn’t come out of her mouth.

The kitchen table was stacked with books and ledgers, along with a smattering of papers. A horse bridle hung on the back of a kitchen chair, and Louis took off his hat and tossed it on the seat. He ran his hand over his salt-and-pepper gray hair. He definitely looked like he could be somebody’s dad, but hers?

At the age of twenty-four, Avery wasn’t looking for a father figure, just some answers. She wanted to know about the man who sired her and the story of his connection to her mother—the story her mother refused to tell. Maybe she could gather up some medical history. But she didn’t have a lot of time for this visit. Back in Salina, Kansas, she was about to reopen her mother’s flower shop, which had been closed since her mother entered hospice. She had two weeks until the June 24 opening date, and she wanted to make the most of that time. That store was her home—the place where she’d spent her formative years. But first, she wanted to learn about her father, whom her mom had only confessed on her deathbed.

“Coffee?”

“No, thanks.”

“You aren’t from Hope, are you?” he asked. “I’d recognize you if you were.”

“No, I’m from Kansas,” she replied.

“But you’re not in Kansas anymore,” Louis quipped, then chortled to himself at his little joke. “Sorry, that was a dumb one. You probably hear that all the time, don’t you?”

Avery smiled. “Only when I leave the state.”

She’d imagined what her father would be like a thousand times since she was a little girl, trying to piece together what he might look like from her own reflection in the mirror. Did he have red hair like hers? Did he hate tomatoes, too? But never in all her imaginings had she come up with a man who looked like Louis.

“Well, I’ll level with you, Avery,” Louis said. “I need a cook to start tomorrow, and you are the one and only applicant. I’m not too picky. If you can cook, and if you have a clean criminal record, I’ll give you a try.”

“Thanks for the opportunity, sir,” she said with a smile. “If you can show me the ropes...”

She was afraid to tell him the truth because he might not be thrilled to find out he had an illegitimate daughter, and from what she knew, her father had never been told about her existence. But she was wary for herself, too. She’d wanted a father so badly for so long, but only recently had she considered the possibility that her biological father might not be worthy of her. Her mother had given her an identity—they were the Southerlys. But who was she now that her mother was gone? And did Louis Harmon fit into that?

“The ropes” might not be enough to let her pass muster, but maybe she could search a few recipes online and not look like a complete incompetent. YouTube tutorials could prove useful...until she was certain that she wanted to declare herself.

“I pay the going rate.” He scratched a number on a slip of paper and handed it over.

“That seems fair.” Actually, she had no idea what the going rate was for ranch cooks, but she felt the need to commit to the part now that she’d started. This was ridiculous! She didn’t need extra money, and she didn’t need a job. But Louis seemed so pleased to have a cook that she just couldn’t let him down. Yet. She’d have to eventually.

The side door opened and a cowboy stepped inside, taking his hat off as the screen door slammed behind him. He was a tall man with sandy blond hair and a slim build. His bare forearms were roped with muscle and darkened by a tan. His face was lined from the sun, and blue eyes moved over her in quick evaluation, pausing just a beat longer than necessary.

“Ah, Hank.” Louis nodded to the newcomer. “Perfect timing. We have a cook.”

“Great.” Hank glanced toward her again, this time with more curiosity. He looked to be in his midthirties, and there was something in his perfectly professional gaze that sped her heart up just a little. Maybe it was the laser focus he directed at her, appraising her on the spot. Avery gave him a nod.

“Hank Granger is my ranch manager,” Louis said. “You’ll be answering to him. He can show you the canteen and make sure you’re set up.”

Hank leaned over and shook her hand, his grasp firm but gentle.

“Welcome aboard,” he said, a slight smile quirking up one side of his mouth. “And you are—”

“Avery Southerly,” she replied, pulling her hand back. She glanced toward Louis to see if repeating her name had sparked anything in his memory, but the older man’s expression didn’t change.

“I’ll get you settled,” Hank said. “We need you to stay on-site for this position, the hours being what they are. I hope that isn’t a problem for you.” When she shrugged her compliance, he added, “There’s a room in the bunkhouse—a private one—for the cook, so you should be comfortable enough. But first we’ll need some ID so we can do a background check.”

“Of course.” Avery provided the necessary identification, and Louis disappeared into the next room where the rattle and moan of an old photocopier filtered through the open door. When Louis came back into the kitchen, he handed back her ID and had her sign the bottom of an employment form. This was getting official quickly.

“I might as well show you around,” Hank said. “Mr. Harmon can give us a call if there’s any problem. Is there anything else, boss?”

“No, that should cover it,” Louis replied. “It’s nice to meet you, Avery. Hank will take good care of you, but I’ll stop by later on this evening to see if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” she said, her insides roiling with misgiving. Was she really going to cook for this ranch for the next two weeks? But the other option was to announce who she was now and probably be shown the door for having misled them this far. Or she could take a few days to get to know Louis a little bit, and then say something. Hopefully, after a little time getting to know her, he’d understand why she did this.

Hank led the way, pushing open the screen door to let her pass ahead of him. She was struck by how tall he was as she stepped past him—she only came up to his shoulder—and how he smelled of musk, hay and sunshine. He stood motionless until she was past, then followed, releasing the door behind him.

A warm breeze pushed Avery’s hair away from her face, and the screen door closed with a bang. She had just officially met her father.

* * *

HANK GRANGER LED the way around the house to where his old blue Chevy pickup waited. He glanced over at the sad-eyed new hire. She was pretty—more than pretty, if he were honest. She had golden red hair that spilled down her shoulders and skin the color of new milk. Her eyes were flecked with green, and she had freckles across her nose and on the tops of her shoulders, not covered by her white tank top. And those jeans fit rather well...

Blast it, he wasn’t supposed to be checking her out, and he shouldn’t be noticing that scoop of her collarbone, either. Mr. Harmon relied on Hank for his professionalism, and dalliances with other employees were strictly forbidden on this ranch. This was more than a job for Hank. This was home, and he had no intention of messing up a good thing. Besides, she was young. Way under thirty—she was too inexperienced to be weighed down with a pessimistic SOB like him. That should be enough to keep his mind on the straight and narrow.

There had been something in the way she was looking at Louis back there—cautiously, expectantly. She’d wanted something from him, and not just the job. There was more to her arrival than a simple desire for employment. Maybe she was the gold-digging type, and she’d sniffed out a wealthy widower. Whatever it was, this Avery had ulterior motives—he was willing to bet on it.

“So where are you from?” Hank asked as they reached the truck. He pulled open the passenger-side door and gestured her inside.

“Salina, Kansas,” she replied, hopping up into the seat.

A pretty out-of-towner looking for ranch work. She was no cowgirl. She wore slim Nike runners, and her nails looked too good. He came around the driver’s side.

“So what brings you to Hope?” he asked as he slid into the driver’s seat and slammed the door.

She paused a breath longer than necessary, then said, “My mom grew up in Hope, and I wanted to see it.”

“Alone?” he prodded.

“She passed away in April.”

Ouch. Hank shot her an apologetic look. “Sorry about that.”

She smiled in reply, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Hank pulled away from the house. The wheels of his truck crunched over the gravel and onto the drive that led away from the barn and toward the bunkhouse and canteen for the workers. Warm afternoon sunlight bathed the land. Bees circled over wildflowers in the ditches, and Hank slapped a mosquito on his arm. It was the season for them. He drove past the nearest pasture, and the cows looked up, chewing in slow, grinding circles, their liquid eyes following the truck as it passed them.

“So what was your mom’s name?” he asked. He was curious—if her family was from Hope, maybe he could place her.

“Winona Southerly.”

It didn’t ring any bells, but if Avery had never seen Hope, then her mother must have left town a good—he glanced at Avery from the corner of his eye—twenty-five years ago, in a rough estimation. He wouldn’t have known her mother—he’d have been ten at the time.

“You have any other family around here?” he asked.

“No, my mom was living with an elderly aunt who passed away when I was a kid,” she said. “But I wanted to see Hope. Mom used to tell me some stories about rope swings and swimming in a canal, back in the seventies when kids could roam feral.”

He smiled at the mental picture. Yeah, those were the days. He’d been a kid in the eighties, and he’d still been pretty feral. The town of Hope was small enough that people trusted each other—maybe more than they should.

“So you wanted to see it,” he concluded.

“With her gone, I just—” She pulled her hair away from her face. “I guess it makes it feel like she’s not completely gone.”

“Yeah, I get it.”

He knew a fair bit about loss, about dealing with that empty hole in your chest. He’d gotten divorced five years back, and that had been a gut-wrenching loss. Vickie had started up with some guy online. Hank used to be a whole lot more trusting. He’s just a friend turned into He understands me and you don’t even try, which eventually turned into her packing her bags and leaving. Vickie had been wrong—he had tried. He’d tried really hard to understand what she needed, what she wanted. He hadn’t been some passive guy letting his woman walk off—he’d done everything he knew how. It just hadn’t been enough.

“Do your parents live around here?” Avery asked.

He pulled himself back to the present. “No, they’re in Florida.”

“Hmm.” She smiled. “That’s nice.”

His parents loved Skype—always calling at inopportune times, crowding in front of their tablet so they could both beam at him from their motor home. They were so proud of that thing—they still gave him virtual tours. You wouldn’t believe how spacious it is, Hank! Look at the depth of these cupboards... Can you see it? Hold on, I’ll put on a light... Can you see it now?

Hank was approaching the barracks now—a long, low building on the crest of a hill, overlooking the pasture and a winding creek that watered it.

“Okay,” he said pulling himself away from personal topics. “I guess I should tell you the job requirements. First of all, Mr. Harmon has a rule against employees becoming romantically involved. There is no wiggle room there. If you’re caught, you’ll be fired. No second chances.”

She nodded. “Okay. Fair enough.”

“I really can’t stress it enough.” He eyed her, waiting for some sort of response, but she just met his gaze with mild curiosity. That was the biggest rule out of the way. “You’ll be providing breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for thirty-five employees. Breakfast is at 6:00 a.m. sharp, lunches are packed and supper is at five. You can’t be late—our scheduling relies on prompt meals.”

She didn’t say anything, but when he glanced over, she was chewing the side of her cheek. Nerves? So the cooking—that’s where he got a reaction from her?

“You think you can handle that?” he asked.

“Sure.” She shot him a smile that was just an eyelash shy of being convincing.

“We’re looking at high-protein meals, and don’t skimp on the carbs. The guys can eat a lot—they burn it off out there, so they have to be able to fill up. Obviously, we need balanced meals, but you’ve got to be able to cook according to a budget...”

As he talked, he could feel tension emanating from her through the cab, and when he pulled to a stop in front of the barracks, he eyed her curiously.

“You want to see your room first, or the kitchen?” he asked.

“Uh...” She looked out the window. “The kitchen, I suppose.”

They got out of the truck and he led the way toward the canteen. Their last cook had given notice, but Louis hadn’t been able to fill the position in time to fill the gap. This was the first day without a regular cook on premises, and the stock of muffins and sandwiches had been worked through pretty fast. He pushed open the door, leading the way past the tables and toward the kitchen in the back.

When they emerged into the quiet, cool room, the look on Avery’s face was pure panic.

“Exactly how much experience do you have?” Hank asked skeptically.

She heaved a sigh and shook her head. “Zero.”

What? He stared at her, aghast. She had absolutely no experience, and she’d applied for this job? What had she been thinking? And why had Louis hired her so quickly? He supposed they didn’t have many options—they needed someone, and one of the ranch hands would be just as bad as an inexperienced stranger. At least the ranch hand would be able to do his job out in the field if they had this woman in the kitchen.

“Let me get this straight...” he said slowly.

“Should I leave?” she interrupted, turning to look him in the face for the first time. Her green eyes glittered, and she crossed her arms across her chest—protective or defiant, he wasn’t sure which.

“Can you at least cook?” he asked. That would be something. Cooking in large batches could be learned...couldn’t it? If she could at least make some batches of oatmeal, muffins, fry up some burgers...

Avery visibly winced.

“Are you saying you can’t cook at all?” he demanded.

“I’m capable of cooking,” she retorted. “I’m twenty-four and I’ve fed myself for some time now.” She sighed. “I’ve just never been...good at it.”

He closed his eyes and suppressed a moan.

“I’ll go.” She moved toward the door. “I’m sorry to have wasted your time.”

It wasn’t how pretty she was, or those glittering green eyes. It certainly wasn’t the smattering of freckles that drew his gaze as she turned away...it was the knowledge that without her here, a valuable ranch hand would be taken away from his work and set to manning the kitchen until they could find someone else, and after three weeks of advertising, she was the only one to show up.

“Wait,” he said gruffly. “You’re already hired. Let’s give you a try.”

“Are you sure?” she asked. “Because you don’t need to do this. If someone else is a better fit—”

“There isn’t anyone else,” he said. “If you’re willing to learn, I guess I’ll teach you what I know, and we’ll get these guys fed.”

She pulled out her cell phone. “YouTube tutorials might help.”

So that was where they were at. This was going to be a long day, he could tell, but a suspicion nagged at the back of his mind. He might need to keep her on for now, but he also meant to keep an eye on her. After Hank’s divorce, the Harmon family had been really good to him, and he felt like he owed Louis more than just to follow his job requirements. And Avery gave off the vibe, back in the house, of a woman with an ulterior motive.

Now he discovered that she’d applied for a position she had zero experience for, and she was offering to walk away far too quickly for someone who needed the job despite her inexperience. His hackles were up. He didn’t know the real reason Avery had shown up, but he’d figure it out. He didn’t like secrets; he was the kind of man who wanted things transparent, out in the open. Secrets always hurt someone, he’d found. Hank knew firsthand what kind man Louis Harmon was. As ranch manager, it was his job to know what was going on, and he took that job very seriously.

“Alright,” Hank said. “Let me show you where you’ll be staying, then I should probably start showing you what I can in the kitchen. We need to whip up dinner for the hands. That is, if you’re ready to start early—”

“Sure,” she said. “I’ll be happy to.”

That was a relief, because right now, he didn’t have much choice.