“Semper Fi,” Tyler replied.
“Semper Fi,” Rob responded as they fist-bumped.
“Let’s head over to Jethro’s, if you’re done with your coffee.”
Several minutes later, they turned into a gravel road that ran between rows of trees on either side. The leaves were off most of them and lay in piles at the side of the road.
“Does his ranch have a name?” Rob asked as they wound their way through the woods, finally coming to a clearing where they could see an older two-story, frame farmhouse, and multiple outbuildings along the edges of several wire-fenced pastures.
“His wife named it Mountain View when they first moved here. There used to be a sign, but it got hit by a car in the fog nearly thirty years ago. They never replaced it, but I think their brand is some representation of that name.” Tyler pulled his SUV into a parking spot next to the largest outbuilding, a gray pole barn with a green metal roof. He turned to Rob. “His wife Martha died about five years ago, and I don’t know that he’s ever recovered. Breast cancer. They had three kids, but they’ve all moved away. His son, Brad, lives in California; Catherine is an attorney in Atlanta; and Max, the youngest, is in Portland, Maine. Not one of them is interested in ranching. It’s a sore subject with Jethro, so you might not want to mention it.”
Rob nodded. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
Both men got out of the SUV and walked into the barn. “Hey, Jethro,” Tyler called into the cavernous depths of the building. “It’s Tyler Mathews and my friend, Rob Michelini.”
“Over here,” a hoarse voice called back. “I’m working on this damn tractor.”
They headed back to the middle of the building, where an older man dressed in faded blue jean overalls leaned into the engine compartment of a large, red vintage tractor. It was tough to figure out which was older, the rancher or the equipment.
“Hey, Jethro. What are you doing?” said Tyler as they approached.
“Trying to get this thing running again. I was planning to pull out some tree stumps near the river, but this old bucket of bolts started missing. I was trying to figure out what was wrong.” He wiped his hands on a blue shop rag and then turned to shake hands with Rob and Tyler. “Howdy, I’m Jethro Gordon. No relation to the NASCAR driver.” He let out a guffaw and spit into a soda can.
Rob stepped forward and held out his hand. “I’m Rob Michelini. I’m a Marine Corps veteran like Tyler. I helped my dad on our cattle ranch in Colorado until I went into the service. I’m looking to raise cattle in East Tennessee if I can find the right piece of property. I’ve got a lot to learn about ranching around here, though. Tyler thought you might give me some advice about where and how to get started.” Rob explained what he had in mind.
“How big do you want to go?” Jethro asked.
“Maybe forty or fifty acres. I’d like to run a hundred head or less. Not sure how much land I’ll need here to do that.”
“I’ve got thirty-six workable acres for cattle and crops, and another ten that are rugged and hard for livestock. It’s where the land heads toward the mountains. I usually run about seventy head, occasionally up to eighty if the Lord’s been good enough to give me a nice herd of calves.”
“I’d love to see your operation, if you can spare the time to show me.”
Jethro leaned over and spit another wad into his can. “Happy to.”
“You can show Rob around, and I’ll look at this tractor. See if I can do any good with it,” offered Tyler.
“That’d be right nice of you.” Jethro nodded and quickly abandoned the tractor repairs. “C’mon, son. Lemme give you the nickel tour of this place.”
“Sounds great.” Rob nodded to his host, and raised his chin at Tyler to say “thanks.”
Jethro took him through the outbuildings first, explaining the purpose of each. Some housed livestock, including several pregnant cows in need of veterinary monitoring, four horses, and assorted barn cats that wandered in and out of the structure, leaping up to rafters to study the humans below.
They stepped into a penned area used to move the cattle through a maze of steel-fenced corridors to inoculate, brand, or load them for transport.
There were eight pastures, two filled with Black Angus mothers, and calves in various stages of development. Another pasture held a mixture of Red Angus and Hereford’s. Jethro explained the Red Angus were better adapted to hotter climates than the Black Angus. Three other fields held mature adult cattle, nearly ready to go to a feedlot. The smallest field held bulls that lay sleeping in the sun. The largest field was empty, and Jethro explained that he moved his herd around as needed.
“How long have you been doing this?” Rob asked.
“Lordy, must be nearly sixty years. I’m seventy-eight, and I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager. I worked on a neighbor’s farm. They had a mixture of dairy cows and beef cattle. Learned a lot from the old man who owned it. That was down near Ten Mile. I met my wife at a dance, and she was from Ridgeview. I looked around here and found this place. I worked for the guy who owned it and then bought it from him.”
“That sounds like a good way to move into it,” Rob said.
“Yep. That’s what I’d like to do. I’ve been thinkin I ought to look for somebody younger to buy this place from me so I can retire before I keel over some summer afternoon and lie out in the fields till the vultures pick my bones clean.”
That sentiment was a bit too graphic for Rob, but he could understand wanting to choose the time to leave ranching behind, instead of it being forced on you.
“Are you looking to hire somebody to help you out? I could use a job while I find a place of my own to buy. I’d like to settle in Ridgeview. My girlfriend grew up here and wants to stay. She’s the librarian.”
“Oh, really? She ain’t that sweet Mary Jane Van Buren, is she?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Hell, this is a small town. My Catherine grew up with her. Sweet girl. She always has a smile for folks and loves kids. I hope you aren’t against having a big family, because that one will want a passel of them.”
Rob laughed. “Yes, sir, we haven’t talk numbers yet, but no matter how many kids she wants, I’m happy to give them to her.”
Jethro winked, and spit into a nearby bush. He studied Rob silently for several minutes. “So you’re interested in maybe working for me, eh? I could use a strong guy like you. You can throw and stack hay bales, and feed and water cattle? Help birth calves? Brand and give shots? String wire, and mend fences?”
“Yeah. I’ve done all that.”
A crafty look came over the older man’s face. “How about fixing equipment? Can you do that?”
“Like that tractor? Sure. I’m good at fixing machinery. That’s as much a part of ranching as dealing with livestock.”
Jethro looked thoughtful. “Well, hell, boy. Why don’t we try it? I’ll hire you for the next six months. That’ll take us through the winter and spring. We can both see how it works.” He mentioned the salary he could pay.
“That sounds acceptable, sir. When do you want me to start?”
“How about tomorrow? Saturday. You’ll work six days a week, but you can take either Saturday or Sunday off.”
“That’s great, sir, because I want to take my girl out sometimes during the day on Saturday. I’m willing to be available in case of emergencies, too. There’s one thing, though. I go to the VA for counseling for PTSD on Thursday mornings. I need to have time off for that, but I’ll make up the hours by working late the night before.”
“That sounds all right. Can’t rightly complain about a man who got injured in service to his country. And the emergency stuff? That ought to make up for the time you take off. Handling emergencies is part of ranching, ain’t it? You always have to be available when the shit hits the fan.” He guffawed, and slapped his knee, as if he’d said the funniest thing.
“Do you need references?”
“Nah. If Mathews thinks you’re oka
y, I’ll take his word. Besides, if I’m not happy with your work, I’ll fire your ass.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Rob said, wondering what he was getting into. “And if it doesn’t fit me, I’ll quit.”
Jethro huffed and spit. The spitting was something that Rob would have to get used to. It wasn’t exactly appealing, but as long as he didn’t have to do it himself, he’d figure out how to tolerate it. He couldn’t imagine he’d be able to change the habits of a seventy-eight-year-old man.
The two of them walked back to the barn where Tyler had finished the tractor repairs.
“What was it?” Jethro asked.
“Fouled spark plugs. I cleaned them and put them back in, but buy a new set of plugs and plug wires to be safe.”
“Thanks.”
“Did you check everything out?” Tyler asked Rob.
“Sure did. I start work tomorrow.”
Tyler looked startled. “Really? That sounds great. Who knows, you might buy Jethro out when he’s ready to retire.” He slapped Rob on the back. “We might be neighbors.”
“Don’t you get ahead of yourselves,” Jethro warned. “I have to see how this works before you buy my place out from under me. I got to make sure the right man ends up with this ranch. I owe that to my Martha.” He peered at Rob as if trying to judge his character. “Did Mathews tell you she named this place Mountain View?”
“Yes, he did. That’s a perfect name for a beautiful piece of land. You’ve got a great view of the mountains. I can tell you love it here.”
“You got to love the land if you’re going to work it. Ranching ain’t part-time work. You got to put your whole heart and soul into it,” Jethro lectured, and it reminded Rob of something Dad would have said.
He reached out and clapped Jethro on the back. “I know, and I’m ready to put my heart and soul into making Ridgeview a place where I’ll spend the rest of my life.”
“Okay,” said Jethro. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I feed around seven.”
“I’ll be here.” He shook the man’s hand, and together he and Tyler walked toward the SUV.
“Well,” said Tyler once they were on the road back to his ranch, “I didn’t expect him to hire you.”
“Me, either, but I think he’s getting tired. Ranching is physically and mentally hard work, and he’s not exactly a spring chicken. Maybe if it works out, and he learns I’ll appreciate what he’s built here, he’ll agree to sell it to me.”
“That’d be great. He’s been able to make a go of it there, so that tells you something about the land and its suitability for cattle ranching.”
“He’s quite a character.”
“Yeah, he is,” Tyler agreed. “But he’s a good man. He’s been an excellent neighbor. I’m glad he’s hired you, though. I’ve been worried about his working out here all by himself. He had somebody helping him, but the guy moved on. I stop in at least once a week, or at least call to check on him.”
“He seems in good health, though,” Rob observed.
“Yeah, but he’s slowed down in the past four or five years. I noticed right away when I got back from the Sandbox. I guess we notice how much has changed when we aren’t around to see it happen.”
“That’s the truth.”
“Well, I’m glad you can help him. I think it could be good for both of you.”
When they arrived at the ranch, Rob said goodbye and headed back to MJ’s. He’d sure have a lot to tell her tonight.
Chapter Thirty-Three
MJ pulled her car into the driveway, pleased to see the house lit up in such a welcoming way. Having someone there to greet her every night felt wonderful. Especially Rob and Maverick. Who knew she’d settle in to have a dog and a man in her life after being alone for so long?
“Hi, Honey, I’m home,” she called as she stepped into the kitchen. A wet nose nudged into her hand. “Hey, Maverick. How’s my favorite dog?”
He panted and licked her hand, giving her the goofy canine grin she loved. Rob came through the doorway from the living room a moment later. “I thought I heard a car door.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Missed you.”
“I’m glad to be home. It was a miserable day. The toilet in the ladies’ room backed up and flooded it. Then a group of seven-year-old homeschoolers got dropped off and used the tables and bookshelves as a jungle gym.” She sighed. “I haven’t been this tired in a long time.”
“Sit down. Do you want something to drink?”
“A glass of wine would be wonderful.”
“Sit down. I’ll get it.”
She sighed as she sipped her wine. “How was your day? Did you meet with Tyler’s neighbor? The one with the cattle ranch?”
“Yep. I’ve got a lot to tell you.” He sat down next to her and pulled her feet into his lap. Removing her heels, he began massaging her from toes to ankle.
“Oh my gosh, that feels so good. You have magic hands.”
He smiled at her and waggled his eyebrows, until she couldn’t help laughing.
She felt the tension melt from her whole body the more he touched her. She sighed. “Tell me about it.”
“Well, you’re looking at a gainfully employed man.”
“Really?”
“Yep. It turns out Jethro Gordon, that’s the guy’s name, has been working by himself. He’s seventy-eight and looks ten years older than that. His kids aren’t interested in the ranch, and ultimately he wants to sell it to someone who will appreciate it the way he has.”
“Gordon? I went to school with Catherine Gordon. I think she lives in Atlanta now. At least she did when I last heard.”
“Right. He’s also got two boys, all grown and living on either coast. Anyway, none of his kids want anything to do with ranching. It’s a nice operation. It looked well-organized, and Tyler says Jethro has been making a decent living there for years. That’s impressive, since you know how farming and ranching can be. I think I’ll learn a bunch from him and help him at the same time. Plus, he’ll pay me.” He told her what the wages would be.
“That’s great! Is there a catch?”
“Well, I have to work six days a week, Monday through Saturday. I’ll be able to swap Saturdays for Sundays sometimes, though. Plus, I need to be available for emergencies.”
It sounded as if he’d be busy all the time, and she tried not to react at having to give up so much time with him. She pasted a smile on her face. “When do you start?”
“Tomorrow.”
She felt her heart drop into her stomach. So much for date night. “Oh.”
“What’s wrong, MJ? I thought you’d be happy.”
“I am.” She tried to bring some enthusiasm into her voice.
He reached over and took her hand. “I’ll still be able to go for counseling.”
“That’s not it. I was looking forward to having Saturdays as our day to ourselves.” She shrugged, pulling her feet off his lap and sliding them under the table.
“We’ll still be able to spend the day together sometimes. I’ll switch to Sunday when we’ve got something going on that we’re doing during the day. I won’t let it interfere with our date night, I promise.”
“Really?” It was ridiculous how much she wanted reassurance that she wouldn’t play second fiddle to his job.
“Really.”
“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “I was afraid you’d be too busy to spend time with Maverick and me.”
“I can understand that. Ranching is hard work and takes a lot of time, but I won’t let it stand in the way.” He traced her chin with his thumb and then leaned over and kissed her softly on her lips.
She breathed in his scent and kissed him back. She pulled back to look him in the eye. “Thanks. Now that I’ve found you, I don’t want anything to get in our way.”
“Me neither.” He stroked her face gently. “C’mon. Let’s get some dinner. I ran out of ideas of what to cook. I thought we could go out and celebrate my job. If you’re up to it, that is.”
She nodded. “That sounds good. Can I talk you into Chinese?”
“Sure.”
***
MJ leaned back in the booth at the Jade Tree, relaxed and content. She and Rob had talked nearly nonstop over shared Moo Shu Pork and Shrimp Fried Rice. “I haven’t had Moo Shu since forever,” she said, sipping her hot tea.
“It’s nice not to rush. Good food and good company.” He smiled at her.
She nodded. “I agree. I thought about going grocery shopping for our Thanksgiving supplies tonight, but I don’t want to jump into that right now.”
“Oh, shit,” he blurted, looking around to see if anyone had noticed his language. “Sorry. It’s just that I forgot to tell you. Tyler’s brother, Jason, isn’t coming. It turns out he’s representing Kent Barnard, and he wasn’t sure if you’d be comfortable having him over under the circumstances.”
“Oh.” She sat for a minute, thinking. “I know he’s a lawyer and defends all types of people, but somehow, it makes me uncomfortable. Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.”
“He must have guessed that. Tyler said he won’t come either if it will bother you to have him there.”
“That isn’t necessary. Tyler isn’t friends with Kent Barnard, is he?”
“No, but since his brother is defending him, he thought you might not want him to come.”
“It’s inevitable that there will be overlaps in relationships in a small town—you have both social and professional relationships. I run into my gynecologist at church all the time, and I know my mom checks out people in the grocery store that she isn’t friendly with, and my brother fixes cars for some people he can’t stand. This seems different, though. They aren’t inviting those folks over to their house for a holiday dinner.”
“I understand, and apparently Jason figured it might bother us. That says something about his character, doesn’t it? That he understands how traumatic the break-in was?” He paused. “How do you feel about Tyler coming?”
“I don’t have a problem with that. He’s your friend. We don’t know Jason and invited him because of Tyler.” She sat silently for a minute. “Do you want to invite your new boss? I’d like to get to know him. If his kids live far away, they might not come home for Thanksgiving.”
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