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“Yes, ma’am. I’m AJ.”
The woman glanced at her watch. “You’re early. That’s a novelty Travis will appreciate.”
Confused, AJ opened her mouth and then closed it again. Apparently a response was not required. The woman kept talking.
“I’m your roommate. Rue Butterfield.”
“You’re a ranch hand?”
“I’m a physician and a retired army general. I handle the health clinic on the ranch and medical issues with the children. Immunizations and such.”
“Big Heart Ranch has a full-time staff physician living here?” AJ asked.
“Not exactly. I’m actually a volunteer and I have my own place in town.” Rue shrugged. “Often it’s easier to stay in the bunkhouse. Like last night. I was monitoring an asthmatic child over at the girls’ ranch.”
“I see.”
“Don’t worry, I’m tidy and mind my own business.” Rue winked. “Heavy emphasis on mind my own business.”
AJ couldn’t help but return the smile. “Good to know.”
“Delighted to have another woman around.”
“Thanks. Um, is this a permanent women’s bunkhouse?”
“Sure is. Why, Lucy Maxwell used to stay here all the time when things got busy. That is before she married Jack Harris and adopted triplets.”
“Triplets!” AJ blinked, attempting to wrap her head around the information.
Rue nodded. “Emma and her twins have been known to spend the night when the roads are icy between here and town.”
“And I suppose you’re going to tell me Travis has a dozen kids, too.”
Rue laughed. “Not hardly. Although our Travis does loves children, he’s highly allergic to relationships.”
AJ didn’t know what to say to that. She glanced at the road that led to the bunkhouse. “Can you point me to the stables?”
“You haven’t had the official orientation? Met with human resources and all?”
“That’s scheduled for Monday. Travis wanted me to start immediately.”
“That’s our Travis. Workaholic and then some. Even on a Saturday.”
“Not a problem. I like to stay busy. Especially on a Saturday.”
“You two will get along nicely then,” the older woman said.
Thoughts whirled at the irony of the comment but AJ held her tongue.
“Where did you park?” Rue asked.
“In front.”
Rue pointed to the black utility vehicle that was parked on the gravel. “Take the Ute. Keys are in the ignition. The main equestrian center is a quarter mile down the road, on the right. We have a smaller stable on the girls’ ranch.”
“Are you sure you want me to take the vehicle?”
“You’re staff now, and the Ute is easier to manage on some of the dirt and gravel roads on the ranch.”
“Thank you.” She looked at Rue. “I have to admit, I’m not used to such hospitality.”
“No? Well, you’re going to find that things are different at Big Heart,” Rue returned. “Love and the good Lord reign here. You’ll see.”
AJ couldn’t help but ponder Rue Butterfield’s words as she drove the Ute around the bend in the road. Was Big Heart Ranch different? The looming question was would things be different for her?
Ahead, a road sign indicated the equestrian center was to the right. She pulled the Ute into the gravel parking area and tucked the keys in her pocket.
In a small corral outside the stable doors, a group of young boys ranging from six to sixteen were being instructed by a young cowboy wearing a long-sleeved black T-shirt with the words Big Heart Ranch Staff on the back. Each youth took turns mounting a sorrel mare in the middle of the corral.
AJ tossed her saddle on the top rung of the roughly hewn fence and stood to watch for a moment. The scene lifted her spirits and brought a smile to her lips. She well remembered her first official riding lessons though it was the unofficial lessons with her father that were the most heart-tugging. Those were special times that she’d never forget.
“You found us.”
Travis Maxwell. She turned around. He wore creased black jeans and a plaid Western shirt. The Stetson on his head matched his black hair. As usual, there was a no-nonsense expression on his beard-shadowed face.
“Yes, sir,” she said, avoiding direct eye contact.
“Sir?” Travis shook his head. “Ouch.”
“Mr. Maxwell?”
“Travis is fine.” He looked around. “Got your saddle, I see. Are you boarding a horse with us?”
“No.”
“No?”
What would be the point of hauling Gus all the way here? She had zero expectation that this job would last long enough to get her horse settled in. So as much as it pained her, she’d left Gus with her stepfather where daily boarding fees continued to accrue.
Thankfully, Travis didn’t probe further and started walking in the direction of the stable entrance.
She followed, with her saddle slung over her shoulder.
“Let’s see what’s available,” he said. “Most of the animals are on the schedule for lessons. Our equestrian manager, Tripp Walker, will assign you a ranch horse later today.”
“Thank you.”
He picked up a clipboard from outside the building and flipped through the papers. “Looks like Ace is all yours this morning.”
“Ace?”
“She’s a fine animal.” Their boots echoed on the plank floors as they headed in. Despite the hour, the center was already busy. Horses whinnied and their hooves clomped on the stable floor as they were led outside. The soft crooning voices of riders grooming animals provided a white noise around them.
AJ peeked in past the gates of each stall, savoring the scent of animal and straw, pleased at the cleanliness of the premises. She inhaled deeply. Happiness did indeed have an aroma. This was it. The hay, the horses, the leather.
Travis stopped halfway down the center aisle. A chalkboard on the outside of the stall indicated this was Ace, a palomino mare with low white stockings on her forelegs. The animal’s dark velvet eyes assessed AJ with interest.
“Good morning, Ace,” she murmured.
The names Joey and Tim were also written on Ace’s chalkboard.
“What does this mean?” she asked, pointing to the names.
“All the kids have chores. Joey and Tim are Ace’s team. They do everything. Feed, groom, stall mucking and turnout. We pair up a younger child with an older one.”
He pointed to an office, whose door was shut, lights off. The sign on the door read Tripp Walker, Manager.
“Tripp’s the top of the food chain for anything to do with the horses. I’ll introduce you when he gets in. He was on call last night.”
“On call?”
“Yeah, and now that you’re here, you can be in the rotation. We take turns being the point of contact for livestock problems after hours and weekends.” Travis nodded to the right. “Here we go. Tack room.”
Once they’d tacked up their horses, AJ followed Travis back outside and into the April sunshine. His black Mustang stallion nickered and playfully bumped his muzzle into Travis’s shoulder.
“Midnight is spoiled rotten,” he murmured. Pulling a carrot from his pocket Travis fed the treat to the stallion.
AJ bit back a smile. So her boss had a soft spot, after all. She found that oddly comforting. Maybe he wasn’t all black and white.
“Let’s ride the fence line. After today the schedule is all yours. You’ll be assigning the chores, including the fences.”
“Mind if I ask how many ranch hands there are?”
“Rusty Parnell and Dutch Stevens are my only full-time wranglers. Dutch claims to be about one hundred years old and keeps reminding me he’s retiring in a year. He’s been reminding me since I hired him five years ago.”
“And Parnell?”
“Rusty is a piece of work, which is why I’m praying Dutch doesn’t really retire.”
“Two?” Her jaw sagged. “That’s all?”
“There are also a couple of college students, Big Heart Ranch graduates. They live in one of the two men’s bunkhouses and work part-time for their room and board.”
“That’s not a lot of help for a spread this size.”
“Tell me about it. Hiring will be a priority real soon. Once we get the cattle program fully launched, we’ll have our own student wranglers on board.”
“What do you mean ‘student wranglers’?”
“We’re raising sixty or so children in family environments on Big Heart. The ranch is their home, which means they get the awesome privilege of contributing to managing the place. Helps them understand the value of a strong work ethic.”
“Girls will be assigned, too?”
“Yeah.” Travis paused, his eyes steely. “Girls, too.”
Gaze unwavering, AJ refused to back down. After all, he was the one who had a problem with females, not her.
Silence stretched for a moment before Travis nodded toward the administration buildings in the distance. “Stop by HR on Monday. They’ve got a phone contact list and maps and all sorts of boring paperwork and classes for you that explain how everything works around here.”
“Will do.”
AJ’s glance swept the buildings around the stables. “Where are the men’s bunkhouses?”
He raised a gloved hand and pointed. “Behind the equestrian center. My office is in that barn. It holds tools and equipment, as well.”
“How do I reach you? I mean, if I need to?”
Travis moved the stallion’s reins to his left hand, reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He handed her a business card.
When their fingers touched, AJ stepped back, startled at the connection. The card fluttered to the dusty red dirt. She bent to retrieve the card at the same time as Travis. It was only his hand on her arm that prevented a full collision.
“Whoa,” he murmured.
“I...” Tongue-tied and overwhelmed with awareness, AJ froze. Travis’s dark eyes were round with intense scrutiny. She didn’t look away.
A woman working in a man’s world knew how to shut the door to a man’s assessing glance. Why did she find herself hesitant to close the door on this particular man? Heat warmed her face as she chastised herself.
“I’ve got this,” Travis said.
Her heart continued to trip wildly as she took the card he handed her, using care to avoid contact this time.
“Ready?” he asked.
AJ slid her boot into the stirrup and heaved up into the saddle. She followed Travis and Midnight through the stable yard and onto a well-worn path.
A cool spring breeze stirred the air, bringing with it the scent of Oklahoma red clay, grass and a familiar fragrance.
“Lilacs,” she murmured.
“Yeah, Lucy and Emma planted dozens of them.” He stopped Midnight and gestured to the left. “Over there by the pond.”
“Why so many?”
“Our mother loved lilacs.”
“You lost your mother? I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“We lost both of our parents. The three of us ended up in foster care. Lucy was ten, I was eight and Emma was five. That’s the reason we started the ranch.”
