“The Café is looking for a cook. I’ll send a note when Duncan goes into town for the mail. And I will stop in to see Mrs. Richardson before you leave.” She hesitated a moment, and then added, “I will miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too. Now come over here and give me a hug.”
She stepped into Big Bob’s embrace and hugged him back. She was so grateful to him for giving her a job after Billy died. Without this job she would have been at the mercy of her family. But now it was time to move on. Especially in light of Rusty being her new boss.
Slowly she came down the steps of the ranch house and headed to the chuck wagon. Since the last of the haying was scheduled for today, the men were staying out in the fields, so she and Mac were taking their noon meal to them.
The late summer air was still quite warm, the screech of locusts deafening. Her decision to leave was for the best. It would have been bad enough dealing with Rusty every day as the foreman, but as her boss—well, that wouldn’t work out at all.
“Rachel, Mac said we don’t have enough chili peppers for the stew. Do you have some at home?” Amelia hurried up to her, her face flushed from cooking.
“Yes, in fact I do. Why don’t you go fetch them from my back pantry, and I’ll help Mac.” Before she could walk off, Rachel reached out and touched the girl on her shoulder. “I need to talk to you after we get back from feeding the cowboys.”
“All right.” Leaving her with a curious glance, Amelia headed toward the house.
The meal preparation went quickly with her, Mac, and Amelia chopping, stirring, and then loading the stew and fresh baked bread onto the chuck wagon. She added the finishing touches on four pecan pies while Amelia filled the water barrel from the well.
Once Mac had the horses hitched to the wagon, the three of them started off for the fields. Even though it was early September, the Oklahoma sun was bright and strong. Rachel fanned herself with the bottom of her apron, the sweat on her head already soaking her bonnet.
As the wagon rattled over a hill, the sight of the rolling plains, the last of the alfalfa waving in the breeze waiting for cutting, reminded her why she loved the ranch so much. The satisfaction of watching the year round cycle of the operation, the birth of calves, shipping cattle, growing and cutting of hay, all gave her a sense of peace, of life continuing. She would really miss it when she moved into town.
But it was a necessary move. She had to get as far from Rusty McIntyre as she could for her heart’s wellbeing. Although, truth be known, Will would have a difficult time with it. She hated breaking her son’s heart, but it wasn’t good for him to get too attached, anyway. She wanted him to go to college, make something of himself, not end up a broken down cowboy.
Broken down cowboys don’t buy ranches the size of the Lazy Sunset.
Mac pulled hard on the reins and the horses came to a stop. They all jumped down and began to set up for the noon meal. When everything was ready, she rang the supper bell.
From all different directions, the men swamped the area, forming a crooked line. She dished out the stew and Amelia placed bread on each man’s plate. Rusty and Will were the last ones in line.
“How was your morning, honey?” Rachel asked as she handed Will his meal.
“Ma, it was great! Me and Rusty bossed everyone else around.”
Rusty spit out the swallow of water he’d just taken in. He wiped his mouth with his hand and eyed Will. “We didn’t boss everyone else around.”
“Well, you did. I really just watched,” Will mumbled.
Grinning, Rusty took his plate from Rachel an
d waited while Amelia put the bread on his dish, giving him a genuine smile. It appeared Amelia was one less problem she had to deal with in leaving. Rusty and his daughter were ready to share his house and their lives.
***
Later that evening, Rusty pounded on Rachel’s door, anger twisting his guts and heating his face. “Rachel, open this door!”
The door flew open so fast, he almost smacked her in the face.
“What is going on? Why are you pounding on my door, and why are you shouting?” With jerky movements, she dried her hands on a towel, then slung it over her shoulder, her lips firm.
Rusty grabbed Rachel’s hand and tugged. “Come with me.”
She tugged back. “I will not.”
He fisted his hands on his hips and glared at her. “You will come with me unless you want the entire ranch to hear our personal business.”
“We have no personal business, Mr. McIntyre.”
“Fine.” Giving her a tight smile, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorway. “Then we’ll have this conversation right here.”