Sean didn’t appear surprised as he commented, “Yeah, that’s my buddy Nolan’s business. Did he tell you much about the operation?”
“Not really, other than to say that you’re in charge and will be hiring the foreman.”
“That’s Nolan.” Sean smirked. “A man of few words. Anyway, we’re still in the process of gettin’ things up and runnin’. Both Nolan and his wife lost loved ones to cancer, so they wanted to start something to benefit cancer patients.”
“Sounds like an interesting position and a worthy cause. I’ve been around animals all my life. I grew up in Texas and lived on farms, learned the ropes from my father, who’s been workin’ ranches as long as I can remember.” He hoped Sean wouldn’t ask too many questions about his family and childhood, as those were subjects he preferred to leave in his rearview.
“Do you have any references?”
“Yes, sir. I brought letters from my last two employers with their contact info.”
“Great. What brings you to Mississippi now?”
“Well, those last two gigs were seasonal, up north in Virginia and Tennessee. I really didn’t see myself settlin’ down in either of those two areas, so I was makin’ my way south again, and honestly just passin’ through when I saw the job opportunity here.”
TJ looked around inside the barn, taking note of the numerous stalls, various storage areas, and the hayloft above. Sean’s dog was sniffing his boots, and a calico barn cat sauntered up to him and began rubbing up against his legs.
“Don’t mind them. That’s my dog, Ginger, who might lick you to death, and our barn cat, Callie. Some of her babies are runnin’ around here somewhere. They’re good companions for the horses and they keep the mice at bay.”
TJ leaned down to give the dog a pat on the head, who responded with more butt wagging, and scratched the cat under her chin, who voiced her satisfaction with loud purrs. He then nodded his head over toward two American Paints in their stables. “Nice lookin’ pair of paints over there.”
“Actually, they belong to Nolan. Those two, plus my daughter’s and fiancée’s horses, are our only horses at the moment. We’re in the process of acquiring a few more, including some ponies or miniatures for children.”
As he stroked and cooed at each of the horses in turn, Sean continued his spiel. “Like I said, our therapy clients will mostly be cancer patients, but since Nolan’s a veteran, we’ll probably have some vets comin’ in as well. Apparently, horse therapy is good for treating PTSD. Plus we’re aimin’ to expand our informal rescue and animal sanctuary, turning it into a petting zoo and camp for kids. That’s Nolan’s pet project.”
As they exited the barn and walked around the corral, TJ’s enthusiasm grew with every step. The possibility of working with fellow vets brought back memories of his own military service. “I was in the Army for six years myself.”
“Thanks for your service, son.” Sean pointed out some chicken coops and a pasture where a few cows were grazing. “When you drove in, you saw the acreage of the tree farm.” He gestured past the fences. “Over here to the east is a stretch of land we’re in the process of buying so we’ll have all the space we need.”
TJ turned back toward Sean. Although it was a small operation in scale, he admired the enormity of the cause, and his heart swelled at the thought of being part of such a noble effort. “I like what I see here. It would be an honor to be a part of it.”
Sean grinned. “You sure you want this job? I haven’t even told you how much, or how little, it pays yet.”
He gave Sean a sheepish look. “Oh, yeah. I guess that’s one of the important questions I should have asked.”
“Eight hundred a week, plus you get that cabin over yonder to live in if you want. If that works for you, you’re hired. I think you’ll fit in here just fine. I’ll check out your references later and talk to Nolan, but plan on bein’ here at first light Monday mornin’.” He extended his hand to seal the deal. “One more thing. And this is not negotiable. That daughter I mentioned? She’s off limits.”
Where the hell did that come from? TJ scanned Sean’s face for a clue, but couldn’t tell if the man was joking. Not wanting to screw up this chance, he responded with as much sincerity as he could muster. “With all due respect, sir. I don’t mix my business and personal life. And I stay to myself.”
Sean slapped him on the back. “Well, then. You and I are gonna get along just fine. Now let me show you the cabin and then we can go up to the house and take care of some paperwork.”
* * *
TJ returned to the motel, his insides buzzing with excitement over the new opportunity. He ducked into the office to share the good news with Nana.
“How’d it go out at Sullivan’s, hun?”
“Great, Nana! I got the job! I start Monday morning and they have a cabin for me to stay in, so I’ll be leaving you.”
“That’s wonderful! Welcome to Green Springs!”
TJ leaned down and gave Nana a kiss on the cheek. He was just as surprised as she was at the gesture, unable to remember the last time he’d kissed anyone. He wasn’t used to showing affection or having it bestowed on him, but gratitude was causing him to do some strange things. Was that a blush he saw on Nana’s cheeks?
“What was that for, child?”
“You brought me luck. Now I think I need a good meal and a beer to celebrate.”
“Nonsense. You got that job on your own. Speaking of luck, a couple miles down the road is Lucky’s Pub. You’ll find what you’re looking for there.”
