“Tony, what brings you here?” Cole asked pleasantly as he leaned back in his chair.
“Did Dr. Lassiter call you?”
“Caleb? No, was he supposed to?”
“Yes, I just came from there. He said I can start work tomorrow.”
“Clean bill of health?”
“Sort of. Not sixteen-hour days, not a lot of hard strenuous work, but I can work. Caleb said I can start tomorrow.”
“Great, I’ll probably have you start working with Ann mucking out the stalls. That is a lot of twisting and turning, but if you get in a rhythm, and be able to work with any pain or restrictions you might have.” He stood and invited him to follow him. They went out to the horses, and he pointed over to Ann. “If you want to go watch her, ask any questions you might have now, then you can start at seven in the morning.” Cole slapped him on the shoulder and pointed toward Ann. Tony went over, introduced himself, and told her what Cole said, and by the time they left the barn that night, his head was swimming with questions, but not questions that would make him sound helpless, or at least in his mind he wouldn’t be helpless, because he knew a little bit of what he had to do starting the next morning.
He entered the cabin and though he didn’t want any coffee, he got the pot ready for the next day, and after noting the time on the microwave, he went tohis room and showered. Dressed in jeans and a tee, he reentered the kitchen just as a knock came on the door. He grinned as he went to open it, and stepped aside to let Staci in.
“At least it quit snowing,” she said as she entered, and turned so he could take her coat from her. She looked down and then back up. “Shoes on or off.”
“It’s up to you, I don’t really care. I’m only in my sock feet because I just got out of the shower.” He looked at her with a grin, and slipped his feet in a pair of dock shoes he always left by the door. He nodded when she wiped her feet, then left her shoes on as she entered the cabin.
“This set-up is like mine.”
“Yeah, Lloyd told me that all the cabins are cookie cutter on the inside. They’re different on the outside by little things. He also said that Erin said the shell and bones might be the same for everyone, but the people that live in them that give them their personalities. I don’t know about the others, but from what I’ve been told, I’m the only person here. Well, not here on the ranch, but here in the cabins. Apparently, Erin is hoping to hire more people over the next few months or years.” He shook his head as he started getting ingredients out of the refrigerator and cupboards. He turned to her with a quirked brow.
“Do you have any food allergies? Any different eating habits?”
Staci smirked. “Well, since you saw me eat roastbeef and cheese on wheat bread, I would say no. I like food, I just don’t know how to cook it.”
“Fair enough, do you like spaghetti?”
“Love it, is that what we’re having?”
“Yes, come over here and I’ll learn you how to make it, then that will be one recipe at your fingertips.”
“Don’t you mean teach me?”
“No, because if I teach, that means I’ll be doing all the work, and you’ll observe. I’m going to learn you by having you do it all. It’s not that hard, and you can have it on the table in twenty to thirty minutes.”
“Really? Is that all?” she asked in shocked awe.
“Yes. Now, the first thing you’re going to want to do is to get a pan large enough to hold water, since this will be for four meals, I’m going to recommend that we boil up two pounds of noodles. It might be too much, but I’m a big eater, and Iloveleft over spaghetti. I know this might sound gross, but I make it into sandwiches and eat it cold.” He shrugged and when she didn’t show any signs of disgust, he opened his cupboards and pointed to his pots and pans. He had her withdraw two pans, and had her draw hot water into the pot.
“Now you salt it.”
“How much do you know to use?”
“I was told to salt it so it tastes like the ocean.” He withdrew the container he used for salt, grabbed apinch, and held it up to show her, then handed her a spoon.
“What’s this for?”
“Use the handle, dip it in the water, taste it, is it salty?” He watched as she did that, and then she took the salt to add more, taste, and nod. He grabbed his own spoon and nodded. “Very good. Now, you don’t have to, but I prefer to place a lid on the pan so the water boils faster. I don’t know whether that’s true or not, but it was how I was taught. Oh, and I always start with hot water out of the tap.” He did as he said, then took the frying pan and placed it on the stove.
“While the water is boiling, we can make the sauce. I know I’m cheating by using jar sauce, but I don’t know how to make it from scratch. Maybe one of these days we can talk to Lois about it. She’s Cole’s girlfriend who purchased groceries for everyone a few days ago, and I think I know that she’ll know how to make it. I’ll talk with her later.”
Staci was shocked at the jealousy that came over her when she heard him talk about another woman, but tamped it down. He didn’t look at her as he instructed her on how to cut up the onions and peppers to fry up with the meat. She concentrated hard as he talked, and by the time they sat down to eat, with the way her mind worked, she knew he had done the right thing by having her make it, instead of watching him. With her ability to remember practically everything she has ever done, she knew shewould be able to make this sauce again in the future. She took her first bite, moaned, and sighed in contentment.
“This is good.”
“I’m glad you like it, now you can make it yourself at home,” he chuckled and shook his head. “Once you purchase the proper ingredients, that is.” They ate in relative silence until they were almost done, and he slowed down as he looked at her. “Tell me about yourself. You read my medical records so you know how I got to be here, but I know nothing about you.”
