by Kari Trumbo
“I trust you will be comfortable here.” Her voice betrayed her nervousness. She opened the door and waited for him to enter. As he walked by, she inhaled his scent: leather, some smoke, sweat, and something else that was unique.
Looking around the room, Meg was nervous to allow her gaze to rest on anything. There was no way she could leave this man alone in her home and go get Rose, but she didn’t want to be here either. Fear gripped her and she couldn’t look him in the eye or move from her spot. She backed into the door, closing it. Her eyes went wide at her mistake. What if he wasn’t trustworthy? Her color went from robin red to ashen and she felt as if she might faint.
“Are you going to be all right? You look a bit peaked,” he asked, concern weaving his brows together.
She looked at the window, anywhere but at him or the bed. “I’m fine. Rose and Pete also work for me. They’ve worked at the ranch for twenty years and they will be here in the morning. Early, in the morning. So, breakfast should be ready whenever you are.” She spun to leave and had to back up when she came within inches of running into the door she’d pushed shut. Knowing she sounded like, and now looked like, a rambling fool, she yanked the door open.
“Excuse me?” His voice played with her frazzled emotions.
“Yes?” She looked over her shoulder, her focus darting like a caged rabbit.
“I don’t know your name. Might be important.” He smiled, encouraging her to do the same.
“Meghan. Meghan Conner, but ma’am will work just fine.” She left him to his thoughts and whatever else he planned to do that evening.
Meg rushed to retrieve the shotgun outside. She’d never kept it in her room before, but tonight she certainly would. There would be little sleep to be had, she feared. At least the lumberyard would finish the bunk house soon. It would be a basic rectangular box, one room only, nothing special, with the most difficult aspects being the door and windows. It wouldn’t be done soon enough now. She wouldn’t get any peace with some stranger staying in her home. Oh, if Mother only knew. The thought made her snort, a very unladylike noise.
What in the world had possessed her to say her name was Meghan? She hated that name. No one ever used it. It had been the name of her mean old grandmother and in order for the family to distinguish the two, they had decided when she was an infant that she’d be Meg. Other than herself and her grandmother, she’d never known any other Meghans.
“Great, now I’ll be saddled with that name forever.” She slapped the palm of her hand to her forehead and shook her head back and forth, weary to her bones.
Forcing herself to look in the mirror, she sighed.
“So, the Lord has provided a handsome man to walk right into my life and I still look as plain as dead grass.” Blowing out the lamp, Meg changed and climbed into bed.
Chapter Four
The next morning, Meg awoke to a shriek. She scrambled from her bed, sure the house must be on fire. Grabbing her dressing gown, she ran toward the kitchen with her hair trailing down her back. Terrified, she searched back and forth into each room for the source of the problem. When she made it to the kitchen, Jax leaned against the table by the stove, pouring himself a cup of cold coffee. Rose stood frozen by the front door, petrified.
Meg stopped short, and covered her front with her gown. “Rose, this is Jax, our new foreman.” She panted from her rush. “Jax, this is Rose, my closest friend and housekeeper.” Meg finally took control of her emotions.
“Ma’am.” He lifted his cup to Rose.
“You stayed…here… last night?” She stammered.
“Yes ma’am. Meghan assures me the bunkhouse’ll be done soon.”
“Meghan?” Rose’s forehead crinkled and she shook her head, looking confused.
“Yes, oh right, she told me ma’am would work, too.” He smiled at her and took a sip of the cold, stale coffee, grimacing at the brew.
“She did, did she?” Rose smiled at Meg like a sly fox now warming to the situation. “Let me fix you some breakfast and fresh coffee, cowboy. My name’s Rose.”
Rose went to work on breakfast, and Meg made herself scarce to get dressed. She’d seen Rose’s look and knew she was in for some teasing. Maybe she deserved it. She could hear Rose chatting away with Jax as she prepared breakfast.
Meg took her time getting ready. She had no desire to face either Jax or Rose after the introduction this morning. She sat in front of her mirror brushing her hair, when Rose said in an overly loud voice,
“You don’t need to wait for Meghan if she’s taking too long. I’m sure my Pete could show you around. He’s right outside.”
Meg blushed from her hairline to her neck. Of course Jax would’ve needed her to take him around the ranch and tell him what she expected of him. Drat, this was all new to her.
She came out a minute later. Rose looked up, giggling at her.
“Good morning, Meghan. Is there anything I can get you for breakfast, Meghan?”
Meg scowled. “Stop teasing me. I wanted him to give me some respect. Maybe Meg sounds like a child’s name.” Meg crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her, which made Rose laugh even harder.
“Oh, so Meg isn’t old enough? As if the black clothes didn’t age you enough, now you want to be older sounding, too?”
“I don’t know…yes. I guess. You can still call me Meg, though.” She smiled, trying to get Rose off the subject.
“So, I get to think of you as a child? No. No, I don’t think that’ll work. If you want to be Meghan, you shall be. It’s just interesting that it took a handsome, young cowboy showing up in the night for Meghan to come out when Meg was just fine before.”
Meg’s jaw clenched in frustration. Rose laughed all the more.
“Come, Meghan. Let’s have some breakfast and go check on the men. We have to keep them in line, you know.”
Meg was fit to be tied. Every time she turned around Rose teased her. Meghan this and Meghan that, always with a teasing little sing-song voice. The new foreman wouldn’t give her any respect if Rose continued like this. Sure, she’d made a mistake. It was time to be done with it and move on.
~~~
Meg saddled up her horse to visit Chase’s grave when Jax came up behind her.
“Ma’am?”
She jumped and turned around. He’d been so quiet she hadn’t heard him behind her. “Yes, Jax?”
“If you’re headed into town, I’d like to ride with you. I have a few friends that might make good hands if you’d like to meet them?”
The idea of spending an hour with this man sounded like pure torture. If she could make such a fool of herself after only a few minutes, she would have the entire family embarrassed in a one hour ride.
“Jax, I’m making…more of a social call.” She stammered and looked away. “I… have a friend who is…ill.” She looked away from him, knowing it was a terrible lie. “I’d like to meet your friends and you are free to go into town and bring them out if you believe they’ll be good for the job.” She reached for the saddle and wound the reins around the pommel. “In fact, I will leave the hiring of the five men to you. You’re the one who will be working with them and it will be a good test to see if you can spot strengths and weaknesses. That being said, if they fail, so do you.” She stuck her foot in the stirrup and swung her foot over the saddle.
Pulling the reins off the pommel, she turned her horse around to leave. Jax stepped in front of her horse, taking the bridle in his hand.
“So you need five? What’s the pay?”
“For hands? One quarter of what you make each month plus room and board. I would think that would be enough to keep the men happy.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
~~~
He released the bridle and let her go, but his curiosity was piqued. He wondered where she had to be in such a hurry, and why it was so important he not ride with her. It would have been a good opportunity for her to tell him what she wanted him to do and about the trip south she mentioned.
Why in the world would she want him to take cows south? She seemed to be avoiding him, and he couldn’t figure out why. How could he manage a ranch without direction?
Perhaps she was skittish, like a horse. He would try assuming the responsibility, since it seemed she wanted nothing to do with it. She’d given him full rein to hire after only knowing him for a few short hours, and most of those she’d been asleep. That must be what she expected, for him to assume his role. Well, if that’s what she wanted, then far be it from him to deny his boss. In the meantime, he was curious and since he needed to go to town anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to follow behind.
He grabbed his already saddled horse and followed her at quite a distance. About a mile outside of town, he saw her turn off the trail and leave her horse by a tree. He pulled up and watched her from as far away as he could. The area wasn’t familiar to him and he wasn’t sure if she was walking to someone’s home or only resting. He saw her kneel on the ground and then collapse. He kicked his horse to a gallop. If something happened, he needed to make sure she was all right. Before he got close enough for her to notice the sound of his approach, he realized she was at a cemetery. Reining up, he hoped he hadn’t disturbed her.
He cursed himself for interfering. Slowing the horse to a walk, he passed the scene with as quiet a pace as possible. It was a private moment and she hadn’t wanted to tell him about it. He scowled at the town laying just ahead, his boss had to trust him at some point, but this was one thing he hadn’t needed to see. He didn’t want to feel sorry for her. She was the boss, after all.
Chapter Five
Jax kept the horse at a quiet walk until he passed where she lay, and the sound wouldn’t bother her. His main focus was on getting back into town without being seen. Meandering through town much like he had the night before, he made sure to stay on an out-of-the-way path.
Someone had been spying on him; that much seemed certain. He had to make sure no one but his closest friends knew he was here. Also, if push came to shove and Larson came out to the ranch for him, he’d have a few guns in his corner with the new hands he planned to hire.
He looked in the bar through Wayward’s Way and saw the first two men he wanted to talk to. Jeff was as steady as they come and he needed work. He wouldn’t balk at taking orders from a friend and the offered salary would seem like riches to him. The other man was the one he’d spoken to yesterday, Mac, who’d already said he was interested. Jax wandered over to the table where Jeff sat.
“Hey. Seat taken?” Jax pulled the chair out before Jeff answered.
“Nope, sit. Deal a hand?”
“No time. You looking for work?”
“Yeah. Whatcha got?”
Jax explained the work to him and who his boss would be. Jeff was a man of few words so he agreed to the work with no questions asked. Jax asked him to wait for three days, then told him where he should go. He agreed and Jax left Jeff to go speak to Mac at his table.
“Took your advice.” Jax flipped the chair around facing Mac and straddled it.
“So why are you here?” Mac raised an eyebrow. “And not laying low out there?”
“You said you might be looking to take a position. A cowhand job interest you? Help me keep an eye out for Larson?”
“Is the pay better’n here?” He continued to shuffle his deck.
“Yup, and you don’t have to stay at Betty’s anymore.” Jax chuckled. He knew Betty partially owned the bar and she was a lonesome widow. She was well known for getting too friendly with the men who worked for her.
“Sold.” Mac laid down the deck. “When can I come out?”
Jax explained about the bunkhouse and though Mac expressed disappointment at not getting out from Betty’s clutches a little sooner, at least he now had options. Jax promised him much more than the usual pay of a cowhand because Mac would be his right-hand man. Jax mentioned asking one of their mutual acquaintances, Mark, to take of one the other positions.
Mac laid down his deck and looked at Jax, his look intense and focused. “Well, if I’m to be your right-hand man, let me give you your first bit of unwanted advice. Stay far away from that one. You can’t help him. I’d sooner trust a snake. He could hurt someone. He won’t put down the bottle, no matter how much you threaten or cajole. No. I wouldn’t do it.”
“I know what you’re saying, and I’m listening, but he’s an old friend and I think he deserves one more chance.”
“Suit yourself.” Mac shrugged his shoulders, picked the deck back up and shuffled it out of habit. “Not my butt on the line.” He raised his hands, putting up a wall between him and the subject.
Jax excused himself and told Mac he’d see him in a few days. He needed three more men to fill his ranks and the day had gotten away from him.
It took all afternoon but two more of his good friends agreed and now only one more spot remained. He thought about Mark. He was a drinker and a ruffian. Jax mulled over whether he should give him the chance at growing up. Could he trust Mark to behave, especially when his boss appeared to be a lonesome, beautiful widowed lady? Drink could make you do some pretty stupid things, and Mark had proven he’d always enjoyed the folly.
He watched and entered the mercantile when he was sure no one else was inside. Mark sat behind the counter of his father’s store. It was the only place that would hire him anymore. He looked glum with his face slack and his hand holding up his head, propped on the counter. He perked up as soon as he saw Jax.
“Want to go grab a drink, maybe a game? There’s a new belle at the saloon.” Mark leaned closer to Jax, as if it were a secret.
“Aren’t you running the store?” Jax held out his arms, incredulous to Mark’s apathy.
“Well sure, but that’s why we have keys, right?” He held up the key, jingled it, and gave Jax a sideways look.
“Not enjoying your job, Mark?”
“I sit here all day fighting with ugly, old ladies about the value of eggs.” He rolled his eyes. “Some of them, I argue with to make the day interesting.”
“I’ve come to offer you work, but the job I’ve got comes with a few…stipulations: sober, no fighting, and you keep your women in town.”
“What? Is the job for the reverend?” He scoffed.
“Nope, for me. I don’t need to explain my reasons. You can take it or not.” Jax doubted his judgment in even asking. The longer he stood there, the more he knew Mac had been right.
“So my choice is stay here and haggle over pennies with hags or dry up with you. Tough choice.” He slumped back onto his hand.
“Choice is yours. I won’t make it for you.”
“What’s the pay?” Mark threw the key in the air and caught it, bored with the conversation.
Jax quoted him half the amount of the other hands. He knew Mark would never work as hard as his other friends, even on his best day. He was a gamble, and boss-lady shouldn’t lose money on him.
Mark sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, considering his options. A slick card shark with greased black hair, he should have been working in a saloon, not on a ranch, but even they didn’t trust him enough. Betty couldn’t even abide him. She’d take his money for drinks, but wouldn’t hire him, no matter how often he enticed her.
“Yeah. Let me grab a few things. We can get one last drink on our way out of town.” He smirked and flicked the key in the air, catching it as it descended toward the floor.
“No.” Jax shook his head slow so Mark wouldn’t miss the point. “You want me to break my own rules so soon? If I can’t trust you, just tell me now. I need five men and you were my fifth. I can find another. Can I trust you?”
“Hey, I haven’t started yet. Not my problem if you have.” Mark always looked for the loophole.
“Come out to the Whitte Ranch in three days.” Jax turned for the door.
“Why do I have to wait? If you’re there, let me come with you.”
Jax sighed, he shouldn’t have to explain anything. “There’s no room for you yet.
The bunkhouse isn’t done.”
“So you’re staying in the ranch house then? Mmm, I see how this goes. Didn’t I hear the Connor man was killed in that twister? Ain’t his missus out there all alone? Or are you keeping her warm?” He leered, laughing at his own joke.
“That’s enough, Mark. If you can’t give her respect when she isn’t here, then you don’t need the job. She’ll be your boss.”
“My boss? Not likely to take orders from no woman and I can’t see you doing it either.” Mark sneered. “What does a woman know about running a cow operation that size?”
“I’ll find someone else.” He grabbed the handle to leave.
“No, hold up, Jax. Don’t be getting all worked up now.”
Jax waited, his hand on the door, for him to make his decision. He regretted coming in here. It wouldn’t take long for him to find a reason to fire Mark. He hoped boss-lady wouldn’t witness the nonsense that was sure to happen first. It would look poorly on him. Whitte Ranch looked to be a good place to stay for a change.
He was done running all over the countryside. There was plenty of room to ride out there, lots of work to keep him busy, and even a young lady to make things pretty. Thinking of the young lady brought a vision to his mind of her in her dressing gown from that morning. Her hair long and wild, and he smiled without realizing what he’d done. Worse, Mark had seen the side of his face.
“Ah, so you do want me to come.” Mark threw his mouth into his biggest salesman smile. “Fine, fine. I’ll come out there in three days. I better have my fun before I head out to the convent, though.”
“You do that, just don’t bring it with you.” He pulled the handle and left, ambling back to his horse.
Walking about half of the way back to his horse, he sensed eyes watching him. This couldn’t be good. He slowed down and pulled his hat down his forehead to hide his face though he suspected it was too late. Putting his hand down, he unhooked the loop holding the gun riding on his belt. Attempting to look all around and remain inconspicuous, he noticed a man across the street leaning against a building. Jax had been thinking too much about the task at hand and not enough about his own safety. He strode with long strides down the narrow boardwalk, when a man jumped out of the doorway and pulled him up short.
