Carl just laughed and slapped me lightly on the back. “Come along. I’ll take you over to the main lodge and introduce to Bria. She’ll get you settled.”
“I can wait until you’ve finished your lunch.” I felt bad.
“Don’t worry about it.” He patted his belly with his free hand. “I was pretty much done, and it isn’t like I need the pounds.”
He dropped his hand from my back and went over to place a quick kiss on Lucinda’s cheek.
“Be back soon, darling.”
“I’ll be waiting.” She smiled and walked my direction. “For later. Just in case.” She had the plate wrapped in foil and ready to go.
“Thank you very much.” There was no way I could refuse her twice.
Outside, Carl stopped. “I didn’t know you’d be bringing a horse.”
“I figured it would be easiest.” I explained. “I’ve also been traveling for the last few months between other ranches and rodeos.”
“I see.” He scratched at his salt and pepper hair. “I’m not sure we have an empty stall in the stables, but I’m sure we can figure something out.”
I hadn’t thought about that. I’d just assumed their stables were the same as ours.
“I guess if all else fails I can run home and take him back, but I’d rather keep him here.” I didn’t know the horses on his ranch, and I wasn’t looking forward to showing people how to do rodeo tricks with an untried horse. It didn’t matter that they were simple moves.
“No need. I’m sure we can find space.” Carl smiled and continued down toward my truck. “We can walk, but it probably will be best if we go ahead and drive on over to the stables first.”
“Alright.”
I climbed back in and followed his directions over to the stables. Carl introduced me to Wes Garrett, who was the ranch foreman and Wayne, who was one of the hands. It took some maneuvering, but we found room for Iron Rocket and I felt comfortable leaving him there.
Carl and I left the car and walked on over to the large building in the middle of the space. It reminded me of the hall that we used at Blackthorne for our kids’ camp and the big Friendsgiving dinner my family threw every year for the town. I wondered if they did anything like that here, or was this just for the guests who came out to learn about ranch life?
“I have to warn you about Bria.” Carl paused before opening the front door. “She’s a little…” He hesitated. “Precise?” There was uncertainty in his voice.
“What does that mean?”
“I might own the place, but I’d probably tell anyone who asked that she’s the boss.” He shrugged. “Well, Lucinda and Bria, that is. I wouldn’t be able to run this place without either of them, and Bria keeps us all in line without question.”
“Okay.” That sounded like something my grandfather would say about my grandmother and my cousins. “So she’s sort of a ball buster.”
“I don’t know if I’d say that.” He scratched at his head. “It’s more so she likes things how she likes them. She grew up on a ranch not far from here, and her father was a different sort of man. Lucinda took her under her wing, and well, when he died while Bria was in college, I offered to let her work here.”
That was easily something my family wound have done and probably had done a dozen times.
“She generally keeps to herself.” Carl continued talking. “She prefers a distance between herself and the staff. In fact, the only person she really talks to at all is Lucinda. Like I said, they’ve always had a special bond.”
“Why does she keep to herself?” My family befriended our staff. We wanted them to know they were appreciated and that they could come to us about anything.
“She said it’s easier to manage everyone that way.” He shrugged again. “I’m only telling you this so you aren’t taken off guard if she is a little brisk.”
“Sure.” It wasn’t as if it really mattered. I was only here for two weeks. It wasn’t like it was going to make a difference if I was friends with this woman. I’d probably only talk to her this one time.
Carl opened the door and led me through the open area of the building and to the stairs that took us up. He knocked on the first closed door and waited for the person inside to respond. Once she said something Carl pushed the door wide and walked in with me behind him.
“Hey Bria, our rodeo rider is here.” Carl smiled as he presented me like I’d just taken first prize in a race.
“About time.” She sat behind a desk that was big enough to make her look like a kid playing in her parent’s office.
Cool dark brown eyes sized me up. She had her brown hair pulled back in a low ponytail, but I could see the caramel highlights both in the two pieces framing her face and the streaks throughout the back. Her skin was golden perfection. The tone lighter than my dark color, but still a deep brown. I’d never been one to notice the symmetry of a face, but I noticed hers. Everything about her looked pulled together and perfect, right down to the full lips that I wanted to feel touching mine.
