“YES!” she shouts causing me to jump. “I’m texting Hope,” she says into her phone as she aggressively types into it. I shake my head in slight annoyance but with a smirk.
It’s not that I never want to go out with them all, I do. I love my friends. It’s just that by the time eight in the evening rolls around, I love nothing more than curling up on my porch with a book. Although, she’s not wrong, it’s certainly been a minute.
“I’m gonna text Jake as well, he’ll lose it.” The tapping from her thumb on her phone becoming louder.
Jake Bennett’s like my little brother, the closest thing I’ll ever get to having one.
He’s two years younger than us but has been there for me more than I can ever thank him for.
Between him and the girls, they glued me back together enough that as the years went on the cracks only slightly showed.
“So, now you got what you want, get out my office so I can finish up.” I start shooing Iris out the door.
“See ya’tomorrow. Seven, don’t be late,” She waves at me.
“Yeah, yeah.” I wave back.
One night out won’t do any harm, although famous last words have been spoken before.
Leaving the office after finishing up for the day and Iris’s swift visit, I turn my key and make sure the door is locked before taking the walk back towards the main house.
I watch the herd in the distance, with Colter and two cowboys ushering them across the field. I notice the numbers and wonder where the missing cowboy is; there’s supposed to be four out there today.
Supposed to be four or more out there every day but finding them is getting harder and harder as the seasons wear on.
I shrug and roll my eyes at the sight; I’ll speak to Colter. If we need to hire a new person, or three, then he needs to let me know so I can place to advert up immediately. It’s going to be a struggle without the extra hands.
We’re struggling with the four that we have, well, had. Even with my brother, who’s on top form at the minute.
I could watch my brother herd cattle all day long; he’s made for this life. Like my daddy was before him and so forth. Colter knows his wayaround a horse and is grounded enough to run the whole operation.
I’m more than happy to fill in and show the boys how to really do it, however that would mean no one in the office and that’s important too.
My role at the ranch primarily consists of answering the phones and emails. Booking and placing orders. Anything to do with any animals we have, as well as managing our sales.
My mind wonders to potential options for us.
I could ask Jake possibly? No.
I dismiss the thought quickly. He already has so much going on at his own ranch.
Maybe Luke can lend a hand? Or many.
I sigh, trying not to overthink the issue at hand. Colter is over worked as it is.Fuck it, I’ll post two adverts after I speak to my brother.
There’s no harm in seeing if anyone will take them up. Theres always cowboys willing to work for food and board in Tennessee, even if they are just drifting through for thetime being, better than going without any.
Three
Mabel
Sitting at the table, I reach over for the potato salad mama’s made for our evening meal. I load some onto my daughter’s plate, then my own and decide to look at my brother, before broaching the subject of what I noticed earlier today with him out in the fields.
“So, I saw today there was only three of y’all,” I say, crunching down on a piece of mama’s green bean casserole that I loaded onto my plate.
“Yeah, um, about that,” Colter starts. I watch his shoulders tense from across the table as he answers my question.
“What’s happened now?” I ask,sounding more annoyed than I intend too.
