by Nora Roberts
“No, really. But I’m working right here to smooth it out. I’ve got five people coming in tomorrow—I work fast—for interviews. And one more coming in the day after.”
“Six? Jessie told me she was talking to Chelsea tomorrow. I have something to say there,” Maureen added.
“I know she’s Jane Lee Puckett’s niece, and I know you and Mrs. Puckett go back.”
“More than that, though that has weight. Jane Lee’s been a sister to me since my own … since my own took off the day after my wedding and broke our mother’s heart.”
Maureen took a deep sip of wine, then a deep breath. “She’s family. I won’t remind you she changed your diapers, and Chase’s and Rory’s come to that, the same as I changed her children’s. That’s family, and that matters.”
“I know that, Mom.”
Maureen simply aimed a look—the one that could, and did, shoot down any protest, explanation, or excuse. “That’s not all I have to say about it. Chelsea’s smart and bright and well-mannered. She gave up a good job to come back home when her family needed her. That’s quality. So it seems to me you’d be foolish not to hire her.”
She held up a hand before Bodine could speak. “It’s your decision to make. We put you in charge because you’re smart and bright, and fairly well-mannered yourself. And you not only wanted it, you worked for it. But that’s what I have to say about it.”
“I think it’s important that Jessica interview her, and have some serious say in anyone we hire to work with her.”
“That’s why you’re in charge, too. Because you’re right about that. I expect Jessie’s no fool, and won’t disprove that with Chelsea. Five more?”
“Waitstaff, housekeeping, a horseman, and a masseuse. We don’t necessarily need the extra at Zen Town right now, but it would give her time to learn how we do things. And I liked her application. The others are necessary, most especially the housekeeping and horses. In fact, I could use another qualified instructor for the ring, as Abe’s taking some time now to tend to Edda, and that’s just what he should do. I could ask Maddie to come in once or twice a week, just for lessons, but I worry she’d overdo something.”
“Try her once a week, and make it clear you’ll boot her if she overdoes anything or gets on a horse.”
“That’s a good compromise.” One she’d have come up with if her brain hadn’t been on overload all day. “Callen took Abe’s lessons again today. I walked in at the tail end of one yesterday, and was surprised at how good he was at it. I never thought of him as a teacher.”
“Hidden depths?” Maureen smiled. “He was never as wild as some wanted to think. And Cal was one of the some.”
“Maybe. I was more impressed with his horse, a young buckskin gelding. He does tricks.”
“I heard about that, but I’d like to see for myself.”
“I asked him to think about doing some performances at the BAC paddock. Adults would love it, and kids would go crazy for it.”
“You’re always thinking, Bo.”
“It’s why I’m the boss.”
* * *
The next morning, Bodine met with the housekeeper applicant at nine sharp. She liked what she saw, what she heard, so she called one of the housekeeping staff in to give the applicant a tour of an empty cabin.
“Beth will bring you back when you’re done. Come see me after, Yvonne, tell me what you think.”
Bodine shifted from her office to the Dining Hall, where her manager was interviewing a hopeful waiter. The applicant looked younger than his twenty-one years. He wore a white dress shirt with a string tie tight around his nervously bobbing Adam’s apple.
Their longest-running waitress sat across from him, arms folded, gaze narrowed. “We do things a certain way around here, and that way is work. Don’t have a table to serve, you bus another. Things are slow, you do setup, fill condiments. What you don’t do is lollygag.”
“I’m a hard worker, ma’am.”
“Maybe you are, maybe you aren’t. I show lollygaggers the door right quick. Why do you want to work here?”
“I need a good job, ma’am, to save up to go back to school, get my college degree.”
“Why do you have to go back? Why aren’t you still there?”
He flushed a little, face turning pink under his straw-colored hair. “My folks helped out as much as they could, and I worked at the Bigsby Café, like it says in my résumé. But it’s costly, and I need to work, save up, to go back and finish. The Bodine Resort’s a fine place to work, and it’s closer to home than Missoula.”
Bodine saw Carrie Ann soften, but doubted the poor boy did. “Did you keep your grades up?”
“Oh, yes, ma’am.”
“What’re you studying?”
“I’m majoring in education. I want to teach. Elementary level. I…” He flushed deeper. “I want to help form and inform young minds.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Carrie Ann let out one of her harrumphs, cut her gaze toward Bodine. “I’m going to take you over to the Feed Bag, show you some ropes. You don’t prove to be an idiot, you’ll come back here and talk to Sylvia in HR about your paperwork.”
“Uh—I— Are you hiring me on?”
“Unless you prove to be an idiot. Get your coat on. It’s cold out.”
She rose, walked over to Bodine. “He’ll do.”
“I’ll tell Sylvia to be ready for him.”
When she started off to do just that, she ran into Jessica coming out. “Bo, perfect. I want you to meet Chelsea.”
“We’ve met,” Chelsea said.
Bodine studied the pretty, doe-eyed brunette. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember. I know your aunt and uncle.”
“I had my thirteenth birthday party here. You took us on our trail ride. I got my first real kiss from a boy I thought I’d marry and have six kids with after that ride, so it sticks in my memory.”
“What happened to the boy?”
“It turned out he just liked kissing girls, something my thirteen-year-old self didn’t understand or appreciate.”
“It’s nice to see you again.”
“Bodine.” Jessica put an arm around Chelsea’s shoulder. “I love her. I want her for my own.”
“I don’t think you mean you just like kissing girls, so I’m assuming you’re hired, Chelsea.”
“Thank you, both of you. I want you to take note I’m not jumping up and down and squealing, which demonstrates my maturity and decorum. Because inside, I’m doing just that. Oh! And there went a cartwheel!”
That got a laugh out of Bodine.
“I really want to work here. I really think I can do good, creative work here.”
Chelsea paused when Rory strolled toward them with another man at his side.
“Looks like the Beautiful Women Club’s in session,” Rory said.
“My brother Rory—sales and marketing. This is Chelsea Wasserman.”
“You’re Jane Lee’s niece.” Rory shot out a hand. “She always says how pretty you are, but I figured she was being a doting aunt.”
“Chelsea’s coming on as an assistant in events,” Jessica told him. “So you’ll be seeing more of her.”
“Glad to hear it. Oh, Bo, this is Esau LaFoy. Sal said you’ve got him down for your ten o’clock.”
“Yes, I do.”
“I’m just a little early. I’d be happy waiting out in the lobby until you’re finished and ready for me.”
He wasn’t much older than the new waiter, Bodine mused, but she didn’t think he’d blush. His eyes, a hazel that edged toward green, stayed steady and respectful.
“No need for that. Come on into my office.” She gestured, led the way.
Though they had some wear on them, he’d shined up his boots. He also wore clean Levi’s with a Western-style checkered shirt, a fleece-lined denim jacket, and a black ridge top hat, which he took off, politely, and set in his lap when he took the chair she offered.
&nb
sp; “So, Esau, you’re from the Garnet area.”
“I am, like my daddy, and his daddy before him. Most call me Easy, Miss Longbow.”
“Easy. You’ve done some traveling.”
“Here and there. I followed the rodeo awhile, picked up ranch work when I needed. The names I gave you in that file you got there will tell you I know how to work, and I know horses.”
“Why did you give up the rodeo circuit?”
“The fact is, I couldn’t much afford to keep with it. It’s costly if you don’t hit in the money regular, and I took a couple of hard spills. On that, my pa’s getting older, and I come to realize if I got laid up, he wouldn’t have anybody to help him out when he needed. We got a few acres some south of Garnet. He’s a tough bird, and takes pride in it, but in some years, maybe he won’t be able to do all he does.”
“The work here can be sporadic during the winter season. You might not get forty hours a week.”
“I’ll take what I can get.”
“Do you have your own mount?”
“Not right now, as I had to sell him off. I could maybe get one if you want.”
He smiled when he said it, showing a chip in his left incisor and a kind of dopey, affable charm.
He has a good face, Bodine thought. A little tough, a little weathered, like a lot of cowboys who spent hours in the saddle, under the sun, in the wind. He kept his hands still. They showed the kinds of calluses she expected from someone who worked with horses.
She’d already had a background check run, and he’d come up clean. High school dropout, but as he’d said, and those in his file confirmed, he knew horses.
“It’s not required for you to have your own mount. We have our stock, and we bring on more in the spring. Have you ever taught horsemanship?”
He opened his mouth, shut it again, and took his time. “I want the job, so it’s hard to say no. I can’t say I’ve spent much time showing anybody how to ride. Was a girl I met in Abilene I showed some riding to, but that was for fun like. Mostly people I’ve spent my time with know.”
She couldn’t call him the brightest bulb in the lamp on the basis of the interview, but he struck her as polite, honest, and amiable enough.
And she was in a bind.
“It’s more than working with horses, tending tack, feeding, and grooming. We cater to our guests, and some won’t have been on a horse before, or not in years. Trail rides are popular, and those who lead guests out have to learn themselves: How to match the horse and rider, how to watch on the trail to make sure a guest who doesn’t know a horse from a giraffe doesn’t get into trouble—and has a good experience.”
“Horses are easier to figure than people, but people aren’t that hard, seems to me, if you pay attention.”
“I can’t argue with that. Why don’t we go over to the Equestrian Center, you can have a look at that part of the operation, and we’ll meet up with our head horseman.”
He rose. “I’d be pleased to.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Bodine managed to get home in time for dinner, avoiding Clementine’s wrath and spending the best part of an hour filling her family in on the new hires while they ate.
“You rounded up a lot in one day,” Sam commented, sipping at his nightly after-dinner two fingers of whisky.
“One more tomorrow, but every one of the hires wanted the job, presented well, and passed muster with the respective managers.” She glanced at Chase. “With Abe out, I had Callen take a look at LaFoy.”
“He’d know what to look at.”
“LaFoy.” Sam frowned in thought. “I don’t think I know any of that name around here.”
“He’s from around Garnet.”
“Can’t place the name.”
“Well, we’ll see how he works out, but before I left him with Callen, I had a good look myself. How he handled himself, handled the horses, interacted with Callen and Ben, who was working at the time. Before I left them I told Callen to let me know if he had any reservations. Since he didn’t, I hired LaFoy. And I took your advice, Mom, and talked to Maddie about doing a weekly lesson.”
“I think that’s going to work out fine. And I’m happy you liked Chelsea. She’s going to be an asset, you mark my words.”
“I did like her. Jessie, on the other hand, loved her. And I liked that she stayed on for a couple hours, getting her feet wet. Shows initiative.”
“You told us Mrs. Puckett’s niece was smart,” Rory put in. “You didn’t tell us she was hot. Really hot.”
“Down, boy,” Bodine muttered even as Maureen wagged a finger.
“You keep your hands and your charming self to yourself, Rory Carter Longbow.”
“But my charm, it just can’t be contained.”
“I’ve got plenty of rope in the barn to hog-tie it if we need to.” Chase finished the meal as he’d started the day, with black coffee. “I ought to let you know I talked with Abe this evening.”
“How’s Edda?” Bodine asked.
“She’s doing all right, but this whole business scared him. He’s thinking of taking Edda to visit with their son and his family for a week or so over Thanksgiving. And he’s thinking about spending a couple weeks with their daughter for Christmas.”
“He didn’t say anything like that to me,” Bodine began.
“Well, let me finish it out. It seems their kids are pushing for it, and more yet, it came clear to him that once he comes back to work, she’s going to do the same. He says he doesn’t see a way to stop her. He wants her to have a good stretch of time first, and this, and the trip to Arizona would do that.”
“I can understand that, but—”
“He came to me before you,” Chase went on in his quiet steamroller style, “because he wanted to know if I was clear with you putting Cal on in his place, since we hired Cal for the ranch and it wouldn’t just be here and there, or filling a hole now and then, but full-time managing until spring.”
“Yes, but—”
Chase just lifted a finger, which had Bodine rolling her eyes.
“What I said was this: Cal’s an asset here. But the way things are, he’d be a bigger asset to the resort, so—and Dad agrees—we’re fine with letting you have him through the winter if that’s what works. On the condition that that’s what Cal wants, too, as it’s not what he was hired on for.”
Bodine waited, exaggerating the pause. “That it?”
“Yeah.”
“Do I have any say in it?”
Chase shrugged. “Your say comes in after, seems to me. If we said no, we’re keeping Cal here, that would be that. If Cal says no thanks, you hired me for this not that, same thing. So your say comes in after that’s settled one way or the other.”
Bodine drummed her fingers on the table. “And what did Cal have to say about it?”
“Haven’t gotten to that, as I talked to Abe then got called in to dinner. I figured to run it by him in the morning.”
“I’ll do the running by, thanks all the same.”
“Fine with me. Don’t know why you’d get your back up about it.”
In answer, Bodine put on her sweetest—and scariest—smile. “I’ll explain it then. Abe should have come to me, as I’m being asked to hold two key positions open from November until April. That’s one. He should have come to me to discuss whether I approved taking Callen Skinner as my full-time horse manager from now till April—which is just what you should’ve told him. Then I decide on all that before—if I decide yes—I come to you and Dad and ask if you can let me have Cal for this length of time. Given that’s yes, I ask Callen if he’d agree to that.”
Chase shrugged again. “Looks to me like we got to the same point, and maybe a little quicker.”
“Quicker’s not the point.” Frustrated, and a little insulted, Bodine threw up her hands. “The ranch and the resort are separate entities. That was the smart and practical decision made back when