Clint rotated the hat in his hands. “It’s really not a two-man job.”
“If you’re sure?” Carson asked.
“Completely.” Clint nodded.
Alice handed him the mug and slowly moved to the table herself, trying her best not to look like a decrepit old woman.“Might as well join us. If anyone deserves a hearty breakfast this morning, it’s you.” Slower than she would have liked, she gingerly descended into her seat.
“No, thank you. I’ve got chores to do before I head into town.”
She should probably insist he take the day off, but she knew better than anyone that ranches didn’t take a holiday because the folks working it had an ache or pain. She was, however, still the official owner of this ranch and she was perfectly willing to throw her weight around. “Who’s the boss here?”
His brows buckled and confusion made itself at home in his eyes. “Uh, you are, ma’am.”
“We agree on that.” She tipped her chin at the empty chair near the heat. “Sit.”
For a few seconds, Clint considered refusing again, but good sense kicked in. No point in ticking off the best employer he ever had. Taking a moment to hang his hat on the hook by the door, he crossed to the table and lowered himself into the chair with the careful movements of a man trying not to show pain.
Carson reached for his own cup of coffee. “Sounds like you two had quite the adventure this morning.”
“Definitely not business as usual.” Clint accepted the plate Cassie passed him with a nod of thanks.
“Mom said y’all were doing a Three Stooges routine.” Carson grinned.
“Your mother’s being generous. I’d say it was more like the Keystone Cops.”
“I have to admit,” Jessie took a seat by her husband, “I wish I could have been there to see it.”
“Me too,” Cassie added. “Too bad we don’t have surveillance cameras around here.”
Alice Sweet rolled her eyes. “Thank God for small favors.”
Her children snickered, and spent the next few minutes gently teasing the family matriarch.
“Just remember,” Alice waved a finger at her son, “I’m not the only Sweet family member to slip in the mud while chasing a calf,” her gaze narrowed at her son, “or a mutton.”
As if told this would be his last meal, Carson swallowed hard and shoveled the rest of his breakfast down at lightning speed.
A satisfied smirk, not a smile, a full-blown smirk, made itself at home on Alice Sweet’s face. Clint was going to have to remember to ask her one day, what was the story with Carson and the mutton, since it was pretty obvious to any fool that he did not want his mother sharing that little episode in his life with everyone at the table. Probably, most especially, his new wife.
By the time the morning conversations had come to an end and the family were gathering their plates and standing, Clint realized he’d scarfed down not one but two plates of the best breakfast he’d had in a very long time. Pushing to his feet, he gathered his plate and empty juice glass.
“I’ll take that.” Already on her feet, Alice took his dirty dishes. “Give me two minutes to change my shoes and we’ll head to town.”
“Town?”
Dishes in her hand, she looked up at him, her brows arching high on her forehead. “Where else are we going to buy lumber?”
“It’s only a few boards. I can do that on my own. I was planning a trip to town today anyhow to pick up a new auger bit. We seem to be breaking through those at a faster than ever speed lately.”
The way Alice Sweet studied him, he wished he could read minds. He didn’t have a clue if he’d said something wrong or ifshe was merely mentally putting together her next grocery list. Another moment and she shook her head. “Have you always been this difficult?”
He knew his eyes must have popped wide as a saucer.
“First I have to practically threaten you to sit down and eat, and now I’m not allowed to go into town to buy my own supplies.”
If it were at all possible for his eyes to grow any rounder or perhaps even fall out of his head, they probably would. What had he done? “Uh, I, uh…”
In that split second, a wide smile spread across her face as she continued shaking her head. “As much as I’d love to soak in a hot tub for a week or two, I have things to pick up in town as well, so lose the startled owl look and let’s get going.”
