Lexi dropped her ponytail and spun around, unable to think let alone speak. Tingles of pure delight raced through her and she shoved her hands under her legs to keep from burying them into the temptation of Ty’s thick hair.
“You, Mr. Lewis, are a tease,” she finally said, trying to keep the conversation light.
“Guilty as charged,” Ty said, deciding he better leave before he did something to get himself fired.
After all, he’d not even been on the ranch two full weeks and here he was shamelessly flirting with the boss. What was wrong with him? Quickly getting to his feet, he held out a hand to Lexi. Reluctantly, she took it and walked him back to the kitchen, stopping at the door.
“Thank you for the meal,” Ty said, not wanting to leave. “It was one of the best I’ve had in a very long time.”
“You’re welcome. Thanks for keeping me company. The house gets kind of quiet sometimes.” Lexi stared at the floor, uncertain she could keep from kissing Ty if she looked into those gorgeous blue eyes again. “And thanks again for helping pull the calf. I’m really glad you were here.”
“Me, too,” Ty said honestly. He could witness the miracle of birth a hundred more times and still be in awe. “If I can ever help, just let me know.”
“I will. Good night,” Lexi said, raising her face to look into his as he opened the door. Despite the cold air seeping in, she felt thoroughly warmed by his intense gaze.
“Night, Lexi.” He stepped outside and closed the door behind him.
Lexi sighed as she sank down on a kitchen chair. He called her Lexi. Not Lex Jr. not Lex, not boss.
Lexi.
On the ranch, it helped keep the men focused on her being the person in charge and not a young single female to have them call her Lex or boss. But for reasons she didn’t want to examine, her heart fluttered in response to Ty calling her Lexi.
As she turned off the gas fireplace in the family room, she could still feel the light brush of his lips heating the skin of her neck.
Mercy, she didn’t know what she’d do when he got caught up on the mechanic work and it was time to teach him about ranching. As good as he looked in his grease monkey attire, Ty would be positively lethal to her system in boots and Wranglers.
Lesson Four
Good Manners Aren’t Optional
“Thet’s yes ma’am, no sir, please and thank ya.
There’s jes no excusin’ bad manners.”
Settled into his routine on the ranch, Ty prepared to work on a plow. He only knew it was a plow because that is what Swede called it when they moved it into the shop. There was a whole shed full of farm equipment he was slowly learning the names of one piece at a time.
Three days after his dinner with Lexi, he came back from a trip to the parts store in Burns to find a computer in the shop. In an empty spot between the workbench and refrigerator, a new desk with a chair now took up residence. A hard drive sat in an enclosed cupboard at the bottom of the desk along with a printer, to keep it away from dust and grime. A sliding drawer held the keyboard and the monitor was a large screen, nicer than anything Ty had ever seen.
Profusely thanking Lexi that evening as she walked by on her way to the house from the barn, she accepted his gratitude with a smile and told him if he needed anything else to let her know.
Now, three weeks later, he made great progress with his repair projects thanks to the time the computer saved him.
Carefully backing his pickup into the second bay of the shop, he flagged down Cal and Keith as they walked by the open doors.
“Hey, can you guys help me a minute?” Ty asked as they approached.
“Sure, dude,” Cal teased, using the name they all called Ty. “What’d you need?”
Ty opened his truck bed cover to reveal his collection of tools. He was ready to put them in the shop and get them out of his pickup. After making a place for them along one wall, he wanted to keep them separate from the ranch tools. From his days as a mechanic at the repair shop, all his tools had his initials etched onto them anyway, so they were easy to identify.
Keith whistled as he looked over the side of the pickup at the impressive array of tools. Ty had two big rolling toolboxes that he laid down in the bed to make transporting them easier. Rather than take the time to empty all the drawers and move them, he figured with some help he could lift them out onto the rollers and be ready to go.
Cal climbed into the pickup with Ty while Keith stayed on the floor. Between the three of them, they soon had all the tools unloaded.
“Thanks. I appreciate the help,” Ty said as they finished. He opened the refrigerator and handed them each a cold soda from his stash. Grateful, they accepted the beverages and tipped the bottles toward him as they headed out the door. “Thanks again,” he said as they left.
“Anytime, dude,” Cal called over his shoulder.
Ty left the doors open to catch the morning breeze. The snow had melted and the mid-March day felt warm with a hint of spring in the air. Swede said the weather was fickle this time of year, but recommended he enjoy each day of sunshine that came along until spring finally arrived.
Intent on doing just that, Ty looked out at a deep blue sky and the shoots of green struggling to push up through the brown dead grass of winter. Inhaling a deep breath, he filled his lungs and grinned. One thing he didn’t miss about Portland was the smog and pollution. At the ranch, the air was crisp and fresh and clean. He could take deep gulps of it and feel renewed — as long as he wasn’t standing too close to any fresh cowpies.
Admittedly, Ty also liked the way he could see the sunrise and sunset, hear the birds and the cattle without the disrupting sounds of traffic and harried crowds. A certain peace and tranquility hovered around the Rockin’ R that he had never experienced but was quickly coming to appreciate.
Lost in his musings about his new home, Ty didn’t notice Baby meander into the shop until she jumped against him, throwing him off balance. He had to take a quick side step to keep from falling over.
“Baby, what are you doing?” Ty ruffled the dog’s ears. He had no idea animals could have such expressive facial features, but Baby certainly did. His hands delivered a good rub to the loveable canine when his phone rang. Since he had been listening to music, he left his phone attached to the speaker and heard his sister’s voice fill the shop.
“Hey, Beth, how are you?” he asked, surprised she would call in the middle of a workday.
“I’m really good, Ty. We just left the doctor’s office and she said the baby could come any time,” Beth said.
When she heard the word baby, the dog perked up her ears and looked around to see who was saying her name. Ty smiled and continued rubbing her back.
“That’s exciting news.” Anxious and excited about the upcoming arrival of his niece or nephew, Ty wished he could be there for his sister. “Is everything else going okay?”
“Yes, it is, thanks to you. The money you sent was a huge help. But you need to keep more of your paycheck.” Grateful for the funds Ty sent, she worried about him scraping by. “The office threw a huge baby shower for me last week and you wouldn’t believe all the wonderful things we received. This baby should have enough diapers to last at least the first two months.”
“I bet the apartment is wall-to-wall baby stuff,” Ty said, laughing as the dog frantically looked around each time she heard the word baby.
“What’s so funny?” Beth asked, hearing Ty’s chuckles.
“Every time we say the word b-a-b-y, the dog looks around to see who’s talking to her. She’s getting pretty worked up.”
“Who names a dog Baby, especially when she’s the size of a pony?” Beth asked. Ty could hear the humor in her voice.
“I don’t know, but it suits her.” Ty scratched the dog behind her ears as she settled back down. “When my nephew decides to make his arrival, Nate is totally going to Skype me, right?”
“We’ll see about that. I really don’t think it is the best plan the two of you
have ever hatched.” Beth sighed. “You have no idea what you are asking for, do you?”
“I have a better idea now than I did before I left Portland.” The last few weeks, Ty helped pull several calves. For some reason, the ranch hands decided his brute strength could be beneficial to them in several ways, and not just as the mechanic.
“Be that as it may, please remember I’m not a cow,” Beth warned.
He heard a car engine start and realized Beth and Nate were in their vehicle. “Yes, ma’am, I’ll remember,” Ty said.
“Are you turning into a cowboy on me?” Beth teased. “What’s with that ma’am business?”
“I’ve been informed multiple times that it is good manners to address any female as ma’am and any man older than me as sir. There’s a whole list of manners that I’m supposed to memorize. Believe me, it is not just a code, but a way of life that these people are determined to ingrain into my head,” Ty explained as Baby went to her blanket in the corner and flopped down.
Beth laughed. “Let’s hear some of the things on the list.”
Ty could picture her smiling as she and Nate drove through the horrific traffic from the doctor’s office toward their apartment.
“I’ve been given a printed copy. I’ll send it to you later,” Ty said. “I’m glad you’re doing well. Promise you two will let me know the minute my nephew arrives?”
“We promise,” Beth said. “Love you, Ty.”
“Love you, too.”
Ty was in a good mood after talking to his sister. His thoughts chased around the upcoming arrival of her baby. He wanted to find a special gift, but had no idea what to buy. If he had time after dinner, maybe he’d do some browsing online and see what he could find.
The morning passed quickly. When Ty stopped at noon to eat a sandwich, he emailed his sister the “guide to upright living” Swede gave him a couple of weeks ago. It was part of the foreman’s efforts in “learnin’ ya up to how things are done.”
Ty read through the guide again with a smile on his face.
1. Once you give your word and a handshake, it’s as binding as signing a contract.
2. Never betray a trust.
3. Never lie, cheat, or steal.
4. Treat all children, animals, and old folks like you want to be treated.
5. Call your elders sir and ma’am.
6. Treat women with respect and care.
7. Always tip your hat to a lady, and take it off at the dinner table and in church.
8. Work hard and give your boss an honest day for your pay.
9. If someone needs a hand, lend yours to the task.
10. Respect the flag and our nation.
11. Be clean — both on the outside and inside of your person.
12. Never stop learning.
13. Never make fun of someone who gave it their best.
14. Never wear your spurs or dirty boots in the house.
15. Fight fair, be brave, and stand up for what’s right.
Ty had always followed rules number one through four. He also tried to follow rule six as well as eight through thirteen. He was learning to apply “sir” and “ma’am.” Since he had not yet been coerced into purchasing a cowboy hat, he wasn’t worried about rule number seven. The same went for rule number fourteen since he had neither spurs nor cowboy boots. As for rule fifteen, that was part of the unwritten code he’d set for his life. He tried to live peacefully with everyone, but if he had to, he would stand up for himself and do it honorably.
He thought of teaching his nephew how to throw a right hook when he was old enough. It was going to be hard to be absent when the little guy made his big entrance into the world. Despite Beth’s protests, he and Nate had a plan all worked out so he could virtually be there to hear the baby’s first cries.
After returning to work, Ty finished the plow and hooked it up to a tractor, dragging it out of the shop so he could get started working on a harrow.
He dug in a drawer that housed an assortment of nuts and bolts, organized by size, trying to reach into the back to the size he needed. Firmly tugging, the drawer seemed to be stuck, so he worked it around until he got it out. He bent down to peer into the space and noticed a crumpled envelope in the back of the cabinet.
Setting down the drawer full of parts, he smoothed out the envelope. He noticed a scrawling hand had written “Lexi Jo” across the front. Hastily unfastening his coveralls, he stuffed the envelope into his pocket, refastened the coveralls and got back to work, wondering if the letter was from Lexi’s dad.
Hours later, he glanced at the clock and jerked off his coveralls, running to the bunkhouse with Baby hot on his heels. It was his turn to make dinner and he forgot about it. He had less than an hour until everyone showed up, ready to eat.
Lexi had hired two housekeepers in the past few weeks. One lasted almost a week while the other one only made it until noon her second day. She might have lasted longer except Baby scared her half to death when she opened the kitchen door and ran in barking.
For now, they were back to cooking and cleaning for themselves.
Ty grabbed steaks out of the freezer and stuck them in the microwave. While they thawed, he ran outside and fired up the gas barbecue, then hustled back in, washing a bunch of potatoes. In no time, he’d cut them into chunks, and dropped them in a bowl with a little olive oil and spices. When he removed the steaks from the microwave, he stuck the potatoes in. He hit the preheat button on the oven, then opened cans of green beans and dumped them in a skillet with crumbled pieces of bacon left over from breakfast.
He popped three cans of biscuits and placed them in a greased pan then stuck them in the oven.
After seasoning the meat, he took the steaks outside to the grill, put them on low and hustled back inside. A thorough search of the pantry turned up instant cookies and a handful of leftover butter cookies. He made the pudding, pouring it in individual bowls then sprinkled crushed cookies on top.
Working with one eye on the clock, he removed the potatoes from the microwave and smashed them, stirring in grated cheese, sour cream and more of the bacon, along with a little ranch dressing before dumping the mixture onto a foil-lined cookie sheet. He stuck it in the oven with the biscuits, hurried to set the table, and mixed up a gallon of lemonade.
While he frantically pulled dinner together, Baby sat by the door watching him run in and out. When he talked to her, asking her why she didn’t remind him it was his turn to cook, she lifted her head at him and barked once, as if to say it wasn’t her fault he forgot.
As the sounds of boots thudded outside, Ty placed golden biscuits hot from the oven into a breadbasket.
“Whooee! Thet meat sure does smell good,” Swede said as he walked inside and went to the closest bathroom to wash up.
The rest of the crew ambled in, hanging up their hats and washing their hands.
Ty was outside with a platter taking the steaks off the barbecue when Lexi strolled down the walk.
“Hey, Ty. Mind if I join you for dinner? Those steaks smelled so good, they were tempting me when I came in from the field.” She took the platter from him as he put the steaks on it and turned off the grill.
“It would be our pleasure to have you join us, ma’am.” Ty grinned and winked at her.
Lexi nearly dropped the platter as heat flooded her insides and her arms and legs morphed into a weak, rubbery substance.
Ty took the steaks from her and hurried to hold the door open with his other hand.
“Look who’s joining us for dinner, boys,” Ty called as she walked up the steps, hoping his message would warn the rest of the men inside to not come to the table half dressed or otherwise indecent.
Warmly greeted by her men, Lexi was given a place to sit at the end of the table opposite Swede. Secretly pleased, she found Ty sitting beside her. When everyone was seated, Swede asked the blessing and the food was passed around the table.
Despite the teasing, it was obvious everyone enjoyed the meal Ty p
repared. From the compliments thrown his direction when he brought out the bowls of pudding for dessert, he was afraid he might get cooking duty every night.
Ty tried to pry his eyes away from Lexi’s lips as she licked pudding off her spoon. He started at their rosy fullness, wondering if they would taste as warm and sweet as they looked.
When her leg accidentally bumped his under the table, it was all he could do not to jerk away from the connection that felt like an electrical jolt.
“For a city dude, you sure know how to grill a good steak,” Cal said, slapping him on the back. Ty finally learned Keith had the mole on his cheek and Cal was the more talkative of the two. It was the only way to tell the twins apart.
“Thanks,” Ty said, drawing his gaze away from Lexi to his own half-eaten bowl of pudding. “My Mom worked at a steakhouse for a while when I was a kid. I learned a lot about cooking meat when I hung out there after school.”
“It was one of the best steaks I’ve ever had, Ty. No kidding,” Lexi said, nursing her glass of lemonade. “Thanks for letting me eat with you.”
“It’s your steak, you can eat wherever you like,” Jimmy teased.
“True,” Lexi said. Her cheeky grin caused Ty’s temperature to spike.
In need of a distraction, he got up and started doing the dishes. He turned to finish clearing the table only to run right into Lexi as she carried dirty dishes to the counter. Hastily grabbing her arms to keep from knocking her down, he gentled his grip, but he didn’t want to let go.
What he wanted was to pull her into his arms and kiss her with a depth and intensity he’d never before shared with a woman.
Lexi’s arms went limp at Ty’s touch. She quickly moved to set the plates down before she dropped them. How could a simple touch from him set her nerve endings on fire and make her wish for things she’d long ago given up dreaming were possible? Desperate to put some space between her and the good-looking mechanic, she offered a hasty word of thanks for dinner and turned toward the door.
Before she could escape, Ty placed a crumpled envelope in her hand.
Learnin' The Ropes Page 7