“Yes.”
“Then by all means, bring it. Like I said, we can always store it if you don’t need it. These cabins do not have a basement, however, they do have a decent size shed. That’s where most people store their gardening tools. Oh, and you’ll be responsible for maintaining your own lawn, and if there are any particular flowers you’d like to plant, just toss it by Naomi or me to let us know you’re putting them in.”
“What about a garden?” She frowned at their exchanged looks. “A vegetable garden.”
“Funny you should mention that,” Cole said with a laugh. “My girlfriend is planning on putting in a vegetable garden once she can get on the plot. It’s five acres, and she’s asking that if people have free time to help weed and harvest. She will be canning everything possible, it will be stored in the community pantry for anyone to help themselves to it. We only ask that if you take a jar of something, when you’re done, clean it, and return it to the shelf. This is new this year, so it might take a couple of months to get a system going.”
“Wow, that sounds like fun. I never did it myself, but I used to help my grandmother with her garden in the summer.”
“If you like what we’ve told you so far,” Naomi spoke then. “How about a tour of the barn, then we can take you to see the cabins and bunktels. After that, we’ll show you the community pantry.”
“Do you expect me to start today or tomorrow? If I take the job?”
“No, we know you have to go home and take care of things there. We’re expecting another storm by the end of the week. After that, we should, fingers crossed, be done with the snow for the year. We’ll just have to wait for it to clear, then we’ll have to rework the track.”
“Can I see it?”
“Yes, it’s a mile.”
“Wow, okay, then we canreallytrain the horses.”
“Yes, and it’s so new that no horse has ridden on it yet. When you return, you’ll have to walk it before you take a horse on it. We have the equipment to work it, just not all the help to do it.” Naomi looked at Cole. “Do you think some of the guys from Broken can come over and help?”
“I’m sure they can, we’ll just have to talk to Erin about it.” They left the office and walked to the other part of the barn. Cole and Naomi had Faith lead the way.
“Wow, I like the setup.”
“Thanks, there are twelve horses here in this barn, these are the ones that will be ready to train once the snow melts. The other eighteen are over in the other barn.”
“Why aren’t they ready yet?’
“Too young, they are a year and a half or younger.”
Faith nodded and walked down the aisle to look at the horses as they stuck their heads out of their stalls. She laughed when she saw one and approached. “My, you look just like your granddaddy.” She reached up so as to not startle the horse, and let him nuzzle her before she pet him. She rubbed him on his head, ears, and neck. It took three hours for her to introduce herself to all the horses, and by the time they made it to the cabins and bunktels, Faith’s stomach was rumbling. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a protein bar.
After walking the accommodations, she turned to them with a frown. “I can pick and choose which one I want?”
“Yes, except for the last one on the right, or the last one on the left. The two cabins we did not show you. They are already occupied.”
She nodded, and they took her to the community pantry, and she stood there in the middle of the empty shelves and couldpicture the now empty jars full of food. “Question,” she said as she turned to look at the other two.
“What’s that?”
“If you offer me the job.”
“Stop right there,” Cole said with his hand raised. “Weareoffering you the job, there is no if involved. We only need you to go home and take care of what you need to, pack your things, and return. The only thing we ask is that on your way back here, you stop at the grocery store in town, and get your supplies before you arrive. As I’m sure you know, it’s an hour to any town with any major stores.”
“I understand, and I can do that. What I was going to ask was that I inherited my grandmother’s canning supplies. Would you like me to bring them?”
“Yes,” came a woman’s voice, and they all turned to see who stood there.
Faith sighed as Cole’s expression changed to one of joy as he held his arm out to the woman, who walking into his embrace, and they gave each other a quick kiss. “This is Lois Gibson, my girlfriend, and she will be in charge of the garden.”
“Faith Webber, the new jockey.”
“Welcome, Faith. Do you need any help unpacking?”
“No, I’m only here for the interview, I’ll have to go home to pack up, then come back.” She looked at Naomi and Cole. “Is three weeks okay?”
