Jacob
I follow the scent of fresh baking into the kitchen where Bernie is just pulling a large tray of cinnamon rolls out of the oven.
“Are you trying to give me a potbelly?”
She looks up.
“Who says these are for you?” she fires back.
“That would be particularly cruel, even for you, Bernie.”
I count twelve large rolls she is now liberally slathering with thick icing, and my mouth is watering.
“Oh fine, you can have one. The rest are for my book club meeting tonight.”
“Didn’t you say there were eight of you in that group?”
She narrows her eyes at me.
“There are. What are you getting at?”
I shrug. “Math isn’t my strong suit but doesn’t that leave four for me?”
She slides a warm, dripping cinnamon roll on a plate and hands it over.
“One. Save some for later.”
I pour a coffee, grab my plate, and announce I’ll be in my office.
“Didn’t you say you were heading out again this morning?”
“I will be, I just have a couple of calls to make.”
First thing I do when I sit down at my desk is check email and messages while eating my still-warm bun.
There isn’t much news, other than some more background information on Grandview Estate my lawyer sent me. It had taken me a while to find the property, which is located near Russell Springs on Lake Cumberland. The place is surrounded by water on three sides, and appears to be quite secluded.
I wasn’t able to get much information online, so asked my real estate lawyer to request a title search at the Russell County courthouse, which is what he forwarded to me. Just in time too, since Onyx is supposed to sign the papers and hand over a bank draft later today.
The next step will be arranging to pick up the horse and I would like to know exactly what she’ll be walking into. Pearl had been able to run the picture Lee took at the auction through her face-recognition software, and was able to match it to an old image of Wheeler with an accuracy of close to eighty percent. Good enough for me, but I’ve decided I don’t particularly like the idea of sending Onyx anywhere near this man.
My phone vibrates with an incoming call. It’s Mitch, so I answer through my app. My stomach clenches, worried this may not be good news.
“Tell me.”
Mitch doesn’t waste any time.
“Alex Crocker was found this morning. Alive.”
“You’re kidding me?”
“Nope. We looked into the boy’s uncle, whose behavior at the searches raised some red flags. Found out he was let go from the elementary school where he worked as a janitor for inappropriate behavior. He owns a hunting shack in the hills twenty miles north of Frankfort, where we found the boy. He wasn’t in great shape, but he should recover.”
“Physically,” I specify. “There’s no saying if he will psychologically.”
“Valid point,” Mitch concedes. “Anyway, just wanting to give you an update. We’re about to head straight home to catch up on some sleep, unless there’s something urgent?”
“No, nothing. I’ll get you guys caught up after you’ve had a rest.”
After I get off the phone, I check the time. I’m already running a bit late and I still have to check in with Pearl at the office. There’s no time to look over the information the title search produced, so I forward the email to Onyx.
“Is there anything urgent you need from me?” I ask Pearl when she answers the phone.
“No, there isn’t.”
“Good. I’ll be out of reach. For emergencies, send me a text.”
I end the call, gather my dishes, and head for the kitchen, which is empty. I find Bernie in the laundry room folding sheets.
“I’m off,” I announce.
“Are you going to be home for dinner?” she wants to know.
“Don’t count on it, otherwise, I can look after myself.”
She snorts and rolls her eyes. In response, I loop an arm around her shoulders.
“Granted, not as well as you do,” I concede. “But I won’t starve.”
“Fine, take those leftover cinnamon buns with you, but don’t eat them all yourself, share.”
“I will.” I grin. “You’re the best.”
I follow her into the kitchen where she puts three pastries into a plastic container and hands it to me.
Ignoring her grumbling, I kiss her cheek, grab my keys and ball cap off the table in the hall, and head out.
Onyx
I blow a strand of hair from my face, and take in the mess around me.
Dammit.
I have a pounding headache and of course I can’t find my painkillers anywhere. I’ve been tearing apart my bathroom and bedroom without any luck. I was so sure I’d seen them in the vanity drawer. Where the hell did I leave them?
Of course now my phone starts ringing in the kitchen. I’d ignore it, but I’m expecting a call back from a potential stable hand.
I leave the mess I made for later and hurry to the kitchen.
“Hello?”
“Is this the Four Oaks farm?”
The voice sounds like a younger man’s.
“It is.”
“Hi…uhh, my name is Jose Cantu. I understand you’re looking for hired help?”
I grab the printouts off the counter to check the name of the guy I left a message for, but it’s not Cantu. None of the résumés I have are in that name.
“Yes, I am actually looking for a ranch hand. Where did you hear about the job?”
I turn one of the papers upside down and look for a pen in the kitchen drawer. The first thing my hand encounters is the container with painkillers.
Thank God.
I’m listening with half an ear as I wrangle the lid of the container and shake out two pills.
“…Chen suggested I give it a try.”
“Gordon Chen?” I ask as I grab a cup for some water.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Hard to believe the guy who tried to outbid me at auction, now suddenly decides to send me help, but it doesn’t hurt to hear him out. It’s not like the candidates are lining up outside the door.
“Well, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself. Background, skills, work experience, that kind of thing.”
When he starts talking, I quickly pop the painkillers before picking up my pen and making some notes. It sounds like Jose has quite a bit of experience as a stable hand but is looking to advance his career. He sounds interesting to say the least.
“Listen, Jose, do you have a résumé and reference contacts you can email me?”
“I can do that.”
I recite the Four Oaks email account I set up. Then I tell him, once I receive his information and check out his credentials, I’d like to have my trainer talk with him as well, before any decisions are made.
My headache still hasn’t cleared up after I end the call, so I go lie down on the couch for a few minutes and wait for the painkillers to take effect.
I must’ve fallen asleep, because the sound of knocking on the door wakes me up. Swinging my feet to the floor, I give myself a second to gain my equilibrium before I stand up. Thankfully my headache is gone.
I check the peephole to see Hamish standing outside. Quickly disabling the elaborate alarm system Jacob had installed, I open the door for him.
“Did I catch you sleeping?” he asks right away.
“Dozing. I’m sorry, were you waiting long?”
I step aside and wave him in.
“No, I just got here. I ran a little late.”
He follows me into the kitchen where I grab the empty coffeepot and hold it up.
“I was going to put on a fresh pot, will you have some?”
“Sure.”
I grab my canister of coffee beans and fill the grinder.
“Sorry, it’s noisy, but freshly ground tastes best.”
“I won’t argue that.”
I glance over my shoulder and catch him peeking at the handful of résumés.
“Would you mind having a look at those? Oh, and you’ll never guess who sent another candidate my way. Gordon Chen.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. The guy is obviously enamored with you.”
I snap my head around, my mouth open.
“How do you figure that? I actually get the opposite vibe from him. I don’t think he likes me at all.”
I finish setting the pot up to brew and turn around, leaning my butt against the counter.
“I beg to differ; you don’t see what we see.”
If I thought the comment was about appearance, I’d roll my eyes, but I don’t think Hamish was simply talking about my looks. I ignore the little tingle I feel at his words and point at the résumés.
“I made some notes on the back of one of those. I should go see if the new candidate sent his work history yet.”
I slip down the hall to the second bedroom I set up as an office and open my laptop. I didn’t really expect him to have sent it already—I simply needed a moment to myself—but to my surprise, I see the email in my inbox. I print it out and briefly glance at it, but I don’t really know what to look for.
“Here it is.”
I hand him the document and head for the coffeepot, grabbing a few mugs from the cupboard above.
“Did you talk to any of the others?” he wants to know.
“Talked to one guy earlier today, who started by telling me he had a bad back so wouldn’t be able to do any physical work,” I recount that frustrating conversation.
“Did he explain why the hell he was applying for a physical job then?”
“He was making my headache worse so I cut the conversation short.” I slide a coffee in front of him. “I left a message for another guy but so far he hasn’t returned my call, and I have yet to contact the third applicant.”
“So, this Jose guy and which other one?”
I point out the work history for the other applicant.
“I’ll take care of this,” he suggests, looking at me with his head tilted, “while you get ready.”
I look down at myself to find I’m still wearing the sweats I put on for comfort this morning. I grab my coffee and hustle to the bedroom.
Normally I wouldn’t care, but Hamish is here to take me into Lexington. I have an appointment with a lawyer to finalize the purchase of Arion’s Moon. Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined being the owner of a thoroughbred racehorse. Of course, it’s really Jacob’s horse, but it will be in my name. At least for the time being.
Signing the paperwork today means I need to make sure I’m ready for the horse. Hamish is coming because we’ll be picking up a horse trailer and making a stop to pick up some last minute supplies.
I clean up the mess I made earlier, grab a pair of designer jeans, pull on a slouchy sweater, and shove my feet into my favorite boots. In the bathroom, I quickly brush on a little mascara and tinted lip balm. It’s going to have to do.
“I like this Jose,” Hamish announces when I return to the kitchen. “He seems like he knows what he’s talking about and definitely has the experience. I also got hold of Joey Vernon who, as it turns out, is not a guy but a woman and I like her too. In addition to being an experienced hand, she’s an exercise rider as well, which would be an added benefit.”
I drain my cup and put it in the dishwasher. Hamish hands me his as well.
“So what are you suggesting?” I ask.
“Hire them both. We can check a few more referrals first, but I think that’s the way to go. The horse will need daily care that really requires more than one person anyway.”
I glance at the clock.
“We have a little time. We could split the referrals between us. If those check out, we can invite both of them here. Like a meet and greet, get a sense of them in person.”
I’m going to have to try and figure out the staff quarters on the other side of the exercise track. I’m pretty sure the building is not set up with a men’s and women’s section. We may need to make some adjustments there.
“Here, you take Joey’s,” Hamish suggests as he hands me one of the printouts. “That way you can get a sense of her. I’m going to give Gordon Chen a call, find out what prompted him to send Jose Cantu this way.”
His voice has a definite edge when he talks about Chen. I wonder if his suggestion that man has more than a professional interest in me is prompting him to make that call.
Or maybe I’m reading too much into it. I’m finding myself more and more drawn to him, with an attraction that goes much deeper than the surface. Life has left its scars on all of us. Some of them perhaps more visible than others. The ones Hamish wears don’t detract from the man I’m getting to know.
Just like the lack of a physical presence hasn’t kept me from feeling a special connection with Jacob.
If there is some greater being orchestrating our lives, they have a cruel sense of humor. I haven’t had feelings for a man since I lost the one who had my heart completely. Not for lack of trying though.
Yet here I am, suddenly drawn to two men—friends, no less—and I’m caught in a situation where I can’t walk away from either of them, and guilt is a constant companion.
Lovely.
I’m sure whoever is up there is having a laugh on me.
With my phone and Joey’s résumé, I duck into my office for some privacy to make a few calls. When I return, Hamish is just ending a call.
“Any luck?” he asks.
“You’re right, she sounds good. I was able to get hold of both references and they spoke highly of her. Her last employer said he regretted seeing her leave.”
“I’m sure he did, since he was apparently a cheap bastard paying her less than her male counterparts,” he explains. “She told me she asked for equal pay and was brushed off, so she quit.”
I like her already.
“There will be no gender distinction in wages here,” I state firmly.
Hamish grins, “I figured as much.”
“What about Jose?” I inquire.
“Yeah, sounds legit. Chen said he worked for a friend of his, who recently retired and sold off his horses. The friend sent Jose to Chen, who didn’t have any openings and suggested calling you.”
“Great. So we can set up a day and time for them to come here,” I suggest.
“Call them from the road. We’ve got to get going.”
“Okay, give me one sec.”
I take down a couple of travel mugs and fill those with the remaining coffee, handing one to Hamish. Then I grab my purse and the résumés, and follow him as he heads for the door.
“You washed it,” I observe as we walk outside and notice the gleaming truck.
“It needed it.”
He clicks the locks and opens the passenger door for me.
“Oh, shit, I forgot,” he remembers, grabbing a container from the seat.
He waits until I’m buckled in and hands it to me.
“Have one. Best cinnamon buns you’ve ever tasted.”