Wynn nodded and sent another nervous glance toward Selena—and her gun. “If you don’t mind my asking, can you tell me what it is that you do here?” she asked Mandy. “I’m not used to armed guards.”
“Zavi’s dad works for a private company that provides security services, which is run out of the house here. I’m a physical therapist. I’m working on establishing a hippotherapy center.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s an approach to physical and emotional therapy centered around horses—riding them, caring for them, sometimes just being near them. Every client has different needs and uses different types of interactions with horses.”
Wynn smiled at Mandy. “That’s wonderful. I had no idea there was such a thing.”
Mandy nodded. “Ivy runs the diner in town. And you met Eden. She and her husband own this house. She’s a dog trainer.”
“There are a few more of us,” Ivy added. “Fiona is a student at CSU. Hope’s a mechanic…”
“So there are several families living here?”
“Right,” Ivy said.
“What are the position’s hours?” Wynn asked.
“Eight to five, Monday through Friday,” Mandy said. “You’ll have weekends off.”
“It’s a long drive up here from Cheyenne. Do you know what the rental market is like here in Wolf Creek Bend?”
“No need to rent,” Mandy said. “Your position comes with room and board. We eat together. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style, but dinner is a sit-down meal. There’s also a small kitchen in the apartment we have for you, so you could have some privacy if you wanted to make your own meals.” Mandy looked at Ivy. “Let’s show her the apartment.”
“Good idea. If you’ll follow us, we’ll just go upstairs. The apartment is over the garage.”
“Zavi’s up that way with Casey.” Mandy picked up her phone. “I’m going to have Rocco meet us up there.”
They went upstairs and down the hallway. At the bedroom wing, they turned right to go down the hallway that led to the apartment. It was a modest space. The kitchen, dining room, and living room were all in one large area. A short hallway led to a bathroom, laundry room, and bedroom.
Wynn walked through the apartment and seemed pleased when she came back to them. “This is included with the position?”
“It is,” Mandy answered. “If you like, we can furnish it for you.”
“Yes. That would be very helpful. With this, I can keep my apartment in Cheyenne for when I visit my grandmother.”
Rocco came into the apartment, Zavi on one side, Casey on the other. Mandy made the introductions, watching Rocco’s reaction to Wynn.
“Nice to meet you,” Rocco said.
Wynn nodded. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”
“This is my son, Zavi, and Ivy’s daughter, Casey.”
Wynn smiled at both kids. Zavi stood between Rocco’s feet, his left hand tangled with his dad’s shirt.
“Hello, Zavi,” Wynn said as she knelt down, bringing herself to his height.
Rocco nudged his shoulder. He straightened and held out his hand. “How do you do?”
Wynn’s smile widened as she shook his hand. “Quite well, thank you.”
“Is she going to be my teacher?” Zavi asked as he looked up at Rocco.
“Possibly.”
“Will I have to do what she tells me? Will she be the boss of me like Casey?”
“Yes. And she’ll be Casey’s boss, too,” Rocco answered.
“Will she belong to you?” Zavi asked.
Mandy felt herself blush as Wynn’s wide eyes went first to Rocco, then to her.
“She’ll be my employee,” Rocco clarified. “There’s a difference between an employee and a wife.”
“Oh.”
“Zavi has lived in Afghanistan until recently,” Mandy explained to Wynn. “He’s more familiar with a family relationship that exists in a tribal structure. He likes to put the pieces together in a way that he understands.”
“Makes perfect sense.” She stood up. “I think we all do that.”
Zavi reached for her hand. “Uncle Ty is going to build my classroom in the basement. Mandy says school will be in one of the other rooms until then. Do you want to see my bedroom?”
Wynn looked over at Mandy, who nodded. “Sure,” Wynn said as he led her out of the apartment. “Are you excited for school to begin?”
Rocco nodded toward Selena, sending her after them. Zavi’s voice faded behind them. “Do you like her?” Rocco asked Mandy and Ivy.
“I do. She has a kind face. She seems patient,” Mandy said.
“Her grandmother is ill, which is why she’s been subbing,” Ivy added.
“If you guys approve, then I approve.” He took Mandy’s hand and kissed her forehead. “Thank you for taking the initiative and doing the interviews. I trust your judgment. Will she need help moving in?”
“I’ll ask her. I’m excited for this next step.”
“Me too. I’m going to head back to work. Need anything else before I go?”
“Not immediately, but I would like to move the furniture out of the third bedroom by us and into her apartment. Then we can set that room up as a classroom until the construction’s finished in the basement.”
“And you’ll need some things for the classroom. Let’s talk it over tonight.”
Mandy nodded. “Okay.” She smiled at Ivy. “I think we found our teacher.”
*
A knock sounded quietly on Greer’s door. Had he not been lying awake, he would have missed it. He turned on a light, then slipped into a pair of jeans but didn’t fully fasten them. He went barefoot to the door. Remi stood there, wrapped tight in a white terrycloth robe.
Greer pushed the door open wider. “Hi.”
She came inside, then stood, white-knuckling her robe as if she were torn between ripping it off and running out of the room.
He really hoped she picked the former.
“Can I sleep with you?”
Greer felt his nostrils widen, even as his body tightened. He didn’t immediately answer. He waited until the breath she held came out in broken puffs, as if she expected his rejection. He shut the door.