I brought my hands to the table and kept his gaze. “Which leads me to now. I’m a cook, and you need a cook. I’ve never had kids, but I like them, and I’m good with them. I was a wife for twelve years, so I know how to keep a house. I know it’s temporary, but all I need is a chance. To start building a new life, and maybe have a reference that I can use once it’s time for me to move on. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I hope you’ll be willing to give me that chance.”
We sat there for a moment, then Luke stood, picked up his hat, and placed it back on his head. He looked down on me, eyes serious, and said, “You can move in on Friday.”
I shot to my feet and stuck out a hand. “Thank you so much,” I gushed as he shook it firmly.
I was still standing, my eyes full of happy tears, when Patricia came back in to her office.
“I got the job!” I squealed, then rushed around the table to give her a hug.
Chapter 19
I’d been driving for about forty-five minutes, happy to be behind the wheel of my car again, and enjoying the view as I left the city and drove in to the country. I’d passed through the gates of Hope Heals Ranch and turned at the fork, following Patricia’s directions to Luke’s house.
She’d said the main house, where Luke’s father lives, and the bunkhouse where the ranch hands stay, were to the left, and Luke’s place was to the right. He, his son, and the live-in cook lived a mile down the property from the main house, which was where Luke had grown up. He’d lived, and worked, on this land for his entire life.
As I drove through the property, I took in the scenery. On one side, the acreage was wooded, but the vast majority of land I could see was hilly and sectioned off with wooden fence line. In the distance I could see some cows, horses, and what looked like a dog running through the fields.
I wondered what it would be like to grow up in a place like this. Pretty amazing, I imagined.
I also wondered what happened to Matthew’s mother, and why she was no longer with Luke and their son. Even though it really wasn’t any of my business, I could admit I was curious.
As I drove down the dirt road, the house came into view. It was yellow and white, with a large wraparound porch. There were rocking chairs aplenty, and I suddenly couldn’t wait to wake up in the morning and have coffee on that porch, overlooking the beautiful property that housed Luke’s home.
It was gorgeous, simple, and screamed of peacefulness.
Patricia was right, I thought as I pulled my car up next to a large blue truck. This place is just what I need.
I pulled my suitcase and overnight bag out of the trunk, silently hoping that I’d be done carting these bags around sooner rather than later, eyeing the porch warily as the front door opened and a tall gray-haired woman stepped out. With a beige apron covering her floor-length floral dress, her hair up in a messy bun, she looked like the quintessential ranch house cook.
“You must be Belle,” she bellowed, startling me with the strength of her voice. “Welcome.”
I couldn’t help but smile at her exuberance, and I felt some of the tension leave me as I carried my things up the steps to meet her on the porch, which was even deeper than it had looked from the road.
“Thank you,” I responded with an outstretched hand. “And you must be Ms. Lucille.”
She shook my hand, then took my overnight bag off of my shoulder and opened the door.
“Come, dear, I’ll show you to the room, then give you the grand tour. I’ve only got until this evening to show you the ropes, then I’ve got to get on the road myself. My granddaughter is scheduled to have a C-section tomorrow and I promised to be there first thing.”
“Okay,” I said with what I hoped was more confidence than I felt. I hadn’t realized that I’d be alone so quickly, but I guess the only way to learn what my new job entailed was to jump in and get started.
The house was decorated simply. Clean and uncluttered with few decorations and no frills. It had a country feel, but the gaming system and shoes lining the wall gave away the fact that a child lived here. You could tell it was a man’s house, but it definitely felt like a home.
I liked it immediately.
We went down a narrow hall with four doors.
“This is the bathroom, and across the way is Matty’s,” Ms. Lucille said, her hands gesturing toward the closed doors as we walked. “The one at the end there is Luke’s, and this one,” she stopped in front of the door next to the bathroom and opened it, “this is where you’ll be staying. I had my things moved out early this morning, and I’ve already laundered the bedding.”
I walked into the room that would be my home for the next few months and smiled with pleasure. The queen bed was old-fashioned and sweet, with a hand-made white quilt with red roses adorning it. The furniture was white with iron finishes, and there was a white iron-framed mirror hanging on the wall. I placed my suitcase on the bed and looked out the window, inhaling deeply when I saw the view of rolling hills and the sun setting in the distance.
“It’s beautiful,” I said softly, calm settling over me as I turned to Ms. Lucille with a grin. “I love it.”
“I’m so glad, dear. Luke gave me free reign to decorate this room as I liked, and I’d hoped it would be a good fit for you.”
“It’s perfect,” I assured her.
Ms. Lucille nodded. “Not to rush you along, but we’d best get on with the tour. There’s much to show you before I go.”
I followed closely as she walked me through the rest of the house.
“Here’s where we keep the linens. I like to wash and change Luke and Matty’s bedding each Saturday morning. Matty’s in charge of keeping his own room cleaned and picked up, as is Luke, but I usually go in and dust on Wednesdays, and wash the curtains once a month.”
“Mondays I’ll go to town to pick up the groceries I’ll need for the week, so I write out my menu and list on Sunday afternoon, just to make sure I don’t forget anything. There’s a General Store about twenty minutes outside the gate, but you can only get the staples there; it’s best to get what you need in town on Mondays.”
“Breakfast is at six for Matty, before he goes to school. Luke isn’t always here for breakfast, but he always comes back to walk Matty to the bus at seven. Sundays I make a big breakfast, since that is the only morning that Luke and Matty get to sleep in, I usually have it ready by nine. Pack Matty’s dinner, er … lunch, for school every day, but Luke will usually eat with his Pa, or the ranch hands, so you typically have dinner to yourself. Every once in a while, Hank, Luke’s Pa, will ask you to whip something up for the hands, but for the most part, they take care of themselves. Supper is at seven every day.”
I was starting to think I should have brought a notebook to keep track, when Ms. Lucille pointed to the counter.
“I jotted down some notes for ya.”
“Thanks.”
She nodded and kept on, “Luke has an office here, but he also has one in the barn, off of the bunk house. I keep both refrigerators stocked for him, so make sure you include that on your list. I also like to keep nuts, jerky, and stuff in his desk, just in case he forgets to eat.”
“Friday is your day off. Luke takes Matty into Charleston every Friday night, and every other weekend Matty stays in town with his mother, so they grab supper while they’re there. Once Matty is fed breakfast and on the bus, you’re off duty until breakfast on Saturday.”
Ms. Lucille showed me where the cleaning supplies, laundry room, mudroom was, then we walked back in to the kitchen.
“I wrote down what I’d had planned for supper on Saturday and Sunday, and left you the recipes. You can plan out what you’d like for next week, but I left you a list of Luke and Matty’s favorites, to help you out.”
She picked a recipe card out of the back of a little black box and waved it at me.
“These are Matty’s favorite. He’s a sweet one, but can be shy, so if he’s having a hard time opening up to you, just make these and he’ll be come
around. You and he will spend some time together in the evenings. He has to do his homework before he can go help out on the ranch, then Luke will bring him back to wash up for supper.”
I took a deep breath as I tried to absorb everything she’d said. Everything was much more structured that I’d imagined, and I worried about how quickly I’d be able to pick everything up and find my rhythm.
I didn’t want to mess anything up and risk losing this job.
“So, since it’s Friday, Luke and Matty will go straight to town. Matty’s with his mom this weekend, and Luke won’t be home until late, so you may not see him until tomorrow at supper, unless he stops in to see how you’re settling in.”
“That sounds good,” I replied, relieved that I had the night to myself to go over her notes and try to memorize everything I had to do.
“You’ll be fine, Belle,” she assured me kindly. “I left my phone number on there, so if you get into a pickle, just give me a call.”
“I will, thanks.”
I walked her out, thanking her again, then went back into the strange house that I’d be taking care of, smiling even as the nerves came back in full force.
Chapter 20
I was sitting at the island in the kitchen, notes strewn across the countertop as I made out a menu and a list of ingredients. After I’d unpacked, I made myself a light dinner, then pulled out Ms. Lucille’s notes and started trying to memorize everything. I’d been so caught up that I’d lost track of time, which was a good thing. This being my first night out on my own, outside of rehab, I’d been worried that the pull to drink would be hard to resist, but I’d been so busy I hadn’t even thought about it.
I jumped at the sound of the front door opening, and wondered why I hadn’t heard a car coming up the drive. My eyes swung to the clock and I was shocked to see it was almost one in the morning.
I heard the distinct sounds of boots walking through the house and unconsciously held my breath.
“I didn’t expect to see you up this late,” Luke’s deep voice said from behind me.
I twisted in the high-back stool to look at him, self-conscious of the fact that I was clad only in a pair of flannel boxer shorts and a tank top, and that I wasn’t wearing a bra. I’d fully planned to be in bed long before Luke came back from town.
“Hey,” I replied, tucking my hair nervously behind my ear. “I’m sorry, I guess I got caught up.”
His gaze took in the papers all over the counter and I hurriedly assured him, “I’ll get this all cleaned up.”
It was almost intimidating how clean his house was.
Luke’s eyes remained serious, but one side of his mouth lifted as he said, “I’m sure Ms. Lucille made sure the house was immaculate for your arrival, but I can assure you that the house is usually cluttered. We try to keep on Matty to pick up after himself, but he is ten, and if I’m being honest, Ms. Lucille gets after me to pick up more than she does Matty.”
I smiled at his words, relieved that he was making the job seem a little less terrifying.
Now that I’d realized the late hour, I was suddenly exhausted, so I gathered the paperwork up into a stack and held it in front of my breasts as I stood up. “I’m going to get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, Mirabelle,” Luke replied with a tip of his head as he took his hat off and set it on a side table.
“Goodnight,” I responded as I walked passed him, then I paused and added, “Thanks again, Luke.”
He just nodded as I scurried passed, shutting myself in the refuge of my room. I leaned my back against the door and let out a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I was going to have to get used to being around Luke, and I hoped, with time, that I’d overcome the nervousness and uncertainty I felt when he was near.
As soon as I hit the pillow, nestled into the soft sheets, I slipped immediately into a dreamless slumber.
When my alarm went off at five a.m., it felt like I’d just laid down, but I needed to get myself on the new schedule I was going to be expected to keep, so I padded down the hallway and got into the shower in an attempt to jolt myself awake.
Twenty minutes later, I was trying to figure out how to work the coffee maker. My hair was pulled up in a ponytail and my face was free of makeup, but I felt refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
“Need some help?”
Luke’s warm voice slid over me and I tried to keep my face neutral as I turned to him and replied, “Yes, please.”
When he stood next to me, I looked up, realizing how much taller than me he was. I guess I’d been too distracted to notice in Patricia’s office, and I’d only seen him sitting in Vegas, but here in the soft light of morning I was totally focused on him.
His hair was wet, and I knew he must have gotten into the shower right after I’d gotten out, which struck me as strangely intimate.
His face was clean-shaven, which only highlighted his square cut jaw and full lips. I could only see his profile, so I couldn’t see his eyes, but I knew they’d be as clear as the vast blue morning sky. The spicy, male scent of his body wash was barely noticeable, but potent enough to make my belly curl with delight.
Confused at my body’s strong reaction, I took a couple steps back, needing to put some distance between us.
“You just put the beans in here, to about this line,” Luke was saying, and I realized I was missing the coffee making instruction so I shook myself out of my musings and paid attention. “Then you fill this up with water, press the button to grind the beans, and wait for the coffee pot to fill. It usually takes about ten minutes, so if you get it ready the night before and just press the button as soon as you get up, it’ll be ready when you are.”
“Thanks,” I said, then watched as he went through the steps and stepped back as the grinder began to sound.
When he turned and grabbed his hat off the counter I asked, “You aren’t staying for a cup?”
“No, I have to get down to the office. My Pa wants to meet you, so if you don’t mind, we’ll come round for lunch around noon.”
“Of course,” I replied, suddenly nervous at the thought of having to prepare my first meal, and of meeting Luke’s father.
“Great, I’ll see you then.” Luke touched the brim of his hat in farewell, then I listened to the sound of his boots as he made his way out of the house. When the door closed, I hurried to the window in the living room, just in time to see him swing up onto the back of a horse and ride away.
Chapter 21
I wasn’t sure if the men would want to eat at the island in the kitchen, or the formal dining room table, so I had place settings ready on both.
Lunch wasn’t one of the meals that Ms. Lucille had listed on her menu, since lunch on Saturdays was not usually made at the house, so I had to improvise. I looked through the refrigerator and pantry to see what I had to work with, and decided to go with chicken and dumplings.
I figured a hearty meal to get them through the rest of the day would be good, I just hoped it wasn’t so heavy that it made them tired. Chicken and dumplings was on the list of Luke’s favorite foods, so I hoped to make a good first impression.
I heard the front door open, and my heart went in to overdrive. I smoothed my blouse and the front of my maxi skirt, then smoothed back my ponytail, unsure if I should meet them in the living room or wait in the kitchen. I waited, and a second later, Luke came in, followed by a tall handsome gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair.
They both placed their hats on the side table, then Luke introduced us, “Pa, this is Mirabelle. Mirabelle, this is my father, Hank.”
“Hank,” I said as I walked forward, my hand outstretched. When he took my hand, turned it, and brought it to his lips, I smiled at the twinkle in his eye.
“Well, Mirabelle, you sure are gonna pretty up this place, aren’t you?”
My smile turned into a full-on grin at his flirtation.
“Please, call me Belle.” I turned to Luke and asked, “Would you like to si
t in the dining room, or in here?”
“This is fine,” Luke responded, indicating the island.
They sat at the table, and I served up the steaming bowls of chicken and dumplings. “Be careful, it’s hot,” I warned as I took my place across from Luke.
“So, Belle, Luke says you come from California,” Hank started as we waited for the food to cool.
“Yes, I was living in San Diego with my husband, before his death.” I was thankful that the counseling I’d had in the center made talking about Ricky’s death easier. It no longer felt like a dagger to my heart whenever I mentioned him, but rather filled me up with fond memories and warm feelings. “Before that I was in Louisiana, but I’m actually from Florida.”
“A travelin’ girl,” Hank said with a grin, then his face sobered and he added, “I’m sorry to hear about your husband. My Martha passed ten years ago, and I still miss her to this day.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “You’ve lived here your entire life?”
“Luke has. Martha and I moved here after we were wed, so I’ve had the ranch going on forty years now. I mostly oversee things now, with Luke running the business and taking care of the books, but pretty soon it’ll be all Luke’s … And Matty’s, of course.”
“Matty’d start running it now, if I let him,” Luke said with a proud grin, and it was obvious he loved his son very much.
“Ain’t that the truth,” Hank agreed fondly. “It’s hard for a boy to be separated from his momma, but couldn’t drag Matty away from this ranch for anything in the world. Just like his daddy.”
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