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Cecily parked her SUV at the rear of the ranch house. “This is it.”
Grady got out, clutching his duffle bag close, as if the two were conjoined twins. Cecily opened the door to the mud room.
“You can leave your bag in here,” she said.
Grady shook his head and tightened his grip.
“Then let’s have lunch,” she said. “You can meet the hands.”
In the kitchen, Cecily paused before heading for the dining room. “Grady, this is Tanya. She’s our cook and is probably the most important person you’ll interact with—assuming you like to eat. Tanya, Grady’s our new hand.”
Tanya turned away from the sink, wiped her hands on a towel, and offered a handshake. “Nice to meet you, Grady.”
Grady seemed to be sizing her up, and shifted his duffle so he could accept Tanya’s hand. He gave a quick head bob. Shakes and nods seemed to comprise the bulk of his vocabulary, but the boy didn’t seem immune to Tanya’s good looks. Her deep blue t-shirt set off her coppery-colored complexion and caramel-colored eyes. She was an exotic—and attractive—blend of her Latino father and African-American mother.
In the dining room, Frank and Tim stopped eating long enough to smile at Grady. Bryce shifted his silvery blue eyes to Cecily for a split second, then studied his plate, moving morsels of food around, not eating. Cecily’s stomach lurched. Had bringing Grady to the ranch been the final cut in what she’d thought—hoped—could have turned into a serious relationship? Despite the anger radiating from Bryce, she felt a familiar quickening inside, the one seeing him triggered. The one that said I want to be near you. Sit beside you. Talk to you. Laugh with you.
Derek motioned to an empty chair. “Welcome to the Triple-D, Grady. Around here, there’s the quick and the hungry, so grab some food before it’s gone.”
Grady took the indicated seat and stashed his duffle under the table. Cecily sat beside him. She glanced toward her brother, sending him a silent question about making introductions. Helping Grady feel accepted.
Before Derek said anything, Tanya came into the room. Her smile for Grady repeated her initial welcome.
“What do you want to drink, Grady?” Tanya asked. “There’s always coffee in the pot, lemonade in the fridge, or you can have water, milk or soda. It’s help yourself, but I’ll bring you what you want, seein’ how it’s your first day.”
“Milk?”
“Coming right up.” Tanya waited.
“I need more coffee,” Derek said, rising. “Sis?”
“Water’s fine. Thanks.” Stalling, Cecily thought. Or did he want to talk to Tanya in private? Resisting the urge to join them, she tasted her casserole. Closed her eyes. Heaven. “This is really good, Grady. Go ahead. Eat.”
Tanya returned with Grady’s milk.
“Thanks,” he said without lifting his eyes. He forked up a tentative mouthful of the enchiladas and his eyes widened. The tiniest twitch of his mouth was the first hint of a smile Cecily had seen.
“Told you,” she said and worked on the rest of her lunch. If the way to the boy’s heart was through his stomach, Tanya’s cooking should convince Grady that Cecily’s program had an upside.
Derek returned with a glass of water for her, and a mug of coffee for himself. Still avoiding introductions, he dove into his meal.
She’d barely made a dent in her portion before Grady scooped seconds of both the casserole and the coleslaw onto his plate. Cecily wondered when his last home-cooked meal had been.
“Save some room for dessert,” Tim said. “Tanya’s apple cobbler is to die for.”
Grady glanced at Tim, then at his own plate and kept shoveling. Meanwhile, Cecily tried to send mental messages to Derek that he needed to get on with the basics.
Tanya brought in the cobbler and plates, and for the next few moments, the only sounds were forks clicking against ceramic. At long last, Derek set his plate aside, took one more sip of coffee, wiped his mouth, then cleared his throat. All eyes shifted to Grady, who stared at a point on the wall across from him.
“Men, this is Grady Fenton. Grady, you’ve already met Cecily. These guys are my regulars. Frank, Tim, and Bryce.” Frank lifted a hand in a half-wave, Tim nodded, and Bryce pulled his ponytail over his shoulder and toyed with the rubber bands along its length. Still avoiding her eyes.
Derek went on. “We don’t stand on a lot of formality here, but we do expect everyone to pull his weight. I understand you don’t have a lot of experience with horses. Is that right?”
Grady twisted his napkin. “No. Yes. I mean, I never been on a horse.”
“Bryce is our head wrangler—that means he’s in charge of the horses. He’s going to help you learn how to handle them. What he says is law. Mess up with Bryce, and you’re out of here. Understand?”
Although his tone was even, Cecily knew he wouldn’t hesitate to kick Grady out. The look Derek gave her said those last words were directed at her as much as the boy. She nodded her understanding.
Bryce’s expression seemed to relax a bit, as if he’d been handed a Get out of jail free card.
“This is a working ranch,” Derek continued, “started by my great-grandfather and his two brothers. I left the ranch some years ago, joined the Army Rangers and then a private security company. I came back about five years ago when health issues with my mom made it impossible for her and my dad to continue to work the ranch. I’m not going to be the one who’s responsible for ending the business. It’s my job to make sure the Triple-D is around for a good long while.”
Grady’s features were expressionless. Better than scowling or smirking, Cecily figured.
“The food in front of you, the roof over your head, comes from the cattle we raise,” Derek said. “Everything, and I mean everything, depends on the livestock. The horses are our tools for working with the cattle. They come first. You don’t eat until they eat. You don’t go to bed until they’re settled in for the night. Bryce will show you how it’s all done. Questions so far?”
Grady shook his head.
“Fine. We’re up and ready to go early—usually before daybreak. You’ll get the time the night before, and you’ll be expected to show up at the barn then. If you need food before you start, there’s a small kitchenette in your quarters, or you can come up here. We break between nine and ten for a hot meal, and again between one and two for the kind of meal you just ate. Since you’ll be living on ranch property, you’ll be invited to take a light supper at the house, or at your quarters.”
Grady gazed around. “I’m not staying here?”
“No, you’ll be at the old bunk house,” Derek said. “It’s a guesthouse now. A bit under a mile away, so you’ll need to take that into account when it’s time to show up in the morning. There’s an alarm clock in the bedroom, and I strongly suggest you use it.”
Grady’s face fell with each of Derek’s pronouncements. Cecily wished she could soften his instructions, but it was important Grady knew the ground rules from the beginning. If Grady failed, her project failed. She failed.
“You guys live there?” Grady’s gaze bounced from Tim, to Frank, to Bryce.
All three men shook their heads.
“You’ll be living on your own,” Derek said.
Whether this was good or bad news for Grady, Cecily couldn’t tell. He seemed to be shrinking further into himself with each word out of Derek’s mouth.
“Hey, look at the bright side,” Tim said. “We have to get up even earlier to be here on time.”
Cecily’s stomach did a quick somersault. Grady hadn’t seemed to notice Tim’s attempt to lighten the mood.
Derek pinned his gaze on Grady. “This project means a lot to my sister, and my sister means a lot to me. However, we value privacy, and how much you tell us about yourself, and when, is up to you.” He paused. Grady didn’t take the opening.
“Why don’t I get Grady settled in?” Cecily said. “Give him the nickel tour.”
Derek and Bryce exchanged a glance. “Fine. Have him at the barn in an hour, and Bryce will introduce him to the horses.”
Grady’s already pale complexion went three shades lighter.