“Have you met the new chef?” I ask with the biggest smile on my face, as I turn off my four-wheeler and walk over to them. I toss both of them a bottle of water, because even though it’s early in the morning, it’s still hot here. This is only spring, and summer just gets worse.
“No. I was going to do it before breakfast, but I wanted to check on the cows first. Why? What has you so happy?”
“It’s Charlie,” I laugh.
“Get the fuck out,” my brother says, heading towards the house.
“Wait, she’s already nervous enough. She burnt herself, when she saw me, but then we kissed, like a couple of horny teenagers. Can you believe it? The girl of my dreams is here!” I lean up against the tree, and I can’t help but smile.
“I’m surprised. I didn’t know it was this ranch that Charlie got the job. I knew she was starting her new job today, but I wasn’t sure where. That’s awesome, though. We are rooting for you two. Are you going to be able to work?” Tucker questions me. He knows that, in the short time Charlie and I have known each other, she’s become an addiction for me.
“Of course, or I’ll try at least, but I can’t help it. It’s Charlie!”
“Go check on the horses’ stable for me. Some of the workers were goofing off yesterday, and they wrecked the barn pretty bad. The horses are out in the pen,” he tells me.
“Why didn’t I know about it?”
“You were in town with Karen, going over the financials, so I dealt with it. They got their pay docked for the two hours it took to clean up the mess.” I salute him, start the four-wheeler, and then head over to the horses. I spend the next two hours cleaning the stalls, feeding the horses, and taking notes of repairs that the stable needs.
The guys start heading up to the mess hall for breakfast, and I’m so lost in thought about the stables, that I completely forget about Charlie, until Wes comes over the walkie. “I see a sexy chef in some nice, short shorts, being manhandled by a cowboy,” he says, laughing.
“Tell Tucker to get the fuck away from her,” I growl into the walkie, as I jump on the four-wheeler, heading towards the mess hall. I’m standing in the doorway, watching her walk around serving everyone coffee, and she seems to be at ease there. It’s like she belongs here.
I sit next to her, watching her eat and interact with Karen, and I realize I could do this all day. “So, is she the one he’s been sulking over?” Karen nudges Tucker, who chokes on his biscuit, as he nods.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you. Do I get a bonus, since I found Charlotte?” Karen laughs.
“Funny,” I dryly reply.
“I think you should give her a bonus. She did hire me after all,” Charlie says, getting in on the conversation.
“Great, just what I need. Another woman to gang up on me.”
“Technically boys, you’re outnumbered. I came with three other girls, so it’s now five women to three boys,” Charlie states, resting her head on my shoulder.
“Well, at least you’re all not living here. I draw the line there.” Wes taps his hand on the table.
“Yeah, you wouldn’t want us living with you anyway. We walk around in towels, leave our underwear everywhere, and sleep naked. It would be torture for you guys. Don’t worry, though. We’ll be good, living at the house.” Charlie’s eye twinkle, as the corner of her lips curl up, trying not to smile.
“We need to rethink this,” I pipe up, and Charlie laughs.
“Not on your life. Dana and Maddie would eat you three alive. You’re not trained for living with them, because you only spent about eight hours with them. Hey, this has been fun, but I need to go wash some dishes and start lunch. Do I cook in here or in the house?”
“Dinner is in the house, and everything else is in the other area,” Karen tells her.
“I cooked breakfast in the house, because I didn’t know about this area, until some of the guys came looking for food.” Charlie tries to hide her embarrassment, and I can’t help but feel it, too.
“I meant to be here, but I was running late,” Karen says, as she drinks coffee. “So, that was more so my fault than anything. You should have some time in between lunch and dinner, so I can show you the house now. That way you can have the keys and start moving in, too.”
“Karen, we’re taking her and her friends out to dinner, so she doesn’t need to cook,” Wes speaks up, before I can say anything. We all get up from the table, heading to put the dishes in the dishwasher. Once we are done, I follow Charlie and Karen out to the barn area that we had built specifically for the dining hall for the children’s program.
“Before you leave, just make sure the dishes are done, but I do need you to come to my office sometime in the next day or so for paperwork. It’s right there.” Karen points to a door over in the corner. She didn’t want an office in the house, because she wants to keep it all separate, which is good, because the house is where we live, and we don’t want people we don’t know coming in and out of our home.
“Is there something special you guys like to eat, or anything I should keep away from making?” Charlie pulls out her cell phone, pulling up the notes section.
“I’ll go over the menus and budget with you for the staff, but the three of them will go over the specifics.”
“In the email, you said that there are five for dinner. Who are the other two, and are there any allergies?”
“No allergies, but that is my husband and me. We tend to eat here some nights, so we always count us, so they know just how big their meals need to be.” Charlie nods.
“Okay, well I need to go and check the other buildings to see what needs to be repaired, before the kids get here for the summer. Karen, please don’t be too hard on her. I like this one.” I laugh, as I kiss Charlie on the lips, when she looks up at me, and she immediately looks towards Karen.
“I’m not going to tell you no, as long as you two don’t have sex on the clock. Please remember, when the kids are here, to be respectful of them.”
“I can do that,” Charlie tells her.
“Hey, give me your phone,” I ask her, and she hands it over, as I put my number into her contacts and send a text to my phone. “Now, I have it. Text me, when you’re going back to the hotel. Have everyone meet in your room, and then we can surprise them.”
“Sounds good. Now, go back to work, so I can.” She pushes me away, after I steal another kiss from her. I walk away but stop, when I’m almost out the door.
“Hey, Charlie?” She turns to stare at me with a smile on her face, and my heart skips a beat. “I’m happy to have you back in my life. I know it’s only been four days, but…” I stop myself, as she walks towards me. She grabs my face with her hands, so she can kiss me. It’s full of tenderness, and my hands go around her waist, pulling her close.
“It felt like a lifetime,” she whispers against my lips.
“I better get going.” We smile at each other, and she lets go, walking backwards smiling. “No, turnaround. I want to see that ass.” She groans and sashays her hips.
“It’s nice to see you smiling,” Karen says, standing next to me.
“She makes me happy, and I honestly think it’s love at first sight. She’s it for me. I want to run up those stairs and give her mom’s ring.”
“Wow, that sure?” Karen seems skeptical, but she’s been around here since my parents died. She was their last hire, and she has always been an honorary aunt to us.
“You’ll see. I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.” I start up my gator golf cart and wave bye to her. I hope she goes easy on Charlie, because when Gina broke my heart, she went ballistic on her.
I spend the next five hours working. I skipped lunch, which sucks, but I didn’t realize there was so much that needed to be repaired before next month.
I also had to call our ranch manager to come and meet me at the cabins to talk about the list, and how these cabins are in shambles. Wes and Tucker join me after lunch. They brought me a sandwich that Charl
ie sent over. It’s in the shape of a heart, making my own heart flutter with delight.
Yeah, this girl is the one.
Charlie
I can’t believe my luck.
I haven’t been able to stop smiling all day. After my disappointment with not seeing Rhett at lunch, I sent him over a sandwich, letting him know I was thinking of him, and then got everything cleaned up.
I knock on Karen’s office door, and she waves me in. “I don’t care, Michael Evans. I’ll tell your mama if that delivery isn’t here tomorrow. That’s better. Give my love to your mama.” She hangs up the phone. “We were supposed to have a delivery of new saddles dropped off today, but you know how these boys can be. Anyways, I can’t believe you’re the San Fran girl.”
“I’m so embarrassed, but Rhett is like something out of a romance novel, and he’s also like the main hero in all the superhero movies. He’s a rough and tough guy, but he can also be so sweet and romantic. The way he looks at his sister, Quinn, tells me so much about him.”
“What do you mean?” Karen leans back in her chair, and I smile.
“When I first met him, at the restaurant where I was working at the time, he was telling me about why he was there, and his eyes showed so much pride, when he mentioned Quinn. I saw them together at the co-ed parties, and he doted on her. I could tell that he was her whole world and vice versa. Quinn is a hard act to follow. I could never compete with her, and I hope I don’t have to either. He was there when we were moving, total strangers, and they came to help us. These last four days apart have been torture. I knew my sister had Tucker’s number, but I was scared to tell him where I was at because I thought I made up the connection in my mind.”
“Oh, you didn’t believe me. I thought Rhett did, if we're being honest. I’ve never heard of anyone falling for someone so fast but seeing the look on both of your faces tells me different. Please don’t hurt him.” Karen warns me with the mom look. I nod, too afraid to speak.
We spend the next two hours going over the menu, food budget, the cleaning schedule, and family dinners. She tells me to talk to Tucker about the family dinners, and Rhett about the garden. I guess that’s his project. We get into her gator golf cart, and she points out some of the ranch to me, but then she tells me to have Rhett take me on a horse ride through it, which is beautiful.
My jaw drops, as we stop in front of this light-blue, Victorian style farmhouse. The house feels like the old-timey farmhouse that your great grandmother used to live in with a wrap-around porch and rocking chairs, sipping some sweet tea with the summer breeze blowing. The two-story house sits about a good ten miles from the main house, which will keep me in shape, walking back and forth.
“Let’s go in, shall we?” Karen smiles, and I follow her.
“I love the porch. This reminds me of summers with my Grammy.” I take notice of the sounds of the birds, the calmness of the wind that gives you peace, and the smell of grass, horses, cows, and mud. I love it. I feel the goosebumps on my arms, as I follow her in, and she tells me that she’ll have a cleaning crew come by tomorrow, since it hasn’t been cleaned in a while. I can smell the musty mothballs, which tickle my nose.
“It’s okay. My sister is all about the all-natural cleaning products, and she will sage the house. She had a guru in San Francisco.” I roll my eyes, and she laughs.
“There’s a bedroom down here with its own master bathroom. The other three bedrooms are upstairs, but they will have to share a bathroom. There’s also a half bath off the kitchen. The house has a living room, kitchen, dining room, and a family room. It’s all an open floor plan, as you can see. You can change it how you see fit, but not anything major, like darker colors or putting holes into the walls.” I nod.
“I’m claiming the downstairs bedroom. I lived with my twin sister, Maddie, and my friend Dana, and they were horrible. We all have different personalities, but I like my room neat and orderly. It’s the chef in me.” Karen’s face contorts to disgust. “Oh no, we’re clean, but I’m OCD about my things.” I laugh, as I see relief come across her face. I walk around the house, and I crinkle my nose at the kitchen appliances. I’ll make do with these, but after seeing the appliances at the main home, everything else seems so outdated and yucky. I’ll experiment with some dishes that I plan of cooking for the staff and the kids. I’m so excited about being able to see the house and unpack my cookbooks. Oh, I need to buy some bookcases.
“Alright, you ready to go back to the main house?” I nod, and she holds out the key to put in my hand. “Welcome home.” I hug her, and we head back up to the mess hall. We talk a few more minutes in her office, before she shows me to my office. It’s next to hers, and she tells me to make it my own, but not to lose the key. I see a walkie talkie on my desk with masking tape with chef written on it.
“Karen, why do I need a walkie talkie?” I stand in her doorway, waving it around.
“When you’re working, have it on you at all times. This is the way the three guys and I will be able to get in touch with each other. Also, I found more paperwork. This is for being able to work with kids and be around them. Also, I’m going to need your sister and two friends to fill them out too just for the reason of living on the grounds,” she states, handing me stacks of papers.
“I feel like my parents did on the first day of school. They got all the homework.” I laugh, as Karen’s cell phone starts to ring, so I slip out quietly. I start filling out my paperwork. My stomach growls, and I decide that I need to eat a snack. I walk into the kitchen, bending over the fridge to see what I can snack on before dinner tonight. “Score!”
“I really love you in that position,” Rhett comments.
“Want a snack?” I ask, putting some grapes and cheese on the counter.
“If you’re on the menu, then yes. If not, then no, I’m fine. I’m just checking to see how you’re doing,” he says, kissing me.
“I’m good. Are you going to do this often?” I stare at him, and he smiles. “Are you coming to constantly check on me, or do you not trust me to do my job?”
“I trust you. I just missed you, but I was actually looking for Karen.”
“Well then, why didn’t you use your walkie?” I bump my right hip to his, showing him that I’m wearing mine. Rhett looks very childlike right now.
“Umm, I lost mine?” He tilts his head, trying to think if that’s the answer he wants to go with.
“Rhett, I’m going to need you to come down to the lake. The fence is in trouble, and we need to repair it, before the whole pasture gets out.” He lifts the walkie talkie.
“I’m on my way. Do you need me to grab anything from the shed?”
“No, Trent brought some stuff with him, when I flagged him down,” Wes remarks.
“Not a word from you,” Rhett says, popping a grape into his mouth, before walking out. “Oh, Karen’s not in her office. Did she leave?”
“She got a call on her cell phone, and I left her to be in private. Is there anything that I can do to help?” I ask him, and he shakes his head no. “I’ll see you at the hotel tonight at about six.”
“Bye. Don’t work too hard. I’ll leave some lemonade in the fridge for after work. It’s better than chugging a beer.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says, tipping his imaginary cowboy hat.
“Call me ma’am again, and I’ll remove your balls.” I smile at him, and he laughs, as he leaves the mess hall, and I start to work on making homemade lemonade for them.
I write a note to leave on Karen’s office door, letting her know that Rhett was looking for her, and that I was heading out for the night, and I also thank her for everything.
I take one look around my office to make sure I have all of my new keys, so I don’t lose them, and then head into the mess hall, making sure everything is shut off, before finding the light switch.
I walk to my jeep, enjoying the hot, beautiful sun with a smile on my face. My phone starts playing “California Girls” by the Beach Boys, and I
quickly answer it, since some of the staff is laughing at my choice of music. “What? I’m from California,” I yell at them.
“Who are you yelling at?” Maddie asks.
“Oh, some of the staff that were laughing, when the Beach Boys started to play on my ringtone. What’s up?” I ask, after putting my purse and laptop bag with my computer and paperwork in it on the passenger side seat.
“Did you meet the owners? How were they? How did your first day go?” She rattles off a lot of questions.
“I’m coming back to the hotel to soak in the tub, change, and then do this mountain of paperwork. You three have paperwork too, so maybe we can do dinner about 6:30, and meet in my room for pre-drinks at 6?” I look at Tucker, who is nodding his head at me.
“Sounds good to me. We’re poolside, so drop the paperwork off to us there.” I give a thumbs up to him, as I hang up with my sister, and then get in the car and put it in reverse. I head down the road with the top down, and a smile on my face.
My luck is finally changing.
Rhett
“We were given strict orders not to chug a beer after work and to drink the lemonade.” I pull out the pitcher from the fridge. There’s also a note that tells me that her room number is 505, and the hotel is the Marriott.
“What?” Tucker sounds pissed.
“Charlie made it fresh for us, and she also said that it’s better for us.” I smile, as I grab a glass out of the cupboard. I take a drink of it, and then head to the shower.
I look in my closet for something to wear, and I finally settle on a white t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and brown boots. I want to look good for Charlie.
I take in my room to make sure that there’s nothing on the floor, the bed is made, and it smells decent and not of sweat. I don’t know if she’ll come back here or not, but I want to be prepared. I put on my black Rolex, a gift from Quinn when I graduated from Texas A&M in agricultural economics, and spray my Tom Ford Out Wood, which keeps the woodsy smell on me.
Cross My Heart Page 2
