I frown. “The foreman’s cabin? Is your foreman not using it?”
“Nope. Darby bought land when he married Cici. Built his own place.” He takes a sip. “Cabin’s been empty ever since. Two bedrooms. Half mile up from mine.”
That catches my attention. Two bedrooms. Ruby will have her own room.
I nod like it doesn’t matter, but it does. It matters a whole hell of a lot.
“You find a job for me?” I ask.
Caison snorts. “Always need ranch hands.”
“Good.” I take a long pull from my beer. “Just tell me when and where.”
“Monday. Five a.m. Office.” He glances at me sideways. “I’ll have Darby put you where he wants you.”
“Okay.”
Silence settles again, comfortable for a beat. Then Caison turns fully toward me, eyes sharp.
“All right,” he says, “tell me what the hell is going on. Because I know damn well you’d rather be anywhere, doing anything, besides working as a ranch hand on your father’s ranch. You hiding from a bookie out in Vegas? Am I gonna wake up to gunfire because of some gambling debt of yours?”
I laugh and choke on my beer, spraying half of it across the bar.
“Geezus, Waylon,” he snaps, grabbing napkins. “You think that’s funny? I’ve got a ranch expansion happening, a house to build, and a wedding to plan. I don’t need to adddodging a mob hitto the mix.”
I wipe my mouth, still grinning. “No wise guys. Promise. Only enemies I made in Vegas were a landlord and maybe a woman or two.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
I sigh and stare into my glass as the foam settles.
“There’s something I gotta tell you,” I say.
“Figured as much.”
I take a breath. Then another. “Her name’s Ruby.”
Caison freezes. “There’s a her?”
“Yeah.”
“Is it serious?”
I nod. “Pretty serious.”
He contemplates that for a moment. “Well, look at us two serious guys. How long have you known her?”
“A couple of months.”
He lets out a low whistle. “Months? And it’s serious enough for you to bring her back to Wildhaven and introduce her to Holland and Priscilla?”
“Yeah.”
“She must be something else.”
“She sure is,” I say.
“Well, I can’t wait to meet her. She back at the house?” he asks.
