Chapter Six
Ella turned offthe highway onto the road to the Walker ranch. It was about a mile from the turnoff to the ranch house and as she neared the house large oak trees lined either side of the gravel road. Trees weren’t something West Texas had in abundance. They were going to take some getting used to. Wanting to unload Midnight and get him situated first thing, she went directly to the barn rather than the small cottage nearby that was her quarters. She got out and stretched, glad to be standing instead of sitting on her butt. Dawn hopped out, looking around hopefully. “Go on,” Ella told her, knowing what she needed. “That’s a good girl.” The dog ran off a little ways, did her business and came back to her side.
“This is our new home,” she told the dog. “Don’t worry, you’ll like it.” And so, she hoped, would she.
Damaris came out of the barn just then. “I thought I heard a truck. You made good time.”
“We did. The traffic was light most of the way.”
Damaris leaned down to pet Dawn. “Aren’t you pretty? Is she an Australian shepherd?”
“Mostly. The vet isn’t sure what else she is. I think she might have some German shepherd in her too, but who knows.”
“Should we introduce her to the other dogs before we unload your horse? And by the way, what are their names?”
“This is Dawn. Midnight is my gelding. Dawn won’t leave his side until she feels like he’s settled in the stall. I was going to walk him around first.”
“Sure. You can put him in the corral after that if you want. Before you put him in his stall, that is. We’ve got one ready for him.” She looked at the trailer. “Do you want some help unloading him?”
“Thanks, but there’s no need. Midnight will do it himself.”
“Really? I’m impressed. I have never been able to get my horses to do that.”
“It’s him more than me. Midnight is very smart,” she said. She let down the ramp, then walked in the unoccupied side of the double trailer to the front so she could untie Midnight. She’d take off his traveling wraps once she got him out and walked him around some. She walked back out, gave him the signal, and stood by in case her horse needed direction. He never did but she didn’t want there to be a first time and her not be ready for it.
It took more than an hour, but Ella was finally satisfied that Midnight was as settled as he’d be for now. She left Dawn in his stall with him and went to unload. Damaris had corralled Marshall and Chase to help even though she’d told her she could manage. But she admitted it was nice having someone help unload the truck. Her cottage was furnished—luckily, since she had no furniture. Besides Midnight’s tack she didn’t have a lot of belongings. Mostly books—though she had an e-reader too, she still liked her paperbacks and hardbacks. She had some clothes, mostly jeans and T-shirts for summer, sweatshirts for winter, western shirts for if she wanted to look nicer than usual, a number of pairs of boots, a couple of dresses—one nice, one casual, and more T-shirts to sleep in. Lastly, she’d brought a box of knickknacks and mementos that she hadn’t wanted to part with, but not many of those.
The cottage was tiny. One bedroom, a living/dining/kitchen area, one bathroom. Perfect for one person and decorated nicely, if sparsely. “We left it mostly undecorated,” Damaris said. “We assumed whoever we hired would want to put their own extras up.”
“It’s perfect. Thanks. Is there internet here in the cottage?”
“Yes, we put in high-speed internet a few years ago. Chase will set it up for you. He’s good at that kind of thing. You’ll be working in the library with Chase at first. The office in the barn is still a mess. But we’ll get it fixed before long. It will make it easier for Chase to show you the ropes, anyway.”
Oh, yay.Spending the next who knows how long with Chase. If only he were ugly. Or at least arrogant or obnoxious.
“Is that a problem?”
“No, of course not. Why would it be a problem?”
“What’s a problem?” Chase asked, entering the tiny kitchen area.
Damaris looked at Ella. “Not a thing,” Ella said firmly. She wanted this job to work out. Which meant Chase would be a friend, and one of her employers, nothing more.
“Chase, can you set up a router and modem for Ella? Maybe tomorrow?”
“Sure. Anything else?”
“Hook up the satellite for the TV.” To Ella she said, “It’s pretty dependable. Unless it’s storming, of course. Damn thing goes out every time it storms.”
“I’m sure I can do all that myself,” she said hastily, thinking the less she hung around Chase the better.Right, and what are you going to do working in the same room with him daily?
“It won’t take me long,” Chase said. “I don’t mind. I’ll start right now if that’s okay with you.”
“Thanks. Whenever it’s convenient,” she said. “I’ll unpack some of my stuff while you do that.” In another room. As far away from Chase as possible.
*
A few daysafter she started work, Chase found Ella sitting at his desk with the computer in front of her and a frown on her face.
