Wannabe in Wyoming (Antelope Rock Book 1)

by J. B. Havens

  “Holy crap, they’re bigger in person.” Nathan blurted out. Willow couldn’t blame him for being surprised, since she had a similar reaction during her first meeting at the Brodericks’ farm. The alpacas all stood at over six feet tall, easily. With long necks and big eyes, they were strange-looking animals but in an adorable sort of way.

  “That’s what he said,” Jeremiah mumbled under his breath, earning another glare from her.

  Ignoring him, she asked Dale, “How many are for sale again?”

  “The eighteen females that you see here—five of them are pregnant and due next May or June. Then there’s the one male that’s kept separate from the others.”

  “Why separate?” Nathan asked, eyeing the creatures just as warily as they did him.

  “Unless you’re ready for them to breed, you keep the males apart from the females. Plus, they tend to be more aggressive and disrupt the herd. Juvenile males are okay with the group until they mature, but then they should be separated.”

  “It’s the same with cattle—lets you control when calving begins,” Jeremiah added, not hesitating a moment and walking closer to the herd. He bent and picked up a handful of hay and cautiously, but with complete confidence, strode to the group of animals. “Here now, ladies, looks like you missed some hay.”

  As he spoke to them, he kept his voice calm and held out the hay, patiently waiting for one to approach him. They seemed very curious about him and only slightly nervous. A large, ebony-colored one seemed to be the bravest and stepped forward, bent her head, and ate the proffered fodder from Jeremiah’s hand. “Aren’t you a lovely girl, huh?”

  “He makes that look easy,” Nathan grumbled.

  “It is,” Dale replied. “They aren’t anything to be afraid of. As long as you respect them and treat them well, they’ll do the same for you.” He leaned down, grabbed some hay, and waved Nathan and Willow forward. “Come meet them and you can decide if this is what you really want. Grab some hay and do what your cattle rancher just did.”

  Jeremiah scowled at Dale but refrained from retorting. Meanwhile, the foreman handed some hay to Willow, then Nathan before offering a few straws to an alpaca standing next to him, which eagerly accepted the food.

  Following Dale’s lead, Nathan did as he suggested, looking sideways at Willow a little nervously. “I feel dumb. If horses don’t weird me out, why should alpacas?”

  “It’s okay, just do what they’re doing.” Passably familiar with the animals from her earlier visit to the Brodericks’ farm, she stayed still as she held the hay out, not retreating when two of them bumped against each other in their rush to get to her. A pure-white one reached her first but stopped before getting too close. Willow froze. The alpaca’s big eyes were ice blue, and with the large white sclera surrounding them, it made her look blind. It was freaky as hell.

  “Is she blind?” Willow asked in alarm.

  “No, ma’am, that’s just her eye color,” Dale replied. “It may look odd, but she’s totally fine, I assure you. Her name is Fannie Mae.”

  “Aww, what a cute name.” She held the hay out farther. “Here you go, Fannie.” The animal stretched her long neck down, gently reaching for the hay in Willow’s hand with her mouth. The fine fibers around Fannie’s jaw tickled Willow’s palm.

  “What’s wrong with her mouth?” Nathan pointed with his free hand to where Fannie’s lips were split into two sections.

  Dale let out a laugh and actually smiled, transforming his already handsome face to something that reminded her of a Roman god. It was obvious Jeremiah noticed it too because his jaw dropped, but Dale didn’t pay him any mind as he explained, “Their mouths are normally split like that and are very dexterous—they use them like fingers and each lip operates independently of the other. Go on, she won’t bite you. They only have bottom teeth in the front anyway.”

  The weird finger-like lips of the alpaca gently plucked the hay from Willow’s hands, brushing her fingertips. Fannie’s mouth was soft as velvet and seemed incredibly delicate. “Feels like a horse, huh, Nathan?”

  “Yeah, it’s similar.” Nathan replied, relaxing now that it was obvious the animals weren’t going to charge or bite. He lifted the hay he was still holding and offered it to another nearby alpaca.

  “Just keep your hand flat and still,” Dale instructed.

  With her other hand, Willow carefully patted Fannie’s neck and stroked her hand downward. Her fur, or hair rather, was soft as cotton and twice as fluffy. Grinning, she kept petting Fannie until the animal lost interest and walked away, her place quickly taken by another curious alpaca looking for fodder or an ear scratch. Willow gave her both.

  All four of them kept feeding the herd until the hay was gone. Dale then showed them around inside the barn, explaining the minimal tack that was required for their care. Lead ropes and harnesses were about the extent of it. He pointed out the dried corn and grain mixture the animals were fed in addition to the hay, explaining that it was infused with additional minerals they needed. Willow had learned from the Brodericks that maintaining an alpaca herd was pretty straightforward. The real work came when it was time to shear them—a task that was often best hired out to professionals.

  “There’s another barn where we keep three horses and two goats, Lucy and Desi. They’re also up for sale, along with two ATVs. Faulkner can’t operate an ATV to save his life and has no interest in the horses. If you don’t want them, I’m sure we can find another buyer. The horses are good, sturdy animals—gentle too, if you’re a less-experienced rider—and I keep the ATVs well-maintained. You should be able to negotiate a good deal for them, including all the tack and the three saddles we have for the horses as well. One-stop shopping, you could say.”

  “That’s a lot more animals than I was originally looking for right now. It’s just me on the ranch, and even with your help, that seems like a lot of work. Though two goats named Lucy and Desi really feels like fate.” At Dale’s confused look, she explained, “Ethel is the name of my cat, and a prairie dog that loves to visit me every morning is Fred.”

  The man chuckled. “Fate. Gotcha.”

  Turning her head, Willow smiled and met Nathan’s eyes. He was only going to be at the ranch for a few more days and then she’d be alone again. They hadn’t yet talked about what his plans were after he retired from the Army, and it was an awfully big assumption on her part to think he would want to move to Wyoming to be a rancher with her.

  “Willow, this is your decision. Do whatever you think is best,” Nathan said, resting his hand on the small of her back. “It’s what you were thinking about, getting a couple of horses eventually, right? It’s just happening sooner than you’d planned.”

  “It is a lot of effort to run a successful ranch, no matter what type,” Dale chimed in. “But if I come work for you, taking care of all the equipment, the animals, and their tack and feed, will be my job—that’s what you’ll be paying me for. It’ll be the same amount of work I do now, just at a different location. I was Carl Faulkner’s foreman for the past six years, but I can get you some more references.”

  Willow shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. The Brodericks already gave you a glowing recommendation. Also, the fact that Mr. Faulkner employed you for all that time, and the barn and the animals look well cared for, are testaments to how good you are at your job. If I go through with this, the foreman position is yours, if you want it.”

  He nodded his assent before she glanced around the property. “An alpaca herd, three horses, and two goats. I’ll need to make some fast renovations on the smaller barn.” There was fencing that needed to be fixed as well, among other things, but one of the pastures was in good enough condition to start with.

  “Yes, the alpacas and horses have to be housed separately from each other because the alpacas are more sensitive to parasites that horses aren’t bothered by. The goats can go in the same barn as the herd though.”

  “Lucky for you, Willow-girl,” Jeremiah chimed in with
a wink, “you know people who can help with the renovations, not to mention sell you hay at a reasonable price. But if you find that the horses are too much work and expense for you, I might be interested in buying them. They’re fine quarter horses—good for cutting cattle and ranch work. As for your labor concerns, I know Ethan’s cousin has been looking for a new job as a hand. He made the mistake of dating his boss’s daughter, and now that they’ve broken up, he’d rather cut all ties. He’s a good worker though, and if I had an opening for him at my place, I would’ve already offered him a job. If you want, I’ll hook you up with him during the week for an interview. Between a foreman, yourself, and one hand, you should be able to get plenty of work done. I can even loan you a few of my hands for those fast renovations, now that we’re done with cuttin’ hay.”

  Willow nodded but didn’t reply. Her mind was whirring with the possibilities. Did she really want this? It wasn’t only the hard work that gave her pause—it was a lot of responsibility, both financially and to the animals.

  “So, what do you think?” Dale asked, brushing loose hay from his hands.

  “I don’t have the experience to handle all this on my own, and it wouldn’t be fair to the animals for me to try, but since you’re willing to stay on as my foreman, I can’t think of a reason to say no.” Over the course of the tour, Willow had warmed to the man and could see that his gruff exterior hid a caring nature. Any man who was as kind and considerate to animals as he seemed to be earned her approval. “I don’t have an apartment or bunkhouse available for you yet, but Jeremiah has offered the use of one of his empty bunks for anyone I hired until I could arrange for quarters at Skyview.”

  Dale crossed his arms, as he seemed to do every time he eyed Jeremiah, and shook his head. “Not necessary. I have a fifth-wheel trailer and can live in that, provided you have a safe place to park it and hookups for power and such.”

  “I think that can be arranged easily enough. Would you require an employment contract in writing or are you comfortable with a verbal agreement?”

  “I’d like it in writing, if it’s all the same to you. No offense intended, but we’ve just met, and it’s a big commitment.” Dale leaned back against the wall of the barn, looking like the quintessential Marlboro man from their vintage advertising campaigns. Jeremiah couldn’t keep his eyes to himself, and Willow was afraid if he didn’t cool it, he’d end up with a split lip—or worse. It was clear to her that, although Dale had warmed up to her and Nathan, he had a different opinion about her neighbor.

  Subtly stepping in front of Jeremiah, blocking his view of Dale, she offered her hand to the foreman. “I can respect that. As long as Mr. Faulkner and I can reach an agreement on the sale, I’d be happy to have you. I’ll contact my attorney as soon as the sale is underway and have the papers drawn up for you.”

  He shook her hand, his grip firm and his large palm thickly calloused from years of labor-intensive ranch work. “That’ll be fine, Ms. Crawford.”

  “Willow, please.”

  “Willow it is.” He pulled a small piece of paper out of his shirt pocket. “Here’s my cell number and email address if you have any other questions or concerns. Carl’s nephew knows nothing about the animals or the operation, but I’ll be able to give you accurate information and straight answers.”

  She took the paper. “I appreciate that, thank you.”

  After saying their goodbyes, the trio turned toward the house where a man in his fifties stood on the back porch, watching them approach—Jeffery Faulkner. City-slicker was the immediate description that popped into Willow’s head at the sight of him, with his designer clothes, greased-back hair, and a Bluetooth earbud in place. She smiled to herself, city-slicker was definitely not something she ever thought she’d be calling someone else, yet here she was.

  “Ms. Crawford, I presume? I’m Jeffery Faulkner.” The oh-too-confidant-looking man descended the porch steps, with his hand extended. His self-important tone was the same one he’d used when Willow had spoken to him on the phone while making the appointment to see the animals. If she hadn’t already told him she was the one interested in purchasing the animals, he probably would’ve written her off as the “little woman” and opted to do business with one of the two men with her.

  “Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Faulkner,” she fudged while subtly wiping her palm on her jeans after shaking his sweaty hand. She hadn’t realized Dale had followed them, but he now stood off to the side, his arms crossed as he wore his disapproval of Faulkner plain as day. Another thing in favor of Dale––he didn’t pull any punches.

  “I assume you’re still interested in purchasing the alpacas and all the stuff that goes with them. I’m sure a lovely lady such as yourself and I can come to an agreeable arrangement.” His smile made her skin crawl as he ignored the others. The man was a slug and that was an insult to the species.

  Willow’s eyes narrowed, and her bullshit meter was pinging at a ten. The guy was a real piece of work. “I’m sure two business owners, such as ourselves, can come to an equitable sale agreement, yes.” She may be a girl from Philly, but she was no idiot. This guy was going to try and fleece her. Best to nip that in the bud right now. “Allow me to introduce you to Nathan Casey and Jeremiah Urban. Jeremiah is the owner of JP Ranch and is here as my friend and advisor. Nathan is my partner.” She was deliberately vague––let the jerk think she had a financial backer.

  He shook both men’s hands and gestured to the house. “Please, won’t you come in, and we’ll discuss this like civilized people. Dale, I’m sure there’s something else you could be doing.” His icy tone and glare directed at the foreman told Willow all she needed to know. This man didn’t respect the people who worked for him or the jobs they performed that lined his pockets. She decided then and there that she was going to low-ball the negotiations. She didn’t see any reason to give this asshole any more money than absolutely necessary.

  Nathan and Jeremiah both let her lead the conversation, only interjecting something when she asked them for their opinion. Jeremiah had a talent for reading the room that would’ve been welcome in any boardroom. A dumb cowboy, he was not. By the sweat on Mr. Faulkner’s brow, it was obvious he realized too late that he’d underestimated her and her companions and was in way over his head.

  Yup, she’d come a long way in the months since moving to Antelope Rock, and it was definitely for the better.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Before leaving her bedroom, Willow checked her reflection one more time in the mirror. After dropping off Jeremiah and arriving home, Nathan had told her to go get dressed, because he was taking her out on the date he’d promised her. Dinner and a movie, with the man she was growing to deeply care about, sounded just about perfect after the long but successful day.

  Following the tour Dale had given them, they’d spent the next two hours in negotiations with Jeffery Faulkner. If he’d thought she was going to be an easy mark, she’d shut that shit down from the get-go. Even Nathan and Jeremiah had commented during the drive home they’d been impressed with her shark-like negotiation skills. She’d gotten the alpacas, equipment, and remaining feed for a reasonable price and well below her budget. She owed some thanks for that to the Brodericks who’d given her a list of what things should cost new, versus used and the value of the animals. They’d known Carl Faulkner well enough to know the quality of his herd and had given her a maximum price per head to stay under. She’d even managed to get the three horses and their tack, the two goats, and the two ATVs thrown into the final agreement. Once the lawyers for both sides did their thing and the sale was final, Dale had said he would organize the transportation of the animals and everything else to Skyview. But Jeremiah had jumped in at that point and said, with his livestock trailer and the one she was purchasing with the herd, there was no need to pay a company to do it. Her new foreman hadn’t looked thrilled with the prospect of working with the other man, but he’d still agreed with him.

  On the way
home, Willow had contacted Howard Smith to give him the information he needed to get started on all the paperwork, including the employment contract for Dale.

  Speaking of Dale, Jeremiah seemed to have developed an infatuation/hatred of the man. He’d bitched about him for the first twenty minutes of the trip home, until Nathan had reached over and cranked up the radio when AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” had come on. Willow hoped there wouldn’t be a problem between her friend and her new employee once the latter moved onto her property. She’d have enough on her plate without also dealing with the two men sniping at each other.

  “You ready yet, woman?” Nathan called down the hall to her. “I promise, you’re gorgeous just the way you are—no need to spend time getting dolled up for me.”

  “Hold your horses, soldier. I’m coming.” After searching her bedroom closet for something nice to wear, she’d opted for a mid-length, flowy, white skirt that made her feel romantic. She’d then paired it with new, black dress boots—yes, those were a thing apparently—and a black, long-sleeved, button-up blouse with the top three clear crystal snaps undone. This was Wyoming after all, and a little bling equaled dressy.

  Walking down the hall, she met Nathan in the living room. His eyes widened at her appearance, and he stood straighter as his gaze roamed her from head to toe and back up again. He was so handsome it stopped her in her tracks. If she’d thought he was gorgeous shirtless, that was nothing compared to the man dressed up. He wore fitted black jeans and a button up shirt the same ocean blue of his eyes. With no tie and the top two buttons of his shirt undone, showing her a glimpse of his dark chest hair, she was practically drooling on her boots. He still hadn’t shaved his scruff off which just added to the appeal.