by Terri Marie
“That’ll be two hundred and fifty-four dollars,” said the older woman working the register.
“Uh...” Daniel checked his wallet. “Seems I’m a bit short. I’ll put the pot and pan back up.” He had never been so embarrassed in his life. Going to buy something and not having enough money! Daniel was beside himself.
“That’s okay, sugar. It happens to the best of us, and folks are hurtin’ right now. I’ll put them away for you.”
“No, I’ll do it, but thank you.”
Daniel turned, and there was Katherine digging in her purse. She pulled out two twenty dollar bills. “It’s pretty hard relocating. Here take this, it’ll come in handy. You’re John Williams. I’d recognize that black eye anyplace.” Katherine flashed her bright smile.
Oh my God! “Well, this is kind of embarrassing for me. I’ve never had this happen before. I didn’t bring enough cash and I haven’t set an account up yet.” I’m going to die…
“Here, Wanda. Take this and ring up his pot and pan.”
“Katherine, you’re such a sweet person,” said Wanda in her slow southern voice.
Daniel wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. He was beyond pissed. His jaw couldn’t get much tighter. Of all people, it had to be Katherine.
“I’ll pay you back tonight.” Daniel wanted out of that store as fast as possible. When he got inside of his truck he made a call.
“Oh, hello, Daniel, how are you?”
“Are you listening, Carl? This isn’t funny! I need more money. How in the heck is someone supposed to live on three hundred and fifty dollars?!”
“Daniel, get a job if you want more money. A lot of people live on less, and some have none.”
“Where am I supposed to work, Carl? Tell me that! There isn’t one business out here.”
“Just because the business isn’t in a sky rise, doesn’t mean it’s not a business.”
“You aren’t going to help me one bit are you, Carl? What are you doing? Sitting by the pool and sipping cocktails?” Daniel spat his words with pure venom.
“It’s lemonade. But time is running out, Daniel. You need to have a job so you can meet your father’s requirements.”
Daniel hung up the phone, started the blasted truck, and made his way to the bar. He pulled over on the side of the road before reaching the parking lot. I don’t even have enough money for a beer! I can’t even come in this place until next week, especially when I owe the woman who lives here forty bucks. Damn it to hell!!
He turned his truck around and drove back to the apartment. He wondered if his father hired investigators to find the worst possible living conditions in existence. He decided he’d have to find a job if he was going to live in a better place. He certainly wouldn’t mind having Katherine come by.
Daniel had just emptied one entire can of air freshener, a can of bug spray, and lit six candles when he heard a knock at the door. Daniel wasn’t in the mood for anyone. He flung the door open with force. “What!”
“Well, that’s a fine welcome. May I come in?”
“Katherine, I’m sorry, I didn’t expect anyone and I don’t really have the place fixed up yet. How did you know where I lived?”
“You drive awfully fast, John. You left your pot and pan at the store. I tried to catch up to you but lost your red truck on the road. I drove around town until I spotted it. You shouldn’t drive so fast, you’ll get in an accident. The office said you were in apartment four.”
“Well, that was nice of them.” I think Beatrice needs her neck wrung.
“Wow, what’s that smell?” Katherine made a sour face.
“Air freshener. The place smelled really bad when I moved in.” Daniel’s face turned bright red. He was used to women throwing themselves at him and admiring him for his wealth and fine tastes. He was a long way from that at the moment. He didn’t dare bring up the bug spray. This fine lady will never come here and stay overnight if she knew it had a bug infestation. I definitely need to keep her on the sidewalk.
“Are you looking for work or do you already have a job?”
“No. I mean yes, I’m looking for a job.”
“Most of the farms around here are hiring, especially this time of year.”
“Go work on a farm…”
“The pay is decent. It’s hard work but it’ll keep your nice shape. I mean keep you in nice shape. Wait! Get you in shape! Okay I should shut up.” Katherine couldn’t imagine this man in front of her being in finer shape. His jeans hugged him in all the special places that God gave him.
Daniel saw where her eyes were pointed. He slowly turned around for her. “Is this side good, too?”
“Oh God! I wasn’t looking at that!” Her red cheeks told Daniel otherwise.
“Hey, we all look. If you find something you like, go for it.” Daniel gave her a wink.
“Pig!” Katherine hurried to her car, climbed in, and slammed her door. She quickly left.
That went well. He wasn’t used to a challenge with a woman. Daniel was finding he liked it. He definitely needed money now, at least enough to spend more time at the bar. He wasn’t done with this edible woman named Katherine. Not by a long shot. He saw that look on her face and all it did was make him want her. I’ll win the business and the woman. Daniel laughed at his new challenge.
He would definitely be going to a farm. The work should be nothing but boring. How hard could shoveling hay be? Daniel popped a frozen dinner in the oven. The burning smell made him take the cardboard cover off the entre. He was realizing one thing for certain; he definitely needed to stop daydreaming. It wasn’t about his car this time. What he was fantasizing about doing to the pretty strawberry blonde was mind blowing.
After he ate his burnt lasagna, he got to work with a second can of bug spray. Daniel sprayed so much of it, he had to leave the window open and go sit out in his pickup. He desperately had to move out of this infested cave.
Chapter 3
Daniel went down to the grocery store and looked on the bulletin board. He remembered seeing help wanted notifications and hoped there were some jobs available.
Clyde saw him standing in the entrance and wandered over to see if the young strong man was looking for work.
“Williams, isn’t it?” Clyde stuck his hand out.
“Yes, John Williams.”
“You looking to get a job? I could use some help around here. “
“Sure, I wouldn’t mind helping out.” Yes, I so would.
“Well, I can’t pay you but minimum wage, and I don’t offer benefits. I just need someone for three days a week, and it’s pretty much basic work. Stocking shelves, running the cash register, bagging groceries, collecting the produce and eggs from local farmers, gathering carts, answering the phone, and being here at five in the morning to get the pick-ups finished. I have a nice work shirt for ya and it comes with a bow tie on it. Real nice looking, but the tie is just sewn on. Kind of closes and looks real when the shirt’s buttoned up.”
Bow tie..sewn on..looks real…
“I was looking at doing some farm work to be honest.”
“Well, head on out to Montoose Farm. It’s about eight miles north of here. Just stay on this road and mention that Clyde sent ya.” At this, he smiled widely, rocked on his heels, and hiked his pants up.
“Uh, okay, thank you.” God…
Daniel found the entrance to Montoose Farm. It was a pretty good size, thought Daniel, who didn’t know anything about farms to begin with. A slightly heavyset woman, with short gray hair, stepped out of the house wearing jeans and a light blue short sleeve shirt.
“Can I help you with something?”
“Yes, is your husband here?”
“He sure is.”
“Can I see him, please?” Daniel was trying not to get impatient again.
“Yep, you’re more than welcome to see him. Just go on back about twenty acres and you’ll find him. Just dig him up first or he might not hear ya.”
“Wha
t?”
“The name is Rosie Montoose. I run this farm just fine on my own. My husband has been dead for over ten years.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you and I shouldn’t have assumed that it was your husband I needed to speak with.”
“You and every man that comes here. It’s okay, I’m used to it. You got a name?”
“John Williams, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Daniel put his hand out, and Rosie squeezed it tight enough to mimic any man’s firm shake.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Williams?”
“Please, call me John. I was looking for some work. Are you hiring?”
“I can always use a spare set of hands. I’m not getting any younger.” With her boots off, she couldn’t possibly stand taller than five foot.
“When do I start?”
“I pay well for hard work, and I offer the room in the back of the barn free of charge, if you need a place to stay. I also feed my boys during the week; keeps us treating each other like family. Breakfast is at five.”
“I have an apartment,” Daniel cringed as he referred to that place as an actual residence.
“Oh, where ya stayin’?”
“I think it’s called Rolling Waters.”
“That damn hellhole that Beatrice runs?”
“I’m thinking we’re talking about the same place. I’m in apartment four.”
“Honey, you need to go get your things and come on back here. I’ll show you the place. It’s definitely better than there. Make sure you get your money back. She isn’t supposed to be renting out those rooms until she cleans them up. She’s had three warnings so far from the county.”
“Could I see it first? I trust you and all, but it’s just the way I function I guess.” Live in a barn…
“Where you from?”
“New York.”
Rosie eyed him suspiciously. “What did you do in New York?”
Daniel was dumbfounded. He didn’t even think about having to answer a question like this.
“I worked at a Lamborghini dealership. I spent too much time there over the course of a couple months. I just wanted to take life in the slow lane for a bit.” It doesn’t get slower than Prairie, Tennessee.
“Come on, John. I’ll show you where you can stay.”
Daniel wasn’t expecting what he saw. He thought maybe there’d be some loose hay for him to sleep on, with hopes of not getting stabbed by a forgotten pitchfork in the pile. What he saw lifted his mood and made him smile.
There was a large, separate thick-walled room built onto the back of the barn. He could either enter it through the horse stables or use the outside entrance that went directly to his room. Both doors had locks. Daniel was amazed that the floors in the room were oak. The bed was queen size with a thick mattress and box spring, and a beautiful quilt with small blue flowers was spread on top, which Rosie had informed him she made. There was a window with a clean white curtain, a small table, television, lamp, and microwave. It smelled clean.
“Well, what do you think? You can hear the horses at night if they’re talking, but that’s why the room is here. I want to make sure my babies are safe. If something happens I know that help for them is only a few steps away. You also have a phone, it’s in the nightstand, and I can give you the number if you decide to move in. You’re welcome to use the internet inside the house if it’s working, and the shower. All I ask is that you clean up after yourself. I pay once a week, but if you’re short on cash I can pay you a little each day. I only pay in cash.”
“I’ll take it! When can I move in and start working?”
“You can move in today and start work tomorrow. Set your alarm for five and come on up to the house. I’ll have breakfast waiting for you and the coffee will be brewing. I keep the room clean, but I do expect for you to pick up after yourself.”
“Thank you so much, Rosie.”
Daniel drove quickly to his disgusting apartment, packed his few belongings, dropped the key off to Beatrice, and asked her for a refund for the remainder of the month. He said if she didn’t give him the money he’d be happy to talk to an attorney and call the health department. Beatrice quickly handed over the three hundred and seventy-five dollars in cash.
“You charge people four hundred to live in this place?” Daniel laughed and shook his head. The next stop would be the bar. Hopefully he’d find Katherine.
He heard her singing before he actually saw her. She had a voice that made him close his eyes just so he could concentrate on the sound.
“John, I didn’t know anyone was in here!”
Daniel noticed how cute she was when her face was flushed.
“You can keep singing if you’d like. Your voice is absolutely beautiful. You sing like an angel, Katherine.”
“Yeah right,” said Katherine as she blushed even further. “We have some karaoke on Saturday nights. I sing sometimes.”
“Remind me to stop by.” Daniel gave her a warm smile. He couldn’t take his eyes off of hers.
“Can I get you anything, John?”
“Nah, I just stopped by to give this to you.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out forty dollars and handed it to her. “I wanted to thank you for being so kind and apologize for the way I acted at the apartment. I moved so I don’t have to worry about that place anymore.”
“You moved away?” Katherine asked suddenly. She didn’t mean to sound so panicked.
“Just up to Montoose Farm. Rosie offered me the room there and I got a job working for her. Anything is better than where I was. As a matter of fact, you’ll have to come by sometime. It’s a pretty nice little place.” It’s a third of the size of my bathroom in New York, thought Daniel as he laughed to himself.
“I’m the one who needs to apologize. I shouldn’t have called you a pig.”
“No harm done. I’m going to head on up there and get my room ready. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Daniel was having horrible visions of the bugs on the table.
“Good luck, and I hope to see you around,” she said.
Katherine stood there staring at him. Her gorgeous green eyes were creating quite a stir in Daniel. She took a step toward him and stopped. She had meant to walk around the cute stranger. Daniel let his hands move around her waist and pull her into him. She made a small sound, then quickly backed up. He could see her breathing faster.
“I’m sorry, I need to check the bathrooms and they’re right behind you.”
“Oh, forgive me. I’ll see you soon I hope. Take care of yourself.” Daniel winked and turned around to go through the door.
“Wait!” Katherine grabbed a napkin from the bar and wrote her number on it. “You don’t know anyone around here yet, so in case you need something you can give me a call.” Her cheeks blushed one more time for Daniel as he took the number, smiled, and walked backwards to the door. Their eyes were still locked.
Hot damn she’s beautiful! Daniel was still smiling when his cell phone rang. The caller made his smile leave.
“Hey, sexy,” came the purr from the other end.
“Marissa…”
“You should come over here and heat up my bed for me. I’m wearing that little outfit you love.” Marissa made a small, fake laughing sound.
“Marissa, I’m not in town. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
“Oh darn.” Marissa made a heavy sigh. “I was hoping you could take me on a nice weekend getaway on your jet.” Marissa loved to be seen with this man. His gifts were the best! And his car…
Daniel was getting more turned off by the second. Marissa was getting way too needy and attached. To my money. What did he ever see in her? Hadn’t he ever realized what an airhead she is? Daniel knew there were plenty of Marissas he could call as soon as he got back to New York.
“I have to go. Don’t call me anymore. I have back to back appointments.”
“Don’t you miss me, baby?”
“Well--You know what? No I don’t miss you. Goodbye,
Marissa. There are more rich guys out there. Go find yourself a different one.” Daniel hung up the phone. He didn’t even feel bad about it. He would love to have all the money right now that he’d wasted on Marissa. He could certainly use it! Women like her were just chasing riches and using anyone they could get their claws into. Hot women in New York were a dime a dozen.
The phone rang again. “Marissa, I was serious. I don’t want to talk to you anymore. I made a bad business decision and lost all my money. I’m totally broke.”
